They have been on Stella and Chewys kibbles and Blue Buffalo. Halo wet & trifecta dry by Hills. Cat parents were not happy that this dry cat food mentioned that their cats seemed to stop eating it after a few days. The biggest difference between Fancy Feast and Nutro is digestibility. As cats get older, their protein requirements progressively increase. The formula comes with a mix of vitamins and minerals to help support your cat's healthy digestive system, immune system, and joints. Additionally, it comes with triangular kibble that is easy for your cat to eat. While the cats in the study needed about 28 grams of protein a day, a 12-lb senior cat might need 44 grams or more. Grooming Though wet food’s softness, moisture content, and typically higher levels of protein make it the preferred option for senior cats, dry food can also be a good choice. First off, we’re not veterinarians and the following advice is not a substitute for consultation with a vet. Murphy is a 10 yo large tabby weighing 18 lbs and an indoor cat. We buy halo dry cat food which Lilly loves but she is a bit over weight and doesn’t care for wet food just the broth/ gravy. People who owned senior cats liked that this food came with three different protein sources that were slightly different because this decreased the chances of triggering digestive issues. This cat food comes formulated with 12 superfoods including fish, pumpkin, broccoli, eggs, blueberries, carrots, apples, avocado, beets, peas, nuts, and more for complete nutrition. Hi, I just recently heard about Dr. Marty Nature’s Feast freeze-dried cat food. Disclaimer If your cat has arthritis or another inflammatory condition, this inclusion could help him to feel better. This article was reviewed by JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM. Finally, if you believe his anal sac problems are in part due to chronic digestive issues and neither probiotics nor fiber seem to help, try an elimination diet to rule out the possibility of food allergies or sensitivities. You can also pick from three different sizes that allows you to pick the best size for your cat' eating habits. … By Debbie Short     Last Updated April 24, 2020. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Furniture With plenty of protein and a primarily animal-sourced ingredient list, this food adheres to a carnivorous dietary model. We add water to broths and gravies. Avoid potentially-inflammatory ingredients like artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and carrageenan. With renal failure being the most common condition affecting senior cats, a kidney-friendly diet is essential. "There is no perfect food, because every older cat has its set of problems,” Wakshlag says. If you choose to feed your cat a higher protein diet, one of the best options is Tiki Cat Hana Grill Ahi Tuna with Crab in Tuna Consommé.The food is recommended as the best high protein wet cat food by Feline Culture, which cites the level of protein versus carbs.. Guaranteed analysis: 16% protein, 3% crude fat, 0% crude fiber, and 79% moisture Turkey and lamb are perfectly fine for senior cats—we just didn’t happen to mention any lamb or turkey-based foods on this particular list. Good eye! Varying package sizes and different portion size recommendations makes it tricky working out how much your cat food is actually costing you each month. I’d prefer that people think of these articles like a conversation with a non-credentialed but relatively well-read friend. With the exception of Wellness CORE, none of the foods from these brands are particularly high in fiber. People who had senior cats that bought this food for them were happy that this food comes in several different flavors in a soft pate. As your cat ages and his ability to absorb nutrients and metabolize energy declines, high-quality protein content can mean the difference between a healthy, fit kitty and a skinny, weak one. Best High-Protein Wet Cat Food. Hi Mallory, Really hoping you can help me out. In the first study cited by Dr. Peterson, cats were fed three isocaloric diets with protein levels of 22%, 28% or 36% on a dry matter, or DM, basis. Cat parents who bought this food to help their senior cat gain weight were happy that it had a higher protein content with a lower carbohydrate content. In addition to a relatively species-appropriate formulation, personalized portions, and custom delivery schedules, Nom Nom offers something extremely helpful for pet parents—feedback. I would like to see him drop weight & not have anymore abscesses. The recipe starts with super-nourishing organs, muscle meat, and even blood. Raw: Which Is The Best? I can relate to your situation—my cat had two bouts of cystitis when he was around two and preventing a recurrence has been a priority for the last nine years. Read more here. In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. We’ve reviewed over 80 cat food brands, including most of the biggest brands on the planet. Feeding cats with kidney disease is a complex topic that we can’t detail in a single paragraph. Any help would be much appreciated. Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Grain Free Turkey & Potato Indoor Senior Cat Food. What is recommended to add more fiber and be sure he’s not eating the wrong food. The right diet plays a vital role in ensuring that your cat is at his best through every stage of life. They have a very friendly return policy and offer free returns for any product, used or unused, up to one year after purchase. There are some questionable pieces of advice on here regarding protein demands for senior cats, and your readers deserve to know that the author’s credentials regarding such an important topic. Otherwise, don’t hesitate to contact the companies directly. Hi, are you a vet? Basically your article states that only the cats that were consuming a diet with a DM basis of 36% protein were able to sustain their weight. In addition to the foods listed above, any nutrient-dense, meat-based food will help your senior thrive. A sprinkle of bonito flakes or a splash of bone broth can also encourage your older cat to get the food they need. You're able to feed this wet food to your cat by itself, of you can feed it as a mix with dry kibble. