Figuring out what to feed an older cat to gain weight can be difficult for even the most seasoned owner.
Cat food for weight gain in older cats.
Try a cat weight gain supplement.
Dental disease can make it more difficult for your cat to chew dry food so you may need to switch to a softer canned food.
Reduced ability to smell and taste.
While there could be a medical explanation your cat s senses may just be declining.
This is especially true the older a cat gets.
A cat that is skin and bones is just as unhealthy as an obese feline so you need to help your cat to gain back the weight it has lost.
The best cat food for senior cats will take into account the following characteristics which are common to senior felines.
And most cats enjoy eating kitten food.
Many older cats lose interest in food.
Good quality kitten food is an excellent choice for weight gain in healthy cats.
Taking care of an underweight older cat can be a difficult and trying experience.
If your cat is severely malnourished and needs to gain weight but has a hard time keeping down food a cat weight gain supplement is a good place to start.
High calorie nutritional gel for quick weight gain prescription formulas for weak or sick cats aka high calorie cat food for sick cats should be recommended by a vet however many vets and pet owners recommend providing a supplemental calorie dense gel such as tomlyn s see below to help add calories to your cat s meal fast.
Diseases like cancer may cause a cat to lose weight and therefore need extra nutrition.
Other diseases that are common in older cats can also require dietary changes.
Cats are picky eaters in general exhibiting much more demanding behavior towards their owners than dogs do.
The dogma that all older cats be fed reduced energy senior diets must be questioned based on what is now known about the increasing energy requirements and nutritional needs of older cats.
Royal canin feline health nutrition dry cat food for young kittens is nutrient and calorie dense and tends to be highly palatable to most cats.
Tomlyn s high calorie nutritional gel for cats.
Our top 5 picks.
Proper hydration is also important for the senior cat.
As cats age they may lose weight for a variety of reasons from dental problems to cancer.
This is often because they can t see smell or taste quite as well as they used to.
What dry food has in palatability and caloric density it lacks in moisture vital for sick cats and often protein digestibility.
Best cat food for weight gain.
Dry cat food isn t our first recommendation for weight gain but if your cat refuses to eat anything else it can be a good option.
Creating and sticking to a feeding routine is good for cats so have a structured feeding time that lasts 10 to 20 minutes instead of leaving food out all day.
Adding palatable toppings or using an appetite stimulant can also help.
To coax an older cat to eat first address these problems and then start feeding a high calorie cat food for weight gain.
