Best antioxidant cat food for senior cats

Your vet's advice is spot on — antioxidants like vitamins E and C, along with beta-carotene, really do help support immune function in aging cats, and it's great that you're taking that seriously for your Selkirk Rex. Senior cats generally do best with higher protein to maintain muscle, reduced phosphorus to protect the kidneys, and plenty of moisture from wet food. The right choice still depends on your cat's full picture though — how old is your cat exactly, are there any other health conditions alongside the immune ageing your vet mentioned, and what are you currently feeding them?

Good to know — 12 is firmly senior territory but she's clearly doing well if there are no other concerns. One thing I would gently flag: switching at least partly to wet food at this age is worth considering. Cats are notoriously poor water drinkers and chronic low-level dehydration is very common in cats on dry-only diets, which quietly stresses the kidneys over time. On the antioxidant front, what specific foods have you looked at so far, or are you starting fresh? And is she a good eater, or does she tend to be fussy?

Perfect — an unfussy eater at 12 is a real gift. For a healthy senior cat whose vet specifically mentioned immune support and antioxidants, I'd recommend Hill's Science Plan Adult 7+ Youthful Vitality wet food. It's formulated precisely for this stage of life and is one of the few senior cat foods that's clinically studied for aging — it contains a concentrated blend of antioxidants including vitamins C and E, plus it's high in protein to maintain lean muscle and has controlled phosphorus levels to be kind on the kidneys. The wet format also solves your hydration concern in one move. It's available in chicken and ocean fish varieties on Amazon UK, and because it's a Hill's product your vet will likely recognise it if you want to mention it at her next check-up.

Either works well, but if you want to keep some dry food in the mix, I'd pair it with Hill's Science Plan Adult 7+ dry for consistency — same brand, same nutritional philosophy, and it avoids any digestive disruption from mixing very different formulas. A common approach is wet food as the main meal once or twice a day, with a small amount of dry left out. That said, if she takes to the wet food happily, going fully wet at her age is genuinely the better option for long-term kidney health. Start with one or two pouches to see how she gets on — at her easy-going appetite it should be a smooth transition.

Really glad to help — sounds like she's in good hands. Hill's Youthful Vitality is a solid choice and your vet will almost certainly approve. Hope she thrives on it!