Providing your feline companion with the right nutrition is paramount to ensuring they lead a long and healthy life. Selecting an appropriate diet involves understanding their unique dietary needs as obligate carnivores. This guide will explore essential nutrients, different types of commercial cat food, and considerations for homemade diets and treats.
Essential Nutrients for Cats
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their diet must consist of nutrients found exclusively in animal products. Their evolutionary history as hunters has shaped their nutritional requirements: a diet rich in protein, moderate in fat, and minimal in carbohydrates. Beyond these macronutrients, cats require over a dozen other essential nutrients, including various vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. It’s crucial to provide these in the correct amounts, as excessive intake of certain nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals, can be detrimental. Therefore, supplements are typically unnecessary if a cat is fed a complete and balanced diet. Always consult a veterinarian before administering any supplements, as they can potentially harm your cat. Ensuring your cat has constant access to clean, fresh water is also vital for their overall health.
Types of Commercial Cat Food
Commercial cat foods are available in three main forms: dry, semi-moist, and canned. Each type varies in its water content, protein levels, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility, offering owners different options to suit their cat’s needs and their own preferences.
Dry Cat Food
Dry cat food typically contains between 6% and 10% water. It is manufactured by combining ingredients such as meat or meat byproducts, poultry or poultry byproducts, grains or grain byproducts, fish meal, fiber sources, milk products, and vitamin and mineral supplements. These ingredients are then extruded and dried into bite-sized kibbles. Often, these kibbles are coated with flavor enhancers like animal fat to increase their appeal to cats.
The advantages of dry food include its relatively low cost and the convenience of “free choice” feeding, as it does not dry out quickly. However, it may be less palatable to some cats compared to moist options and can vary in digestibility depending on the quality of ingredients. If you opt for dry food, it’s essential to store it in a cool, dry place and always check the expiration date. Buying in bulk might seem economical, but storing dry food for extended periods can decrease the potency of vitamins and increase the likelihood of fats becoming rancid. Storing unused portions in an airtight container can help preserve nutrient quality and flavor.
Semi-Moist Cat Food
Semi-moist cat food primarily consists of meat and meat byproducts, with a moisture content of approximately 35%. Other ingredients, such as soybean meal, cereals, grain byproducts, and preservatives, are added to create the final product. The cost of semi-moist food typically falls in the mid-range. While it may be more appealing than dry food to some cats and can also be fed free choice, its palatability and quality can degrade once opened, as the food may dry out and become rancid.
Canned Cat Food
Canned cat food boasts a high moisture content, usually at least 75%, making it an excellent source of dietary water for cats. Although generally the most expensive option, it is highly palatable for most felines. The wide variety of flavors and textures available can be particularly beneficial for picky eaters. Canned food has the longest shelf life when unopened. However, any opened portions should be refrigerated to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage. Gourmet canned varieties often feature meats like kidney or liver as primary ingredients. It is crucial to read the nutrition labels carefully, especially on specialty items, to ensure they provide a nutritional guarantee and are nutritionally complete and balanced.
Choosing the Right Cat Food
Commercially prepared cat foods are designed to provide your cat with the correct balance of nutrients and calories. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets the basic minimum nutritional requirements for cats, which manufacturers adhere to in their formulations. Reading the nutrition label is the most effective way to compare different cat foods. Manufacturers are mandated by AAFCO and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide specific nutritional information. Any product carrying an AAFCO-approved nutritional guarantee, often called the “AAFCO statement,” is considered nutritionally complete and balanced.
A cat’s nutritional needs evolve throughout its life, with distinct requirements during kittenhood, adulthood, pregnancy, and lactation. The food label should indicate the life stage for which the food is formulated and confirm it meets AAFCO requirements. Some foods are designed for all life stages, simplifying the choice for owners with cats of varying ages. When examining the ingredients list, note that items are listed in descending order of weight. Prioritize foods where meat, meat byproducts, or seafood appear among the first few ingredients, suggesting an adequate animal-source ingredient base for essential amino and fatty acids.
Once you’ve confirmed a food is complete and balanced, the final choice between dry, semi-moist, or canned options often comes down to your cat’s preference. Some cats favor canned food, others prefer dry, and some enjoy a combination. Selecting what works best for your individual cat is key.
Homemade Cat Food Considerations
Creating homemade cat food can be a complex and time-consuming endeavor, with a significant risk of not achieving the correct nutrient balance for your cat. It is generally recommended that cat owners opt for commercially prepared, nutritionally balanced foods unless a veterinarian advises a specific homemade recipe for medical reasons. In such cases, your veterinarian will likely provide a recipe developed by certified veterinary nutritionists. For owners exploring specialized dietary needs, understanding homemade cat food for urinary problems or senior cat diet needs can be beneficial, but always under professional guidance.
Treats and Other Dietary Considerations
Occasional treats are generally not harmful to cats, but they should not constitute a primary source of nutrition. It’s advisable that treats make up no more than 10-15% of a cat’s daily caloric intake. Certain human foods should be avoided entirely. Raw meat, despite its nutritional value, is not recommended due to the risk of transmitting toxoplasmosis and other infectious diseases. Similarly, some cats have developed serious neurological disorders after consuming canned fish products intended for human consumption. Milk is also often ill-advised, as many cats are lactose-intolerant and can suffer gastrointestinal issues.
Cats can also be particular about their dining environment. Factors such as high-traffic areas, noise, the presence of other animals, unclean food containers, or proximity to litter boxes can deter them from eating. Being attentive to your cat’s eating habits and making necessary adjustments to their environment can encourage healthy eating.
Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial, as obesity is a common nutrition-related issue in cats, predisposing them to conditions like arthritis and diabetes. Consult your veterinarian to determine your cat’s ideal weight and follow their recommendations for dietary adjustments. If your cat exhibits finicky eating habits, offering two or three different cat foods can introduce flavor variety and prevent an over-reliance on a single food. A cat that refuses to eat and is losing weight requires prompt veterinary attention.
Updated July 2017
