Feeding the Elderly Cat: What is an Optimum Diet?

It’s both a joy and a pleasure to be owned by elderly kitties. While some older cats may require special care due to the many common ailments to which some aged cats are prone, having a kitty that has reached a ripe old age says a lot about both their excellent genetics and/or the prudent care they have received.

To help maintain elderly kitties in the best possible health, choosing the most species appropriate diet to feed cats is a priority. But with the wide variety of cat food on the market today, designed to meet the nutritional needs of this elderly feline population, it can be somewhat confusing to decide which one is the best to feed, and some veterinarians still prescribe low-protein diets.

Hubble on seat
Photo credit: Sir Hubble Pinkerton 15 ½ year old OSH Jo Singer
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

However, according to an article written by veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker – an expert in feline nutrition,

“For many years, veterinarians recommended reduced protein diets for older cats.”

Dr. Becker explains the reason why veterinarians suggested feeding elderly cats a reduced protein diet since:

“After a lifetime of eating commercial pet food containing poor quality protein that is difficult to digest, a cat’s kidney and liver function is compromised….As crazy as it sounds, reduced-protein senior cat formulas came into being because of the terrible quality of cat foods on the market.”

As stated by Dr. Becker, premature ageing in cats, digestion, organ dysfunction and detoxification is created by diets that are hard to digest and assimilate. Fortunately, however, many veterinarians are learning today that, in fact, elderly cats actually need more protein than younger kitties.

Dr. Delmar Finco, a veterinary nutritionist discovered in 1992 that as pets age, the requirements for protein really increase. In fact, restricting protein in animals with kidney failure didn’t increase their longevity or enhance their health.

Since low protein diets have traditionally been recommended for cats with kidney disease, what I found most interesting in Dr. Becker’s article was that back in 1992, Dr. Finco’s research uncovered that cats who were fed low protein diets developed hypoproteinemia, (a condition where there is an abnormally low level of protein in the blood). They also became catabolic (the body basically wasting away), and lose weight. He discovered that the more protein was restricted these kitties became even sicker. What Dr. Finco actually discovered is that it was the level of phosphorus in foods that worsened kidney disease; basically not the amount of protein.

However, today, many veterinarians recommend that diets containing excellent highly digestible and assimilable quality protein are appropriate for kitties with kidney and liver issues. However, at the same time it is also recommended to restrict phosphorous levels.

Dr. Becker cautions that cats who have progressed into later stages of kidney failure, “as defined by the International Interest Society (IRIS) are recommended to be fed a reduced amount of high quality protein, but offered to them in a kidney- friendly fresh food format.”

What’s most important in feeding senior cats is to feed them the highest quality protein. Feeding a highly digestible protein that contains high moisture content makes it so much easier for their ageing organs to process.

Raw or “gently cooked” fresh food is an excellent diet for elderly cats. Dr. Becker recommends that if it is impossible to feed raw that dehydrated or freeze-dried balanced food reconstituted with plenty of water is good second choice. All foods that are served “dry” can, in the long run cause problems.

Of course, to prevent serious liver problems cats must eat. Some cats often become totally addicted to poor quality cat food. So if you have a junk-food addict senior, Dr. Becker recommends “Adding a whole body supplement, such as,” Feline Whole Body Support.”

What primary diet do you feed your elderly cats? Share what has worked for you in a comment.



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26 thoughts on “Feeding the Elderly Cat: What is an Optimum Diet?”

  1. We have been advocating a high quality high protein diet for over 12 years. The single most important measure of the lean muscle mass on an elderly cat is the muscle condition score (MCS). This is a reliable way of measuring how a nutrition intervention can help or hurt a cat. In case after case, over the last 8 years, we get a muscle condition score increase in 30 days in Chronic Renal Insufficiency cats. For example, a MCS of 1/3 goes to a 2/3. The original study for feeding cats correctly was done at TAMU by the uncorrupted Dr. Deb Zoran that states that cats are obligate carnivores. “The Carnivore Connection” We know for a fact that a 12 yo cat absorbs 20% LESS protein from its gut than when it was younger; at 15 yo it is 25% less absorbed protein! We recommend carbs at less than 5% (absolutely no kibble). No vets only diets are sold here ever. They are garbage and cats deserve much better. A cat is satiated by protein and low carb diets. Kibble diets (25-45% carbs) get cats fat. It is too simple. Our clinic’s median age of death for our wellness cats is 16 – 18 years old. I really hate cancer.
    All the vet schools allow the big pet food companies to hold Noon seminars with pop and pizza while the “nutrition” lecturer strokes these student’s delicate egos. It is unethical to say the least. The vet school nutrition professors are told what they can research and what they can publish by big pet food. Just as bad are the feline internists (ABVP) stating that loose DM blood glucose regulation and carbs at 25% is just fine to manage a diabetic cat is criminal. We have a 100% remission rate on virgin DM cats (n=37) I am starting to lose count of the remissions over the last 12 years. Of course we have a few non-believers that feed kibble and their cats are not on regular cat vet visits. I feel sad for these cats. Renal disease here is managed very well with supplements and medications with absolutely no need for expensive garbage therapeutic diets that BTW are NOT proven by the FDA to be safe and effective. Vet schools are cash strapped so they go for the corporate dollars. In many ways this is the State legislature’s responsibility for not funding their State’s vet schools adequately. This is also why a vet education is currently so impossibly high priced.

