If you spend any significant time on this planet, you know that as the sands of time drop through the hourglass, your body deteriorates. This is true for cats too.
Even if your cat spends nine lives, the most recommended supplements for senior cats may give them a tenth life. As veterinary medicine advances, so does the age your cat may reach. For some cats, these supplements may not extend their lives, but they make them comfortable as they traverse old age.
Read the key highlights of the featured product and the top budget pick for multivitamin supplements. Other products on the list have formulations for specific issues that your senior cat may face.
by Pet Naturals
- Key Highlights of Pet Naturals Daily Multi
- Which Cat Owners Need Pet Naturals Daily Multi and Why
- Budget Pick: VetriScience Nu Cat Senior Multivitamin
- Taking Care of a Senior Cat
- Hill's Prescription Diet k/d + Mobility
- Nutramax Cosequin Joint Health Supplement
- VetriScience Vetri-Lysine Plus
- Tomlyn High-Calorie Nutritional Gel
- VetOne Advita Powder Probiotic
- Supplemented With Love
Key Highlights of Pet Naturals Daily Multi
-
Pet Naturals Daily Multi contains no wheat, corn, or artificial ingredients.
-
This multivitamin supplement comes in the form of fish-flavored chews.
-
It contains taurine and other amino acids essential to a cat's diet.
-
It's appropriate for cats of all ages and sizes.
Which Cat Owners Need Pet Naturals Daily Multi and Why
Pet Naturals Daily Multi is a popular choice that offers supplement chews packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals to support senior cats' overall health and longevity. If you have a cat entering old age, keeping an eye on their health is more important than ever. A natural daily multivitamin supplement ensures that your cat receives the nutrients they need, even if they don't always want to eat a balanced diet.
If your cat has any sensitivities or allergies to grain, Pet Naturals is a great choice. It's free from corn and wheat, common allergens that affect many cats. It also contains fish meal and fish oil, which appeals to most felines. The texture makes them easy to chew too. If your senior cat has tooth sensitivity, a softer chew is gentler on their teeth.
Pet Naturals is a good source of iron, among other minerals. If your cat is anemic, they may benefit from a supplement with iron. It also contains taurine, which cats normally get from their diet. If your senior cat isn't eating well, they're likely missing out on this and other amino acids.
Make sure your cat gets all the nutrients they need with Pet Naturals Daily Multi.
by VetriScience
Budget Pick: VetriScience Nu Cat Senior Multivitamin
VetriScience Nu Cat Senior Multivitamin is a trusted brand that provides supplements fortified with antioxidants and other essential nutrients to promote optimal health in senior cats. The advantage of VetriScience Nu Cat — and the reason it's the budget pick — is that it comes in different sizes with a price that's less expensive per chew than any of the others.
Be aware that it contains grains, so it may not be appropriate for cats who have allergies to those ingredients. Like Pet Naturals, VetriScience also contains fish meal and fish oil, which most cats accept easily.
Delivering daily nutrition to your cat doesn't always need to cost a lot of money. Give your cat the vitamins and minerals they need while still staying within your budget. VetriScience Nu Cat helps accomplish this.
Taking Care of a Senior Cat
Taking your cat to the vet regularly is always important, but it becomes even more crucial when they enter their senior years. For most cats, this occurs around 11-14 years old. However, with superior veterinary care, it's not unheard of for cats to live past 20.
You can't prevent all common health problems in senior cats, but you can make them more comfortable as they deal with these issues. Osteoarthritis, for example, is more likely to develop in certain breeds of cats. You can't change their genetic makeup, but you can relieve their pain.
Another issue some senior cats face is gaining or losing weight. The team at Seymour Veterinary Hospital gives advice on caring for a senior cat:
"A lot of cats get heavy or even obese as they get older, which can be controlled with diet and activity if the weight gain is non-medical in nature. Other weight issues include elderly cats being underweight, which may be caused by a variety of medical conditions and should be assessed by a veterinarian."
Switching to a special diet for senior cats can address your cat's weight loss, plus its formulation makes it more palatable. Regular cat food is more protein-dense with fewer carbohydrates, which is better for overweight cats.
Some diets help with mobility by including added glucosamine and chondroitin. If your vet considers this a serious issue for your cat, they may recommend a prescription diet, like the next product on the list.
by Hill's Prescription Diet
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d + Mobility
Hill's Prescription Diet k/d + Mobility is a specialized diet that offers important vitamins and minerals for senior cats with kidney and mobility issues, supporting their specific nutritional needs. It contains glucosamine and chondroitin, which relieves bone and joint pain in senior cats. The company claims this food improves your cat's ability to run, jump, and climb in as little as 28 days.
