Caring for the Older Cat

Water & Feeding

Cats need plenty of fresh, clean water. 60%-70% of their body weight is water. In the wild, they get most of their fluid requirements from prey. Cats fed on dry food require more drinking water than cats fed on canned foods. They are sensitive to the taste of water; some dislike the chlorine taint of tap-water so let tap water stand for a while, or use filtered or mineral water. Some cats dislike the smell of plastic so use glass or ceramic bowls. Rather than walk to his bowl, a dehydrated older cat may drink the closest available liquid e.g. cold tea or coffee; so place his water and food close to the cat's resting place.

Cats are obligate carnivores. Their teeth and bowel are adapted to slicing and digesting meat. 75% of their diet should be meat. They cannot digest fruit, vegetables or cereal though these items can provide bulk in the diet. If you want your cat to be vegetarian then you must question your reasons for owning a creature whose entire body and whose behavior patterns are adapted to meat-eating and who evolved as a predator. It is ethically wrong to force a cat to be vegetarian diet just to fit in with an owner's belief system. You should adopt a house-rabbit instead.

Older cats have different dietary needs to kittens or active, younger cats. His digestive system is less efficient and he requires several small, easily digested meals a day. In the UK, look for "complete" (means nutritionally balanced) on the label; "complementary" means a treat food. In the US, look for "complete and balanced product for maintenance" with a statement that it meets AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) requirements. The UK body regulating pet food is the PFMA (Pet Food Manufacturers Association). Waltham Nutrition Centre (UK) researchers consider that changes to the digestive system begin to take place around 7 years of age and that cats aged 7+ require food containing easily digested protein.

There are "life-stage" foods available for Older Cats and formulated to suit a less efficient digestive system or to combat obesity. Senior cat formulations provide easily digested protein, but are expensive and some cats dislike them. Unless your cat has problems with regular cat food, or is becoming obese, an ordinary complete and balanced formulation plus fresh drinking water is usually adequate. Rather than impulse-buy life stage foods, ask your vet if your cat really needs them. Don't be emotionally blackmailed into buying an expensive product if your cat is healthy on regular brands of food.

In the US, some proteins are considered hypoallergenic e.g. lamb, rabbit, turkey or duck. This is not strictly true; those proteins are simply uncommon in many US cat food formulations and cats may not been exposed to them often enough to develop an allergy. In the UK, lamb, rabbit, turkey and duck are among the most common ingredients and just as likely to trigger an allergic reaction as beef or chicken. In the UK, venison may be used in hypoallergenic diets as it is rarely found in UK cat foods. Horsemeat and whalemeat would also be hypoallergenic for the same reason, but are taboo in Britain.

Cats enjoy a variety of tastes and textures: canned (UK: tinned) food, semi-moist pellets, dry food (UK: biscuit, US: kibble) and occasional treats of cooked meat, fish, egg or even a small amount of fruit or vegetable. Your vet will advise you on nutritional matters, but be aware that he may get commission for selling certain brands of non-prescription food in his clinic. Prescription diets are necessary to control diabetes, heart, liver or kidney disease, obesity, digestive or urinary problems or food intolerances. Cat food ingredients basically simulate mouse-in-a-can or mouse-in-a-biscuit. Your vet may recommend nutritional supplements for certain individuals. If your cat eats a balanced diet and has no digestion problems, supplements are unnecessary and could upset the balanced nature of the diet.