Your Cat’s Nutrition
Ensuring good nutrition is a critical part of your cat’s well-being. The nutritional status of your cat is an important indicator of their health and welfare. Any deficiencies or excesses in calories, vitamins, and minerals can significantly impact your cat’s lifespan. Our nutritional consultant will be happy to assist you in choosing a diet for your cat based on their age, breed, and lifestyle. Prescription diets may be required for cats with ongoing conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and many more.
We treat your questions about nutrition for your cat very serious. We know that it can be frustrating to receive confusing information from google or pet stores. We are here to give you and your cat personalized recommendations based on their lifestyle.
How to Choose a diet for Your Cat
In general, we recommend diets that have undergone AAFCO feeding trials to ensure not only nutrient balance, but also proper absorption of nutrients. Diets formulated by Hill’s, Purina, Royal Canin, and IAMS undergo these feeding trials.
Do not be fooled by trendy marketing! Dogs, unlike cats, are not strict carnivores. While meat makes up the majority of their diet, domestic dogs can also derive nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods are not simply fillers, but can be a valuable source of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A good dog food will contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits. The best dog foods contain high-quality versions of these ingredients that are appropriate for your dog’s digestive system. For most dogs, grains are actually a source of wholesome nutrients. While cats are obligate carnivores in the wild (see above), grains used in cat food can supplement meat as quality sources of proteins for cats that cause less strain on their kidneys than meat alone. Quality animal byproducts are also nutritious for both dogs and cats. These include organ meats and entrails, which often contain more nutrients than the muscle meat consumed by humans. Regulated byproducts do not include hooves, hair, floor sweepings, intestinal contents, or manure.
Life Stages
Feeding a diet appropriate for the life stage of your cat is very important. Kittens and puppies have different requirements than adults or seniors. Feeding an “all life stages” dog food disregards the individual requirements pets have at each life stage. For example, puppies and kittens need a food higher in protein and fat, with different compositions of minerals than adults. Large breed puppies need a specific Calcium:Phosphorus ratio to ensure optimal bone growth. Seniors may need a prescription diet or a food lower in fat to help prevent weight gain as they become more sedentary.
Lifestyles
Feeding a diet appropriate for your cat’s breed and lifestyle. Cats do not range in size to the extent that dogs do, but their breed considerations include considering a hairball control diet for long haired cats.
Grain-Inclusive Diets
Do not be fooled by trendy marketing! Dogs, unlike cats, are not strict carnivores. While meat makes up the majority of their diet, domestic dogs can also derive nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods are not simply fillers, but can be a valuable source of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A good dog food will contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits. The best dog foods contain high-quality versions of these ingredients that are appropriate for your dog’s digestive system. For most dogs, grains are actually a source of wholesome nutrients. While cats are obligate carnivores in the wild (see above), grains used in cat food can supplement meat as quality sources of proteins for cats that cause less strain on their kidneys than meat alone. Quality animal byproducts are also nutritious for both dogs and cats. These include organ meats and entrails, which often contain more nutrients than the muscle meat consumed by humans. Regulated byproducts do not include hooves, hair, floor sweepings, intestinal contents, or manure
What if My Pet is Overweight
Weight gain in pets can be multifactorial. We recommend scheduling an appointment so any underlying medical concerns can be ruled out. Our nutritional team can then offer guidance and create the best diet plan for your cat. Opting to simply reduce the food can lead to frustration – we recommend a diet specially formulated for weight loss.
To schedule a nutritional consultation please click the link below. To discuss the weight loss program, please call our nutritional consultant, Aliesa, at 509-462-7387.