Food Suggestions for Older Cat

[apin]

Hello,
I am new to these boards & tried to do a search, but was not successful; therefore, I thought I'd post. I am looking for recommendations for wet & dry food for my older & overweight female cat. Our other cat had diabetes, so she has been on prescription food, but we would like to switch to something different (and less expensive) for her. We are looking for one that has both canned & dry, fairly easy to find in stores, and with good ingredients. Any suggestions are much appreciated!
Thank you in advance,
Andrea

 

[apric0t]

Firstly, I'd like to welcome you to TCS apin! My name is Sarah, by the way. Here are a couple of foods that are great for all stages, because I don't personally believe in "senior" foods, unless they have health problems. I find that senior foods are just pumped full of more grains/fillers and less meat. So anyway, here is a list of my recommendations:

~Innova
~California Natural
~Timberwolf Organics
~Felidae
~Wysong (Archetype & canned. The other formulas are of lower quality.)
~Solid Gold
~Natural Balance

 

[sharky]

senior cats Need senior food if they are over about 10 .. 7-8 is the usual recomendationas this is when the internal systems slow ... I prefer to give them canned( adult is fine) only or raw at this age but for dry eaters a senior with less organ stressing ingrediants is better , some use light foods in place of senior ...

cal natural has a senior ( i think) .... my Kandie did well on Nutros max but she had no allergys, she now eats raw and canned only due to kidney issues, the main reason senior drys have less protein ... felidea has a senior ... nutros natural choice senior ..Innova is a overwt and senior in one.. with seniors simple is often better ... I dont use Solid gold due to garlic... Natural balence is to high in some things for me to recommend it for a senior unless allgery s are an issue and venison and pea is the formula...

 

[lionessrampant]

I prefer using all-stage foods. Everything I've ever read has told me that the overall QUALITY and AMOUNT of food they eat is more crucial than the "stage" UNLESS the cat in question has a health issue. Really, staged foods are kind of a way to rob you, since kitten and senior foods cost more $$$$. A really good quality food will be good from cradle to grave unless, of course, there is some major health issue that would warrant switching the food.

 

[bab-ush-niik]

I've been using Drs. Foster and Smith brand dry food. You can only get it from their website, but it wasn't much more money than stores, even with the shipping. Very good quality food, and my cat likes it. They have wet too, but I haven't tried it since it's more expensive. They also lower the price if you buy in bulk. They also have something where you can sign up for scheduled deliveries for food and medicine. I haven't tried it, but it might be useful if you have multiple animals.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

I prefer using all-stage foods. Everything I've ever read has told me that the overall QUALITY and AMOUNT of food they eat is more crucial than the "stage" UNLESS the cat in question has a health issue. Really, staged foods are kind of a way to rob you, since kitten and senior foods cost more $$$$. A really good quality food will be good from cradle to grave unless, of course, there is some major health issue that would warrant switching the food.

I actually found senior to run a bit less ... yes kitten runs more ... I look at every % since Kandies kidney disease ... I truly feel if I hadnt left her on all stage( till age 11) so long she may not have it now...

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by bab-ush-niik

I've been using Drs. Foster and Smith brand dry food. You can only get it from their website, but it wasn't much more money than stores, even with the shipping. Very good quality food, and my cat likes it. They have wet too, but I haven't tried it since it's more expensive. They also lower the price if you buy in bulk. They also have something where you can sign up for scheduled deliveries for food and medicine. I haven't tried it, but it might be useful if you have multiple animals.

can you post the ingrediants and %s ?? or send a link I saw it but the catelog doesnt give me what I need

 

[apin]

Thank you all for your suggestions & comments!
Andrea

 

[gailc]

My senior was switched to Felidae back in Spetember however he stopped eating it earlier this month and I switched to Max cat which he also stopped eating. Oddly enough for the time being he is eating the plain purina I bought for the ferals!!! He loves any type of moist food so I'm lucky in that respect.

 

[lionessrampant]

Originally Posted by sharky

I actually found senior to run a bit less ... yes kitten runs more ... I look at every % since Kandies kidney disease ... I truly feel if I hadnt left her on all stage( till age 11) so long she may not have it now...

Yes, but for a dry food, 1/3 a cup of Felidae all-stage is better than a cup of Purina Senior, if you see what I'm saying.

I've also been told that seniors over 10 shouldn't eat dry food at all due to their sensitive livers and kidneys.

 

[gayef]

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

I've also been told that seniors over 10 shouldn't eat dry food at all due to their sensitive livers and kidneys.

I totally agree. Older cats are more prone to renal issues. Giving them the extra moisture of canned food is helpful in delaying this for some cats.

In a diabetic cat, feeding a high-quality, canned-only food not only significantly reduces the blood glucose, it also helps to repair muscle waste and damage caused by the disease. Cats do not process carbs the way humans do - they get their energy-building nutrients from amino acids, not carbs. Carbs, when metabolized, break down into a sugar, which as we all know is bad for diabetics.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

Yes, but for a dry food, 1/3 a cup of Felidae all-stage is better than a cup of Purina Senior, if you see what I'm saying.

I've also been told that seniors over 10 shouldn't eat dry food at all due to their sensitive livers and kidneys.

yeah I see what your saying.... I went from grocery to premium so amount went wayyy down...

Gayef
I actually advise an all wet diet for all kitties over 8 but many owners dont want to hear it ..

 

[gayef]

Originally Posted by sharky

yeah I see what your saying.... I went from grocery to premium so amount went wayyy down...

Gayef
I actually advise an all wet diet for all kitties over 8 but many owners dont want to hear it ..

I know ... and it is frustrating because it comes down to what is more convenient for the owner over what is best for the cat. I don't fault anyone for feeding dry. I do feed it, but only very begrudgingly and only a very small amount. However, for most cats, it is junk food. Even the higher quality ones, IMO. Not trying to start anything here, but that is how I feel about it.

 

[jcat]

Originally Posted by gayef

I know ... and it is frustrating because it comes down to what is more convenient for the owner over what is best for the cat. I don't fault anyone for feeding dry. I do feed it, but only very begrudgingly and only a very small amount. However, for most cats, it is junk food. Even the higher quality ones, IMO. Not trying to start anything here, but that is how I feel about it.

The problem is that there are a lot of cats that actually prefer dry food. I have one, and would love to switch him to all canned, especially since he'll soon be 7, but I have enough trouble getting him to eat one canned meal a day. It took me months to get him that far, and he still pulls the occasional "hunger strike". His mother was given canned, and free fed dry (kitten food) at the foster home when the kittens were small, and he ate her dry food, instead of the canned.
I've lost count of the number of brands and flavors I've tried to get him to eat, and I know I'm going to have major problems getting him switched to a "senior" food, because there's so little variety, and most of them are poultry-based. The only way he'll eat poultry is if it's mixed with fish or another meat or mushrooms. He won't eat the same brand of food two days in a row, either.
With pets' life expectancies having risen so much over the past two decades, I don't understand why pet food producers don't offer a better selection of senior foods.

 

[gailc]

Well as Ox continues to have bathroom problems with Purina (it was a stop gap) I bought Felidae which he refused. Just great!!! But Grizzly is 10 yrs so I will see if she eats it. I did pick up a $2.99 sample of Chicken Soup for Cat Lovers and he ate that!!! Whew.... I stopped at vettoday again and they want to run a senior panel on him-they said I should be bringing him in every 6 months due to his age!!