Care guide for your senior cat

A cat is considered senior between the ages of 7-10 onwards, and their needs begin to change drastically. Keeping your senior feline healthy and comfortable can be made a lot easier with a few must-have items.

Feeding

Your cat’s nutritional needs begin to change significantly as they grow older, and ensuring these needs are met is a critical factor in making sure your cat stays healthier for longer. You may want to put your cat on a senior specific food, to ensure they are meeting they nutritional requirements. Depending on your senior cat’s specific health concerns, your vet may recommend a suitable diet. For example, if your cat has kidney concerns they need to be fed highly digestible proteins.

Increase your cat’s accessibility to water, as they will become more susceptible to constipation and kidney disease if they are not staying hydrated enough. Many cats prefer moving water and a pet water fountain may be a sensible choice for your home. Also ensuring that they have daily access to wet food suitable for senior cats will aid in their hydration.

You may want to consider a healthy treat option for your senior cat, as treats that are high in sodium could lead to health problems.

Supplements

There are a range of supplements that may help with any health concerns your senior cat is having. Omega Plus King Salmon Oil is especially great for ageing pets as omega-3 is known for aiding with joint mobility and cardiovascular function. The ProVida range uses the benefits of flax seed oil, along with several other ingredients, to treat a range of concerns in your cat including joint & bone, skin & coat and digestion.

Health

It is important to flea and worm your senior cat all year round. Products such as Bravecto Plus provide 3 months flea and tick protection for cats, plus a worm treatment. You may also prefer to use a flea collar for your cat like the Seresto Collars, which last for 8 months.

Profender Topical Worm Treatment can be applied to the back of your cat’s neck and provides protection against hookworms, round worms and tapeworms. Always ensure you are getting the correct dosage for your cat’s weight class.

Cat Toys

As your cat gets older they won’t be as active, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t still enjoy a bit of play time every now and again. In fact, this is an important part of keeping your senior feline healthy. Try a feather toy, catnip toy, scratching post or a puzzle toy filled with healthy treats.

Sleeping

The number one priority when it comes to choosing the right bed for your senior cat is comfort. Older cats can experience arthritis or joint pain, and giving them the comfiest sleep possible will help to ease these painful symptoms. Try a soft bed or a cat cave for extra privacy. A heatpad can be the perfect addition to your senior cat’s bedding in winter to keep them warm.

Grooming

With age, cat’s can begin to lose the ability to groom themselves as well as they used to - so helping them with this is going to be important. The amount of grooming your cat will need will also depend on their fur. A short haired cat, for example, requires grooming once a week. Use a comb first, followed by a soft bristled brush to remove dead and loose hair. It is recommended to brush a long haired cat daily, and for this you may want to use a deshedding tool or slicker brush. Make sure you keep this process as gentle as possible for your cat and give lots of praise and healthy treats along the way.

Cats shouldn’t usually need baths, but there are some circumstances in which you may want to bathe your cat. If they have rolled in something. Which they are unable to get off themselves or have long hair which has become matted, use a cat specific shampoo to bathe your cat.

Dental Health

Dental disease is very common in ageing cats. Nutrition can play a significant role in maintaining optimal dental health, so choosing the purrfect food for your senior cat is the first step to healthy teeth and gums. You may wish to feed your cat an Oral Care food to look after their dental health. Giving your cat regular dental treats will also help to avoid any disease caused by poor dental hygiene. Teeth brushing is an important part of your cat’s ongoing dental health. Use a specifically designed toothpaste and start by giving plenty of positive reinforcement with treats. Eventually, this should be an easy task that you do daily, or at least several times weekly, with your cat.

If you have any questions about keeping your senior cat healthy, happy and comfortable; don't hesitate to reach out to one of Pet Direct's Customer Service Experts on 0800 200 240.

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