As cats attain their senior years, their day-to-day care necessities start to alter. Senior cats maintain a particular place in our hearts, so we’ve put collectively some ideas for offering the very best look after senior cats. With a bit bit of additional assist, your senior cat will be capable of not solely dwell, however thrive, throughout their golden years.
Review your pet’s weight loss plan
Senior cats have totally different dietary necessities than their youthful counterparts. As they age they’ll begin to battle with weight administration, dry pores and skin, or different extra severe illnesses that influence their dietary necessities. During considered one of your bi-annual wellness checks, communicate to your veterinarian about your cat’s weight loss plan and whether or not any modifications have to be made to enhance their general well being. This may contain switching to a prescription weight loss plan – similar to urinary or kidney care – or just shifting to a more healthy, brisker choice like Freshpet. One of the advantages of switching to meals comprised of contemporary, entire substances is realizing that your senior cat is getting digital vitamins in each meal that they eat!
Encourage them to drink extra water
Water is necessary for all cats, however senior cats are particularly liable to constipation and kidney points – each of that are impacted by water consumption. Fortunately, there are a number of straightforward methods you’ll be able to enhance your senior cat’s day by day water consumption.
- Switch to contemporary meals: Fresh cat meals has a naturally increased moisture content material than the shelf-stable different – 72% vs. 10%, actually!
- Use a water fountain: Cats want shifting water, so the addition of a bowl with a fountain may enhance the quantity of water that your cat drinks.
- Offer a number of water factors: Set up a number of water stations round your home, ideally at floor degree, so your senior cat all the time has quick access to contemporary water.
Schedule common wellness checks
Veterinarians, together with Freshpet vet Dr. Aziza, recommends rising the frequency of your cat’s wellness appointments from every year to each six months once they attain their senior years. At these appointments your vet will possible suggest blood work panels and bodily exams, which permit them to display screen for ailments that present up in a cat’s senior years similar to kidney illness, periodontal illness, or most cancers. The earlier that sicknesses like these are caught, the extra therapy choices there can be found and the higher the prognosis.
Maintain a lightweight exercise routine
Senior cats naturally turn out to be much less energetic however that doesn’t imply they need to dwell a very sedentary way of life. If you’re struggling to search out methods to get your cat shifting every day, hold an eye fixed out for toys that they’re notably keen on and save them for these particular exercise instances. If you’re undecided the place to begin, some nice choices embrace:
- Tossing a mouse or ball by way of a tunnel
- Encouraging them to chase and catch a feather wand
- Fill a field with scraps of cloth and have them dig for treats inside in
Not solely does routine train hold your senior cat’s spirits excessive, it’s going to assist them keep at their superb weight, preserve muscle tone, and enhance blood circulation.
Keep their minds energetic
Keeping up together with your senior cat’s psychological exercise is as necessary as their bodily exercise. There are two key instances throughout the day the place you’ll be able to naturally interact their thoughts: dinner time and play time.
- Meal time: Swapping their bowl for the Doc and Phoebe Indoor Hunting Feeder – which inspires them to ‘hunt’ for his or her meals – or a gradual feeder licking mat – which provides a enjoyable technique to work for his or her meals – are nice methods to maintain your pet engaged whereas consuming.
- Play time: If you’ve gotten a treat-motivated cat, think about getting a problem board like this 5-in-1 from Trixie. Your cat must put their thoughts to work, determining how you can extract the treats from the 5 various kinds of compartments. The Ripple Rug is one other nice choice, as you’ll be able to create areas on your cat to cover, climb, discover, and play – and blend up the configuration inside seconds!
For extra concepts, check out our record of the very best toys to maintain your pet busy indoors.
Modify your home as wanted
Another a part of caring for a senior cat is offering modifications, the place wanted. This may embrace litter bins with ramped or low-step entries, swapping vertical scratching posts for horizontal ones, or steps to assist them get on the mattress or sofa. If you’re uncertain how you can greatest meet your senior cat’s altering wants, check out our article on how you can adapt your property to an growing old pet or communicate to your veterinarian. They’ll give you the chance that can assist you discover options that can allow your cat to maneuver comfortably round the home.
We hope that this record offers you some insights into the very best methods to care on your senior cat. Do you’ve gotten different ideas you’d prefer to share with fellow senior pet dad and mom? We’d like to see them within the feedback!
