As the cat ages, even when its activity does not yet weaken, its nutritional needs change. In order to avoid being overweight and having health problems, it is necessary to adapt his daily ratio according to his age and appetite. From 10 years old, your four-legged companion enters the third age and for him to stay by your side for a long time, it is better to start by rebalancing his bowl. To take care of your senior cat, make an appointment with your veterinarian to make sure that your tender feline does not suffer from any pathology against indicating certain food choices.
Rituals to respect the well-being of your senior cat
Meal splitting
Although it has shared our lives for thousands of years, the domestic cat has retained the eating habits of its wild congeners. In addition, its smaller stomach does not allow it to ingest large amounts of food. Splitting meals several times a day remains essential to the well-being of your feline, regardless of age. Your snacking hunter will therefore need 10 to 15 meals a day, even in old age. Offering him only 1 to 2 daily lippées helps to create an anxious soil in your pet. It is all the more necessary to respect this feline particularity as it ages.
The specificity of the old cat in an apartment
If your cat is a homebody and does not go out, he spends less and can quickly gain weight. He also doesn't know about hunting fatigue. Weight gain in cats is problematic because the more they eat, the hungrier they get. To offer him, even when he is old, a fun and exercise-promoting moment, consider meeting his hunting need by offering him food games.
Always routine, the older he gets, the more he likes his habits
Independent, the cat is no less routine and fond of your attention. Rituals of games, and hugs often accompany the moments before or after the meal. They settle in two or three times, are stable over time, and sometimes become essential to the balance of your pet. If you have become accustomed to rewarding him with a cat treat after a game session, no doubt the day you forget, he will let you know. Extremely routine, the cat organizes his days according to his territory, the time of his meals, and the links he has forged with you. By respecting all its little rituals, you will delight your hairball.
Kibble or wet food for your senior cat?
Croquettes, pâtées, mousses, homemade, and many choices are available to you to feed your felid which, with age, sometimes becomes very demanding. It is the sense of smell long before taste that attracts your little predator. Spontaneously affiliated with the smell of meat protein, your feline may suddenly find the smell of a fish just as attractive, or disdain it. Not very receptive to sweet or salty aromas, it is tempted by milk and prefers foods composed of pieces.
Did you know? It particularly likes food whose temperature corresponds to that of its prey: 30 to 40 ° C, which is why it is recommended to slightly warm the pâtées and mousses.
The advantages and disadvantages of wet food
Jelly bites, foams, or pâtées are perfect for the elderly cat who does not hydrate much. The choice of wet food promotes the kidney functions of the cat. It also makes it possible to satiate the gluttonous cat more quickly. However, food in the form of a fresh bag or box quickly spoils. It is therefore necessary to keep it cool and remember to take it out several minutes before your cat's meals or warm it slightly. In addition, when you are absent for several hours for your work, bringing a ration in 10 to 15 times to your cat can be complicated. If your pet hydrates properly, appreciates kibble, and there are no medical contraindications preventing it, you can keep the diet solid.
Kibble for senior cats
If your cat does not suffer from kidney problems or oral problems, kibble remains ideal for its practicality. They respond perfectly to the fractionation of meals for the physiology of our velvet legs. They limit, but not always, the overconsumption of food. It happens that some felids require fresh kibble very regularly, even when their bowl is full. Effective in removing tartar during chewing, kibble is particularly recommended for the old cat. If he is bulimic, it is better to choose mixed feeding.
Did you know? If you share your life with a Siamese cat, offer him tubular-shaped kibble. This form promotes chewing. It also reduces regurgitation due to the morphology of its teeth and the rapid ingestion of food.
The benefits of mixed feeding for the elderly cat
If your feline sulks its water bowl, or if your senior cat does not have access to the outdoors, a mixed diet will meet its energy needs. It provides hydration and satiety, thus preventing kidney problems and weight gain in your feline. Remember to leave at his disposal a bowl of water with a wide base for the day. You can split it up by offering wet food in the morning and evening and self-service kibble for the rest of the day. Rely on your veterinarian's recommendations and stick to the doses prescribed on packages and boxes to control daily energy intake.
The dietary transition in felines over 10 years old
Whether it is the weaning of the kitten, or the feeding of the adult or senior cat, the feeding transition of the feline must follow several steps in order to respect its intestinal flora. Whether this change results from pathology or the choice of more natural food for your pet, this transition usually takes place over a period of 2 to 3 weeks. If you want to switch your feline to the household ration or BARF, take advice from your veterinarian to offer him all the necessary nutritional intake. During this period, you will gradually replace his usual diet with the new one by taking all the necessary precautions for this food transition.