    Reply
    • Many thanks, Ron, for visiting and providing such a useful and transparent insight into the connection between big business and veterinarians. Veterinarians really need to be wholly independent and have the highest ethical standards. That is what most people think of them as. Unfortunately it is not always true.

      Thanks also for providing excellent information about cat food and the elderly cat.

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    • All I can say to you Dr. Gaskin in BLESS YOU. Since excellent species appropriate nutrition is the foundation of health for our cats, one would THINK that a lot of time would be devoted to proper nutritional education for our veterinary students. It made me cringe when I learned that perhaps ONE day is devoted to this crucial, basic necessity and is given by the folks who work for the companies producing low quality food.

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  2. Cat care has advanced tremendously since I got my first cat in 1970. Most of my cats have been mixed breed, with a sprinkling of purebreds. They got the diets prescribed by vets until i started thinking for myself. I’ve had cats live well into their 20’s and most have reached old age. I have 6 now, all are special needs, 2 for physical problems, 3 are deaf and one has other issues. All have come to me as strays or dumped-in-the-desert cats. They range in age from 15 years to 5 years. 1 gets Purina UR for chronic UTI. 1 gets Royal Canin Fiber
    Response for IBD and pancreatitis. The other 4 get a mixture of canned and dry Purina. They also all get some cooked chicken and chicken and beef broth-all homemade. Steamed veggies of their choice are also served-I grow my own, so whatever I can harvest before the rabbits and others get it is what we eat. They are also fed in different rooms, so they don’t have to gobble. I also have a wonderful vet, who will work with me (I’m a retired vet assistant of over 40 years). There are some vets out there who will take your observations into account when dealing with your precious family members. I’ve found over the years that most small animal practices are mostly concerned with dogs. I had a vet for my dogs, one for my horses and goats and a cat only vet for my cats. The trick is finding that special vet.

    Reply
    • Susan Gort! That is so very true about veterinarians, in my experience for over 50 years of living with kitties, both purebred and several wonderful mixed breed cats. We have removed all dry food from their diets and have had excellent results feeding only wet food of high quality and to deal with any medical conditions for short periods of time. I am blessed with a wonderful veterinarian- THEY are SO hard to find- those that truly understand that cats are not little dogs. Their needs are so different. We feed very little plant based protein since cats are obligate carnivores. In fact, I am feeding a limited ingredient food now and pick out all the peas and carrots that have been added to bulk up the product and make it cheaper for the manufacturer (in my humble opinion). I wish that some company would make a LI diet without veggies.. and add more meat to the formula.

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  3. Yes, Many things are complicated and complex these days, and that’s probably why so many people defer to “authorities”. I rarely have, and always do my due diligence before taking anyone’s word, no matter what degree they have. They are still ruled by personal opinion and preference, which we tend to forget.

    For example, vets who de-claw and vets who don’t. The information is the same, but opinions differ. And the money aspect affects opinions!

    Years ago, I went to an endocrinologist for hyper thyroid. He resented that I was doing research, and when I said “NO” to radiation, he pointed at this certificates on the wall. It was my clue to discontinue seeing him. I took the meds, and felt much better in a few weeks. Later the hyper turned into hypo, and I continue to take thyroid meds. It’s one thing I haven’t discontinued, and my present doc says I have to continue the rest of my life. I haven’t had a conversation with her about it though, and I have stopped on my own previously. More research is needed. My test results seem o.k.

    If a decision is about health or quality of life for me or my cat, I will not make an impulsive decision unless it’s an emergency.

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  4. EVERYthing is so complicated in these times that it seems almost impossible to do anything! However, my family’s cats have lived long lives for the most part, as have my cats; we lost our sweet Mainey man last November at age 21, and my feline family now ranges from 11-19. I feed a high quality variety of tinned foods and a high quality dry food is available free choice. We have a well maintained water fountain plus a couple of bowls of water available 24/7-365. It seems to work pretty well.

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