As your cat enters their golden years, you’ll want them to be able to enjoy life to its fullest. To keep them fit, healthy, and able to thrive, you’ll want to ensure that they’re getting the proper nutrition they need.
Finding the right food for your elderly cat can be tricky, especially if they have bad teeth.
With so many different foods available, and with so much conflicting information out there, how can you be sure that you’re buying the best cat food for older cats with bad teeth?
Not to worry – we’ve taken a look at what the market has to offer and come up with the top five products for you to give your beloved cat.
We’ve even included a helpful buyer’s guide to give you all the crucial information you need to consider when buying the best food for your elderly kitty.
There’s even a list of frequently asked questions to put your mind at ease!
Short on time? Don’t fret – take a look at our top pick below!
1. Purina Fancy Feast Gravy Lovers
This variety pack comes in three fantastic flavors so that you can offer your beloved cat the selection they crave; chicken, turkey, and beef!
Fancy Feast offers your cat a complete and balanced nutritional diet, so you can rest assured that they’re getting all the essential nutrients they need. Wet cat food is also great for keeping your cats hydrated – perfect for cats that are reluctant to drink from the water bowl.
As this particular food contains tender delicate morsels, you’ll know that your cat is able to eat quite happily – even if they have few remaining teeth. The texture of the food is sure to leave your cat meowing for more!
Purina only uses the finest ingredients to offer your cat all the essential vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. So you can stay safe in the knowledge that this food won’t contain any unwanted filler ingredients!
Pros:
Tender, soft morsels so your cat can eat without issues.
Uses only the finest ingredients to give your kitty a fully nutritionally balanced diet.
Contains all the essential vitamins and minerals that your cat needs.
Variety pack that comes in three tasty flavors.
Perfect for elderly cats with bad teeth.
Cons:
The amount of food required will be relative to your cat’s weight; larger cats may need more than one can.
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2. Hill’s Science Diet Adult 11+ Dry Cat Food
This particular cat food will help to support your cat’s health. It promotes a healthy coat and skin thanks to the inclusion of omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids, and vitamin E.
Adult 11+ is designed to be easy to digest – perfect for those older cats who have a sensitive stomach. While it is a hard dry food, the kibble is small, so easy for your cat to eat if they happen to have bad teeth.
Made using only natural ingredients, you can rest assured that your cat will be getting the nutrition they need to stay fit and healthy.
Hill’s cat food is made in the USA, so you’ll know you’re buying a quality food. It’s even highly recommended by veterinarians!
Pros:
- Designed with older cats in mind.
- Combines a variety of high quality ingredients to give your cat a fully balanced diet.
- Highly recommended by vets across the world.
- Small kibble that is easy for your cat to eat if they have bad teeth.
- Made in the USA.
Cons:
- As Hill’s Science Diet Adult 11+ is a dry food, you’ll need to ensure that your cat is drinking properly to stay hydrated.
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3. Sheba Perfect Portions Paté Wet Cat Food
This particular food comes in a variety pack of three delectable flavors, so you can tempt your feline with the choice on offer; savory chicken, roasted turkey, and tender beef.
Sheba’s Perfect Portions paté is ideal for any cat, regardless of age. So even though your cat’s not as young and sprightly as they use to be, you’ll know that they can still get the right nutrition with this choice of food.
Perfect Portions doesn’t use any grains as part of their ingredients, so you can rest assured that your cat is getting a proper nutritious meal.
The paté comes in an easy to use tray so as to leave you with less mess once your kitty has finished eating.
Pros:
- Perfect for cats of all ages, including older cats.
- Comes in a variety pack of three tempting flavors.
- Doesn’t use any filler ingredients such as grains.
- Smooth and soft enough for cats with bad teeth to eat without trouble.
- Comes in easy to use trays for less mess afterward.
Cons:
- Some customers found it tricky to remove the food from the packaging.
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4. Hill’s Science Diet Oral Care Dry Cat Food
Hill’s Oral Care will give your cat the balanced nutrition they need so as to improve their dental health. Just the thing you need if you’re worried about your cat’s bad teeth!
This dry food combines only the finest ingredients to give your cat all the essential vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. That includes the addition of vitamin E and omega-6 so as to improve the quality of your cat’s coat and skin.
Hill’s dry cat food comes highly recommended by vets around the globe, so you’ll know you’re buying a brand that you can trust.
This particular food is made in the USA using only the highest quality ingredients. Dry food is also better for cat’s teeth, as it helps to remove plaque.
Pros:
- Designed with your cat’s teeth in mind.
- Ideal for adult cats of any age.
- Combines vitamin E and omega-6 to keep your cat’s coat and skin healthy.
- Highly recommended by vets around the globe.
- A fully balanced diet for your beloved cat.
Cons:
- This kibble is larger than the Adult 11+, so if your cats have few remaining teeth they may find it trickier to eat than wet food.
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5. Purina Pro Plan Senior Canned Wet Cat Food
The main ingredient of this particular canned food is turkey. Just the thing to opt for if you want to ensure that your cat is getting a source of high quality protein in their diet!
This particular cat food contains prebiotic fiber so as to promote a healthy digestive system in your cat. Not only that – it will help to support a healthy immune system to keep them happy and fit!
Contains only the finest ingredients so that you can rest assured your cat has a healthy, fully balanced diet. This wet food will be perfect for cats with bad teeth, as it will be soft enough for them to eat without it causing any difficulties.
Pro Plan Senior cat food is made in the USA – so you’ll know you’re buying a quality product from a brand that you can trust.
