Many people like to keep cats as pets, but do you really know how to take care of a cat? Why not come and learn at the Pet Lover Community. In the eyes of many cat owners, their kittens are still like children, so they often neglect the fact that as their age increases, their cat food must also be changed accordingly. A reporter from Southern Television consulted with a veterinarian who suggested that after cats reach about 7 years old, their food should be switched to senior cat food. If adult cat food is continued to be fed, it will be difficult for them to metabolize, causing physical strain. Moreover, the nutritional needs of elderly cats differ from those of adult cats, as do their taste preferences. Owners should provide even more careful physiological and psychological care for their aging felines.
Cat owners generally know that kittens eat kitten-specific feed when young and switch to adult cat food after turning one year old. However, veterinarians have found that many owners never change the food again after this point, continuing to feed the same cat food until the cat's old age. This leads to poor metabolic function, obesity, and can easily cause various diseases.
According to the veterinarian interviewed by TVS, older cats have a slower metabolism, thus requiring less energy. Many mistakenly believe that simply reducing the amount of adult cat food is sufficient. However, this is very inappropriate because the nutritional needs of elderly cats differ from those in adulthood. Nutrients such as vitamins, trace elements, and taurine need to be added. If only the amount of adult cat food is reduced, while protein content may be restricted, other essential nutrients will be lacking. Therefore, it’s best to choose specialized senior cat food designed specifically for older cats.
The veterinarian also mentioned that older cats' sense of smell and taste become less acute compared to when they were adults, and their chewing ability also deteriorates. Thus, elderly cat food must be of high quality, rich in all necessary nutrients, have an excellent flavor, and be easy to swallow. Additionally, since older cats have a slower digestion and absorption rate, feeding methods should involve smaller portions but more frequent meals. Fresh drinking water should also always be available.
Furthermore, changing food is also a science. When switching from adult cat food to senior cat food, it is recommended not to make the change all at once to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort. The transition can gradually occur over about a week. For example, every 2 to 3 days, reduce the usual cat food by about 25% and increase the replacement cat food by 25%, until the new cat food fully replaces the old one. Once older cats get used to a certain food, it is not recommended to suddenly switch again, as this could easily cause vomiting or diarrhea.
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