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Feeding Your Cat Or Kitten

The Basics

Water should always be available to cats. Most foods are best fed as part of a balanced diet. Do not feed dog food to cats or kittens, it does not contain an adequate balance of nutrients to sustain a cat. Cats fed a balanced commercial diet do not require additional vitamin and mineral supplements. The addition of a supplement without a veterinarian's approval may actually harm your cat. Avoid feeding table scraps to your cat because they do not meet nutritional requirements.

Moist Food

This is the most popular type of prepared cat food. They contain 55-85% moisture. There are two main types, cat rolls and canned food. Cats are best fed a moist diet or a 50:50 mixture of moist and dry foods. Tartar build-up can be a problem with moist food diets. Moist food will spoil quickly when left out on a plate.

Cat Rolls: Not very palatable for cats. They are pasteurized and have a shelf-life of 1-3 months when chilled. Cereals or gels are used to bind water.

Canned Food: This is the most popular pet food product for cats. Cans are heat sterilized so have a long shelf life (>12 months). Canning and storage time may result in reduction of vitamin levels, but respectable manufacturers will take this into account when they formulate the food.

Semi-Moist Food

Made from pasteurized dough containing meat, meat by-products, soya, cereal, fats and sugars. Semi-moist foods have a low palatability for cats. They contain 15-45% moisture and don't store as well as canned or dry food (shelf life is 6-12 months). A large number of additives are used to give this product a long shelf life.

Dry Food

Dry foods are very appealing to cats. They contain 5-10% moisture. They store well (shelf life about 12 months), are easy to handle and some can combat tartar build-up on the cats teeth. They often contain grain and meat by-products. Fresh water must be available to cats, especially after eating dry food. Cats on a dry diet will drink more than a cat on a moist diet but cats on dry diets will still have a lower water intake than cats fed a moist diet. When fed as the only food, dry foods have been known to cause bladder problems (Feline Urological Syndrome or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease). 50% of clinical cases of this disease can be cured by changing the cat to a moist diet. Most commercial dry cat food manufacturers now formulate their foods to minimize this problem. Cats are also more likely to become obese on a dry diet. Dry food is best fed as part of a varied diet.

Treats

Treats are fine as a supplementary food, but should not take the place of a balanced diet. Up to 10% of a cats diet can be made up of treats. Nutritionally balanced treats will cause the least disruption to your cats diet. Treats also provide an effective training aid for many cats.

Other Foods

Meat: Such as beef, lamb and pork.
Offal (lungs, tripe, udder etc.) and pork must be cooked before feeding. All cooked meat should be cut into small cubes. Cooked meats should be baked or grilled rather than boiled to retain nutrients and tasty juices. If meat is boiled, the water can be seasoned and mixed with a drier type of food. Raw meat should not be fed because it is a source of parasites and bacteria.

Poultry: Scraps of cooked chicken provide a great treat for a cat. Most bird bones are very splintery and should not be fed to your cat.

Eggs: Provide a good source of protein but are best fed cooked and cut into small pieces rather than raw. Egg white should not be fed raw because it contains a chemical which neutralizes an essential B vitamin. Eggs should not be fed more than twice a week. Egg yolks can be fed more often.

Milk: When you first begin feeding your cat milk, it is advised to gradually increase the amount of milk starting with a small amount. This will allow the cat to build up its level of enzymes to digest the milk sugar, lactose. Cats fed a large amount of milk when they are not used to it will get diarrhoea. Not all cats like milk. Milk is not an essential part of your cat's diet. If your cat doesn't drink milk don't worry.

Cheese: Provides an excellent source of protein. It can be fed raw in cubes or grated or it can be cooked with some other item.

Fish: Fish can be fed either raw or cooked. Cooked fish should be steamed or baked rather than boiled to retain maximum nutrients. Make sure all bones have been removed before feeding it to your cat. Fish should be fed as part of a balanced diet. A diet high in fish is bad for your cats health. Fish has a high level of polyunsaturated fats which can be broken down by free radicals.

Vegetables: Boiled potato can be added to meat or fish, forming up to 1/3 of a meal. Cats can be fed cooked greens, boiled spinach, scraped raw carrot and peas, but it is best to start them on these foods as a kitten so they get used to eating them.

Starchy Foods: Crumbled toasted bread can be mixed with gravy or fish paste and used like potato. Pasta, macaroni, spaghetti and noodles can also be fed. Cornflakes, wheat flakes, porridge or baby cereal can be mixed with milk and fed, especially for breakfast or kittens.

Fruit: Some cats will eat pieces of apple or tangerine.

Feeding Guide

This is to be used as a guide only. Different foods contain different amounts of energy so cats require different amounts of them. Cats will require a smaller amount of a food that is high in energy. Cats are best fed to condition. The ribs should be able to be felt through the skin. Kittens are best fed to demand as they are unlikely to overeat while growing. Pregnant or lactating cats should be fed on demand.

Age	Meals Per Day	Amount in g (oz)
Weaning to 3 months	4-6	80-190 (2.8-6.7)
4-5 months	3-4	275 (9.7)
6-7 months	2-3	370 (13)
7-8 months	2-3	370 (13)
9 months +	1-2	400 (14)
Senior (over 7 years)	3-6	300-370 (10.5-13)

References

Page S, The Complete Cat Owners Manual, Australia: Readers Digest, 1997

Taylor D, The Ultimate Cat Book, Great Britain: Dorling Kindersley, 1989

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