Question: I am very careful to buy only senior cat food for Joon, my healthy 10-year-old cat. Sometimes it’s hard to find. Is it necessary for her to eat senior food?
Answer: No, it’s not necessary for Joon to eat senior cat food.
On pet food labels, the word senior is a marketing term, not a regulatory or clinical designation. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) establishes nutrient profiles for pet foods but has established none for senior cat food.
That’s probably because veterinary nutritionists say senior cats, assuming they are healthy, have the same nutritional needs as other adult cats. Veterinarians often say, “Age is not a disease,” so there’s no reason healthy senior cats need special food just because they’re old.
Incidentally, the term senior generally refers to all older cats, but veterinarians sometimes use more specific words. A cat is middle-aged at 7-10 years old, senior at 11-14 years, and geriatric at 15 years and above.
Ask the Vet is written by veterinarian Lee Pickett, VMD. Send questions to [email protected] and read more at saturdayeveningpost.com/ask-the-vet.
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