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Cat Nutrition Simply put, cats are carnivores. This means that they have different nutritional needs than other pets, including your furry friend Fido. Because cats meet most of their nutritional needs by consuming more animal-based proteins (meat) and fewer plant-based proteins (grains), they should be fed a diet high in animal proteins. Basic Nutrition Our cats' diets should include these basic nutritional groups: Water : Cats should have access to clean, fresh water at all times. Proper hydration is necessary for many of the body's vital functions and helps to avoid kidney and bladder problems. Protein: Cats need protein to perform vital functions and rebuild tissue. Carbohydrates: Because cats can have difficulty processing carbohydrates, many veterinarians recommend a low-carb diet for cats. Fat: Not only does fat make our pets' foods taste better, but it also helps with digestion and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. It is also a good source of essential, unsaturated fatty acids. Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins and minerals are needed in a cat's diet to help control vital functions and to promote and regulate physiological processes. When the above nutritional elements are optimally combined into our pets' foods, we can ensure that our feline friends are receiving a healthy, balanced diet, which is essential in daily health maintenance and in the prevention and management of diseases. Choosing the Right Food When choosing food for your cat, it is important to choose a balanced formula that covers a cat's basic nutritional needs (i.e., one that is high in animal-based protein). Canned and homemade foods are often good sources, but a properly formulated dry food can also be a part of a balanced diet. To prevent boredom, consider offering your cat a variety of choices. For example, consider feeding moist food twice daily and offering a small portion of dry food on a free feeding basis. Avoid foods that include by-products, chemical preservatives, corn meal and other fillers. Changing Your Cat's Diet To make changes in your cat's diet, always follow your veterinarian's advice, particularly for cats with special needs. For healthy cats, gradual changes are the most successful. If your cat has always enjoyed dry food, try introducing moist food gradually by topping the dry food with tuna, moist food or homemade food. Ideally, your cat will develop a change in taste and will eventually prefer the new food. Feeding Schedule Cats of different ages require different feeding schedules: Kittens: Kittens have different nutritional needs than adult cats. While a quality dry food formulated for kittens is acceptable on an occasional basis, the majority of a kitten's diet should be a moist food, either canned or homemade. From six to 12 weeks of age, kittens should have four or more small feedings per day, spaced apart. At 12 weeks, they can eat more at each meal, spaced out over three meals. At six months, kittens can move to a twice-daily feeding schedule. Adult Cats: Healthy cats over one year of age should be fed twice per day, according to their body weight and nutritional needs. Older and Special-Needs Cats: Follow your veterinarian's suggested feeding regimen. Food should be offered for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the cat plenty of time to eat at a comfortable pace. After that time, the food should be removed until the next feeding. If you have more than one cat in your household, take note of the cats' eating preferences. If one prefers to eat alone, place her in a separate room to ensure that she has adequate time and space to eat. Feline FAQs Which is better, canned or dry food? More and more veterinarians are recommending moist cat food (either canned or homemade) over dry. Why? First of all, water is a key ingredient for optimal health in all living creatures. Secondly, cats are designed to get most of their water from their food source. Dry foods, for example, typically contain 10 percent water. Moist foods, including canned food, typically contain 78 percent water – more closely matching a cat's natural diet while meeting its nutritional needs for hydration. Is it OK to give my cat milk? Cats that eat a balanced diet do not need milk. In fact, many are lactose-intolerant and milk will give them an upset stomach, gas or cramps. If your kitty does not experience such discomfort and craves milk, however, it is OK to give him milk or cream occasionally (no more than two or three times per week). Choose a high-fat variety to lower the amount of lactose. Is it all right to allow my cat to free feed? While some argue in favor of free feeding (letting cats graze on dry food at their leisure), others recommend only offering water to cats between meals. This break allows sufficient time for digestion before the next meal. Treats Just like their human companions, cats and kittens enjoy the occasional treat. When given as part of a healthy, balanced diet, these treats can safely become feline favorites: Trim Treats, low-fat snacks for cats Tuna flakes Pawbreakers, an edible catnip ball Freeze-dried fish or shrimp Hairball-remedy treats Off-Limits These foods are off limits to our feline friends: onions, garlic, rhubarb, sprouts, alfalfa, raw pork, raw salmon, cooked bones, chocolate, grapes, raisins and tomatoes.

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