New to Cats > Getting Your First Cat > Food & Water: Essentials for Life
The diet a cat gets early in life will set the pace for his lifelong health and well-being. Your knowledge of cat food ingredients will help ensure not only longevity, but the quality of life you want for your new family member.
Although this class is presented in one day, the content is something you should review for weeks and months ahead, until you feel secure in your knowledge.
Cat Food: Your Most Important Choice for Good Health
Choosing a Starting Food
Cats get along better in the first two weeks if they are fed the same foods they were given in their previous setting. If you don't know what they are presently eating, I'd suggest starting with a premium dry food. Nutro Natural Care is a good choice - economical, nutritious and cats seem to like it universally. Once you're assured the new diet doesn't cause tummy upsets, you can proceed with a final diet plan.
Start off Right with a Premium Food
Please don't practice "false economy" by buying cheap grocery store foods. Cats have an innate ability to know when they have consumed the nutrients they need for growth and development. It has been found that they will eat lesser amounts of premium foods, which are packed with high-quality nutrients, which will effectively even out your costs.
Learn How to Knowledgeably Choose Cat Foods
Cats are not vegetarians. They are meat eaters, more specifically obligate carnivores, which means they must eat meat to survive. Their systems are simply not built to process large quantities of carbohydrates. Cheap commercial foods usually are packed with carbohydrate fillers and provide a low-quality protein source. Read this article throughout, then go on to read Understanding Cat Food Labels. You'll then be an expert in selecting quality cat food, and can move on to the A-Z Food Ingredients. list to help make your selections easier.
Don't Forget Canned Food
Although dry food is often considered a "staple" diet, particularly when working adults are away from home a large part of the day, cats should eat canned food regularly. Ideally, a cat's diet should be canned food, supplemented with dry. If you work, you can offer canned food in the morning and again at night, and leave dry food down for free-feeding.
Kittens Have Special Needs
Kittens need a more densely-packed diet for the development of strong bones and teeth and healthy, supple muscles and organs. Although adult food won't harm a kitten, it does not contain the growth nutrients he needs. Please don't practice false economy (there's that phrase again) by feeding your kitten adult food.
Food and Water Dishes
Although plastic bowls may seem economical and practical, some cats will develop allergic reactions to the plastic, causing itchy bumps on the chin. Plastic also scratches easily, and the scratches harbor harmful bacteria. Choose instead sturdy ceramic (with lead-free glaze) or stainless steel food and water dishes.
Make sure the bowls are tip-proof, with a broad, solid bottom.
FAQs on Cat Food and Nutrition
Some of the most often asked questions I receive are about cat food: feeding habits, schedules, what kinds of food to give cats, even what kind of cat food dishes to use. Listed here are commonly-asked questions about cat food and nutrition.
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