Pros:
- Designed specifically with older cats in mind.
- Comes as a variety pack to offer your cat more choice.
- Uses turkey as the main ingredient.
- Manufactured right here in the USA.
- Contains prebiotic fiber to promote a healthy digestive system.
Cons:
- This is one of the pricier options compared to other food products we’ve included on our list.
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Buyer’s Guide
We all love our cats and want to give them the best care possible. While this fact won’t change as your beloved cat gets older, your cat’s food requirements might. Cats can become less active as they age, and their metabolism can even slow down as a result.
This is nothing to be alarmed about – all you need to do is make sure that you’re buying the food most suitable for your cat’s needs. If your cat’s teeth aren’t as great as they used to be, that can also put a spanner in the works, and limit your options.
It’s important to remember that if in doubt to always consult with your vet. Your vet will know what’s best for your cat if they have any other dietary requirements that might need to be taken into consideration!
To give your cat the best care possible, you’ll want to ensure you’re buying the right food for them, rather than the cheapest option you can find. Stumped about what food to get your older cat who has bad teeth? We’ve put together a few factors for you to think about before you hit purchase on your chosen food.
How severe are your cat’s dental problems?
The definition of ‘bad teeth’ will vary from person to person. But the state of your cat’s teeth will dictate the different types of food they will require. If your definition of ‘bad teeth’ means little to no teeth left at all, then you’ll want to opt for a softer food, such as canned wet food.
If your cat’s teeth are mild to moderately bad and could just do with a good cleaning so as to stop them from starting to decay, then dry food is the way to go. Crunching away on kibble can help to remove plaque and prevent any dental issues from developing into something worse.
Not sure how bad your cat’s teeth really are? If in doubt, take them to your local vet for them to check. They should be able to give you the right advice on which type of food to invest in for your cat. The likelihood is that if your elderly cat’s teeth are so bad that they’re refusing to eat, wet food should be fine for them. Otherwise, dry food is the way to go!
Easy to eat
You’ll want to choose a food that your cat finds easy to ingest – especially if their teeth are so bad that they’re reluctant to eat. There shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to wet food, as the vast majority of these will be soft enough for your cat to tuck in to.
When it comes to dry cat food, take a look at the size of the kibble. How big are the pieces? Are they easy for your cat to crunch away on, or are they too hard for a cat with little to no teeth?
Another trick is to check out the customer reviews to see how other cats have gotten on with the food. While you can’t predict whether your cat will love it without trying it first, the reviews should be able to give you an indication of how easy the new food will be for your cat to eat.
It’s also worth mixing the new food with your cat’s current food, and then gradually transitioning it to the new meal. This way your cat will be less likely to reject it!
Balanced diet
Just because your cat has gotten older, it doesn’t mean that they won’t need a healthy, balanced diet. As your cat gets older they may start to slow down, and need a less calorific diet.
Opt for a cat food that is specifically designed with older cats in mind. This way you’ll know that your beloved feline is getting all the good vitamins and minerals they need in order to stay healthy, while also improving their quality of life.
The ideal meal for any cat is a mixture of dry and wet foods. However, if your cat’s teeth are so bad that they can’t eat dry food, then wet food is completely fine.
Nutritious
As your cats get older, they may develop a more sensitive stomach. It’s important to offer them a nutritious diet to make sure they’re able to still get the healthy diet they need, while also promoting healthy immune and digestive systems.
Take a look at the ingredients included in your chosen food. Are they all natural, quality ingredients that will benefit your cat’s diet? You should avoid any foods that contain grains or filler ingredients, as your cat’s stomach won’t be able to process these.
There should be plenty of food choices for older cats which promise to aid your cat’s digestion, too.
Affordability
While you’ll want to opt for a food that can give your cat all the nutritious goodness they need, you’ll want to choose one that is affordable for your budget, too.
There’s no point in forking out loads of money for a tasty top notch meal if you’re then going to buy a cheap and cheerful kibble to supplement your cat’s diet for the rest of the month. Choose a food that you can afford to buy time and again for your beloved kitty.
Hydration
Cats are notorious for not drinking enough water. A great way to combat this for reluctant drinkers is to offer them wet food. Wet food is great for keeping your cat hydrated if they don’t like drinking from the water bowl.
If you prefer to offer your cat dry food, you can add some water to the food bowl. Not enough to soak the food, as that will remove the dental benefit – just add a little water so that you can be sure your cat is getting the hydration they need.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of food is best for older cats?
Older cats need a healthy, nutritious diet more than ever. You should opt for a food that has a high quality protein content, easy to digest carbohydrates to give them energy, and controlled levels of fat. If you find a food that satisfies these requirements, you’ll have one happy cat!
Is high protein good for older cats?
Cats are carnivores – they need a high protein diet in order to get the proper nutrition they need. That being said, poor quality protein could cause your cat’s health more problems in the long term, especially as they get older. To combat this, it’s important that you double check the protein in your cat’s food is of a high quality. High quality ingredients will leave you with a healthy, content cat.
Does wet food hurt cats’ teeth?
While wet food is great for keeping your cats hydrated, it could cause your cat more dental issues if this is the sole food you feed them. That’s because the food can get caught in their teeth, and cause decay over time. If your cat has no teeth left, wet food is perfectly fine to feed them. However, if your cat still has the majority of their teeth and is able to chew okay, try and give them a mixture of both dry and wet food. Dry food can help to clear away any plaque in their teeth.
