Are you the proud owner of a senior cat?
Senior cats have nutritional needs different from those of kittens or adult cats. Some aging cats lose interest in food, while others become obese during this life stage. A cat is considered a senior cat when she reaches the age of 12. This means that even though your cat may look like it is feeling young—that isn’t the case. A senior cat’s activity level decreases and is more prone to joint diseases.
In this blog post, I will go through the top seven best cat foods for older cats and share a few things you need to know about them and their nutritional needs.
Let’s begin.
Feeding Your Senior Cat: The Basics
Senior cats have activity levels lower than those of an adult cat or a kitten. During the twilight years, the metabolism also slows down, meaning an older cat requires less nutrition during this stage of life. Usually, senior cats are put on a low-protein diet.
However, you should note that there hasn’t been any study that suggests that the nutritional needs of senior cats are any different than those of an adult. While senior cats need fewer calories, they don’t need a specific food product unless they have age-related health problems like cancer, heart disease, etc.
It would be best to remember that as a cat ages, the teeth weaken, and it becomes harder to chew the kibble. This is why older cats prefer wet food products over dry ones.
Determining the Daily Caloric Intake
To meet your senior cat’s nutritional needs, it is essential to determine the recommended daily caloric intake. You should consult a vet to find the ideal range according to age, activity level, health issues, dietary restraints, etc.
As cats age, they either gain or lose weight. So, it is your job to ensure your cat is eating the right amount of food for optimal functioning and health.
Obesity in Senior Cats: Why Is This a Problem?
Age combined with the cat’s lifestyle significantly impacts a cat’s appetite and food intake. Cats are hunters by nature. They stalk and capture prey in the wild and eat small meals throughout the day. However, this is not the case for domestic indoor cats, as they don’t have much room to roam about freely. Also, the food is easily accessible anytime they wish to eat.
So, the sedentary lifestyle and access to calorie-dense foods are the most common reasons a cat quickly gains excess weight. Following are some tips that’ll help you keep your kitty’s weight under control:
- Consult your vet to determine the right balance of nutrition your senior cat needs. It is a good idea to choose foods that follow the guidelines set up by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
- Carefully read the label on the cat food. Ensure that it contains a guaranteed analysis that lists the amount of protein, fat, crude fiber, and moisture in the food. You can also check the manufacturer’s website to learn more about the nutritional information.
- Don’t overfeed your cat even if she begs for more! Your senior cat should have 50 kcal per kilogram of weight.
- Portion control helps maintain a cat’s weight or help your kitty lose weight.
Nutritional Needs of a Senior Cat
In this blog section, I will go through the nutritional needs of a senior cat and what the best cat food for older cats should be.
Take a look.
High-Quality Source of Protein
Protein is essential as it helps your kitty maintain her muscle mass. As a cat ages, its ability to absorb nutrients from food decreases. So, a cat needs protein from high-quality animal sources, such as duck, rabbit, chicken, fish, etc., to maintain muscle and weight.
Kidney Health Support
Renal failure is one of the most common conditions that affect senior cats, and you need to feed your kitty foods that can keep the kidneys healthy. Water is essential to ensure kidney health. However, senior cats don’t drink enough water, so feeding the cat raw or canned food containing sufficient moisture is good.
Some foods stress the cat’s metabolism and put an excess burden on the cat’s kidneys. You should go for minimally processed meats, bones, organs, etc. Foods that contain fruits, grains, vegetables, and legumes should be avoided. Secondly, metabolically stressful foods put an excess burden on your cat’s kidneys. The best approach is to feed a diet easily assimilated by your cat’s body.
A cat with kidney problems should be on a phosphorus-limited diet that lowers the kidney burden. Foods high in phosphorus include organic meats, dairy, and fish. Low-phosphorus meats include poultry and rabbit.
Ultra-Palatable
As cats age, they lose their interest in food, so it is essential to stimulate an aging cat’s desire to eat. Moist and warm foods that have a strong aroma are some tempting options. You can sprinkle bonito flakes or a splash of bone broth on the food as encouragement.