Did you know? No transition when you choose to feed your pet BARF. A clean break between industrial feed and raw meat is better for your pet's health. Consult your veterinarian for advice if you want to offer them Bones And Row Food.
How to adapt the household ration when the cat becomes old?
If you have adopted the household ration for your cat, you will have to modify certain nutritional intake to provide him with the proteins and micronutrients necessary for his activity. If he suffers from a pathology already detected, contact your veterinarian to take stock and readjust. It is preferable to couple the household ration with an industrial dietary and physiological ration to cover all the energy needs of your feline. Above all, it is necessary to respond to its nature as a carnivore and protect the health of all these organs.
It is then advisable to proceed as follows:
- 25 g of croquettes or pâtées;
- 13 g of white meat or fish;
- 5 g pasta or rice;
- 5 g beans;
- 2.5 vitamin and mineral supplements.
What quality industrial food should you prefer for your cat as he ages?
Kittens, adult or senior cats, their health, just like ours, goes through physical activity and the plate. There are as many forms of food as there are ranges. However, it is better to abandon low-cost foods, often too rich in fat and salt, in favor of mid-range or premium foods that you will find in supermarkets, pet stores, at your veterinarian, or online for industrial foods.
There are excellent products to feed your cat, as well as not-so-good ones. In order to choose the dish most likely to respect the morphology of your feline and meet its energy needs, nothing beats reading the label. Foods that are too fatty or too salty should be eliminated from the bowl of your charming kitty. Carefully observe, regardless of brand or price, the level of proteins, cereals, fats, and carbohydrates without forgetting vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids, and crude ash. Reputed to be more expensive, physiological, and therapeutic foods sold at your veterinarian provide the exact ratio to your pet. Perfectly balanced, the daily amount to give your cat is often less than for mid-range foods. The physiological diet is perfectly adapted to the breed, weight, activity, and age of your cat. Your veterinarian advises her when no health problems have been detected. In case of osteoarthritis, kidney failure, diabetes, or obesity, therapeutic feeding will maintain the health of your cat, provided you follow the instructions of his health professional. Prescription foods are part of the treatment of your senior feline and bring well-being to your four-legged. They also avoid the prescription of medications that our cats often have difficulty swallowing. Finally, if you lack time to prepare your pet's household ration, know that it is possible to hire a caterer to concoct small homemade dishes for your senior cat.
How to stimulate your senior cat's appetite?
Sometimes it happens that the old feline shuns food. However, it is necessary to awaken your taste buds to avoid deficiencies. Dentary, digestive and joint pain can alter his appetite. First of all, consult your veterinarian to eliminate injuries, infections, or pathologies due to age. When the cat's lack of appetite is not serious, make sure you have not changed your cat's habits by moving his bowl. As you well know, our little cats have their habits, and changing them abruptly can disrupt their eating habits.
You can offer him a mixed diet to stimulate his appetite. Approach your veterinarian to make sure you provide him with all the necessary nutrients and do not forget a smooth transition to prepare his intestinal flora.
If your cat has difficulty eating his kibble, it is possible to soften them with a little water. If you have to moisten them, do not put too much kibble, they will dry out and be lost. You can also crush them with a rolling pin so that they are smaller and easily caught by your old cat.
Finally, if he is toothless, offer him a wet rather than dry diet.
A cat that no longer eats, whatever its age is in serious danger, the visit to your veterinarian is essential to rule out any pathologies or infections so that it quickly regains its appetite.
Offer fun activities to your cat to avoid weight gain
While some cats are still very active after their 10th year, some will become more homely over the years and are at risk of gaining weight. This is also the case for our little indoor cats. In order to avoid obesity, and the diseases that arise from it and protect their health, offer him a food toy. You will stimulate, as well as his hunting instinct, and regulate the intake of his kibble in several meals.
The advantages of the food toy
- By fulfilling its need for hunting and activity, you respect the natural needs of your predator.
- The cat remains active, thus maintaining its weight of form or losing it if it is obese.
- The food toy also stimulates the mental activity of your felid. He is less bored, relieved of stress, and experiences less anxiety.
You will find many cat food toys on the market: interactive bowls or mazes, hollow balls, or connected bowls will offer you to reason with your glutton and protect your health.
Finally, to preserve it and continue to chat for a long time, bring your feline attention, tenderness and games, it is just as important as a diet adapted to its age.
إرسال تعليق