Liquid Cat Food for Older Cats

You got your feline pet as a kitten, and it is all grown up now to its elderly years. With the growing age, you should be more concerned about its health, right? And this is the very reason you are here that how do you need to bring changes in your older cat’s diet so that it still owns a healthy life. Well, the best option is liquid cat food for older cats.

Liquid or wet cat food is essential for elderly cats as they need a sufficient amount of water to keep their kidneys functioning normally.

This article will help you in the best manner about the choice of liquid cat food for older cats.

Why ‘liquid cat food’ for older cats?

Firstly, it is important to know that why one must go for liquid or wet cat food for the elderly cat but what is even liquid/wet cat food in general terms?

What is liquid/wet cat food?

Wet/liquid food for cats has approximately 65% or higher moisture content. It has benefits to offer which might include:

• Ingredients and texture loved by cats
• Easier to chew by felines
• Aids in the increased water intake
• Adds variety to their food
• It could be beneficial for your pets susceptible to lower urinary tract disorders, diabetes, overweight felines, and constipation.

This treat is a 100% complete balanced diet and contains all the essentials that might be needed by your cat to stay fit.

Importance of liquid cat food for older cats:

It is better to use liquid cat food for your older cat because it is the most suitable option due to the following reasons:

1.      High moisture content:

As your cat reaches its senior years, they need to keep water through their systems more and at all times.

It keeps their kidney functioning normal and above all, keep them fully hydrated.

Naturally, cats get their 70-75% water content from the food they eat rather than direct water intake. And also, you could not keep them feeding plain water every time.

So, you need to make sure that you might have alternatives of water intake i.e., wet food.

Moisture in the liquid food will definitely provide your feline with the sufficient amount of water they need for the optimal functioning of their body.

And that is the way, if you are unable to give the cat an adequate amount of water by yourself, the liquid canned food will take care of it.

2.    Easier Chewing and Easier Digestion:

It is true that with the growing age, your beloved cat would not be the same and show the same energy. They might not able to digest at the same pace when they were young.

Their digestive system won’t be able to digest like before because of a lethargic lifestyle.

So, it is better to provide them with a soft and liquified diet to make it easier for them as well as their digestive system.

Liquid/wet food could be easily digested and would boost the appetite of your felines.

Plus, their teeth also might not be the same. Liquid cat food is way simpler to chew. The tact here used is as ‘easy chew and easy digest’ for the senior cats.

3.      Senior cats need a lesser number of calories:

When feeding the senior cat, you must take into account that they need a change in the course of their food, and it should have balanced nutrients and calories.

Keeping in view the routine of the senior cats, it is obvious that they are less active as compared to the kittens and other younger cats.

Hence, they should be provided with fewer calories in their diets, and to do so, liquid cat food serves as the best option.

This is again something which is done to prevent them from getting overweight as the need for calories is directly proportional to the work carried out by your feline.

And if they are unable to digest the given calories by performing the daily life activities or exercise, explained as general science, calories will pile up and just make them obese, which is not good enough for your elder cat’s health.

4.     Specially Formulated Food:

It is true that with the growing age, elder cats are most likely to endure heart diseases, kidney-related disorders, and muscle joint aches.

Hence, these wet foods are manufactured with special formulas keeping in view the balanced diet needs of the older cats and a way to keep them in good health.

But first, it is important to keep certain things in mind before giving wet/liquid food to your beloved feline.

Points to consider when feeding liquid cat food to a senior cat

Following are the points one must be careful enough to put into consideration before starting a new formula for its feline:

1.    Cat’s medical condition:

As a pet owner, one must be familiar enough with the medical condition of its feline, that what suits its feline, and what are possible ingredients that could be the cause of allergy.

Also, be careful about what you feed your cat that it should not cause any disease or inconvenience for it like any gastrointestinal discomfort, etc.

2.   Ingredients and Instructions on the wet food package:

It is important that you must go through the ingredients and instructions written on the package very carefully.

