Kittens

Cat And Kitten Feeding Guidelines Diet is arguably the most important part of your cat’s care. Food gives their bodies the energy and strength to prowl, pounce, and play around the house. It’s important to follow cat and kitten feeding guidelines to provide the nutrients to keep their muscles, bones, and fur healthy for life! Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they were built to eat meat. They need protein, carbohydrates, and fatty acids in their diet. Two key nutrients in a cat’s diet are taurine and arachidonic acid, both of which only come from animal products. High-quality cat food contains meat as the first ingredient, followed by other healthy protein sources. The first five ingredients are most important in any cat food, as ingredients are listed by weight, starting with the heaviest. Also, ensure your cat’s diet is suitable for their age, health, and activity level. It’s also very important to feed all cats a wet food diet because cats get their water and hydration from their food. Feeding a dry food-only diet can cause kidney failure, which, unfortunately, is all too common. Below, we’ll go over four guidelines that will help you feed your cat the right diet throughout its lifetime.  1. Provide Proper Nutrition Of course, our number one priority when selecting a cat food is to provide for our cat’s nutritional needs, body condition, and life stage. Unlike humans, cats are obligate carnivores—meaning they must eat meat. Protein is one of the most important parts of a cat’s diet. Ideally, this protein is made from named ingredients, like chicken, turkey, or salmon. The food packaging nutritional label should include the name of the meat and the body part included in the food. For instance, “chicken liver” is much clearer than “poultry.” It tells you exactly what your cat is eating and limits the possibility of the food containing less desirable animal byproducts. While high-quality cat foods can contain protein sources that aren’t meat, you do want meat to be the primary source of protein in the food. Other nutrients essential to cats are taurine and arachidonic acid. These come only from animal products and aren’t found in plants.  Cats also need carbs, fatty acids, and various vitamins in their diet to live a long healthy life. Is It Safe To Feed Cats Raw Food? Raw food is also growing in popularity, with professionals on both sides of the fence. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) are against feeding raw food, stating it poses dangers to humans and cats.  If you choose to feed raw, source your raw meats carefully to avoid health risks, such as salmonella poisoning. I also don’t recommend a homemade raw diet, as there are too many ways to mistakenly harm your cat unless you’re an expert in cat nutrition. Instead, go with a reputable raw food brand and talk to your veterinarian before changing your cat’s food. To keep yourself and your family safe, learn how to handle raw meat and always disinfect surfaces touched by your cat’s raw food. How Do I Know If My Cat’s Food Is High-Quality? The best way to know if your cat’s food is high-quality is to consult with your veterinarian or go with a nutritionist-recommended brand. Here are our favorite human-grade wet cat food diets. Of course, there are also other indicators of high-quality food. After doing some research, the second-best thing you can do is look at the ingredients list. Here are some things that high-quality cat foods have in common: You’ll also want to consider the name of the food. This is because of the following guidelines, which were set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO): It’s annoying for pet parents to have to decode this language, but it’s important to know before choosing the best food for your cat. 2. Cat Food Must Provide Hydration You might have noticed that your cat doesn’t drink a lot of water. This is because cats naturally get their water from prey and wouldn’t drink much at all if left to their own devices outdoors. When cats do drink, they tend to prefer running water to still water—further decreasing your cat’s desire to drink from a dish. For this reason, many people advocate for feeding cats wet food only. Young kittens, outdoor cats, and senior cats should all eat wet food. There are several good quality brands for wet food that have the appropriate amount of nutrients at a reasonable cost. Is Canned Food Or Kibble Better For Cats? Canned food is best for cats because it contains more water and is less processed. However, cats can live long lives on kibble diets, however, it comes with a higher risk of kidney disease. Because kibble is cheaper, it’s many people’s only option for feeding their furry friends. If your cat eats kibble, I recommend hydrating it before you give it to them. This process is as simple as adding a small amount of water and allowing the kibble to soak in it for a brief period of time. For added flavor and nutrition, you can use pure, unsalted chicken or bone broth. These can also be easy ways to introduce variety to your cat’s diet without changing their food drastically. Some cats prefer dry cat food, but it’s because they don’t know any better. There are also kibble toppers on the market, or you can make your own by cooking unseasoned meat for your cats. A bit of salmon or chicken on top of the kibble will add nutrition and entice your cat to eat. 3. Feed on a Schedule Most cats do best on a feeding schedule, and research has shown that grown cats should eat at least two meals a day. Most kittens will eat more frequently and more calories than two meals per day. If you’d like to feed more frequent, smaller meals, this is completely fine! The important thing