General Food and Drink Advice

There are a vast array of cat foods available today and the choice can be completely mind-boggling. What must be remembered is that cats require a balanced diet containing specific vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and the easiest way to ensure that they get everything they need is to buy a good quality commercially produced food, preferably made by one of the well known and long-established pet food companies. Very cheap cat food should really be avoided if at all possible as it often contains an incorrect balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients and is therefore a false economy in the long-run.

The basic choice available is one of ‘meat’ or ‘wet food’ (tinned or foiled) which comes in a variety of textures and flavours, or a complete dry food which provides the cat with everything it needs. The decision is a matter of personal choice and circumstances. Some people stick religiously with meat and some with dry while others choose to offer a combination of the two.

The word ‘complete’ on cat food packaging indicates that the food provides a balanced diet for your cat. ‘Complimentary’ food should be fed as a treat only.

Your cat should remain perfectly healthy on a diet of the better quality cat foods, but you could perhaps offer a fresh food meal of meat or fish as an alternative once a week.  Possibilities to consider are raw lamb or pig liver, kidney or heart (washed and chopped) or cooled boiled chicken or fish (chopped with all bones carefully removed and served in the cooled cooking liquor). Some cats also enjoy an occasional treat of tuna (oily fish is also very good for assisting with the elimination of fur-balls) or scrambled egg (which must be thoroughly cooked to avoid the risk of salmonella poisoning).

Most cats are partial to a little hard cheese which can be given as an occasional treat.

The most important thing to remember is DO NOT let your cat dictate to you!  A normal cat will not starve himself and a faddy cat is made, not born. The best way to avoid creating this problem for yourself is to feed a variety of different brands and flavours of food, interspersed once a week or so with a little fresh food.

Contrary to popular belief, the feline digestive system is not designed to process milk or cream and offering these on a regular basis could cause problems in the long-run.

It is possible to buy commercially produced ‘cat milk’ in most supermarkets which is perfectly acceptable as an occasional treat with less likelihood of upsetting the digestion, but all your cat actually needs to drink for survival is  fresh water.

The dietary needs of Kittens, Adult Cats and Senior Cats are all very different and more information can be found below.

Kittens

Kittens grow very quickly and consequently require a diet which is high in protein and fat for growth and energy. They also have a requirement for calcium for their growing bones.

There are a wide range of very good commercially produced tinned or dry kitten foods available. It is very important to provide a good quality kitten food as opposed to cat food as the kitten food is produced with the energy, protein and nutrient requirements of a growing kitten taken into account and is highly digestible for their delicate stomachs.

A kitten of 8-12 weeks should be given 4 meals daily spread throughout the day.
A kitten of 12-20 weeks can be reduced to 3 meals spread evenly throughout the day.
Once a kitten reaches six months, provided it is well grown, meals can be reduced to 2 a day.

A general rule of thumb is to provide the kitten with as much food as it can eat within
10 minutes. Kittens tend not to over-eat and, unlike puppies, excessive growth rates and obesity are not generally a problem.  After 10 minutes, any uneaten food should be removed and discarded.  It is important to remember that kittens are like babies and good hygiene needs be maintained, therefore food bowls should be thoroughly cleaned after every meal.

Once kittens are weaned they have no requirement for milk but you must ensure that clean, fresh water is available for them at all times. DO NOT feed your kitten cows milk as many cats are lactose intolerant and cows milk can cause severe diarrhoea.


 

Adult Cats

The nutritional requirements of the average adult cat are most easily met by feeding a good quality commercially produced cat food. There are certain vitamins, minerals and fats which cats require to remain healthy which are only found in high concentration in meat and the commercial cat food producers ensure that their foods contain these essential ingredients.

It is important to feed your cat a variety of different foods to ensure that they do not become ‘faddy’ or ‘fussy’ eaters. Cats enjoy an occasional treat such as tuna or cooked chicken or cheese (other suggestions can be found above) but these should not be fed too regularly.

Although cats have a high requirement for animal protein, in the wild they also eat some grass to aid their digestion and make themselves vomit. If you have an indoor cat it may be worth growing some indoor grass which is safe for your cat to eat. Don't let your cat nibble the houseplants as some types like poinsettia, dumb cane and Christmas cherry can be poisonous to your cat.

It is important to make sure that fresh drinking water is available at all times. A cat fed on a diet of tinned/moist food will drink substantially less than a cat fed on a diet consisting solely of dried ‘complete’ food. If your cat suddenly starts to drink a lot more or a lot less water than normal but the food offered remains unchanged, it is advisable to speak to your Veterinary Surgeon to make sure that there is no underlying problem.

Seniors

As cats reach their senior years, their digestive systems become less efficient and they require several smaller meals a day rather than two main meals.  Most cats enjoy variety, and occasional treats such as cooked meat or cooked fish are appreciated. It may be worth considering changing the food to one that is specifically formulated for an older cat. There are many complete foods readily available in pet shops and some supermarkets, which have been developed with the needs of an older cat in mind and to help maintain urinary tract health. However, unless a cat has problems digesting ordinary cat food, is developing pronounced middle-aged spread or is on a special diet prescribed by a vet, ordinary complete cat food accompanied by fresh drinking water is perfectly suitable.

Many cats enjoy dry complete food and the crunchy texture may help to keep their teeth healthy. If feeding dried food regularly, it is important to ensure that there is plenty of fresh drinking water available. However, as cats grow older they may experience dental problems making it difficult for them to eat crunchy food.

Extra roughage is sometimes needed in the diet, especially if the cat is overweight or constipated. Mashing one or two teaspoons of bran, porridge oats, cooked rice, pasta or mashed potato into tinned food helps to bulk up the diet. Some older cats also enjoy warm porridge or hot oat cereal on cold mornings, but this is not suitable for cats that are intolerant of milk.

There is some evidence that a cat’s sense of smell deteriorates with age and this can lead to him becoming a finicky eater. Try not to be manipulated. It is not recommended that you prepare gourmet meals for your cat as this creates a risk of dietary imbalances.

Exercise & Fresh Air

All cats need exercise and the simplest way to provide this is to let your cat go outside and burn up calories hunting, exploring and climbing trees. However, if you have an indoor cat weight gain is very easy and you could end up with one that is obese.

From the very start, try to spend some playtime each day with your cat - this could involve playing with toys or encouraging him or her to run to you up the stairs. Cats are curious so provide different toys every day - cats love exploring a cardboard box or playing with ball or string. You can also buy elaborate gymnasiums for cats, which you can encourage them to climb and explore.

If your cat spends a lot of time outside but is still overweight then it could just be extremely lazy, spending its time snoozing in the sun somewhere, or it could be that it’s found a food source at a neighbours! If you are trying to keep your cat on a diet and suspect that it is scrounging food from a neighbour, it is best to let your neighbours know and ask them not to feed your cat.  Your cat may go hunting instead, but at least that will help burn off some calories.

Sleep

Cats are great preservers of energy and spend about two thirds of their lives asleep. 

Cats will sleep almost anywhere but you should provide them with a basket or cardboard box somewhere relatively warm and quiet and raised off of the floor to protect from draughts. You can put a small blanket or old clean towel in the bottom of the box and your cat will snuggle into it.

Kittens, like any baby animal or small child, need lots of rest and sleep. It is important to remember that a kitten is a young animal and not a toy and children should be taught to respect him as such and allow him to sleep undisturbed.
 

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 18 Nov 2008

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