It has ingredients that stimulate your cat's appetite and help them build and maintain muscle mass. To improve kidney function, it's low in sodium and phosphorous. The addition of omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins supports a healthy kidney.
It's available in both dry kibble and cans of wet food. Wet food enables more liquid intake, which is also good for kidney function. The downsides are that this food is only available by prescription and it's expensive.
by Nutramax Laboratories
Nutramax Cosequin Joint Health Supplement
Nutramax Cosequin is a trusted brand that provides joint supplements specifically formulated for senior cats, supporting their overall health and vitality. If your cat has trouble getting around because of joint pain but doesn't have kidney issues, Nutramax Cosequin Joint Health Supplement may be more appropriate. It contains glucosamine and chondroitin to relieve your cat's joint pain.
This supplement comes in capsule form, so easily sprinkle a few on or mix them into your cat's food. However, if you try to sprinkle them on dry kibble, they may fall off, and some may end up on the bottom of the bowl. It's easier to mix them into wet food.
Multiple customers attest to its effectiveness. Cat owners say they see their pets jumping and maneuvering much more easily. If your cat detects the taste in their food, try a pill pocket to disguise it.
In a TikTok posted on May 8, 2023, user Kibbledeebop demonstrates how they administer the Cosequin supplement. Their cat gobbles it up with no problems!
by VetriScience
VetriScience Vetri-Lysine Plus
VetriScience is a reputable brand that offers supplements such as VetriScience Vetri-Lysine Plus with essential amino acids, benefiting senior cats' immune systems and promoting healthy iron levels. If you notice that your cat is weaker and more lethargic, they may have an iron deficiency. Some cancers and kidney disease may prevent your cat from absorbing the amount of iron they need to supply oxygen to their blood.
Lysine helps the body absorb iron. Talk with your vet about the type of iron deficiency your cat has, and if lysine could benefit them.
Lysine may also help with upper respiratory or pulmonary symptoms caused by the feline herpes virus. Some cats may have a life-long infection, but symptoms are manageable.
by Tomlyn
Tomlyn High-Calorie Nutritional Gel
Tomlyn High-Calorie Nutritional Gel is a highly recommended supplement that includes vitamins and minerals, providing essential nutrients to senior cats for improved iron absorption and overall well-being. It contains ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, a hydrated form of iron that helps support an iron deficiency or anemia in senior cats. It also contains an array of vitamins including A, B2, B12, D, and E.
To administer, simply squeeze out 1.5 teaspoons per 10 pounds of body weight, then wipe it on the side of your cat's mouth or on their paw. They'll immediately want to lick it off, ingesting the nutritious gel. Be careful when putting it on their paw; they may try to shake it off before licking it.
The high-calorie formula supports senior cats who are finicky or refuse to eat all their meals. It's greatly beneficial to felines who are underweight. If your cat doesn't receive a fully balanced diet, administer one tablespoon per 10 pounds of body weight.
by VetOne
VetOne Advita Powder Probiotic
VetOne Advita Powder Probiotic boosts your cat's immune system and aids in better digestion. This probiotic packet promotes weight loss in cats who gain weight due to inactivity or diabetes. These conditions often show up in cats as they age.
It contains vitamin A for healthy eyes, C as an antioxidant, and E for a healthy immune system and growth of red blood cells. The probiotics go to work in your cat's gut to help relieve constipation or diarrhea and keep their immune system in top shape.
Use this probiotic before surgeries to help fight infections or when changing your cat's diet. Cats, especially seniors, often experience digestive issues when switching food. Even when you shift them to a specialized senior diet, their initial reaction may include vomiting and diarrhea. A probiotic settles their stomach.
Multiple customers report that this probiotic helps with their cats' diarrhea. Others say they notice an improvement in their cats' skin and coat as well. A box comes with 30 packets, and the price may be high, but it's worth it to relieve your cat's issues.
Supplemented With Love
If you love your elderly cat, relieve the issues that cause them pain and other discomfort. As you look through each supplement on this list, find your cat's confounding condition and choose the one that fits their needs.
If you can, prevent some of these issues before they take hold. Give your cat multivitamins that promote a healthy immune system so they have the tools to fight off infections.
Whether they have mobility and joint pain, iron deficiency, gut issues, or need help with their appetite, there's a supplement that works wonders. Show your senior cat you love them by supporting their needs
For more advice and product reviews, subscribe to Cattitude Daily now.
