Nutritional Guidelines for your Cat

Tips:
• Feed cats from glass, ceramic or metal bowls. Plastic bowls contain chemicals which may produce skin irritation and chin acne.

• Feeding dry food will not keep your cat’s teeth clean. Teeth should be examined regularly by your veterinarian and appropriate dental care instituted.



Adult Cats

   Cats are true carnivores and their diets should reflect this. A high protein, low carbohydrate diet is best for most cats, and if the calorie content is monitored, the majority of cats will not gain weight after spaying or neutering. In general, diets that list meat or meat by products in the first four ingredients will be higher protein and lower carbohydrate. By their nature, dry foods cannot be truly low carbohydrate, since they require a minimum of 15% carbohydrate to retain their form and shape. When comparing diets, be sure to compare the food on a 100% dry matter basis, or something similar. Comparing diets on an "as fed" basis is very deceiving, as the moisture content varies significantly and influences the content of the remaining constituents.


Kittens

   The average adult cat (10-15 lbs.) needs approximately 200 kcal per day total. This can be a combination of canned/ wet food and dry, or strictly canned. A strictly dry diet is less than ideal due to its high carbohydrate levels, and its low moisture content. Raw diets that are professionally made and nutritionally balanced can be considered, but owners should be aware of the increased potential for salmonella contamination. Cats generally are "grazers", so ideally should be fed 2 to 3 times a day (the total portion should then be divided into that number of servings). Water should be made available at all times, and studies have shown that cats prefer to have their water located in a different spot than their food. Re-circulating drinking fountains are available in a variety of styles and are quite popular with the cats.

   Kittens less than 6 months of age should be fed a high quality kitten food free choice, again, in either a combination or canned and dry, or just canned diet. We should evaluate kittens at 6 months of age to determine if they are developing a weight problem and need to have their diet changed. Kittens should be re-evaluated at 8 to 10 months of age, again to prevent them from developing weight problems. Most kittens should be converted to meal feeing and restricted calories by 12 to 18 months of age.


Medical Diets

   We carry a variety of medical diets, for a wide range of medical conditions. These diets do require a prescription from a licensee veterinarian. Non-clients may purchase prescription foods from us with a valid prescription from their veterinarian, and we will be more than happy to keep these prescriptions on file for your convenience.