Nutritional needs of cats change significantly with age, with senior and geriatric cats requiring specific dietary adaptations to maintain muscle mass, kidney health, and overall quality of life.
Senior cat nutrition is a welfare domain where individualization is essential — there is no single "senior cat diet" that meets the needs of all aging cats, because the predominant nutritional challenge differs based on which age-related conditions are present. A cat with hyperthyroidism and weight loss needs high-calorie, high-protein food; a cat with CKD needs phosphorus restriction that may conflict with high protein; a cat with both needs expert guidance to balance competing requirements. The consequence of inadequate nutrition in senior cats — progressive muscle wasting, reduced immune function, and poor condition that accelerates decline — represents a chronic welfare harm that is often preventable with appropriate dietary management. Veterinary nutritional counseling, increasingly available through telemedicine and specialist referral, provides the individualized guidance that senior cat welfare requires.