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Best Cat Food for Senior Cats 2024
Written by Aurus Sy
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 01/02/2024, edited: 02/19/2024
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), cats are considered mature at 7 to 10 years old, senior at 11 to 14 years old, and geriatric at 15 years and above. As your feline friend gets older, many things change, including their physical appearance, activity levels, and nutritional requirements. Making sure your kitty gets the nutrition they need in their golden years can help them live longer and healthier.
Many pet food companies offer recipes formulated especially for older cats, who are more vulnerable to health problems such as kidney disease and generally require diets that are high in protein and moisture and have a softer texture. But should you switch your cat to a senior cat food as soon as they reach a certain age? Ultimately, it depends on your moggie’s individual needs and your vet’s recommendations.
That being said, here are Wag!’s recommendations for the best cat food for senior cats to help you separate the wheat from the chaff!
Overview
Tiki Cat Silver
Vet recommended
Silver is Tiki Cat’s line made especially for cats ages 11 and up. It consists of six wet recipes, one dry recipe, and one meal topper. All recipes are made with high-quality proteins such as chicken, tuna, mackerel, salmon, and/or duck to maintain weight and muscle mass, and are low in phosphorus to support kidney health.
They also contain ingredients such as pumpkin to aid in digestion, turmeric and green tea extract to help fight inflammation, chicken or duck liver to increase appetite, and vitamins to support the immune system.
Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants, says, “Tiki Cat cat food is known for high-quality, human-grade ingredients, focusing on natural, whole foods, rich animal proteins, limited ingredient options for sensitive cats, grain-free, low-carb recipes, and palatable flavors for picky eaters.”
Tiki Cat Silver wet cat food flavors:
- Mousse with Salmon & Pumpkin in Broth
- Mousse with Chicken & Pumpkin in Broth
- Mousse & Shreds Chicken, Salmon & Chicken Liver Recipe in Broth
- Mousse & Shreds with Chicken, Duck & Duck Liver Recipe in Broth
- Whole Foods with Chicken Recipe in Chicken Broth
- Whole Foods with Tuna & Mackerel Recipe in Tuna Broth
Tiki Cat Silver dry cat food flavors:
- Senior Health: Chicken & Herring Meal Recipe
Tiki Cat Silver meal topper flavors:
- Chicken & Duck Liver Recipe in Broth
Tiki Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Specifically formulated for older cats
- Made with non-GMO ingredients
- Comes in three soft textures (wet recipes)
- Contains high moisture (wet recipes)
- Minimally processed and gently baked (dry recipe)
Considerations & Concerns
- On the pricey side
- Some cats won’t eat certain flavors
- Some pet parents didn’t like the consistency
What pet parents say about Tiki Cat Silver
“My senior (15 y.o.) kitty loves this food. She licks her bowl clean. She was diagnosed with early stage 2 kidney failure a couple of months ago. I got this after she refused to eat all rx kidney food options and I’m glad she likes this. She just had her kidney values checked yesterday and they’ve improved! I will keep feeding her this even though it is definitely on the expensive side.”
Read more reviews on Petco.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Tiki Pets.
Weruva
Vet recommended
“Weruva cat food offers a variety of recipes and flavors suitable for different life stages and palates, always ensuring high-protein, real-meat ingredients without grains, gluten, or non-nutritive thickeners such as carrageenan. They are committed to quality and their formulations exclude antibiotics, hormones, and artificial additives, while also providing a low-phosphorus, high-protein prescription diet option with high moisture content to cater to specific medical needs," says Dr. Jeremiah.
While Weruva doesn’t have any senior-specific products, it does offer dozens of wet foods that are suitable for all life stages, including the golden years.
From its classic recipes to its low-phosphorus formulas, Weruva cat foods are made with premium proteins like chicken, salmon, tuna, turkey, and beef, with a few containing veggies such as pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, and peas as well.
Additionally, Weruva recipes are high in moisture which can be helpful for cats with renal or urinary tract issues, and come in various textures that are suitable for delicate teeth and gums.
Weruva wet cat food lines:
- Weruva Classic Cat
- Weruva Cat Paté
- Weruva Cat Stew!
- Cats in the Kitchen
- Cats in the Kitchen Paté
- TRULUXE
- B.F.F. MINCED!
- B.F.F. OMG GRAVY!
- B.F.F. PLAY PATÉ!
- Wx Phos Focused
Weruva Cat Food
What pet parents say about Weruva
“I have three cats - a 19 year old, 16 year old, and almost 7 year old. The 16 year old has hyperthyroid. I have been struggling to find food that she will keep down. After much research, I decided that Weruva Paw Lickin' Chicken and another Weruva wet food, would be the way to go. Simply put, the three love the food. My vet even said that she had her senior on Weruva. I'm sticking with this food and the other from now on.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Weruva.
Raised Right
Vet recommended
Raised Right makes home-cooked style, human-grade cat food that’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Though there are no senior-specific recipes, Raised Right’s offerings are suitable for all adult cats and are a great choice for pet parents who want to feed their kitties fresh food.
Crafted with a veterinarian and pet food formulation expert, each whole food recipe contains a single source of animal protein (chicken or turkey) and other healthy ingredients such as carrots, blueberries, flaxseed oil, cod liver oil, and kelp.
“Raised Right cat food offers a whole-food diet with real meat as the initial ingredient, ensuring a high-protein meal. Including organ meats for vital nutrients and antioxidants, their recipes often feature limited ingredients for simplicity and digestibility. Notably, they exclude grains, potatoes, and preservatives while prioritizing safety with batch testing and traceable ingredients," noted Dr. Georgia Jeremiah.
