Best wet cat food for older cats: what to look for

The best wet cat food for an older cat is a complete and balanced canned or pouch food with plenty of animal protein, enough calories in each can to hold your cat's weight, moderate phosphorus, and a texture your cat can eat comfortably and will actually finish. No single brand is best for every cat. If your cat has kidney disease, an overactive thyroid or diabetes, the diet your vet prescribes comes before anything on this page.

This article does not name or rank brands, so there is no top-rated list here. What follows is how to judge any senior canned cat food for yourself, with your vet.

Why wet food suits many older cats

Wet food is roughly three-quarters water or more. Dry food is about a tenth. Many cats drink only modestly, so a cat on a dry diet often does not make up the difference at the water bowl.

That extra water matters more with age. Kidney disease is common in older cats, and ageing kidneys are less able to concentrate urine, so more water is lost. Constipation becomes more common too. A cat eating wet food takes in a good deal of water with every meal. Wet food supports hydration. It does not treat or prevent kidney disease.

Wet food also smells stronger, which helps a cat whose sense of smell and appetite are fading, and it is easier on a sore mouth. A cat who suddenly starts drinking far more than usual needs a vet visit, whatever it eats. See why an old cat drinks so much water.

What to look for in a senior canned cat food

Complete and balanced

Find the nutritional adequacy statement in the small print. It should say the food is complete and balanced for adult maintenance or for all life stages. Many small cans of tuna or chicken in broth, and most lickable treats and toppers, are labeled "complementary" or "for intermittent or supplemental feeding". Those are extras, not a diet.

In the United States there is no separate nutrient standard for senior cats, so "senior", "mature" and "11+" are the maker's own descriptions. An adult or all-life-stages wet food can be just as suitable for a cat of 11 or older. There is more on this in how to choose a senior cat food.

Protein quality

Cats are obligate carnivores, and older cats tend to lose muscle. It is commonly reported that from around 12 some cats digest fat less efficiently, and a smaller number digest protein less well too. A healthy older cat generally needs more good-quality animal protein, not less. Protein restriction is for specific medical conditions, on a vet's advice.

The protein figure on a can looks low because most of the can is water. To compare a wet food with a dry one, or two wet foods with different moisture, take the water out of the sum. Subtract the moisture percentage from 100, then divide the protein percentage by what is left. A can showing 10% protein and 78% moisture works out at about 45% protein once the water is removed.

The label cannot show how digestible the protein is. A maker that employs qualified nutritionists and will send full nutrient figures on request tells you more than the ingredient list does.

Calories per can

Calorie content is printed as kcal per can or per pouch, and it varies far more than most people expect. A small 3-ounce can might hold anywhere from around 60 calories to well over 100. Foods that are mostly gravy or broth are often at the low end, and dense pates are often at the high end.

A thin cat with a small appetite needs more calories per can. An overweight cat needs fewer.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is usually not printed on the label. You can ask the maker for the figure, either as a share of the food with the water removed or per 1,000 calories, and take it to your vet.

Whether phosphorus needs to be restricted depends on your cat's blood and urine tests. A cat with diagnosed kidney disease is usually moved to a kidney diet, which is covered in what to feed a cat with kidney disease. A kidney diet should not be started on a guess. For an older cat with normal results, ask your vet whether a moderate-phosphorus food is worth choosing.

Pate, mousse or chunks: which texture?

A cat who only licks the gravy is getting water and flavor but few calories. Try a pate, or mash the chunks into the gravy with a fork.

If your cat has recently changed how it eats, such as dropping food, chewing on one side, or walking up to the bowl and leaving, think of mouth pain. Smooth food works around the pain but does not treat it. See dental care for senior pets.

How many cans a day does an older cat need?

There is no single number, because it depends on the calories in the can and on the cat. Your vet sets a daily calorie target from your cat's weight, body condition and muscle. Divide that by the calories per can and you have the number of cans.

As a rough picture only, an average-sized cat eating nothing but wet food commonly gets through somewhere around two to four small 3-ounce cans a day, and fewer of the larger cans. The feeding guide on the label is a starting point. If you feed dry food as well, count the calories from both.

Older cats usually do better on several small meals than on one or two large ones. Weigh your cat every couple of weeks on the same scale and write it down. Many cats need more food in their teens, not less, and a cat who is eating the full amount and still getting thinner needs a vet, not a bigger portion. See why an old cat loses weight.

Practical feeding problems

• Cold food. Food straight from the fridge has little smell. Serve it at room temperature or slightly warm, stirred well so there are no hot spots.
• Leftovers. Cover and refrigerate an opened can and use it within a couple of days, or as the label says. Pick up uneaten wet food after an hour or two, sooner in a warm room.
• A cat raised on kibble. Some lifelong dry-food eaters refuse wet food. Change slowly, over weeks if needed, with a little wet food beside or mixed into the usual meal. Never try to starve a cat into accepting a new food.
• Cost. Feeding both wet and dry is fine. Even one wet meal a day adds water. The companion article covers dry food for senior cats.

When to call the vet today

• Your cat has not eaten for 24 hours. A cat who stops eating can develop a serious liver condition quickly. See why an old cat stops eating.
• Weight loss, with or without a good appetite.
• Drinking or urinating far more than usual.
• Drooling, pawing at the mouth, crying while eating or dropping food.
• Repeated vomiting or diarrhea.
• No stool for more than two days, or straining in the litter box.
• Straining to urinate or producing no urine. Go to an emergency clinic at once.

For the wider picture, the senior pet nutrition guide covers feeding older dogs and cats in general.

This article is general educational information about choosing wet food for older cats, not veterinary or nutritional advice for your cat. It does not recommend any brand or product, and the can counts and calorie figures are rough, commonly reported ranges that vary between foods and cats. The right food and the amount to feed should be decided with your veterinarian, and a cat who is losing weight, drinking more or not eating needs an exam rather than a change of food.