Feeding a homeless: caloric needs of senior cats?

In addition to a young adult (around 2 yrs) I have fed for around a
year, I'll probably start feeding a new one I just met. I don't know
cat breeds, but the new one too is small (maybe 6-7 lbs, about a lb
more than the other one). One neighbor I talked to termed her Siamaese,
another one Maine Coon, so I am not sure if either one knows.

They also say she is 12-16 yrs old (though I must say she climbs up to
my 3rd floor back-porch with as much facility as the younger one) and
has been around. Maybe she had some stable caretaker until recently, or
maybe it just took us this long to discover each other. She was sunning
on the brick path when I returned one afternoon and, I don't know if
she could sniff the "pro-feeder of stray cats" in me, but just floowed
me up. (BTW, the two cats seem to neither like nor dislike each other
specially. They co-exist fine. As strays in the same area, the may know
each other and dont seem to feel threatened.)

I am wondering if the food needs of the older cat are very different?

1. Do I need to buy "senior" food for this cat? Of course it would be
convenient for me if both can eat from the same stock and I don't have
to maintain different inventories, but I will if necessary.

2. How many calories does a senior cat need as opposed to adult one?
(The younger one averages about 3/4 of a 5.5oz Friskies can daily.)

Being strays, I can't vouch they won't eat something else somewhere, my
goal is to feed enough good food so they won't be tempted by bad food
elsewhere.

Most senior cats that are indoors are overweight so the senior food is lower
in calories to help keep their weight under control and it's easier to
digest. That may not be the case with her since she is outside. Can you
get close enough to pet her to see how much fat she has on her and tell if
she needs fattening up for winter? If not I would be more inclined to feed
her regular food and give her extra or even give her kitten chow in the
winter to give her the extra calories to keep warm.

The ideal thing would be to see if you can get either of them to come inside
and adapt to being inside cats. If she is as old as your neighbors claim
it's more likely she's been an inside cat most of her life anyway and it
wouldn't be hard for her to adjust.

Good luck
Celeste


"Ajanta" wrote in message
...
In addition to a young adult (around 2 yrs) I have fed for around a
year, I'll probably start feeding a new one I just met. I don't know
cat breeds, but the new one too is small (maybe 6-7 lbs, about a lb
more than the other one). One neighbor I talked to termed her Siamaese,
another one Maine Coon, so I am not sure if either one knows.

They also say she is 12-16 yrs old (though I must say she climbs up to
my 3rd floor back-porch with as much facility as the younger one) and
has been around. Maybe she had some stable caretaker until recently, or
maybe it just took us this long to discover each other. She was sunning
on the brick path when I returned one afternoon and, I don't know if
she could sniff the "pro-feeder of stray cats" in me, but just floowed
me up. (BTW, the two cats seem to neither like nor dislike each other
specially. They co-exist fine. As strays in the same area, the may know
each other and dont seem to feel threatened.)

I am wondering if the food needs of the older cat are very different?

1. Do I need to buy "senior" food for this cat? Of course it would be
convenient for me if both can eat from the same stock and I don't have
to maintain different inventories, but I will if necessary.

2. How many calories does a senior cat need as opposed to adult one?
(The younger one averages about 3/4 of a 5.5oz Friskies can daily.)

Being strays, I can't vouch they won't eat something else somewhere, my
goal is to feed enough good food so they won't be tempted by bad food
elsewhere.

Ajanta wrote:

In addition to a young adult (around 2 yrs) I have fed for around a
year, I'll probably start feeding a new one I just met. I don't know
cat breeds, but the new one too is small (maybe 6-7 lbs, about a lb
more than the other one). One neighbor I talked to termed her Siamaese,
another one Maine Coon, so I am not sure if either one knows.

They also say she is 12-16 yrs old (though I must say she climbs up to
my 3rd floor back-porch with as much facility as the younger one) and
has been around. Maybe she had some stable caretaker until recently, or
maybe it just took us this long to discover each other. She was sunning
on the brick path when I returned one afternoon and, I don't know if
she could sniff the "pro-feeder of stray cats" in me, but just floowed
me up. (BTW, the two cats seem to neither like nor dislike each other
specially. They co-exist fine. As strays in the same area, the may know
each other and dont seem to feel threatened.)