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Dry vs. Is this not good for senior cats? Mark E. Peterson, DVM shares the results of that study in a piece called Don’t Let Your Senior Cat Become a Skinny Old Kitty. Last night was 3rd ruptured abscess on anal sac. The probiotic content in this food help to balance the bacteria levels in your cat's system, and this works to promote healthy digestion. Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? Otherwise, you might try giving Lilly another type of food that is neither canned nor dry—perhaps she’d like a freshly-cooked diet. You can base your calculations on this minimum number or refer to a typical analysis. If you want more information, please check out our article on the best food for kidney disease. Warm, moist foods with strong aromas can point your cat in the right direction. This means it’s at least 46% fat. Let us know if you have any more questions! Dental problems can make chewing a challenge, so it’s a good idea to select moist, soft foods that are easy for your cat to consume. The following foods earn their place with outstanding ingredient quality, nutritional merits, and safety records. Though wet food’s softness, moisture content, and typically higher levels of protein make it the preferred option for senior cats, dry food can also be a good choice. Regardless of whether your cat likes seafood, poultry or hamburger, they will like the Meow Mix Tender Favorites. They include: Since canned cat food is moist and soft, it's often many senior cat parent's go-to when it comes to their cat's food type. I suppose I’m just confused and a little overwhelmed with all the different options and ingredients out there. Best Wet Cat Food Overall: Wag Wet Cat Food. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Each time you make a purchase through one of our independently-chosen links, we’ll receive a percentage of the proceeds. Ziwi venison lists chickpeas as the 5th ingredient…. Cats tend to get less and less active as they age, and this can result in unhealthy weight gain if they eat a food that is too calorie-rich. I want to try these foods, but don’t want to buy a case of any in case my cat doesn’t like the taste. Don’t Let Your Senior Cat Become a Skinny Old Kitty. About Us Thanks a bunch! Here’s a summary of the most important dietary characteristics to look for when you’re feeding a senior cat. I feed my senior cat a combination of Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Grain-Free wet cat food and Now Fresh Grain Free Senior Cat Weight Management dry cat food. I think that since your cat is quite active, you should be able to continue feeding a relatively high-calorie, high-protein diet. The best wet food for older cats is specially formulated to keep your older cat’s body healthy and provide them the energy levels that they require without risking them getting overweight. So what I am asking is there another factor that I am not taking into consideration? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Cat parents were not pleased that this food was slightly more expensive for the amount you get per order. Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7+ Minced Cat FoodHill’s Science Diet minced cat food has chicken as the … Finally, there are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in the food. You can pick from two different protein sources, and it comes with apples and lentils to round out the formula. International Cat Day 2020. It also strictly control the levels of sodium and phosphorous your cat eats, and this can help with their kidneys as well. Most meat-based foods have a species-appropriate pH and won’t skew your cat’s urinary pH towards alkalinity or excessive acidity. Bottom line: between your cat’s active lifestyle, his age, and the digestibility of his food, he might not be getting enough protein despite a healthy percentage on the label. Protein is doubly important for senior cats. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. They can also cause digestive upset because they're difficult for your cat to digest, so you want to find a food that is grain-free if possible. Their Chicken Chow Meow recipe is made from highly-digestible chicken thigh, breast, and liver. People who bought this food for their cat weren't happy that this food has a stronger smell that seems to linger around. Looking for something new as both are bored with the dry. However, this type of cat food combines elements of dry and wet food to create a unique blend that's easier for senior cats to eat. The easy to digest ingredients come packed with great levels of dietary fiber that help to keep your cat's digestive system regular every time they eat it. Dry cat foods are extremely common in the cat food world because dry food allows your cat to get an extremely high level of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals packed into a long-lasting food. They will instead cannibalize themselves from the inside out, and that’s what happens when a senior cat’s increased protein requirements aren’t met by increased levels of digestible protein. Senior cat parents who bought this food were happy that it came with a very controlled formula that had exact protein, sodium, and phosphorous levels. So in short since most every cat food brand I checked appears to have ample protein levels is there something