Elderly Cat Special Needs

A great deal of research has gone into specialized diets for specific conditions such as heart disease, digestive disorders, lower urinary tract disease, and obesity. If you think your cat needs a special diet, seek the advice of your vet. Most of the diets are only available on prescription.

The elderly cat – In young and adult life, cats need protein for growth, to replace worn out tissues and also as a significant energy source.

As cats grow old, they become less active, vital organs start to deteriorate and their need for protein is reduced. If you maintain the cat on the same diet it has when it was young and active, there will be an excess of protein.

This throws strain on the kidneys and liver, as the protein has to be broken and eliminated from the body. If the kidneys are not fully functioning due to age, the body tries to maintain the status quo by increasing thirst, and the cat starts to urinate more.

This flush out some of the toxic products, but at the same time removes some essential vitamins and minerals.

Elderly cats in general require a protein level that is reduced from 40 percent dry weight to about 30 percent. There needs to be a corresponding increase in fat levels to ensure that sufficient non harmful energy is available, but not in quantities that might cause obesity.

Carbohydrates such as starches and sugars should be avoided, as these are more difficult for the elderly cat to digest and can cause diarrhea and other problems.

Sometimes weight loss is noted in an elderly cat even though appetite has not diminished, or may even have increased. In such circumstances, consult your vet, as this may be due to a condition such as hyperthyroidism, which can be treated.

It may take six months or more of carefully controlled dieting to return this obese cat to a normal weight. Weight reduction in cats is more difficult than in humans or dogs.