I have an elderly cat and I need to know what I should do.?

Question

She used to be an out door cat so she got in a lot of fights, Her bottom two canines are gone and have been one for a long time. She's getting on in age so should I change her diet to elderly cats or soft food for kittens because of her teeth. P.S. she has been checked out by a vet... she's fine just getting old and cranky.

Answer 1

little darling - sounds like she needs lots of TLC now to see her gently through her last few years - I would give her soft senior food you can buy from supermarket or even vets - my mum has elderly cat and quite often will put a teaspoon of water on her food and microwave it for 10 seconds - that way its warm and squashy for her!

Answer 2

Your vet can answer more questions than I can, especially since I don't really know the condition of her teeth, but soft food will get stuck in their tiny little teeth and rot them a lot faster than hard food. Some animals need soft food to be able to eat, but keep her on hard food as long as possible, because shifting to soft food will accelerate tooth decay and tooth loss. It's also possible that she is cranky because she is in pain from things like arthritis or other things pets get in their old age. She can't communicate what is wrong with her, but if her temperament has changed over time it may be worth it to take her back to the vet and talk about these things and check out whether there might be a physical cause for her fussiness.

Answer 3

There is elderly wet cat food that might be better for her simply because it's supposed to be made for cats that are getting on in age. She can probably still have some dry food because she's chewing with her back teeth so unless theres some problem with them, I would think that she'd still be able to crunch a bit.

So long as her teeth and gums are okayed by the vet, she should be ok. Bad gums can lead to other health issues. Be sure if you're switching over food, you do it gradually as some cats can have digestive problems with the change.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I have a 22 yr old cat. She does have all her teeth and she eats mostly a raw meat diet (for the seven years I have had her) which I prepare with a supplement powder. Some cats have to have all their teeth pulled (some cat breeds are very prone to having poor dental health) and they do just fine on soft food and some can even eat dry as they don't really chew on that stuff anyway.

My old cat is a tortoiseshell with the typical attitude that seems to come with that coloration. I wouldn't call her "cranky" though. A really older cat may have aches and pains from arthritis. If your cat seems to have mobility problems the vet might be able to suggest some supplements to ease her stiffness and discomfort.

Answer 5

Don't use kitten food - it does not have the same nutrition as food for Senior cats. Science Diet for seniors in canned food is great. I use it on my cats. Also, cats love Catnip in the bags (no matter how old they are) and when you see the cat is cranky, give her a catnip bag - she will love you for it. Also, make a place for the cat that is just "the cats place" so it can be away for all the noise or kids if you have any. I love Doctors Foster & Smith catalog, you can go online or order a catalog. I trust them completely. Good luck with your cat.

Answer 6

change it to elderly cat food. If you give her kitten food, it might not have the things in it that senior cats need. That is why they make senior cat food.

Answer 7

Make sure you let her know everyday how much you love her! About changing the food, it's whatever you decide. Try both kinds, and see which she prefers.

Answer 8

Just love her until the Vets say she not OK. Then do not let her live in pain.

Answer 9

didn't your vet suggest a new diet? there are senior foods available. but she should stay in now.

Answer 10

how old is old ?