Best Diet For My Cat – If you own a cat, you know they can be picky eaters. Just don’t try to make them vegetarian! (It’s actually bad for their health).
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Best Diet For My Cat
“While no one diet is ideal for all cats, in general, most do best if they eat a diet that is high in moisture and protein and low in carbohydrates,” says Jennifer Coates, DVM, veterinarian for Chewy. “A study published in 2011 showed that when cats were given access to foods with different concentrations of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, they tended to choose for themselves a diet that provided them with about 52 percent of their calories from protein, 36 percent from fat, and 12 percent of carbohydrates.” Bottom line — there’s no such thing as a vegetarian cat. Along with feeding your cat the best food, you’ll also want to avoid these 12 common mistakes cat owners make.
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One of the most important factors to consider when shopping for cat food is your cat’s age. Different life stages mean different levels of activity and nutritional needs. For example, kittens are generally much more active than their senior counterparts, and they also need additional nutrition to help them in their rapid growth process. “Just as human babies don’t eat the same food as adult humans, kittens and adult cats shouldn’t eat the same food either because they need different nutrients because they change over the years,” says Brittany Carey, a cat specialist and manager at Cat. Safaris in San Francisco. “You may see cat food with the phrase ‘for all life stages’ in the description, but it is best to look for life stage nutrition.” We bet you never knew these things about your cat!
This high-quality kitten food is grain-free and made with real ingredients, such as duck and turkey, and is full of moisture and added vitamins and amino acids for a healthy immune system as they grow.
As well as purchasing food that is appropriate for your cat’s life stage, consider any potential illnesses or sensitivities they may acquire over time. For example, a mother cat nursing her kittens requires a much higher calorie diet, says the VCA, and some cats end up needing a simpler diet due to allergies. Your vet can help you navigate these special needs. The myth about this cat is actually wrong.
Senior cats require a diet high in protein and moisture to support their renal system while low in fat and calories to prevent weight gain, which can have adverse health consequences. For older domestic cats, this grain-free food is a great option.
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While quality ultimately matters, in general, wet food is the best choice for cats when choosing between canned wet food and dry kibble. “Usually, wet food meets a cat’s nutritional needs better than dry food, but this may not be the case if the wet food is of very low quality,” says Dr. Coates. Make sure you thoroughly clean your cat’s bowl between each feed of wet food, as this can become a haven for bacteria, one way your cat can become sick.
It makes sense for cat food brands to want their products to stand out on shelves, but be wary of gimmicky things like “primitive,” “ancestral,” or “wild,” says Dr. Coates. “The term is purely marketing. Instead of looking for flashy wows, pet parents should take a closer look at a food label to determine if it could be a good choice. Does your cat dream of living its wildest life? Find out what the cat is dreaming of.
As mentioned, cats are obligate carnivores that require high levels of animal protein in their daily diet. Coates says, “Grains, and more generally carbohydrates, should only play a minor role as a source of energy in a cat’s diet. Fillers are ingredients that serve no nutritional purpose and should be avoided. Too much grain in a cat’s diet can lead to malnutrition, obesity, organ problems and GI tract problems. It’s important to know the silent signs your cat is sick.
“Instead of sweating over the ingredient list, pay attention to the nutrients in your cat’s food,” says Carey. Look for a statement from the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) that says the food is complete and balanced. Do you know what your cat means when they make these sounds?
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While cats should still be eating packaged cat food, as it is specially formulated for their dietary needs, you can periodically feed them a tasty treat, such as small pieces of tasty human food. “Small pieces of cooked meat or fish make great treats for cats,” says Dr. Coates. Other delicious snacks include boiled eggs, cantaloupe and mashed sweet potatoes. On the other hand, there is a long list of human foods your cat cannot eat, including chocolate and grapes.
At some point you may have wondered if cats could eat dog food—after all, they look the same—but the answer is not. Coates says, “If your cat occasionally ‘steals’ a sip from your dog’s bowl, you don’t need to worry, but make sure 90 percent or more of your cat’s diet consists of cat food.” This is because, as outlined above, cats rely heavily on a diet rich in animal protein. Dogs have completely different dietary needs, and therefore their food is formulated according to their nutritional satisfaction. Learn more about the best diets for dogs.
Those 30- and 40-pound bags of dry kibble, or entire flats of cat food, may be appealing on a budget, but they’re really meant for homes with multiple cats. Aim to buy an amount that can be used in less than a month, and ideally within three weeks. Find out the things you do that your cat secretly hates.
“Apart from the type of food you feed your feline friend, knowing how much you are feeding them and when is also an important factor,” says Carey. “While it is popular to ‘feed’ cats and let them graze all day, most veterinarians recommend feeding a certain amount at the same time each day. Free feeding can easily lead to obesity which in turn can lead to more severe health problems like joint disease and diabetes. Here’s how to understand your cat’s behavior.
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Cat food, like human food, is generally higher in calories and should therefore be fed sparingly. The VCA website recommends using them strategically when coaching or curbing behaviors, or even as part of bonding activities. If your cat eats treats too often, it can upset its nutritional balance, hinder its appetite for the foods it really needs, and can even cause it to become a picky eater. Make sure you know which common foods are toxic to cats before you feed them.
As well as needing meat, cats are fine with exploring their ancestral tendency to hunt for food. There are a number of toys available that make feeding feel like a game, such as the Trixie Activity Strategy Game Tunnel Feeder Cat Toy and Doc & Phoebe’s Cat Co. Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder Kit.
“We all know how fickle and stubborn cats can be, which can make finding the right food more difficult,” says Carey. Your best bet is to consult with a veterinarian to find the right balance of nutrients for your pet’s unique needs. Not eating is one of the 15 signs your cat is secretly mad at you.
Wendy Rose Gould is a freelance lifestyle reporter based in Phoenix who covers topics related to home, health, fitness and travel for people and their pets. Apart from having two kittens of her own, Wendy loves all animals and is always happy to meet new friends. He holds a journalism degree from Franklin College Pulliam School of Journalism and has a second bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. You can follow him on Instagram @wendyrgould.
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We no longer support IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide a web experience for browsers that supports new web standards and security practices. It is very important to choose the right food for your cat. Feeding them the right foods means they will get all the nutrition they need at different stages of their lives, helping them stay healthy and happy.
Feeding a cat the right food is very important for its health. Just like us, your cats need to eat a balanced diet every day to provide them with energy and nutrition.
There are certain nutrients that cats cannot make in their own bodies the way we do, so a proper diet will provide everything they need. These include amino acids called Taurine and Arginine, essential building blocks for protein in the body, which can only be found in animal flesh as well as certain vitamins. Because of this, cats are classed as ‘obligatory carnivores’, meaning they only eat meat
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