Is Your Cat Aging?

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Here are Supplements to Help Your Cat Live Longer

Is your cat getting up in the years? An older cat has special dietary and nutritional requirements in order to maintain optimal health. A healthy diet is important, but the absorption of some nutrients may slow down due to the aging process. For this reason your senior cat may benefit from nutritional supplements to help prevent the diseases of aging. Here are some of the best nutritional supplements for senior cats:

Senior cat supplements: Supplementation for joint health

If your cat isn’t climbing the stairs as quickly as he used to, it may be because his joints aren’t as fluid as they once were due to the effects of arthritis. Fortunately, some of the same supplements that help humans with arthritis are effective for cats. One of the best joint supplements is glucosamine with chondoitin sulfate. Glucosamine is one of the key components of healthy cartilage in both humans and animals. Studies have shown that supplementing senior cats with glucosamine can help to boost joint function and even repair aging cartilage. Glucosamine has also been shown to be effective in improving the symptoms of hip dysplasia in cats. Other nutritional supplements that may improve arthritis symptoms in cats include bromelain and vitamin C.

Senior cat supplements: Probiotics

In order to maintain a healthy digestive tract, both humans and cats need friendly bacteria to aid in digestion and reduce the risk of illness. As cats age, the quantity of these friendly bacteria may decline increasing their susceptibility to infection and predisposing them to digestive related problems. Levels of gut friendly bacteria can be increased by giving your cat a probiotic supplement containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Do some research before selecting a probiotic since there’s a lot of variation in the number of active cultures in various brands of probiotics.


Senior cat supplements: Antioxidants

We’ve certainly heard a lot about antioxidants when it comes to humans. Antioxidants are substances that help to wipe out damaging free radicals formed by the body, potentially decreasing the risk of a variety of chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, and cataracts. Some of the more common antioxidants are the vitamins A, C, and E. Although it’s ideal if your cat can get these antioxidants in sufficient quantity in his diet, antioxidant absorption may be diminished due to age. For this reason, you may want to ask your vet if your cat is a good candidate for antioxidant vitamin supplementation.

Senior cat supplements: Immune system boosters

As cats age, their immune systems may become less efficient at fighting off infection and disease. Certain foods and supplements have been shown to potentially have some immune enhancing effects in cats including wheat grass and barley grass which are natural cereal grains.

Senior cat supplements: Omega 3 fatty acids

Several studies have shown that supplementation with the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oils may help to reduce the risk of disease in the aging cat by suppressing chronic inflammation. They help to preserve heart health as well as promote good vision and joint health. There are now omega 3 fatty acid supplements available specifically for the health needs of cats.

If your senior cat could use a little boost, why not consider adding some of these supplements to his diet? It may be just what he needs to act like a kitten again.