Easy to Eat
Aging cats have dental problems, which makes chewing a challenging task. So, moist foods are a good choice for aging cats.
Add warm water to dry kibble to make it softer and chewy.
My Senior Cat Isn’t Eating: What to Do?
Aging cats don’t usually have a huge appetite and are even reluctant to get close to a bowl of food. In this case, you can do the following:
- Mix tuna juice to warm the food
- Add broth or warm water
- Mix the cat’s favorite meat
- Using appetite-stimulating drugs such as mirtazapine or cyproheptadine
If all these fail, you should call your vet immediately to determine what’s wrong.
In most cases, the loss of appetite is linked to an underlying condition, including cancer, gastrointestinal disease, and chronic pain. It is essential to diagnose these conditions in time.
Top 7 Best Cat Foods for Older Cats
There are hundreds of cat foods available on the market. However, only a few come in the ‘best’ category. In this blog post section, I will quickly overview the top 7 best cat foods for older cats available in 2018. I’ll review each of these cat foods individually in the following section.
So, take a peek:
| Food Name | Key Features | Our Rating | Prices |
| Hill’s Science Diet Senior Dry Cat Food | ● The recipe is developed explicitly for indoor cats
● Made from high-quality ingredients that contain prebiotic fiber that supports the kitten’s digestive health ● Contains a blend of antioxidants, including Vitamin E and C, for a healthy immune system ● Doesn’t contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives ● Trusted and recommended by vets ● Good for cats over the age of 7 |
4.5 Stars | Check Prices |
| IAMS Proactive Health Senior Adult Dry Cat Food | ● Helps the cat maintain a healthy weight and controls the growth of hairballs
● The critical ingredient of this kibble is chicken, which provides the cat with all the essential nutrition ● Formulated with essential nutrients, including potassium and calcium ● Provides a 100% complete and balanced meal for cats |
4.5 Stars | Check Prices |
| 9Lives Dry Cat Food | ● Provides a 100% complete and balanced meal for adult cats
● Contains essential vitamins and nutrients for an indoor cat to help maintain weight ● The kibble is excellent in taste ● The kibble is specially formulated to help support the control of hairballs ● Helps in an easy litter box clean-up |
4.4 Stars | Check Prices |
| NUTRO MAX Dry Cat Food | ● Specially curated for indoor cats
● The cat food is fortified with vitamins and minerals ● Contains no chicken by-product meals, soy, wheat, corn, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives ● Made of high-quality materials ● Supports healthy skin and coat |
4.4 Stars | Check Prices |
| Purina Friskies Surfin’ & Turfin’ Favorites Cat Food
|
● Features beef, pork, and seafood flavors that cats seem to love
● The kibble comes in a variety of appealing shapes and sizes that help keep the cat excited during mealtime ● The kibble has a rich aroma that tempts the cat into eating the food ● Made of high-quality ingredients ● Provides 100% complete and balanced nutrition for all stages of life |
4.5 Stars | Check Prices |
| Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-free Recipe | ● The ingredient list for this cat food consists of simple ingredients and has one animal and one vegetable protein source
● The cat food is made of farm-raised duck or rabbit meat, which is easily digestible and rich in nutrients ● The food doesn’t contain corn, soy, wheat, preservatives, added colors, etc. ● Made in the United States of America |
4.5 Stars | Check Prices |
| Purina Pro Plan Dry Cat Food | ● The cat food contains real chicken as the #1 ingredient
● The kibble doesn’t contain filler ingredients such as wheat, corn, or soy, and no poultry or chicken by-products are used in the food ● The food is made from essential and natural ingredients ● Doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives ● Made of high-quality ingredients |
4.4 Stars | Check Prices |
Now, let’s take a closer look at these senior cat foods, shall we?
Let’s begin.
Hill’s Science Diet Senior Dry Cat Food
The Hill’s Science Diet Adult Dry Cat Food is one of the best cat foods for all life stages available on the market. The food is developed to meet the needs of an indoor cat. The added fiber helps promote digestion. The ingredients used to make the food are of a high quality.
