Pet Care Tips of the Week
Feline Feeding Recommendations from the Kent Feeds New Cat Guide
Dry food may be fed free-choice, meaning the food bowl is always kept full. This method works well for most cats but others may overeat and become obese. If your cat is consuming more than the recommended amount, or if your vet says your cat is overweight, you may need to limit the amount of food you make available. Obesity is unhealthy and can lead to musculoskeletal and heart problems in later life. You must be careful though to never starve a cat. Cats must eat at least once daily or they can experience permanent liver damage. If you feed controlled amounts, it is best to feed in two or three meals a day.
If your cat is under 6 months old, it should be provided with food that will support growth. Kittens require different levels of vitamins and minerals than adult cats, to support healthy growth of muscles, organs and bones. As your cat ages and activity level decreases, it usually makes sense to change diets to a food with lower energy levels to avoid obesity and associated health issues.
You should avoid feeding your cat milk, as adult cats are unable to easily digest lactose. While cats may beg for milk as a treat, it will likely upset their stomach. You should also avoid feeding your cat table scraps as you will teach it to beg or steal food from people. Cat treats and cat food should be the only food offered and should be fed away from the table.
WATER
It is absolutely essential that your cat have constant access to fresh, clean water. It should be encouraged to drink as much as possible. Increasing your cat's water intake helps flush the kidneys and urinary system and reduce the risk of urinary tract infections and disease. You can encourage your cat to consume more water by feeding wet food, keeping the water fresh, and putting out multiple water dishes. Many vets will recommend feeding a small amount of wet food morning and night if the primary diet for your cat is dry food.
SUPPLEMENTS
Good quality commercial foods generally contain all the vitamins and minerals your cat needs. With this in mind, you should be wary of adding unnecessary supplements to your cat's diet. This can be harmful to your cat so you should consult your veterinarian before considering any dietary supplementation.
There are many good foods available and most commercial foods are complete and balanced. The difference in pricing of commercial foods is usually a reflection of the variety and quality of the ingredients. The top five ingredients of your cat's food are the most important and should include at least two animal ingredients and the earlier they appear in the ingredients list the better.
It is also important to keep an eye out for chemicals such as Ethoxyquin, BHA and BHT in your cat's food. These chemical preservatives have been linked to liver and kidney dysfunction and are probably best avoided. The presence of these preservatives can be an indicator of lower quality meat and fat sources that most pet owners would consider unacceptable for their cat. Natural preservatives such as tocopherols (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are the most common and are preferred to ensure better long term health.
Reading a Dog Food Label from the Kent Feeds New Dog Guide
MEATS
A healthy diet for your dog should be primarily meat-based to ensure optimal health. Dogs need protein and the preferred protein source is a clearly defined meat source. For example, a product that just lists “Meat and Bone Meal”, while meeting AAFCO standards, gives no indication of what animal is the source. Pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, or fish are the most commonly used meat proteins in better foods and one of these should be the top ingredient in your dog's food.
GRAINS
While some dogs may suffer from allergic reactions to certain grains, most do very well with a proper mixture of meat and grain ingredients. While you should take care to avoid any food for your dog with grain as the first ingredient, grains such as corn, rice, oats, barley and wheat can be a good source of nutrition. Grain should not be relied upon as the primary protein source for a dog but one or two high quality grains in the top five ingredients of a commercial food is acceptable.
SUPPLEMENTS
Good quality commercial foods generally contain all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs. With this in mind, you should be wary of adding unnecessary supplements to your dog's diet. This can be harmful to your dog so you should consult your veterinarian before considering any dietary supplementation.