Senior cat food? Is there much difference? 20 September 2010 at 12:53PM edited 20 September 2010 at 1:03PM in Pets & pet care 6 replies 22.3K views

catlou

I have been wondering about this what do other people think about "senior" cat food should an older cat be having more or less calories etc?? Is there much difference nutritionally? My cat is at least 10+ but very lively etc.


These are the ingredients for the Purely Adult Chicken & Senior Chicken:


Purely Adult Chicken:
Fresh Chicken (min. 26% in the brown disc shaped biscuit), Poultry Meat Meal, Rice (min. 19%), Poultry Oil, Sugar Beet Pulp, Egg Powder, Fish Meal, Minerals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Maize Gluten, Barley, Oats, Vegetables (Carrot, Pea, Spinach) Fruit (Citrus Pulp, Grape Pomace). Coloured with natural EC Additives. Total Chicken min. 40%.
Typical Analysis:

Moisture 8%, Protein 28%, Oils and Fats 16%, Fibre 2.5%, Ash 8%, Vitamin A 15500iu/kg, Vitamin D3 1250iu/kg, Vitamin E (a-Tocopherol) 80iu/kg, Copper (Cupric Sulphate) 18mg/kg, Taurine 1000mg/kg, Calcium, Phosphorus. Vitamin declaration is valid until best before date printed with batch number on top of pack.

Purely Senior Chicken from 7 years old

Frest Chicken (min. 26% in the brown disc shaped biscuit), Poultry Meat Meal, Maize, Rice (min. 17%), Poultry Oil, Sugar Beet Pulp, Egg Powder, Fish Meal, Meant and Animal Derivatives, Yeasts, Minerals, Maize Gluten, Linseed, Vegetables (Carrot, Pea, Spinach), Fruit (Citrus Pulp, Grape Pomace). Coloured with natural EC Additives. Total Chicken min. 40%.
Typical Analysis:

Moisture 8%, Protein 28%, Oils and Fats 16%, Fibre 2.5%, Ash 8%, Vitamin A 15500iu/kg, Vitamin D3 1250iu/kg, Vitamin E (a-Tocopherol) 80iu/kg, Copper (Cupric Sulphate) 18mg/kg, Taurine 1000mg/kg, Calcium, Phosphorus. Vitamin declaration is valid until best before date printed with batch number on top of pack.


I can't see a lot of difference really, what does everyone else think? Also surely it would be no harm feeding the Senior to a younger cat as the Purely are on a really good offer at the moment?

simontheiceman

I think it makes little difference and unless your pet is really sedentary, there is no necessity.

cyberbob

I wouldn't frequently feed senior cat food to younger cats. Senior cat food is lower in calories than normal food (as seniors can put on weight due to less activity) also sometimes has less phosphorus which can help with any kidney problems. Also some will have higher meat content (to improve the smell as older cats can lose sense of smell) and normally be smaller pieces making it easier to digest and eat.

We have 6 cats 2 of them seniors who we feed senior food. When I feed them I put the senior food in front of the 2 who need it and normally they get most of it. Sometimes another cat will eat some. Since we have been on the Senior food the condition of both cats has improved and one who we were worried about her weight loss has now stabilised.

I can't comment on Purely food as i've never used it.

rita-rabbit

No idea
but I baulk at paying extra so my senior cats are getting `normal' food. That said I think it's the best on the market, dried Burns & either Feline Fayre or Aniconda carni (excuse spelling - Zooplus sells it) wet. I also give raw occasionally & supplement with Glucosamine tablets (for the Tom, vet said it helps avoid urinary problems coming back).

supercat92

It is smaller and softer chunks so they can chew it better. Senior cat foods also target areas such as the coat,teeth and joints that need extra help when they get older.

rita-rabbit

supercat92 wrote: »

It is smaller and softer chunks so they can chew it better. Senior cat foods also target areas such as the coat,teeth and joints that need extra help when they get older.

Never had a cat with any tooth loss/extraction:D. Oldest lived to 21 yrs. Currently treating mine with Logic. No need for smaller chunks - the jawbone muscles need working!:T

Sooz00

catlou wrote: »

I have been wondering about this what do other people think about "senior" cat food should an older cat be having more or less calories etc?? Is there much difference nutritionally? My cat is at least 10+ but very lively etc.

I can't see a lot of difference really, what does everyone else think? Also surely it would be no harm feeding the Senior to a younger cat as the Purely are on a really good offer at the moment?

Hi Catlou - we have 9 cats, 4 of which are 10yo this year. The only thing I make sure of is that I don't feed dry food as a meal. I'll sprinkle a bit of dry on their meats but that is all. Also, I stick to a no/low cereal content dry (Applaws/JWB).

I have two reasons for this:

(1): one of my cats has had two vaccine associated sarcomas (and they say vaccines are safe ) and as carbs feed tumours, limiting cereal and sugar intake is helpful.

(2): long-term feeding of a dry food diet is a suspected factor in chronic renal failure in cats. Supposedly cats eating dry cat food take in only half the water that cats on a canned or homemade diet get and the chronic dehydration can cause stress on the kidneys over time. I was also told dry diets also predispose cats to lower urinary tract disease because there's a higher urine concentration.

Hope the above is of some help and doesn't confuse you more.