CAT NUTRITIONCat nutrition is a simple matter of feeding your cat well to keep him healthy. Of course, you want to be sure that you’re choosing the right food and feeding the right amounts.
You will probably notice that there are several so-called premium cat foods, such as Iams and Science Diet available at pet stores and in some grocery stores. These foods are generally more nutrient dense, which means that your cat will need less food to meet his calorie and nutrient needs. However, not all of these foods completely live up to their "premium" label. The best cat food brands are those that contain real meat and no meat byproducts. This is an important aspect of optimal cat nutrition. While premium cat foods are more expensive, the expense may not be as great as it appears when you consider that you will need a smaller volume of the food and that it will keep your cat healthier (and therefore out of the vet’s office). There are three general types of cat food: dry, moist and canned. Moist cat food (the soft kind that usually comes in pouches) is usually full of preservatives and not the best choice for your cat. Most cats prefer canned food to dry food, though this is not always the case. We have one who pretty much refuses to eat canned food and another who whines every night until he gets it! If you are going to leave your cat’s food out all day, you should feed dry food as canned food spoils quickly once it is out of the can.
Cat food should contain at least 28% protein and 21% fat. You can check the label to be sure the food you’re feeding your cat meets these requirements. The carbohydrate content of cat food should be about 36%. The rest should be minerals (6%), vitamins (3%) and fiber (2%). When you’ve narrowed your choices to good quality brands, the choice is up to your cat. You may need to experiment to see which brand or type of food your cat likes best. Avoid brands with artificial flavors, preservatives and coloring and those with "meals" or meat byproducts. Once you’ve mastered the basics of cat nutrition and found a high quality food that your cat enjoys, there is no need to change it—unless, of course, he asks you to! :)
The importance of hydrating your cat Just as it is for humans, hydration is very important for cats. This is especially true for cats that eat dry food. Cats don't have a strong thirst drive. Nature took care of this fact by designing cats for a natural diet of meat that provides them with enough water to survive. Canned cat foods have a water content (about 78%) that closely resembles a cat's natural diet, but dry foods contain only about 10% water. A cat that eats only dry food is likely to be dehydrated because he is not likely to drink enough water on his own. If you feed your cat dry food, be sure that he drinks a lot of water, and watch him closely for signs of kidney and bladder problems, which are signs that he may not be properly hydrated.
Things you should not feed your cat: dog food raw egg whites tuna (instead of cat food) onions chocolate milk bones Back to All About Cats Home Page
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Cats need to eat meat in order to get all of the nutrients they need. Three very important nutrients are obtained from meat: taurine, vitamin A, and the fatty acid arachidonic acid. There are dozens of other nutrients that are essential to good cat nutrition as well. In fact, a good quality cat food contains 43 different nutrients for cats. With so many choices on the cat food market, it may seem difficult to choose the best one for your cat. In order to feed your cat as well as possible, choose a food that is appropriate for his age. Generally speaking, “kitten” food is for cats under a year old, while “senior” cat food is for cats 10 years old and older. Those in between should eat “adult” cat food. If your cat is overweight or has a health condition like diabetes, he may do better on a special diet cat food for the specific type of condition. There are special formulas to control tartar buildup, hairballs and urinary tract or kidney problems as well.
