A Guide to Buying Healthy Treats for Senior Cats
As your cat grows older, its nutritional needs and digestive capacities change. You cannot keep feeding it the same amount and the same kind of food and treats you offered before. Food plays a very important role in determining the health of your cat. If you are looking for tips for buying healthy cat treats, you are in the right place. Check out all these points to ensure you pick up treats that are healthy, tasty, and nourishing for your senior cat.
Choose Protein-rich Treats
Senior cats are not as physically active as younger ones and hence there is a high chance of them getting overweight or obese. In such cases, offering them calorie-dense treats are a bad choice. Instead, look for treats that are rich in proteins. Proteins are needed for the maintenance of muscle mass and these also offer fewer calories in total. This is one of the most useful tips for buying healthy cat treats that you should always keep in mind.
Avoid Harder and Denser Treats
Another of the many tips for buying healthy cat treats is to avoid picking hard treats that need considerable effort to bite and chew. As cats age, their ability to chew reduces considerably. This might pose the risk of choking when you offer treats that are difficult to chew. Look for softer treats. You can cut bigger treats into bite-sized pieces before offering too.
Opt for Grain-free Treats
While cats generally cannot properly digest grains, senior cats can get abdominal pain, constipation, and other digestive issues when you offer them grains. Grain-free and carbohydrate-free treats are the best choices for senior cats.
Look for Treats with Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat that is very healthy for the overall health of pets. In senior cats, this fat keeps the bladder healthy and problem-free. Omega 3 is not produced in the bodies of cats and hence has to be got from food and snacks.
Look for Treats with Dense Meat Content
One of the main reasons senior cats avoid food is because they lose their sense of smell. When they cannot smell food, they shy away from it. The tips for buying healthy cat treats encourage pet owners to choose snacks and treats that are meat-rich. If your cat gets a sniff of the meat smell, there is a better chance it will eat it without being fussy.
Offer New Foods in Moderation
Give your cat’s digestive system a break from constant new food choices. Remember that their digestive tract is aging too. If you want to try new food, offer it in small quantities first and look for allergic and digestive issues before increasing the quantity.
These tips for buying healthy cat treats will help you make informed choices when it comes to choosing treats for your senior cat.