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  4. Canine and Feline Nutrition - Veterinary Focus - Vol. 24(3) - Nov. 2014
  5. Nutritional Considerations for the Aging Cat
Canine and Feline Nutrition - Veterinary Focus - Vol. 24(3) - Nov. 2014
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Nutritional Considerations for the Aging Cat

Author(s):
Biourge V. and
Elliott D.A.
In: Canine and Feline Nutrition - Veterinary Focus - Vol. 24(3) - Nov. 2014 by Veterinary Focus
Updated:
FEB 10, 2021
Languages:
  • DE
  • EN
  • ES
  • FR
  • IT
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    Improved veterinary care, nutrition and lifestyle have collectively improved the life expectancy of dogs and cats over the last 20 years. Nutrition and appropriate nutritional management have been shown to alleviate, postpone, slow down and even prevent diseases commonly associated to the process of aging, allowing a better quality of life in older pets.

    Vincent Biourge
    DVM, PhD, Dip. ACVN, Dip. ECVCN
     

    Dr. Biourge graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège, Belgium, in 1985. He remained as an assistant in the Department of Nutrition for two years before moving to the Veterinary Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and later to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis (UCD) as a PhD/resident in Clinical Nutrition. He received his PhD in Nutrition from UCD in 1993 and also attained his ACVN certificate. In 1994 he joined Royal Canin’s Research Center in Aimargues as Head of Scientific Communication and Nutritionist, and managed the nutritional research program between 1999-2007. In 2008 he became the Center’s Health & Nutrition Scientific Director.

     

    Biourge V.

    Denise Elliott
    BVSc (Hons), PhD, Dip. ACVIM, Dip. ACVN
     

    Dr. Elliott received her degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1991. After completing an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, she completed a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition at UCD. Denise Elliott became a ACVIM diplomate in 1996 and an ACVN diplomate in 2001, the same year in which she received her PhD in Nutrition from UCD for her work on multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis in healthy cats and dogs. She is currently Head of Research at the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition.

     

    Denise Elliott

    Key Points

    • Nutrition and appropriate nutritional management have been shown to alleviate, postpone, slow down and even prevent diseases commonly associated with the process of aging.

    • The nutritional recommendations for older healthy cats must take into account the specific requirements of the feline species and the impact of aging on physiology and metabolism, as well as dietary strategies that could help to prevent or slow down disease processes.

    • Longevity requires a healthy start from an early age; nutrient deficiencies as well as excesses will significantly affect lifespan.

    • It is important to maintain optimal body condition for a cat’s entire life. Veterinary practitioners should thus assess the diets and dietary management of the aging pet and make recommendations based on the latest scientific knowledge.

     

    Introduction

    Improved veterinary care, nutrition and lifestyle have collectively improved the life expectancy of dogs and cats over the last 20 years. Nutrition and appropriate nutritional management have been shown to alleviate, postpone, slow down and even prevent diseases commonly associated to the process of aging, allowing a better quality of life in older pets. Veterinary practitioners should thus assess the diets and dietary management of the aging pet and make recommendations based on the latest scientific knowledge. 

    Many age-related feline diseases (e.g., chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism) are more frequently observed after ten years of age, and with most of these diseases (and especially in cats) obvious clinical signs occur rather late in the pathophysiological process. Diets for “healthy” senior cats should therefore integrate aspects that will help prevent diseases associated with aging in their formulation. Cats tend to live longer than dogs and it is not uncommon for veterinarians to see cats that are more than 15 years of age. However, as with humans, the genetic and environmental background of each animal means that the chronological and physiological ages do not always match. The nutritional recommendations for the older healthy cat must therefore take into account the specific requirements of the feline species and the impact of aging on physiology and metabolism, and include dietary strategies that could help prevent or slow down disease processes commonly associated with aging (Table 1).
     

    Table 1 - Major goals of nutritional support for senior cats

    Table 1 - Major goals of nutritional support for senior cats 

    Although this paper will focus on the nutritional needs of the healthy aging cat, longevity requires a healthy start from an early age. Both nutritional deficiencies and excesses will significantly affect lifespan, and it is important to maintain optimal body condition in cats for their entire life. This might be a challenge, especially following neutering, but feeding diets formulated for neutered cats (e.g., less energy-dense) and adjusting the ration for the body condition have clearly been shown to contribute to achieving life-long optimal body condition (Figure 1).
     

    Energy requirements (in Kcal ME/kg bodyweight) and lifelong optimal body condition

    Figure 1. Energy requirements (in Kcal ME/kg bodyweight) and lifelong optimal body condition 

    The most precisely formulated diet will only help an aged cat if it is willing to eat it. Special care should thus be taken to ensure maximum palatability by a combination of quality ingredients, and careful selection of aroma, kibble size and the texture of the diet. Note that older cats are at increased risk of suffering from diseases that cause polyuria/polydipsia and are more likely to suffer from lameness, and it is therefore essential to provide them with easy access to fresh water. [...]

    https://vetfocus.royalcanin.com/en/scientific/nutritional-considerations-for-the-aging-cat
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    About

    How to reference this publication (Harvard system)?

    Biourge, V. and Elliott, D. A. (2014) “Nutritional Considerations for the Aging Cat”, Canine and Feline Nutrition - Veterinary Focus - Vol. 24(3) - Nov. 2014. Available at: https://www.ivis.org/library/veterinary-focus/canine-and-feline-nutrition-veterinary-focus-vol-243-nov-2014/nutritional-considerations-for-aging-cat (Accessed: 21 March 2023).

    Author(s)

    • Vincent Biourge

      Biourge V.

      Head of Scientific Communication and Nutritionist
      DVM PhD Dipl. ACVN Dipl. ECVCN
      Royal Canin Research Center,
      Read more about this author
    • Denise Elliott

      Elliott D.A.

      BVSc (Hons) PhD Dipl ACVIM Dipl ACVN
      Royal Canin USA, 500 Fountain Lakes Boulevard, Suite 100
      Read more about this author

    Copyright Statement

    © All text and images in this publication are copyright protected and cannot be reproduced or copied in any way.
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