My cats are fat. We have tried to simply feed them less in the past but it doesn't work. They are 8 and 5 years old. Turns out, 8 years is considered "senior" for a cat. Everything i find online talks about senior cats that are too skinny. My cat sure doesn't have that problem! I found some diet cat food for cats up to 7 years old, but apparently they don't make diet cat food for senior cats. I really would like to have one food that will work for both cats. Any suggestions?
Hey! I know this is late but I still wanted to say thanks for all the great ideas. I think I will just take them to the vet and start there. My older cat has been having digestive problems lately anyway, so it will be good to take them in. Thanks again!
I have a senior cat, age around 15, who was looking quite scruffy. My cousin went to a local owned pet store and asked about food. The recommended a brand that is high in protein and low in carbs. The brand is Orijen and it's 80% animal protein and 20% fruits and vegetables. It's a dry food. The cat is looking more sleek and has more energy.
If they are both overweight, I generally recommend a prescription food designed for weight loss in cats - in particular, one higher in protein, such as Hill's Prescription Diet m/d or Purina Veterinary Diet DM formula. Canned food may be more beneficial than dry, since it will have more protein and less carbohydrates, and kitties do not metabolize carbs very well. However, if it has been some time since they had a check-up with the vet, I would start with that and go from there. And those diets are typically available through veterinary clinics only. That's where usually people have the most success, especially since overweight cats are at risk for diabetes and other health issues. You also do not want them losing weight too quickly either - that can hurt their liver and cause what is known as hepatic lipidosis, or "fatty liver disease".
My suggestion would be to take the cats to the vet for an exam and blood panels. The reason being-- you need to know *why* they are fat. Then, the vet can give you some suggestions regarding healthy foods for the cats. I'd avoid foods with a lot of fillers and grains, and stick with mostly protein foods; likely a wet food or raw chicken. But again, I'm not a vet, so it's worth it to have the cats checked out and then modify the diet with the information you get after the exam.
I think that you really only need "senior" cat food if it needs extra fat or calories because they are skinny. Your 8 year old cat, if in good health, should be able to eat the "diet" food quite well. I would find a good pet store and find something that is not full of fillers and ash. It will probably be $35 or more a bag, but worth it since if they don't have a lot of fillers you don't need to feed as much. One bag lasts my 2 cats about 4 to 5 months.
I have a senior cat at age 12 that is hyperthyroid. She eats can food with turkey or chicken baby food added in for extra protein because she doesn't like the high quality canned food. She likes her friskies canned food and it's like junk food for cats! lol Also, stay away from canned food with fish in it. There are studies out there that say that it is causing health problems in cats. I also leave out a high protein dry food for her too. They need the crunchy stuff to help clean their teeth. The less by products and grains the better!!! I like a brand carried at tractor supply called 4 health. It's good protein and less expensive than the name brand stuff.
I wouldn't worry about weight either. As long as she is happy and healthy otherwise, let her live the Garfield life!
S.
You might want to talk to your vet and make sure there's nothing that would prevent you from a diet food for them. My senior cat gets bloodwork done annually to check for thyroid, kidney and liver problems.
FWIW, we feed a combination of wet and dry food. One of our cats is 12-13 and one is 4. We give them food at specified times of day and separate bowls, though they do sometimes steal from each other. For the younger cat, she gets Science Diet indoor adult and for the older cat he gets Senior Hairball remedy mixed with the dental health one. He has a LOT of hair. We give them a measured amount vs diet food and the vet is happy with their weights. I found that all diet food did (in the past) was make our small cat smaller. The big cat would bully him and eat it anyway.
If you do not want to buy from PetSmart or PetCo (I personally avoid them b/c I don't support stores that sell animals), you can try Amazon or PetValu or any number of other small or online retailers. Many of them take each other's coupons.
And, just like us, cats need to exercise so if they are lazy like my big cat, try new toys or a light pen or something.
Wow, a senior at 8??? Harsh! Cats do best with a high protein diet. Wet food is better than dry (I know, this is a little controversial), it's a better way of delivering protein to their system than dry. Look for foods without grains or other fillers: you really have to read labels. Even "prescription" foods can be full of fillers that you don't want your cats to eat. My cats get Wellness wet food, but there are other good brands out there. I would suggest feeding both of the cats a serving of wet food twice a day, with maybe a little dry food in between (I call it kitty junk food), and monitor how much each eats of the wet food. You can also get the cats to exercize more by using whatever types of toys they like a few times a day. Good luck!
After years of feeding our cats (recommended dry, ash/filler-free) dry food to prevent plaque in their teeth, I was told that older (all, really) cats should only eat canned food. I would call the vet and ask for a recommendation. Petsmart has some decent choices if "prescription" food is too costly. If you stick with dry food, I'd add water. Good luck. :)
