What can you feed your cat?

Answer 1

Cats are strict carnivores, so live predominantly on a diet of fresh raw meat. Domestic cats aren't all that different from big cats such as lions. Pet cats, like their wild cousins, get all their nutrition from meat-based proteins and fats. A pet cat that has access to outside might hunt and eat small birds, mice, voles and other small wildlife animals. Some owners feed their cats raw meat, offal (organs) and bone to mimic the food a cat would eat in the wild.

Due to the vast variety of different cat foods out there - dry and wet and even moist - each pet cat's diet can vary wildly. Premium cat foods often have a high meat content which is the best to feed your cat.

It is advisable to stay away from brands that include Corn, Wheat, Cereals, Soy and various Sugars in their foods - cats have difficulty in digesting these and do not provide any nutritional value to the cat whatsoever. Wet food with these specifications are much easier to find than in dry food.

The amount of moisture in cat food is also very important. Dry food contains no moisture, so is quite dehydrating. Cats are notoriously bad drinkers, even when they are thirsty. This is because they have evolved to get all their needed moisture from their prey (their ancestors were cats that lived in very dry and arid environments where water was hard to come by), so therefore have a low "thirst drive" and will not often seek out water on their own. This is a trait that has been passed down over the thousands of years.

Canned or pouched food has anywhere between 60 to 80% water. Seeing as in the wild a cat's prey is around 65%-75% water, wet and raw food provides a cat with more than enough water each day.

Many dry foods and low-quality wet foods are often packed with carbohydrates - "filler" in the way of grains and cereals, none of which cats can digest or gain any nutrients from. Grain is used instead of meat because it is cheaper to produce and helps kibble pieces hold together. Cats need MEAT based protein, not PLANT based protein. Cats will often overeat on lower quality foods because they are not getting all the nutrients they need, which often results in obesity.

For high-quality Cat food there is: Blue Buffalo, Felidae, Weruva, California Natural, Instinct, Prairie, Natural Balance, Eagle Pack, Wellness, EVO, Bozita (the canned stuff is 90+% meat and can be bought from zooplus.co.uk), Applaws (70+% meat and comes in both tinned and dry), HiLife (60% meat), Feline Fayre, to name a few.

Answer 2

Answer

Most people feed their cats canned cat food. Cats are carnivorous; they eat all kinds of meat, poultry, or fish.

Answer

Well, first of all, the worst food you can feed your cat is supermarket brand cat food. Most supermarket brands -- such as Purina, Friskies, Whiskas, Fancy Feast, Tender Vittles, etc., etc. -- are made with extremely low-quality "meat." It is actually really disgusting. These brands are made with all the leftover animal parts, including ground-up chicken beaks and feet, cow eyeballs, intestines, and something called "Animal Digest." Animal digest is essentially a mishmash of leftover parts; it can include rats, roadkill animals, and animals that were euthanized at animal shelters -- including dogs and cats.That's right, cats. These brands also include something called "ash," which is burnt animal remains. It is absolutely revolting.

Luckily, there are better foods available, made with high-quality meat that is fit for human consumption. They are more expensive than supermarket brands -- up to $2 a can -- but they will keep your cat healthy, and will add years to his life. It is well worth the money to keep your beloved pet healthy and happy. And in fact, you will most likely save money in the long run: since better cat food means a healthier cat, you will save hundreds, even thousands of dollars on veterinary bills.

High-quality cat food brands are sold at most pet stores, including Petco, Pet Stop, and petnetdirect.com. Some high-quality brand names include: Innova/Evo, Weruva, Max Cat, PetGuard, California Natural, Instinct, Prairie, Natural Balance, Solid Gold, Merrick, Wellness, Eagle Pack, Newman's Own, WYSONG, Precise, etc., etc.

If you really cannot afford to buy this food for your cats, then Iams brand is an acceptable second-choice. Iams is a supermarket brand, but it is of a higher quality than most supermarket brands. It's not as good as Innova/Evo, Weruva, Max Cat, etc., etc., but it is better than the other supermarket brands.

Also, although it is not strictly necessary, it is a good idea to feed your cat both wet and dry food. Wet food is more fatty than dry food, so a diet consisting of nothing but wet food can potentially cause weight problems. But more importantly, dry food helps scrape plaque off of the cat's teeth, giving him healthier teeth and gums, and better-smelling breath. My personal favorite dry food brand is Innova/Evo: most cats love it, and it makes their coat super-shiny and soft.

Also, although it is not strictly necessary, it's a good idea to give your cat some variety with his diet. Having variety in your diet is good for humans, and for cats too. Also, sometimes cats get bored eating the same thing every day. Whenever I go to Pet Stop to buy cat food, I always buy a few different flavors of each different brand, so as to give them as much variety as possible. My cats get a different wet food every night, and during the day they get Innova/Evo dry food.