Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: michelle_w on August 17, 2009, 10:33:19 AM
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Hiya just wondering if anyone can help. My cats eat good quality high meat diets. Usual suspects being hilife, bozita, tesco luxury for wet, and applaws and jolleys dry etc. But my dad was asking about good quality food for senior cats. And to be honest I have never really looked out for these as I do not need senior yet. I know the cheaper brands such as felix and whiskars do senior food, but am looking for something better quality. I have not seen any of the above foods I feed having a senior range. Because its better quality is it ok for older cats or do you still need to find something for seniors? If so what do others feed? I am a first time cat owner and have not needed to cater for a older one yet! My dads cat is 8 years old.
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I'm not sure to be honest, with my boy Max he was on normal food up until he needed a prescription diet for his kidneys. He also had some senior food as well, but I only ever saw the supermarket ones like Felix or Whiskas, I never really found any other specific foods for senior puds.
Hopefully someone else may have some better info for you :shy:
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Orijen's blurb says their high protein, no grain, dry food is suitable for all ages
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The problem with Orijen is that it is quite high in Phosphorus. Senior foods usually have reduced phosphurus. Tanya's CRF site has a guide to phosphorus content of various foods with Hilife being the highest. Obviously the ones at the top of the list a prescription foods for CRF but about a 1/3rd of the way down they list regular foods and their phos content so the ones higher on the list (such as Denes) are better. The idea is to reduce the strain on older cats kidneys to try to prevent CRF starting.
http://www.felinecrf.org/tinned_food.htm#choosing_a_food
There is a formula to work out with wet foods what the phosphorus content would be if it was dry. Helen had the formula but it is based on the average wet food being 80% water.
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isn't bozit for all life stages?
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I've never fed my senior cats any differently - my Elsa lived till she was 20 yrs old and ate the same as the younger ones. Cats don't need different food just because they are older, they may need lower phosphorus foods if they have kidney dysfunction, but that is normally only towards end stage to reduce toxins.
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that listing of phosporus % is 6 years old now - a lot can change in that space of time
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that listing of phosporus % is 6 years old now - a lot can change in that space of time
Very true, how often they change things to new and improved
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I wouldnt feed an 8yo senior food, but i do use senior food to help control their weight, both the girls have lost weight since being on senior only (although only one needed to lose weight!!). There are foods on Zooplus for seniors, like Almo Nature, RAfine Soupe, but mine tended to be fussy over them, so they are just on Felix now. Whiskas Oh So does a senior variety and that is higher meat/fish content than normal Whiskas.
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I use James Wellbeloved Senior for my puds. My vet is a strong believer in Senior food for dogs and cats and so always tells me not to underestimate the value Senior food can provide for an older cat. James Wellbeloved has won quite few awards as an excellent pet food, so is a brand I trust. It is also hypoallergenic and comes in four flavours, to give your cat some variety. I found that many Senior cat foods come in one flavour only. With regards to age, different pet food manufacturers state a different age they recommend you start feeding your cat Senior food, but the benchmark seems to be between 7 and 10 years.