Good nutrition is as important for your pet as it is for you, yet many cat owners have a somewhat hit and miss approach to feeling their pet. There are also many myths connected with what cats need and what they like.
A perfect example is the legendary saucer of milk for your moggy, when all he really need is plenty of clean water!
Cats have less diverse needs than dogs, mainly because there is not as great a variation in size between the different breeds. Unlike dogs you dont have a variation such as that between a Chihuahua to Great Dane. However, cats have quite complex nutritional needs.
What cats need
An adult cat needs a balanced diet that includes the six major food groups proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and water. A good manufactured pet food should provide all your cats needs. And unless your cats situation changes dramatically, it can continue having the same type of diet throughout its life.
Unlike dogs that, contrary to common belief, can do perfectly well on a vegetarian diet, cats are carnivores and have to have meat in order to survive. They will get sick and die if they dont have meat. You can feed them a mix of dry and wet food, but if they have dry food they will need more water.
Water not milk
Your cat must have water available to flush out the kidneys. Milk is difficult for cats to digest, but you can get a special cat milk formula. If you give your cat this milk it should be considered a food, so adjust the amount of other food accordingly.
Watch their weight
As with humans, obesity can become a problem and cats have a tendency to gain weight. You wont do your pet any favours by overfeeding it and certainly dont feed it human food or table scraps. If you want to give your cat a treat there are specially formulated products available, but remember, this is also food, so reduce meal quantity to allow for the snack.
Cats have a different digestive system from humans and changing their diet can upset them. So if you are going to make any changes, introduce the dietary changes gradually to allow them to adjust
Food equals love in the cat dictionary
Cats are far more independent creatures than dogs and will be happy to stay home as long as some kind soul feeds them. Dogs, however, are givers of unconditional love and need human companionship. Dont expect your cat to be happy with irregular mealtimes, just because they are independent types. And dont abuse your dogs undying loyalty. They are totally different creatures and you need to understand their different natures and needs.
And finally, save yourself a lot of angst by giving them all the necessary vaccinations in a timely fashion. Remember, a pet insurance policy will cover these as well as illness and accidents.
