Feeding Your Cat
What should my cat eat when I first bring her home?
When you're first getting the cat home, it's very very important to be consistent in what they have been eating. So if you got your cat from a breeder or from the shelter, make sure you know the type of food that the cat was being fed, the brand, and then you can gradually taper off that brand, but cats are finicky for a reason. They have very, very sensitive digestive systems. So you need to make sure that your cat is eating food that they're used to.
What type of cat food should I buy?
You know when you're trying to figure out what kind of cat food is best for your cat you walk into the pet supply stores and you're just like, wow. There's so many choices. It's like the days of going in where you could just order a cup of black coffee and now you've got all the lattes to choose from. But, the best advice is this: choose a cat food that is best suited for your cats' age, their activity level, and their health condition, and work with your veternarian. Then you can find one that will just really maximize the nutrition that your cat needs.
When should I change from kitten food to regular cat food?
The best thing I can tell you if you're thinking about to make that switch from kitten food to adult cat food, the general rule of thumb is a year. During that first year of growth your kitten needs certain nutrients to help in their growth. And I advise you to work with your veterinarian on picking a type that's best for your kitten. But, unlike dogs where certain breed sizes may need to be on puppy food for six months or eighteen months, kittens in general, need to be on kitten food for a full year. And then you can make the gradual transition to adult cat food.
Is organic cat food better for my cat?
I am a big fan of organic cat food, and the reason being is this: when a food can label itself organic, they have to get the big seal of approval from the federal FDA in order to do that. Organic means that there are no preservatives, there's no chemicals added to it. You know, you could pick up a bag of food and it could say that it is premium or its light or whatever, and that means nothing as there is no legal basis to say those things. But, if you pick a food that's organic, you're guaranteed that it is really high-quality food, and food is very important for our cats and kittens, what you put in that food bowl will go a long way in keeping that cat healthy and happy.
Is homemade cat food better for my cat?
Maybe. You have to be very careful what kinds of food you're picking for your cat if you're going to be your cat's feline chef. And the preparation is important too. You don't want to accidentally leave food out that could be contaminated. You need to refrigerate food. You need to be able to make sure that your cat's complete and nutritional balanced needs are met. So often homemade meals -- just like our own homemade meals -- don't have all the vitamins and minerals that we need to make it complete and balanced. That's why we have multivitamins for people, and guess what? They have multivitamins for cats, too.
Does my cat need vitamins to supplement her diet?
Everyday, I take a multivitamin. And I take a different kind of vitamin now at my age than I did when I was in my twenties. Well, believe it or not, your cat can also benefit by certain vitamins and nutrients, especially on the type of diet you're feeding your cat. If you're a big fan of feeding your cat homemade meals...absolutely. You need to work with your veterinarian and make sure you have a multivitamin that can supplement some of the gaps in the complete and balanced nutrition that you're trying to give your cat when you do a homemade meal. If you feed your cat a quality, commercial brand of food, again, they may need to have extra vitamins or minerals. So, just like us, they can benefit by having a multivitamin.
Can I give my cat bones?
No. We feel like our dog - you've heard the expression "give your a dog a bone." Well, don't give your dog a bone, and especially don't give your cat a bone. You may think those little chicken bones and all these other things are great for a cat's teeth, but they have a risk of splintering and causing dangerous things inside the kitty's belly. You could cause the cat internal bleeding. You could cause the cat atrophy. Bones left outside can get parasites on them. They can really cause your cat to have stomach upset. So lose the old saying "give your dog a bone" and make sure you don't give your cat a bone.
How much and how often should I feed my cat?
A lot of cats, unlike dogs, are not chowhounds. That's good. That said though, the amount you need to feed your cat depends on the age of the cat, the activity level and their health needs. You use as a guide line if you're buying commercial quality food the back of the bag will tell you, if your cat weighs this many pounds, this is how many ounces or cups of food you need to feed your cat a day. Use that as a guide line and if you're noticing that your cat is getting a little chubbier you may want to tone that down a little bit. So, read the back of the label, use that as your baseline. Secondly, you can either give your cat meals in the morning and at night, or you can have a little free feeding station. And either option, measure the food out each day. Don't just keep dumping the kibble into the bowl because you risk your cat truly becoming a chowhound.
