The Right Cat Food

To keep your cat happy and healthy, you must do your part and provide the nourishing, well-balanced diet required for its growth and maintenance.

Cats and Fluids
We've all heard that cow's milk can be harmful to cats. However, that is only partly correct as around 80 per cent of cats are lactose intolerant, but you can compensate for this by feeding your cat lactose-free milk, available from most supermarkets. Feed kittens specially marked kitten milk, as this will have a high nutrition content similar to that found in their mother's milk.

Cats must always have access to clean fresh water, and usually a ceramic bowl is better for this as it keeps the water cool for longer. Plentiful water is particularly important if your cat is mostly fed dry food.

Cat and Bones
Fish bones can be dangerous to cats if they get caught in the throat or teeth. Pressure cook or boil fish in order to soften the bones or simply remove them before serving.

Bones are high in calcium, protein and other minerals, however, they are deficient in essential fatty acids. Ask your vet about how many bones to feed your cat as too many can cause constipation.

Be careful feeding chicken bones to your cat as they may splinter and also get caught in the throat. Pressure cook or boil the bones in order to soften them before serving.

Nutritional Cat Tips
Fats and oils in your cat's diet will make for shiny, smooth fur and healthy skin. If you suspect your cat is suffering from fat deficiency, in consultation with your vet, you can feed it a quarter of a teaspoon of cod liver oil, three times a week.

If your cat is lactose intolerant, you can supplement lactose-free milk with small chunks of cheese, which is rich in animal protein and also lactose-free.

Never feed dog food to your cat as it doesn't contain essential feline nutrients such as taurine, and may hinder its digestion.

Cat Foods
Whether to feed your cat home-cooked or commercial cat food is really up to you. If you decide to prepare your cat's food yourself, you must ensure it contains the essential vitamins and minerals necessary for feline health. On the other hand, commercial cat foods are already formulated to satisfy your cat's nutritional requirements.

There are many types of commercial cat foods on the market. The most common of these is the dry food range, which has a very low water content and is great for scraping plaque and tartar from teeth. Dry food has a long shelf life, will stay fresh in your cat's bowl and is suitable for all ages.

Semi-moist foods have a higher water content than dry foods and contain preservatives. However, like dry foods, they do not require refrigeration and are commonly fed as treats.

Canned foods have a high water content, about the same as fresh meat, and do not contain any preservatives. They require refrigeration after opening. Many owners add canned food to dry food to increase palatability. Canned pet foods, which can contain beef, lamb, chicken, fish and animal by-products, vary in quality. Select canned pet foods where the main ingredient is named rather than meats of unknown origin.

Meat is most nutritious when raw. However, never feed your cat raw fish as it contains enzymes that deplete important vitamins necessary for your cat's development. So remember to cook fish before you serve it, as heat inactivates the enzymes and makes it safe for your cat.

It is generally recommended that kittens eat commercial food specially formulated for kittens as it caters for a high-energy diet essential for a kitten's development. A kitten should eat about four meals a day. Never feed your adult cat kitten food. Kitten food is often high in protein and, when given to an adult cat, will overwork the kidneys and cause obesity.

Cat Treats
If your cat is fed on commercial cat food, a home-cooked meal could be a welcome treat.

Cats also enjoy barbecue chicken, raw mince, dehydrated liver and are even partial to a little vegemite!