Fussy Cats. Tips from a vet in Marrickville.

Fussy Cats. Tips from a vet in Marrickville.

Feeding cats

 

Years ago, the family cat had her bowl of kibble and milk in the corner of the kitchen, to be topped up as it was emptied. Nowadays, with our feline friends becoming a greater part of the family, we commit more time to thinking about the best way to give nutrition to our cats. We should carefully consider the type of food, frequency of feeding and some of us even think about the texture of the kibble!

Dry vs wet

Dry food is almost always superior to wet food for dental health as well as nutrition – one can pack a lot more nourishment in a product with little moisture. Wet food tends to be beneficial for cats with kidney disease as it helps to hydrate the body.

Meat composition

Cats, unlike dogs are ‘obligate carnivores’ meaning that they can only get nutrition from animal meat products. Plant protein is almost completely useless in providing nourishment for cats, so avoid giving vegetables to your cats for purposes other than satisfying their taste.

Grazing

Cats are grazers – their digestive systems are designed to handle a steady flow of food throughout the day, so it is best to leave food out all day.

Fussiness

Cats are known for being fastidious eaters. The best way to avoid this in adulthood is to feed your kitten a variety of meats. Try more unusual sources of protein such as turkey, white fish and lamb to get them used to eating different flavours. Suprisingly, many cats are fussy based on the texture of the food they eat rather than the flavour, so offering a choice of shapes of kibble in the foodbowl is also a good idea.