Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: tab on June 04, 2010, 11:11:19 AM
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What are the advantages of senior cat food please?
When I had Mogs as well as Amber I used to give senior in the morning and then adult for tea and supper with a handful of biscuits which were mixed senior, indoor, light. Now theres just Amber Ive kind of continued but as shes been here for 11 years should she be on just senior food?
Ive noticed that if I give her adult in gravy in the morning she tends to eat it too fast and be sick but senior is fine as is Whiskars tuna in jelly (I get pouches from a friend whos cat wont eat the tuna but eats the rest of the box )
Is it a case of stick with what she likes or should I put her on senior for her health?
Thanks for any advice
love
Tab
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I think senior food is usually a bit lower in things like phosphorus which is good for older cats and can contain supplements suitable for older cats. It can also be lower in protein which is not necessarily a good thing. I don't think senior food is essential for older cats if they have no health problems but I give Jaffa some - many of the foods I feed are for all life stages so I feed those and where there's a senior version I generally buy it. So he has about two thirds adult food and one third senior food.
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I do think it is a good thing. More & more premium foods are reducing the phosphorus in senior food to reduce the burden on their kidneys. It is well known that CRF is one of the biggest killers for cats. Even foods like Proplan (even Whiskas dry come to that) reduce the phosphorus in senior food as it can help to prolong a cat's life. You could say "my cat is healthy" but when the kidneys are compromised, it's too late to turn back the clock - especially bearing in mind that usually 70% of the Nephrons have stopped working by the time CRF is diagnosed. Other than that, manufacturers claim to increase antioxidants (ie vitamins A, C & E) in senior food. Some also claim that the protein is of a higher quality - which no way could be true with cheap, mostly cereal foods - maybe they add a bit more meat to the senior versions.
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In which case next week when I shop I will get some varieties of senior and see which she likes
Thanks for the advice
love
Tab
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Sainsbury's have the Whiskas 2 boxes for £5 offer on until 15th June ;D
They have 3 different senior boxes
Mixed in gravy
various fish in jelly
various meat in jelly
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I used to always feed senior food, but rarely do now, as Senior food also has less calories, and Molly is a tiny cat at the best of times, she couldnt cope with the reduced calories on a purely senior diet, so that is something to consider.
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I'm on the same thought pattern as Mark, and for the same reasons of CRF etc.
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PAH have Felix Senior 2 for £5 on the website, but dont remember seeing it included when I was there last week - I am giong this week though Tab if you want me to check it out for you?
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Thanks everyone.
Im going to PAH today anyway Desley (well I am now Ive read this and youve reminded me thats what I was going to do....yay brainfog lol)
I dont worry about lower calories as Ambers an indoor only and is borderline podgy so I watch the food intake already.
love
Tab
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Don't forget that Sainsbury's always include senior food in their 2 for £5 offers and Whiskas is on offer right now - until 15th I think.
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Thank you. Im all stocked up again now.......whats the betting she goes off felix tomorrow :evillaugh:
love
Tab