Switching an 11-year-old Scottish Fold to senior cat food

Good news — your vet is right to flag this at 11, and the fact that you're already on a premium adult food means you're not starting from scratch. Senior cats generally need more protein than adult formulas provide (not less, despite the old advice), reduced phosphorus to protect the kidneys, and extra moisture — which is where wet food really earns its place. The right senior food also depends on any underlying health conditions your cat has. So: any issues your Scottish Fold is being monitored for — joints, kidneys, heart? And what premium food are they on currently?

That's a really good position to be in — clean bloods at 11 means you're switching proactively rather than reactively, which is exactly right. Given she's already on Royal Canin, I'd stay in that family for the transition — it minimises digestive disruption. The one I'd point you to is Royal Canin Ageing 12+ in gravy. I know she's 11 not 12, but it's genuinely the better match: it's formulated with higher-quality protein to maintain muscle mass, specifically reduced phosphorus to protect kidney function before any issues develop, and the wet format gives her a meaningful hydration boost. Scottish Folds are predisposed to joint issues from the same gene that gives them their ears, so the wet food's lower calories also helps keep weight off those joints. Does she eat wet food currently, or is this a texture shift too?

That's common, and it's fine to make it a gradual shift rather than a full swap. What I'd suggest is keeping her on the Royal Canin dry but switching that to Royal Canin Ageing 12+ dry as her base, and then introducing the wet Ageing 12+ as one meal a day — morning or evening, whichever works. Over a few weeks you can nudge the wet proportion up if she takes to it. Warming the wet food slightly (not hot, just room temperature) makes it more aromatic and tends to win over dry-food cats. The dry Ageing 12+ is also worth switching to regardless — it has the same kidney-protective phosphorus profile and better muscle-supporting protein than the Indoor Adult. Between the two formats, you're covering the bases your vet is rightly thinking ahead about.

Both are solid, credible options — Hills Science Plan Senior 7+ is well-regarded and widely recommended by vets. The practical reasons I lean toward Royal Canin Ageing 12+ for your cat specifically: first, the transition from Royal Canin Indoor Adult will be much smoother since the palatability profile is familiar to her. Second, the 12+ formula has a noticeably lower phosphorus level than Hills Senior 7+, which matters for getting ahead of kidney issues. Third, Royal Canin's breed-specific research on cats means their senior formulas tend to be well-calibrated for cats with structural predispositions — relevant for a Fold. Hills is a fine second choice if she refuses the Royal Canin, but I wouldn't start there.

Perfect plan. Transition over 7–10 days — mix increasing amounts of the new food into the old, and you shouldn't see any stomach upset. Given the clean bloodwork now, I'd ask your vet to recheck kidney values in about six months after the switch, just to confirm the new food is doing what it should. Scottish Folds are worth monitoring closely as they move through their senior years, but you're clearly on top of it. She's lucky to have someone thinking this carefully about her.