Dietary Recommendations For Aging Cats

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     By the time a cat reaches 7 years, it is the time when you should start thinking about changing the diet of a cat. Cats that are 7-10 years old are considered middle-aged. During this stage, their metabolism slows down. According to the experts, it is the perfect time to start modifying the diet of your pet cat, with the purpose of keeping in pace with the changes in metabolism rate.

But, why do cats need to have their diets changed in the aging process? It is a normal process that virtually every living thing goes through. To give you a better understanding on the matter, here are some of the reasons why:

* As cats age, their ability to control their weight reduces.

* The gastrointestinal tract of a cat becomes less active in terms of the breaking down and taking in of nutrients like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

* Their sense of taste and smell could deteriorate as they age, which could also be one of the reasons why their appetite decreases, too.

* Most often, they will find it difficult to take in and distribute the essential minerals and vitamins.

Due to these two reasons, cats will need to be given food with higher quality that can help with the physiological changes during aging process. Even the healthiest of the cats are affected with these. So, make sure you are prepared with what is about to happen when your cat reaches 6 years.

Now you know why cats need a special diet during their senior years. The real challenge here is the type of cat food that they will require. So, for the nutrition, the best candidate would be food with high fat, high calorie content, and rich in fibre. This won't be that difficult to get since there are pet shops and vets selling different cat food products. In fact, there are cat foods designed for senior cats, too. Senior cats pertain to felines aged 11 years and upwards. The ideal diet for them would be food with additional antioxidants, Selenium, and Vitamins E and C.

Aside from cat food, these senior pets will also need added nutritional supplements. Experts say that vitamins are vital in fixing and strengthening the dying cells, and not to mention boosting the immune system in protecting against illnesses. For the nutritional supplements, you'd be looking for those with chondroitin, omega-3, and glucosamine -- three of which have been proven to alleviate pain in the joints and muscles commonly seen in older cats.

Even though the cat food is labelled for seniors do not follow that it is ideal for your pet. The type of diet highly varies according to the case of your pet. In that regard, make a habit of reading the labels, especially the ingredients. Also, ask for any dietary recommendations the next time you visit your veterinarian. There is a lot of cat food out there, and choosing the wrong one will simply leave you with an unhappy and unhealthy cat.