High-protein food for senior Ragdoll cats

Your vet has pointed you in the right direction — senior cats, especially at 13, often do better with more protein, not less. The old advice about restricting protein for older cats has largely been overturned; most seniors lose muscle mass and need high-quality animal protein to maintain it. The right food also depends on whether your Ragdoll has any kidney concerns, weight issues, or other conditions, since those can shift what you're looking for. How old is your cat, are there any health conditions you're managing, and what are you feeding at the moment?

That's a really common situation and a straightforward one to improve. Supermarket senior dry foods tend to be fairly low in actual meat protein and higher in cereals and fillers — not ideal for a cat who needs to hold onto muscle. Moving to a high-quality wet food would help on two fronts: better protein from real meat, and much better hydration, which matters a lot for senior cats. Has the vet said anything about her kidney values, or are those looking normal at the moment?

Good news on the kidneys — that gives you more flexibility. My clear recommendation is Applaws Tuna Fillet in Broth pouches or cans. The protein content is exceptionally high — typically around 60–70% on a dry matter basis — because it's made from whole fish with very minimal filler. The ingredient list is short: tuna, broth, a little tapioca. No cereals, no meat derivatives, no artificial anything. For a 13-year-old Ragdoll losing muscle, that quality of protein is exactly what you want. It's also a broth-based food, so she'll get a solid hydration boost compared to dry. Ragdolls can be prone to urinary issues as they age, and keeping them well hydrated is a real benefit. You can find the variety packs on Amazon UK, which lets you try a few flavours — they also do chicken and salmon versions — before committing to bulk.

Good question — the Applaws pouches and cans are labelled as complementary, not complete, so they're not designed to be fed alone as 100% of the diet. Most owners either mix them with a complete wet food, or use them alongside a small amount of a complete dry food like Orijen or Carnilove to cover the micronutrient bases. The simplest approach for your Ragdoll would be to use Applaws as the main part of her meals and add a small amount of a high-quality complete kibble on the side. That way she gets the high meat protein from Applaws plus the vitamins and minerals she needs. If you'd prefer a single complete wet food, Royal Canin Ageing 12+ or Animonda Carny Adult are worth considering — though neither quite matches Applaws on raw protein quality.

Perfect — that combination should work really well for her. When you're switching, do it gradually over about a week to avoid any stomach upset, mixing the new food with her current one and shifting the ratio slowly. Given she's been on dry food her whole life she might take a few days to get enthusiastic about wet food, but most cats come round quickly. Good luck with her — at 13 and otherwise healthy, a diet upgrade like this can genuinely make a difference to how she feels over the next few years.