I am wondering if the food needs of the older cat are very different?

1. Do I need to buy "senior" food for this cat? Of course it would be
convenient for me if both can eat from the same stock and I don't have
to maintain different inventories, but I will if necessary.

2. How many calories does a senior cat need as opposed to adult one?
(The younger one averages about 3/4 of a 5.5oz Friskies can daily.)

Being strays, I can't vouch they won't eat something else somewhere, my
goal is to feed enough good food so they won't be tempted by bad food
elsewhere.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to control their eating considering
that they are strays.

Your best bet is to provide a good quality food and hope for the best.
They may just go somewhere else to get their junk food fix and you will
be none the wiser.

Joe Canuck wrote:

: Unfortunately, you won't be able to control their eating considering
: that they are strays.
:
: Your best bet is to provide a good quality food and hope for the best.
: They may just go somewhere else to get their junk food fix and you will
: be none the wiser.

Yes I do realize that, and have with the younger one I have been
feeding. I am just working with the assumption that they are more
likely to eat junk if hungry. If I feed them enough "good" food they'd
be less likely to eat junk or at least less of it.

Spot wrote:

: Can you get close enough to pet her to see how much fat she has on
: her and tell if she needs fattening up for winter?

I can look as close as I want but so far she is wary of being touched.

: If not I would be more inclined to feed her regular food and give her
: extra or even give her kitten chow in the winter to give her the extra
: calories to keep warm.

Thanks.

: The ideal thing would be to see if you can get either of them to
: come inside and adapt to being inside cats.

The other (younger) one is comfortable with me, even comes inside for
1-2 hours especially if TV is on , but likes outdoor life enough and
always wants to leave. However she is not an "alley" cat; she has
pretty safe life in about six large adjacent backyards. She doesn't
leave our block.

I haven't watched the new one enough to know such details.

: "Ajanta" wrote in message
: ...
: In addition to a young adult (around 2 yrs) I have fed for around a
: year, I'll probably start feeding a new one I just met. I don't know
: cat breeds, but the new one too is small (maybe 6-7 lbs, about a lb
: more than the other one). One neighbor I talked to termed her Siamaese,
: another one Maine Coon, so I am not sure if either one knows.
:
: They also say she is 12-16 yrs old (though I must say she climbs up to
: my 3rd floor back-porch with as much facility as the younger one) and
: has been around. Maybe she had some stable caretaker until recently, or
: maybe it just took us this long to discover each other. She was sunning
: on the brick path when I returned one afternoon and, I don't know if
: she could sniff the "pro-feeder of stray cats" in me, but just floowed
: me up. (BTW, the two cats seem to neither like nor dislike each other
: specially. They co-exist fine. As strays in the same area, the may know
: each other and dont seem to feel threatened.)
:
: I am wondering if the food needs of the older cat are very different?
:
: 1. Do I need to buy "senior" food for this cat? Of course it would be
: convenient for me if both can eat from the same stock and I don't have
: to maintain different inventories, but I will if necessary.
:
: 2. How many calories does a senior cat need as opposed to adult one?
: (The younger one averages about 3/4 of a 5.5oz Friskies can daily.)
:
: Being strays, I can't vouch they won't eat something else somewhere, my
: goal is to feed enough good food so they won't be tempted by bad food
: elsewhere.
:
:

"Ajanta" wrote in message
...

I am wondering if the food needs of the older cat are very different?

1. Do I need to buy "senior" food for this cat? Of course it would be
convenient for me if both can eat from the same stock and I don't have
to maintain different inventories, but I will if necessary.

2. How many calories does a senior cat need as opposed to adult one?

The daily caloric requirement is about the same- ~10% less- but the caloric
distribution is a little different. A good senior food should be a little
lower in calories and fat and a little higher in protein than regular adult
food.



(The younger one averages about 3/4 of a 5.5oz Friskies can daily.)

A canned senior food is better than a dry senior food because canned food
results in a higher total water intake than if the cat ate dry food and
drank water. Cats already have a relatively weak thirst drive- and older
cats maybe even less sensitive to thirst. Feeding an older cat (any cat)
canned food practically guarantees the cat will meet her daily water needs.

Phil