Nourishing our cats properly is essential for helping them live long, healthy lives and whether you have preventative pet insurance or not, we’ll dive into some general cat advice you should keep in mind. Cats of different ages will require different diets to ensure optimal health through the years and staying on top of their diets as they age will make all the difference in how your furry friend will feel and thrive over time. This blog covers how to feed your cat well and why certain diets are better for certain cats.

How Cats Diets Change Over Time

Feeding our cats seems like a straightforward task. Buy a bag of kibble and call it a day. But it is more important to look into what your cat is eating than you might think. A cat’s nutritional needs will change as they age. Kibbles or wet food? Higher calories or fewer calories? There are a lot of choices out there!

When choosing food for our cats, the first thing you should do is ensure that it is a balanced meal. How do you do this? Usually, there will be an AAFCO label standing for The Association of American Feed Control Officials at the back of the can or bag of kibbles. This label is a stamp of approval that this food will be nutritional enough for cats of all ages.

Cat Feeding Guide

Kittens, 8 to 16 weeks

Kittens will live on their mother’s milk for usually the first 8 weeks of their lives. At about 8-9 weeks old, they will be ready to begin receiving kitten food. The kitten food you select must be full of fatty acids, DHA (fish oil), folic acid, taurine, amino acid, and protein. They will have endless energy at this age and need food rich in nutrients to support their growth.

A kitten wellness plan is a great way to ensure they stay as healthy as possible. This includes vaccinations, routine blood work, grooming, and fecal exams. Cat fecal exams are fantastic for helping to determine the health of their gut and digestion tract. Preventative pet insurance is the best as you will use it throughout your kitten’s life, saving thousands.

Adolescent, 7 months to 2 years

When your cat grows from a kitten to an adult cat, it is essential to feed them based on their activity level. If your cat is more of a sleepy guy or gal that loves sunbathing and cuddles, they only need enough food to maintain their energy level. If your cat is super rambunctious and full of energy and zoomies, they will need a bit more food to keep them full and healthy. You are basically determining how many calories your cat is burning and how much they are eating.

With a preventative pet insurance plan, your annual veterinary exams are covered. This is a great way to determine if your cat is getting enough or too many calories.

Adults, 3 to 9 years

This is when your cat is more mature and ‘middle-aged,’ so between 40-70 in human years. They should still have the energy to play, but they might be slowing down considerably compared to their kitten youthful days. It is crucial that they stay hydrated and always have access to clean water. A stainless steel bowl is recommended to avoid bacteria buildup.

Around this time, you might notice your cat’s food preferences changing. Sometimes at this age, too little or too much of a specific ingredient could begin to affect their overall health. You will want to do routine exams with a preventative pet insurance plan to ensure their new food preferences are not due to an illness or disease. While it may be allergies or simply the choice of protein not sitting well anymore and needing a changeup.

Senior, 10+ years

Changes in your cat’s nutritional needs will begin to occur between 5 and 7. But they are typically considered seniors around the 10-year mark. This means that their dietary needs are starting to change. Senior cats will begin to require food lower in calories but higher in fiber. Senior cats might begin needing prescriptions or supplements for antioxidants and joint support. If you’re keeping up with preventative pet insurance, your cat won’t need this for many years.

Wagmo Insurance and Wagmo Wellness plans can help your cat stay healthy through every stage of its life and seamlessly keep up with routine care. You can rest easy knowing that routine blood tests, fecal exams, urinalysis, and vaccinations are all covered. You might be wondering if Wagmo covers seniors, adults, and kitten wellness plans near me and the answer is yes, Wagmo Wellness plans are available nationwide.