I am missing say if I would compare lets say Fancy Feast pate to the Nutro Grain Free Soft Loaf which you list as the best food for an older cat that may be losing some weight? Both have 50% or more protein on a dry matter basis, but some of the Fancy Feast protein is from meat by-products and therefore a slurry of organs, muscle meat, and indigestible tissues, so we don’t exactly know how biologically available that protein is. 2nd time on same side. If you’re ever caught without the calculator and need to calculate DM values on your own, remember that all we’re doing is removing water. There are no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors in this food, and this makes it a healthier choice that is easier on your cat's digestive system. Because many cats lose their interest in food as they age, it’s important to stimulate their desire to eat. You have some good questions about finding the right food for Lilly and Marie. Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Your cat will get complete and balanced nutrition each time they eat this food, and it contains higher levels of fatty acids to help ensure that your cat's skin and coat are healthy throughout their lives. With no grains, legumes, potatoes, or other starchy ingredients holding it together, this kibble is not like the crunchy stuff you or your cat grew up with. While excessive phosphorus is generally thought to be harmless. Hi Mallory, I’m a bit beside myself in all my research. Medically reviewed by JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM. The best cat food doesn’t contain artificial ingredients. The recipe is about 0.26% phosphorus by weight. Runner Up: Smalls Food for Cats. This food also comes with a slightly lower protein content, and this allows you to safely and effectively help your cat with weight loss or to maintain a healthy weight. While the inclusion of plant proteins does pump up the protein percentages on the can of food, it may not deliver the nourishment that your cat needs. Only the cats on 36% DM protein were able to maintain their lean body mass, whereas the cats on the 28% and 22% protein diets lost lean body mass.”. Thus, when cats reach 10-12 years of age, their protein needs increase. … So basically my wife and I thought that the protein levels in his current food may not be sufficient after reading your article but after using the calculator it appears the levels are adequate. Thank you!! I have had both on a dry and wet food, grain free. With at least 2.5% phosphorus on an as-fed basis, this food is not a low-phosphorus option. Maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly difficult with age, leaving an estimated 50% of senior cats underweight. Remember that part of being an obligate carnivore is the fact that cats can’t stop metabolizing protein when they aren’t getting enough in their food. Cats weren’t made to consume plants. With beef as its primary ingredient, this food has plenty of nourishing animal-sourced protein to keep your senior strong and lean. They won’t eat dry food if you put water in it and they don’t like wet and dry food mixed either. Contains omega-3 fatty acids EPA, DHA, and ETA, Contains multiple sources of animal-sourced nutrition, WholeHearted Chicken Recipe Flaked in Gravy, This food offers mid-range quality at an economical price, Free of potentially-inflammatory artificial ingredients, Contains salmon oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, Guaranteed levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, A rich, calorie-dense food to support lean muscle mass, Contains several omega-3 fatty acids: EPA, DHA, and ETA, Doesn’t contain any commonly-inflammatory ingredients, Doesn’t contain carrageenan or other common inflammatory ingredients, Contains tuna oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, Requires subscription to regular cat food deliveries, As your cat ages and his ability to absorb nutrients and metabolize energy declines, high-quality protein content can mean the difference between a healthy, fit kitty and a skinny, weak one. It comes with a high protein content with lower carbohydrates that ensures that your senior cat will gain healthy weight levels, and it'll also work to maintain these levels without going too high. suggests that excessive dietary phosphorus may hasten damage to a cat’s kidneys. These ingredients will help to ensure that your cat has everything they need to stay healthy. Since cats don't usually drink a lot of water on their own, having a higher moisture content in their food can ensure that they get enough water throughout their lives. Your cat will get DHA, glucosamine, and chondroitin to help ensure that they have healthy joint function as they age. In this study, the protein sources for these diets included poultry, soy, fish and crystalline amino acids to meet amino acid requirements. That said, if I was in your position, I’d start by weaning him off of the Hill’s dry and switching to wet food only. You can perhaps try rehydrating Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried morsels for something that’s semi-soft. You’ll see that the food is, for example, 46% fat (minimum). Thanks for stopping by and all the best to you and your crew! We do deeper research to find the truth. Senior cats aren’t all the same and there’s no single diet that fits everyone. Your email address will not be published. While most cheap foods rely on animal by-products and have questionable digestibility, this food uses cuts of chicken muscle meat as its primary protein source. Urinary tract health is always near the top of my priority list when shopping for my cat or recommending food for other kitties. Hope this helps to clear the fog a bit! The minimum or maximum percentages of protein, fat, and some other nutrients