Raised Right fresh cat food flavors:
- Original Turkey Adult Cat Recipe
- Original Chicken Adult Cat Recipe
- Turkey & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Cats
- Chicken & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Cats
Raised Right Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Cooked at low temperatures
- Produced in a human-grade facility
- Contains no preservatives or high-carb fillers
- Lab safety tested with public results
- Carbon-free shipping and plastic neutral
Considerations & Concerns
- No a la carte option (online)
- Can take up a lot of freezer space
- Pricey
What pet parents say about Raised Right
“I switched all four of my kitties from dry kibble to this food and they absolutely LOVE it. They will meow for an hour prior to dinner waiting to eat and they get so excited when they hear the fridge open. I have also noticed a big change in the quality of their coats and they don't have that kibble bloat anymore. I highly recommend this food to anyone who is looking to have a happier and healthier kitty.”
Read more reviews on Raised Right.
Product image sourced from the Raised Right website. Copyright Raised Right Pets LP.
Open Farm
Vet recommended
Open Farm may not have any senior-specific recipes, but it does offer a variety of products for all life stages. Options for older felines include high-meat, low-carb dry foods; 100% human-grade wet foods; freeze-dried raw recipes and freeze-dried raw blends; and collagen-rich bone broth meal toppers.
Regardless of format, all Open Farm recipes are made with sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients; premium proteins such as chicken, turkey, salmon, lamb, and beef are paired with non-GMO fruits and veggies like chickpeas, pumpkin, cranberries, apples, and spinach to help cats thrive.
Dr. Jeremiah notes, “Open Farm offers grain-free, high-quality protein diets using human-grade wet ingredients. Their sourcing emphasizes ethical practices and humanely raised meats, whilst their non-GMO, antibiotic and hormone-free recipes with freeze-dried raw and wet options provide a tasty and nutritious alternative to most commercial diets.”
Open Farm dry cat food flavors:
- Grain Free Homestead Turkey & Chicken Recipe
- Grain Free Wild-Caught Salmon Recipe
- Grain Free Catch-of-the-Season Whitefish Recipe
- Grain Free Pasture-Raised Lamb Recipe
- Wild Ocean Grain Free RawMix
- Open Prairie Grain Free RawMix
Open Farm wet cat food flavors:
- Harvest Chicken Rustic Blend
- Wild-Caught Salmon Rustic Blend
- Chicken & Salmon Rustic Blend
- Homestead Turkey Rustic Blend
- Grass-Fed Beef Rustic Blend
- Herring & Mackerel Rustic Blend
Open Farm freeze-dried raw cat food flavors:
- Grain Free Freeze-Dried Raw Surf & Turf Recipe
- Grain Free Freeze-Dried Raw Harvest Chicken Recipe
- Grain Free Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken & Salmon Recipe
- Grain Free Freeze-Dried Raw Wild-Caught Salmon & Cod Recipe
Open Farm meal topper flavors:
- Harvest Chicken Bone Broth
- Homestead Turkey Bone Broth
- Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth
Open Farm Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Wide range of products
- 100% traceable ingredients
- Single protein and poultry-free options available
- Contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
- Has a free national recycling program
Considerations & Concerns
- On the expensive side
- Not available in big retailers
- Some cats won’t eat it
What pet parents say about Open Farm
“All of our cats are crazy for this dry food. Our senior cat who has been having some health issues lately (and had stopped eating dry food altogether) is a fan. She's been looking better since the switch.”
Read more reviews on Open Farm.
Product image sourced from the Open Farm website. Copyright Open Farm.
Nulo
Vet recommended
“Nulo is known for its high-quality, animal-based protein recipes and offers low-carb, grain-free options that are free from artificial additives and fillers. Rich in essential amino acids, it supports lean muscle development and is specially formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of cats," says Dr. Jeremiah.
Nulo offers two dry food recipes for senior cats, both of which are high in animal-based protein to provide the ideal amino acid profile. They feature deboned turkey or pollock as the first ingredient, followed by chicken meal, turkey meal, yellow peas, and green lentils.
Both grain-free and low-carb recipes also contain L-carnitine for fat metabolism, vitamin A and taurine for clear vision, antioxidants for cellular health, omega-3 and omega-6 for a beautiful coat, and patented probiotics for digestive and immune health.
Nulo dry senior cat food flavors:
- MedalSeries High-Protein Kibble Turkey, Alaska Pollock & Red Lentils Recipe
- FreeStyle Alaska Pollock, Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe
In addition to these senior-specific formulas, Nulo has dry, wet, and freeze-dried raw cat foods that are suitable for all life stages.
Nulo Cat Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- 75% of protein comes from high-quality animal sources
- Uses low-glycemic ingredients for stable energy levels
- Helps maintain a healthy weight with natural fibers
- Made without white potatoes, corn, tapioca, or wheat
- Kibble size is small and easy for senior cats to eat
Considerations & Concerns
- Some cats won’t eat it
- Limited choice of recipes
- May cause tummy issues in some cats
What pet parents say about Nulo
“I have three cats. I bought this for my eldest (9) kitty who had started to throw up her usual senior food. She has completely stopped puking since we switched over. She also absolutely loves the flavor. Out of the three cats she doesn't get that excited about food but she [is] ravenous for this stuff. My youngest (1) kitty has started to refuse to eat the normal cat food and only eat this stuff. My middle (7) kitty just reached the age to switch to senior food and I was nervous she wasn't going to eat it because of the small kibble size but she eats it just fine.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Nulo.
FAQ
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