I have this awesome cat, Gizmo. He goes for family walks like a dog, opens doors like a person, and wheedles scritches like, well, a cat. He is the most personable and intelligent pet I've ever had or met. He's also heading toward 14 years old. He had a checkup at the vet a couple months ago and she suggested a blood draw just to make sure everything was copacetic, since he's getting older. His bloodwork came back a-ok. His activity level is the same as its always been, he's still very agile, eyes are bright, appetite pretty good, and really has no physical problems. He's always been a very healthy cat, despite numerous adventures.
But within the last couple of weeks, I noticed that his fur is just starting to get that slightly brittle, oily/dry weird feeling that older cats' fur often gets. It's still thick and basically healthy, but it just has that feel, you know? His backbone feels a touch more prominent, too. Weight is one thing I worry about with him. He's a long and lanky fellow and has never been able to get overweight, no matter how hard he tries. (And he has tried. One time when he was about five years old, I struck up a conversation with a neighbor while Gizmo came over to say hello. The neighbor asked if I knew anyone who could take in this stray cat because he was so friendly and so hungry. It turned out he'd been going to four different apartments, a half hour apart, every day for two weeks begging for food. And this after getting fed morning and night at our apartment! He never got chubby.) He can eat just about anything and has no gut issues. Currently he gets Harmony Farms dry food (bowl is available all day), Trader Joe's canned food (1 can a day; he usually eats between half and a whole can), and crunchy treats from the grocery store in the evening to call him inside (Whiskas, Pounce, etc....that's his "junk food").
So this is a very long-winded way of saying I have this awesome cat and I want him to feel awesome for as long as possible. Do you have any recommendations for nutrition that will help bolster his overall health, specifically geared toward an active older cat? Many thanks in advance!
But within the last couple of weeks, I noticed that his fur is just starting to get that slightly brittle, oily/dry weird feeling that older cats' fur often gets. It's still thick and basically healthy, but it just has that feel, you know? His backbone feels a touch more prominent, too. Weight is one thing I worry about with him. He's a long and lanky fellow and has never been able to get overweight, no matter how hard he tries. (And he has tried. One time when he was about five years old, I struck up a conversation with a neighbor while Gizmo came over to say hello. The neighbor asked if I knew anyone who could take in this stray cat because he was so friendly and so hungry. It turned out he'd been going to four different apartments, a half hour apart, every day for two weeks begging for food. And this after getting fed morning and night at our apartment! He never got chubby.) He can eat just about anything and has no gut issues. Currently he gets Harmony Farms dry food (bowl is available all day), Trader Joe's canned food (1 can a day; he usually eats between half and a whole can), and crunchy treats from the grocery store in the evening to call him inside (Whiskas, Pounce, etc....that's his "junk food").
So this is a very long-winded way of saying I have this awesome cat and I want him to feel awesome for as long as possible. Do you have any recommendations for nutrition that will help bolster his overall health, specifically geared toward an active older cat? Many thanks in advance!