The kibble is rich in high-quality lean protein, which helps the cat maintain her weight and muscle mass. This kibble is for all life stages.
Let’s take a look at the key points, shall we?
- The recipe is developed explicitly for indoor cats
- Made from high-quality ingredients that contain prebiotic fiber that supports the kitten’s digestive health
- It contains a blend of antioxidants, including Vitamin E and C, for a healthy immune system
- It doesn’t contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Trusted and recommended by vets
- Suitable for cats over the age of 1 and under the age of 7
Let’s take a peek at the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Free from filler ingredients and artificial color, preservatives, and flavors
● Developed to meet the needs of indoor cats ● Contains essential antioxidants and vitamins for all-round growth |
● The taste may put some picky cats off |
Overall, Hill’s Science Diet Adult Dry Cat Food is one of the best available. The food meets all nutritional needs of indoor cats of all life stages.
IAMS Proactive Health Senior Adult Dry Cat Food
The IAMS Proactive Health Specialized Care Adult Dry Cat food, is one of the best cat foods for older cats available on the market. The food contains chicken and helps the cat to maintain a healthy weight, strong muscles, healthy skin and coat, and hairball care. The cat food is designed to meet the needs of an indoor cat.
Let’s take a peek at the key features:
- It helps the cat maintain a healthy weight and controls the growth of hairballs
- The key ingredient of this kibble is chicken, which provides the cat with all the essential nutrition
- Formulated with vital nutrients, including potassium and calcium
- Provides a 100% complete and balanced meal for cats
Let’s weigh the pros against the cons, shall we?
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Helps the cat maintain a healthy weight
● Contains essential nutrients, including calcium ● Contains chicken as the number one ingredient |
● May not be suitable for particular breeds
● Can cause gastrointestinal upset |
The IAMS Proactive Health Specialized Care Adult Dry Cat food, is one of the best available. The cat food is made of the best ingredients and provides all-round development.
9Lives Dry Cat Food
The 9Lives Dry Cat Food is one of the best available. The cat food provides complete nutrition for an indoor senior cat. The food features an advanced nutrient system that contains essential vitamins and minerals to boost the cat’s immune system while helping to maintain a healthy weight.
Key features include the following:
- Provides a 100% complete and balanced meal for adult cats
- It contains essential vitamins and nutrients for an indoor cat to help maintain weight
- The kibble is excellent in taste
- The kibble is specially formulated to help support the control of hairballs
- Helps in an easy litter box clean-up
Let’s look at the pros and cons now!
| Pros | Cons |
| ● A complete and balanced meal for cats
● Specially formulated to meet all the needs of an indoor cat ● Helps maintain ideal weight ● Tastes amazing |
● May cause an allergic reaction in some cats |
The 9Lives Dry Cat Food is one of the best available. The cat food provides a complete and balanced meal for adult and senior cats and tastes excellent.
NUTRO MAX Dry Cat Food
The Nutro Max Indoor Cat Adult Dry Cat Food is one of the best diet cat foods available. This food is fortified with vitamins and minerals that ensure the cat’s health and vitality. The ingredients are naturally sourced and of high quality.
The cat food doesn’t contain chicken or poultry by-product meal, artificial flavors, coloring, preservatives, filler ingredients, etc., and ensures that your kitty gets the best.
Following are some key points:
- Specially curated for indoor cats
- The cat food is fortified with vitamins and minerals
- Contains no chicken by-product meals, soy, wheat, corn, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- Made of high-quality materials
- It supports healthy skin and coat as it contains Omega-3 and six fatty acids
Let’s take a peek at the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Curated while keeping in mind the unique needs of indoor cats
● Fortified with essential minerals and vitamins to boost the cat’s immune system and fight off diseases ● Made from the highest quality ingredients ● Doesn’t contain any filler ingredients or undesirable ingredients |
● Can cause an upset stomach
● Doesn’t have a long shelf life
|
To summarize, I feel that Nutro Max Indoor Cat Adult Dry Cat Food is one of the best diet foods for senior cats available on the market. This kibble is specially curated to meet the needs of indoor cats while providing them with essential nutrients.
