Time for Sr Feed?

I was in the Kitten health sections with questions about my Kitten when someone said something about changing an adult cat to Sr feed when they turn 7. My cat is 7 or 8 (sorry can't remember which) and I have been feeding him science diet adult since he was about 2 and we discovered he had issues with other cat foods. (Science diet does not upset his tummy) He is big and healthy (according to the vet) and I was always under the understanding that if they are doing good with what you are doing don't change it until they aren't doing good with it. Otherwise, don't fix it if it ain't broke. I was not planning on changing him to a Sr feed until the feed he is on now is no longer maintaining his health. Is my thinking wrong? Should I start giving him cat's food for seniors? I just did not see 7 and healthy as old yet.

You should probably discuss this with your vet first but we generally start thinking that an animal is senior when they are approximately 8 years or older. Senior diets are a little lower in calories and protein as senior animal need a little less. In cats, lower protein (yet still GOOD quality protein) diets help to take some load off the kidneys. As most of you have probably come to realize, chronic renal failure is very common amongst older cats. Senior diets also are typically higher in fibre to aid in digestion. Some senior diets also have added glucosamine and L-canatine to promote joint and heart health as well as extra anti-oxidants for cognative function.

To add to what the good Doc has already posted ... cats who are getting older sometimes are not as active as they were when younger, so they don't need the extra calories for their metabolism and the higher protein for their muscles in the Adult food formulas. Before discussing this with your vet, you might want to take a day or two and observe your cat's normal daily routines. Is he still running around and playing like he did when he was younger or has he slowed down so that he no longer takes the same level of exercise? If he is still acting youthful and getting good amounts of exercise, then I would say leave him on the food he is currently enjoying, but of course, you may want your vet to pull a senior blood panel on him to check his kidney function before you make that decision - it might be that even though his activity levels are still good, his kidneys may not need the extra protein in the adult food formula.

Hope this makes some sense ... my coffee maker is broke (as am I) and I am trying to function caffeine-free today.

Originally Posted by gayef

Hope this makes some sense ... my coffee maker is broke (as am I) and I am trying to function caffeine-free today.

Click to expand...

Yes it does make sense and Thank you.

To be honest though Luke has never been an active cat. His favorite past time is finding a better hiding place to take a nap. I have always been concerned about him getting overweight because of his inactivity but the vet always says that he is a beautiful healthy cat. (With a slight case of arthritis partially from an injury and partially from having to be declawed for medical reasons but it only acts up when he gets cold so he does not have us give him anything for it. He has had the arthritus for years.)

Actually since we have acquired Leia (12 weeks old) Luke has been more active than I have seen him since he was a baby. He always wanted petting and cuddling and still does but he was never really interested in playing. Not like other cats I have been around anyways. I always assumed it was because he was wild (ferel?) when we got him and he did not get the concept. He was always a serious cat. We think he was 3 to 4 weeks old when we got him but playing was not interesting to him. Not if it involved much physical movement anyways. example: He will chase a string as long as it does not get out of his reach so you just move it back and forth in front of him and he will move a paw to get it but gets bored with the game very quickly. If anything his activity has increased a bit in the past couple of weeks. He loves playing with Leia but his playing is still quite controlled. He sits in one spot and plays bat the gopher at her. They are so cute together. I guess I just have a very lazy happy cat. (garfield jr haha)

Luke does have a teddy bear but you don't want to know what he does with it at night. Sometimes when the moon is full we have to hide it or we can't get any sleep.

I will talk to the vet at his next visit that is coming up to see if she thinks he is ready for sr food.

Thanks again.

I agree with what the last two posters said.

Personally I've always switched pets to "senior" formula of their food once they reach middle age and I can notice small changes in their behavior. Switching to "senior" forumula does not mean a pet is near death or on their last legs -- afterall they still sell it in 20 lb bags. It is just an honest admission that the pet has reached a different life cycle and its understandable that their nutritional needs tend to change.

Ditto what all have said.. slowing down on the outside has little to due with senior ... the insides are slowing down ( not dying) so that is why senior foods start so early..figure that if your baby is 7 -8 that baby is 35-56 years old depending what scale you use..

Thanks again for the info.