Adapted from a press release:

Pet owners find it increasingly important for their cats and dogs to stay in good health, remain active, and live comfortably up to old age. As a result, the market for senior pet food nutrition is growing. IQI Trusted Petfood Ingredients, a global supplier of specialty ingredients, recently published a white paper specifically on the subject of senior pet nutrition.

Ingredients for senior pet nutrition

Ingredients with specific benefits to the health and well-being of senior cats and dogs, according to IQI, include:

1. Protein sources with the high digestibility, such as chicken meat powder, chicken liver hydrolysate or spray-dried chicken plasma,
2. Fats and the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from full-fat krill meal, fish oil, or algae DHA,
3. Taurine and
4. Various sources of soluble and insoluble, fermentable and non-fermentable dietary fibers for gut health.

As cats and dogs reach the senior stage, they may experience different physical, physiological, metabolic, and behavioral changes. This can result in many issues, such as declining skin, coat, or teeth condition, deterioration in joint health and functionality, decreasing vitality, greater vulnerability to allergies and disease, or reduced stress tolerance. Specific ingredients may be used to control or mitigate these issues.

The composition of senior cat and dog food needs to focus on maintaining health and optimal body condition, including special attention to organ functioning, thereby extending life expectancy and prolonging the quality of life. As their ability to digest and absorb nutrients reduces, both senior cats and dogs require sufficient intake of high-quality, highly digestible protein, highly digestible nutrients, and enhanced levels of antioxidants. Good nutrition can also help to delay the onset of geriatric dysfunction and chronic diseases, or helps to manage any diseases already present.

IQI Trusted Petfood Ingredients has released its latest white paper ‘Finding the right ingredients for senior pet nutrition to support healthy aging’, written by innovation manager Geert van der Velden.

About IQI

IQI is a global provider of premium-claim ingredients to the brands in the pet food industry. IQI products are monitored and developed through innovation and by responding to the latest trends and pet needs. Working closely with customers as well as with suppliers, IQI creates full transparency in the supply chain, controlling every step in the process from source to shelf and supplying products that are pure and traceable to the source.