Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine

The goal of this study was to determine if modification of currently available maintenance foods with alternative ingredients, botanicals (fruit and vegetables), and increased amounts of functional lipids (fish oil) would delay the age-associated decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and lean body mass (LBM) in senior-adult cats. Forty-four healthy cats (mean age, 12.2 years; range 10.7 to 14.0 years) were fed one of three foods ( = 14 or 15 per group) for six months: control food with 32.6% protein (as fed), or control food supplemented with increasing amounts of functional food bioactives: fish oil, fruit and vegetables, different protein sources, and <32.0% protein [functional foods one (FF1) and two (FF2)]. Senior-adult cats were compared before and after the feeding trial with 20 young-adult cats (mean age, 3.5 years; range 2.1 to 4.9 years). Compared with younger cats, older cats had decreased lean-body percent and serum albumin concentrations. Feeding FF1 and FF2 for six months increased lean-body percent, maintained serum albumin concentrations, increased GFR, decreased serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) concentrations, and decreased concentrations of the uremic toxin 3-indoxyl sulfate. These dietary changes may assist in offsetting sarcopenia and the chronic inflammation associated with aging in senior-adult cats.