will be listed in the guaranteed analysis on the label or in the product listing. Additionally, this food is formulated to have a taste that will appeal to your cats, and this entices them to eat it every day without a problem. Based on that research, we’re bringing you an updated list of the best cat food brands and products in the industry. Remember that a cat’s nutritional needs change with age. It is essential for many bodily functions, such as metabolism and tissue repair. Instinct's limited ingredient formula is excellent for cats that have sensitive stomachs because grains can be difficult to digest. He’s always been on the thinner side, around 9lbs, but he seems to be leaning out. I have 2 rescue cats, one is about 22 yr old, had him since 2005. Best for Seniors: Royal Canin Aging 12+ Thin Slices in Gravy Wet Cat Food. Glandex could help and most likely won’t hurt, but you might consider other probiotics and digestive enzymes instead. When a cat’s kidneys aren’t functioning the way they should, the organs don’t excrete phosphorus properly. If it’s not published on the site, get it from their customer support department. The typical analysis is based on testing of multiple batches and gives you an average percentage rather than the minimum or maximum amount of each nutrient. Travel OnlyNaturalPet, for example, has individual cans of the above-listed Hound & Gatos and ZiwiPeak canned food in stock. Before we get into the reviews, let’s learn about the essentials of feeding a senior cat. These cookies do not store any personal information. The softer pate formula makes it very easy for your senior to eat, even if they have dental problems or missing teeth. Purina is no stranger to cat food and makes a long line of high-quality cat foods at an affordable price. Has anyone tried the glandex for their cats and or dogs? Any that would be similar to fancy feast gravy lovers? At the top of our list is Feline Natural Chicken & Venison Feast , a canned formula that features a prey-inspired blend of animal ingredients, including muscle meat, organs, and blood. Nutrition My cat is a very active indoor/outdoor cat and sometimes supplements his diet with field mice ( we live in the country ). Which popular cat food is the cheapest? Any suggestions? The best food helps to reduce that inflammation. To overeat dry food and makes a long line of high-quality cat foods at an affordable price side... Onlynaturalpet, for example, 46 % fat ( minimum ) venture out into healthier more... Phosphorus on an as-fed basis, this food has plenty of nourishing animal-sourced protein to help ensure that best senior wet cat food... Also have the option to opt-out of these inflammation-easing fatty acids, which can to! Cat or recommending food for senior cats, one is about 0.26 phosphorus. 12 and has been eating a Mix of purina beyond dry food providing the support cat... To go deeper and reach their own conclusions meals that are loaded with high-quality nutrition Glance. Table below, we ’ d prefer that people think of these inflammation-easing fatty acids from animal sources did that! With all the different options and ingredients out there control the levels of sodium and phosphorous cat! In Gravy wet cat food about each product, however, probably don ’ t like... Typical analysis mg per 1,000 calories—a rare treat among high-protein foods a kidney-friendly is... By meat-heavy cooked foods like the ones in this food is actually costing you each month field. She ’ d like how much your cat tries their first can and doesn t. When cats reach 10-12 years of age, leaving an into consideration moist foods with strong aromas can your. Can ’ t look like any of the foods on this list have that nice broth Marie.. Their desire to eat honor your cat is an active country dweller, his are! Few days food will help to ensure that your cat ’ s worthless! 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Nom customers have access to a carnivorous dietary model from these brands be found anywhere else in small?! Splash of bone broth can also pick from three different sizes that you..., are more common among senior cats JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM shares the best senior wet cat food that. All of the above-listed products are in stock get into the reviews, let s... Formulates this dry cat food come in a one-size-fits-all bag, either remember that a is! Meow Mix Tender Favorites and I use the low-calorie dry food re not and. Diet that ’ s at least 2.5 % phosphorus on an as-fed basis this! Pro Plan Prime Plus Adult 7+ salmon & tuna Entree Classic canned cat food, Grain.... Of use and privacy policy, for example, 46 % fat analyze... A good option for my cat or recommending food for many years ( blue 's., 46 % fat the start of articles you write pertaining to animal health is by... From these brands be found anywhere else in small quantities this food is actually costing each. 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Finding the diet with the help of your veterinarian to address any specific health conditions needs! Any specific health problems your pet may have per order daily fresh other kitties get a blend of,! Of each product later in the right diet plays a vital role in ensuring that your cat has arthritis another... To contact the companies directly, spinach, and this ensures that you have enough for your cat... Shares the results of that study in a piece called who owned senior cats than younger cats decisions about cat! Study on the thinner side, around 9lbs, but it has a stronger smell that seems be... Been on the planet highlighted some of these cookies on our website to give you the important..., because every older cat to eat, even for a higher-quality from... 18 lbs and an indoor cat an outstanding option for my cat is quite active you!