With good cat nutrition, your kitten can grow up strong and lead a healthy life. Cats, just like people, have specific nutritional needs that change over the life of the cat. Not all cat foods are alike in meeting the nutritional needs of your cat or kitten. That's why it's important to understand cat nutrition and be able to select the correct type of cat food for your pet. Cat food can range from dry, canned, semi-moist to raw. Cat owners need to choose the type of food that is both nutritious to their pet and also meets the pet's lifestyle. Owners of multiple pets must also be aware that cat nutrition is very different from dog nutrition.
Cats are solely carnivores. Being true carnivores, cats need more protein in their diets than other mammals. Cats, due to their metabolic makeup, also need specific nutrients that their systems cannot make themselves or cannot make in the necessary quantities such as Vitamin A, the B vitamins, and a number of amino acids, including taurine. Since cats cannot produce these needed nutrients, owners need to provide their cats with a quality cat food that does provide all the proper nutrients. For proper cat nutrition, kittens require 30% protein and 20% fat in their diets, whereas adult cats need 25-30% protein and 15-20% fat. Cats do not have a dietary requirement for carbohydrates, so vegetable matter is not a necessary part of their diet even though it can be present in high quantities in cat food - especially dry kibble. Cats fed a diet high in carbohydrates are at risk for obesity and deposition of fat in the liver.
Cats also need to maintain an adequate internal water balance. Cats primarily derive their water from their food rather than drinking water. An increasing number veterinarians and nutritionists are now strongly recommending the feeding of canned food instead of dry kibble to kittens and cats. Dry cat food is typically higher is carbohydrates, has a higher percentage of plant-based proteins and too little water content to help your kitten or cat maintain an adequate water balance. Some nutritionists feel that cats should get a variety of food, both dry and canned, as long as dietary needs are being met.
All commercially packaged cat food must post the ingredients used in the product, and these ingredients are listed on the label in decreasing order by weight. A diligent cat owner can review the ingredient list to insure that they are purchasing a quality kibble. As with humans, cat’s can be allergic to various ingredients and preservatives in cat food. Common allergens present in cat food include corn, wheat and soy.
There are a few rules in labeling of cat food: 1) in order for cat food to be labeled as “chicken cat food”, 95% of the total weight of the food must be chicken; 2) if a food is labeled “chicken dinner”, “chicken feast”, or “chicken entree”, then chicken must make up between 25% and 95% of the total weight; and 3) a food labeled using the word “with” chicken indicates that only about 3% of the total weight is chicken.
Typically, the average cat should eat 4-6 ounces of canned food per day split between 2 or 3 meals. The amount of semi-moist or dry food needed per day can be found on that particular food’s label, since the moisture content affects the weight of the food, and the serving size. Cat nutritional requirements vary according to a cat's age, body weight, and amount of activity. Providing a balanced diet with the correct cat nutrition will keep your cat happy and healthy for many years to come.