The label on the package contains a ‘guaranteed analysis’ which enlists the appropriate percentages of the biomolecules present as crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, and moisture content.

Hence, on its basis, you can decide that what you need to feed your senior cat. But be mindful that protein deficiency could make your old feline friend go for cobwebs.

Also, if you do not understand by yourself, you ought to consult your vet or browse it online on the website provided by the manufacturer.

You can also contact the provided number of the respective company directly so they may guide you with more nutritional knowledge regarding the wet food you are going to take up for your senior cat.

It should contain a guaranteed analysis listing the percentage of the food that is crude

It is a matter of regarding the health of your feline. So, do not take it easy.

Do your homework on it, compare it with your cat’s preference, adjust according to the mentioned dosage, and then feed your feline.

3.   Cat’s like or dislike regarding the ingredients:

This checking on the ingredients would also help you to know if your feline would eat it or not according to its likes or dislikes.

Therefore, that would be neither waste of money as well as food and would also fulfill the health needs of your cat.

4.   The Consultation with your vet:

You need to work with your vet. They are already well aware of your cat’s health and medical condition and would guide you in the best manner.

Just ask them to refer to the most appropriate liquid food which turns out to be the most nutritional and balanced diet for your elder cat.

Let us now discuss some finest liquid foods for senior cats that are available in the market and online.

Precautionary measures for liquid cat food

Following are the general precautions one must follow when dealing with liquid cat food:

1.    Refrigerate right after use:

The liquid cat food must be refrigerated right away after use. This is because it contains a high amount of moisture.

And a moist environment is the best habitat for bacteria to grow. So, you need to be careful.

2.    Airtight Jar:

Keep it in a sealed or airtight jar or box so that by any chance, a passing by bacteria does not have an opportunity to stain your wet food.

3.    Use within 1 to 2 days:

It is better to use the liquid food for up to 2 days and not more than that. The same reason for high moisture and bacterial growth is validated here.

The bacteria if gets into your senior feline’s body, may cause gastrointestinal infections.

4.    Add a bit of warm water:

When serving your cat’s already opened wet cat food, it is better to add some warm water to it.

This is done to refresh it and add a little more moisture so to make it edible for your senior cat.

Also, warming up the food might give out an aroma that may increase the appetite of your cat for food.

Selected Liquid Foods for older cats

There are a number of liquid foods that you might find.

Here are only some of them discussed to just deliver an idea to remove the ambiguity.

*AAFCO- Association of American Feed Control Officials

*DHA- Docosahexaenoic Acid

*GMO- Genetically Modified Organisms

Apart from these, there are plenty of other good liquid/wet foods present in the market.

You could go for any of the above brands or others that your older cat might crave of.

But it is way better to consult your vet and ask him to refer the best option for your elderly feline.

Alternatives to liquid cat food for older cats

The finest recipes have the following ingredients: soup like pumpkin one, milk, cereals for babies, broth- chicken or beef.

But other than these, you can go for alternatives too. Just take the usual cat food which your cat likes and dissolve it in the water so that your feline remains well hydrated.

Also, make sure they consume the food properly and the food is a total balanced diet food them according to their current need.

Feeding them a good and nutritious diet is very important to pave a healthy life for them in the future.

Keeping in view your senior cat’s medical condition likes and dislikes, and the vet’s opinion, ensure a healthy liquid/wet foot for it.

Conclusion

When the cat ages, they demand a change in their diet naturally. Hence, liquid cat food for older cats is recommended by vets.

There might be some medical issues or dental issues with them along with growing age, so, it is better to give them easy digestible wet food full of balanced nutrients rather than something they are not being able to even chew.

Liquid diets, no doubt, are a better source of fulfilling their dietary needs in the best manner.

All you need to do is consult your vet about the finest liquid food for your senior feline keeping in regards to its medical conditions and likes dislikes.

Because cats are very selective about their diet. Therefore, you would not like to waste the food and money on something your feline would not even touch.

It might be a challenge but not impossible because you are a parent pet who knows about the feline very much than others.

Happy Feeding!