Feeding Your Elderly Cat

An elderly cat's metabolism slows down, just as it does in a human. Owners should take this into consideration when feeding their cat. Older pets get less exercise, which means less lean muscle, so their food requirement is reduced. Owners should not be feeding their older cat the same amount of food as when the cat was younger. Also, treats should be reduced. Help your older cat exercise with short periods of playtime. Excess weight on a pet stresses their joints, lungs and heart. Managing a pet's diet can help ailments like obesity, heart and kidney problems, and cancer. Your pet's veterinarian should check sudden weight gain or loss. It could mean your pet has thyroid or adrenal deficiencies. Also monitor your pet and their drinking habits. If they are suddenly drinking more water or urinating more it could indicate underlying problems with kidneys, liver or adrenal system. Older cats are less inclined to drink water and have a risk of getting dehydrated. In general, monitor your pet and its eating habits, while some of the issues may be age related, any sudden changes should be reported to the vet immediately. Maintaining a cat's good health will help them live longer.