Purina Cat Chow: Cat Care Center: 7+ Care Center: Amy Shojai Interview

Physical. Emotional. Complete.® - That's the Purina® Cat Chow® Way of Life®

Help Cats Stay Healthy and Active
Look around and you'll see people are not just living long; they’re living well, too. You can help your cat do the same! No matter how you think of your cat — as a senior, an adult, an aging cat, or a "kitten for life" — the Purina® Cat Chow® 7+ Care Center offers resources you can use to better understand her needs, both physical and emotional. Here you'll find the insights you need to maintain her total wellness and to get the most out of the Way of Life® you and your maturing cat share.



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		Author, Pet Behavior Expert More about Amy



Mentor Interview: Amy Shojai Talks Vitality Purina® Cat Chow® Mentor Amy Shojai has written 18 books on pet care and more than 400 published articles and columns. A founder and president emeritus of the international Cat Writers' Association, Amy has also lectured on pet-related issues at the Tufts Animal Expo, Pet Food Forum, and other conferences. Below, she discusses the specific nutritional needs of mature cats, the importance of age-essential nutrition, and her tips for helping aging cats stay healthy and active.

CatChow.com: How do the nutritional needs of mature cats differ from those of other cats?

Amy Shojai: The mature cat is probably going to need fewer calories to fuel his activity level. Most cats as they age tend to decline in activity level, even though they are still very connected to life. They may not be swinging from the drapes quite as much, and perhaps they’re sleeping a little bit more, so cutting back a bit on the calories is going to keep them from turning into chubby tabbies. Fewer calories does not mean less of a need for quality nutrition. In fact, quite the opposite may be true: these cats may need more protein to help support the body’s systems. If they don’t get enough protein, their bodies may begin to look a bit thin. It’s very important not only that you reduce the calories but that you also increase the protein. The mix of vitamins and other nutrients are also important for this life stage.

CC: How do you know if your mature cat has "outgrown" his food? Are there any physical signs that would indicate it’s time for a switch?

AS: The coat is really a good barometer of feline health. Whether it’s not quite as shiny or fluffy as it used to be, or perhaps kitty can no longer groom himself and reach certain places—these are some more obvious things that you could watch out for. But there are many more signs of aging that are hidden on the inside of the cat. Probably the best thing you can do is partner with your veterinarian and do a baseline blood test, which I recommend for every cat seven to 10 years old.. You can also keep a home report card, creating your own baselines and measuring against them—for example, Sheba usually likes to play with her ball for five minutes at 5 PM every day, but today she didn’t; or she loves to sleep on the window sill but hasn’t slept there lately. Just jot down a note with the date anytime something like that happens.

CC: What is digestibility and why is it important for the food a mature cat eats?

AS: Digestibility is what goes into the cat versus what comes out in the litter box, which is not usable by the body. With food that is highly digestible, you are going to have less waste, and what goes into the body is being used in an efficient way. A number of aging cats are going to have difficulty with their digestion. Their bodies may not be as efficient as when they were young whippersnappers, so any help you can give them is going to be wonderful.

CC: What is a healthy weight for a mature cat?

AS: I would say an average for “the cat next door”—a domestic shorthair or longhair kitty—is probably going to be between eight and 10 pounds for a female and 10 to 13 pounds for a male, but that is going to vary. If you have a cat that is overweight, it is crucial that you talk with your veterinarian about a safe way to trim down. Just as crash diets are dangerous with people, so are they with cats; you have to be careful.

CC: How do a cat’s emotional needs change as he ages?

AS: Some cats become more mellow as they get older. Others turn into furry little curmudgeons that want attention now, want to be fed now—everything is now, now. A lot of it has to do with their physical health, which is tied so closely to emotional well being. If you have a cat that physically is feeling discomfort, or her senses are fading and she can’t see or hear quite as well as in the past, she can become a little bit more touchy, a little bit more reactive. Emotionally, you need to support these guys. They probably need your care and love even more than they did when they were young and ready to take on the world. Adult cats thrive on the status quo. They want the same old, same old, so if something in their routine changes—maybe you start working longer hours, you move to a new home, or a cat buddy that they love passes away—anything like this can set them in turmoil and cause emotional disruption. It’s important to be there for your cat, understanding that things like separation anxiety may become more of an issue with older cats that have become really bonded with their owners.