Purina Friskies Surfin’ & Turfin’ Favorites Cat Food
The Purina Friskies Surfin’ & Turfin’ Favorites Cat food is one of the best for older cats on the market. This cat food provides a complete and balanced meal for all life stages and contains delicious protein sources.
The cat food contains essential Omega-3 and six fatty acids that help maintain the cat’s fur and skin.
The following are the notable features of this cat food:
- Features beef, pork, and seafood flavors that cats seem to love
- The kibble comes in a variety of appealing shapes and sizes that help keep the cat excited during mealtime
- The kibble has a rich aroma that tempts the cat into eating the food
- Made of high-quality ingredients
- Provides 100% complete and balanced nutrition for all stages of life
Let’s take a peek at the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages
● Made from high-quality ingredients ● Good for fussy eaters |
● Can cause an allergic reaction |
The Purina Friskies Surfin’ & Turfin’ Favorites Cat food deserves the spot on my list of the best cat foods. The food is made from high-quality ingredients and comes in various shapes and sizes to attract the kitty.
Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-free Recipe
Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-free Recipe is one of the best cat food for older cats available to buy. This kibble has a simple list of ingredients and contains one animal protein and one vegetable suitable for cats with sensitive stomachs.
The diet cat food doesn’t contain eggs, wheat, soy, beef, fish, chicken, corn, pork, and other undesirable ingredients. The wholesome ingredients give your cat all the necessary nutrients and help keep her healthy and happy.
Let’s look at the key features:
- The ingredient list for this cat food consists of simple ingredients and has one animal and one vegetable protein source
- The cat food is made of farm-raised duck or rabbit meat, which is easily digestible and rich in nutrients
- The fare doesn’t contain corn, soy, wheat, preservatives, added colors, etc.
- Made in the United States of America
Let’s now peek at this kibble’s pros and cons.
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Made from farm-raised rabbit meat, which is easily digestible
● No by-products and meals used ● Made in the United States of America ● Contains all essential nutrients required by an adult cat ● Free from undesirable additives |
● Can cause an upset stomach
|
The Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-free Recipe is one of the best cat foods. This food is excellent for cats with stomach sensitivities and picky eaters.
Purina Pro Plan Dry Cat Food
The Purina Beyond Natural Dry Cat Food is one of the best cat foods available to buy on the market. The cat food is made from natural and high-quality ingredients and free from added preservatives, poultry, chicken by-products, etc.
The chicken and brown rice formula provides complete nutrition for an overweight cat on a diet.
The key features of this cat food include the following:
- The cat food contains real chicken as the #1 ingredient
- The kibble doesn’t contain filler ingredients such as wheat, corn, or soy, and no poultry or chicken by-products are used in the food.
- The food is made from essential and natural ingredients
- It doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
- Made of high-quality ingredients
Let’s weigh the pros against the cons, shall we?
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Contains real chicken
● No by-products and meals used, and no filler ingredients or preservatives used ● High-quality sources of carbohydrates used ● Contains natural ingredients |
● Can cause an upset stomach
● Short shelf life |
STheina Beyond Natural Dry Cat Food is one of the best cat foods available. The food is made from high-quality ingredients and contains chicken as the number one ingredient. It is free of any artificial colors and flavors.
Summing Up: Best Cat Food for Older Cats
As cats age, their activity level decreases, and various metabolic changes occur. So, naturally, they require fewer calories per day.
A cat is categorized as a senior when she reaches the age of 12.
It is a good idea to slowly introduce your kitty to senior food after her 11th birthday and make a complete switch by the time she reaches the age of twelve—especially if your kitty is a picky eater.
In this blog post, we reviewed the best cat food for older cats available on the market.
However, remember that even though these foods are considered the best, it doesn’t mean your cat will like them or care for them. So, buying minor food packing is an excellent idea to determine whether your cat approves the food.
Do you have any unanswered questions? If so, let me know in the comments, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
