Sometimes, owners feel like the best type of food for their cat is the one they will eat! Cats have a reputation of being fussy eaters; on the other hand, many suffer from weight problems because they’ll eat everything in sight!
Just like us though our cats are what they eat and we should always strive to feed them a nutritionally balanced diet.
Wet vs. dry cat food
There’s a huge variety of wet and dry cat food available. We recommend feeding a majority of dry food for most cats, using wet food as a treat or small amount of their diet. The dry food will help avoid tartar build up and keep their teeth healthy and strong.
Best cat food diet
A super premium diet fed twice a day is the best meal plan for your cat. Super premium food offers all the nutrients your fur baby needs for their specific age, breed and condition.
Avoid the bulge
Each variety of food, whether it’s dry or canned, will tell you exactly how much you should be feeding your cat. Following these recommendations will limit your buddy becoming overweight and acquiring more serious health issues. If you’re following the instructions but finding your cat is overweight, ask yourself:
- Is anyone else feeding my cat? For instance, is he sneaking over to the neighbour’s house for a second breakfast each morning?
- Are treats being accounted for in my cat’s calorie intake?
A consult with a vet will help rule out medical reasons for weight gain.
Tips for when your cat is not eating
Your cat may ‘go off’ their food for a variety of reasons, the most common being a change in their diet or stress.
Changes in Diet
If you’ve switched your cat to a different food too quickly, the sudden change may cause them to stop eating. The best way to introduce a new food to your cat is to start small: replace a small portion of their current food with the new food, increasing the portion each day little by little until they’ve switched over completely.
Stress
Cats don’t respond well to stressful situations, one side effect being a loss of appetite. Assess if there have been any changes in your cat’s environment that could account for this. If so, try and keep you’re your cat calm and relaxed and their desire to eat should return within a couple of days. There are products available to cat owners designed to reduce stress and anxiety – consider this if the stress factor is permanent (i.e. a new baby in the house).
Health or Dental Issues
If your cat is uninterested eating for more than two days, consult your vet to check that their loss of appetite is not related to a health or dental issue.
Can cats eat human food?
It’s not recommended that cats eat human food. Some human foods can be toxic to cats, or at the very least, will not offer the same balance of required nutrients found in cat food. Additionally, human foods can often be high in calories and fat which can lead to your cat’s weight gain and health issues. There is a huge variety of cat food available to meet your cat’s nutritional needs.