CC: And those disruptions in a cat’s emotional life may affect him physically, right?

AS: Absolutely! A cat that is completely stressed out may lose his appetite, for instance. Or he may start urinating indiscriminately, spreading the smell of himself around to calm himself down. However, this doesn’t calm down the owner at all. In fact, just the opposite: the owner gets more upset, so the cat acts out even more. A stressed-out cat might even scratch the furniture more, trying to calm himself down with the scent, or start to groom himself over and over, which can turn into a hair-loss problem. When cats get older, they may have fewer reserves and less patience to handle things in stride and bounce back. They may get sick quicker and take longer to recover.

CC: Can nutrition make a difference?

AS: An important difference. Food is one of the building blocks. You cannot separate that from either the physical or the emotional health of the cat. There are three major reasons why I think cats are living longer and healthier. Number one is medical care, the preventive care that is available with vaccinations and parasite control. Number two is nutrition, and I’d say those two are really neck-and-neck. There have been studies that indicate that if a cat gets proper nutrition, she’s going to have a head start in life. If she doesn’t, she’s going to have emotional problems later in life that cannot be reversed and will be passed on to her offspring, so nutrition is very important. The third component of feline longevity is an increased awareness and appreciation of the bond that we have with our cats. People are ready and willing to go the extra mile to take care of their cats, to change the food, to change the environment, to get the care that’s needed so that their cats can live to be 15, 18, or maybe even 20 years old.

CC: What exercise tips would you give to an owner of a mature cat who wants to help her pet stay healthy and active?

AS: Exercise is very important, particularly as cats age and become more mature. It helps keep the joints flexible and healthy. Exercise will help keep muscle loss at bay and weight off. If you can exercise your cat and keep his mind engaged, you’re also going to fight some of the potential "kitty Alzheimer’s effect" that may happen. I recommend interactive games—fishing-pole-style toys, or just a piece of fabric on a string that can entice your cat to move. A flashlight is a great way to interact with your cat. Perhaps you, too, are not as mobile as you would like; using a flashlight, you can interact with your cat from your easy chair. A great way to use food to get a cat to exercise is to place a food bowl or treat at the top of the stairs. Or you can invest in a couple of cat-treat balls, which you can get at most pet, grocery, or mass retail stores. Put some dry food inside one of these balls so that kitty must move it in order for the kibble to fall out. It’s a great search-and-hunt exercise to help him stay trim and in good shape. Or if you can train your cat to halt on a leash, you can take him for walks around the garden. I don’t know if you are familiar with this, but there’s also a new sport called feline agility...

CC: What is that?

AS: It’s a takeoff on the dog sport. They have the cats go through tunnels and over teeter-totters, leaping through hurdles and climbing ropes. These cats absolutely love it. You can create your own cat agility course in the comfort of your own home. Cats can be trained to do a lot of things, and yours might be a great candidate for this training, which will help keep the mind agile as well as the body.

CC: Clearly our ideas about aging have evolved, for cats as well as for people, wouldn’t you say?

AS: It used to be that we’d say, 30 or 40 years ago, that cats were supposed to live about seven to 10 years. That was a really good life for a cat back in the mid-1960s. Of course today it’s not unusual to see a cat live well into his teens or even his early 20s. I mean, if you adopt a cat that is eight years old, he’s only halfway through his life span. If you are looking to adopt a cat, don’t discount the aging senior. Everybody goes for those cute kittens, but when you adopt a kitten, you’re getting a creature in an evolutionary state. One of the most common types of question I get is, "My kitten is now 14 months old and he used to sit in my lap and be so loving, and now he’s not anymore. Can I make him a cuddler again?" If you adopt an adult cat whose personality is already established and, for example, knows the joys of sitting in your lap, you’ve got a known quantity. These mature cats seem to get the least amount of attention, but they can be the most rewarding. They are so appreciative, and now with all of the wonderful medical care and the special nutrition that is available, there is no reason why you should pass over that eight- or nine- or 10-year-old cat for adoption.



	In addition to www.catchow.com, you can find Amy's writing and advice on her own site, www.shojai.com, and on the Purina® Tidy Cats® brand Web site, www.tidycats.com. Amy is also the author of Complete Care for Your Aging Cat (New American Library, 2003), a comprehensive guide to helping mature cats stay happy, and active throughout their golden years.

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