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The question of how to put a cat on a diet that is both healthy for the cat and convenient for the owner is one that has plagued animal lovers for years. The good news is that there are more food choices than ever, and veterinarians are becoming increasingly conscious of the critical role nutrition plays in health. This means that with a little a research and regular veterinary consultations, you can find a cat diet that suits you and your pet. As you research diets, consider the five questions below to make sure you find the best food for your feline friend.

Is It a Complete and Balanced Diet?
Look for the words, “complete and balanced” on the food package. The manufacturer cannot use this phrase unless the food meets the minimum feline nutritional adequacy standards set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. If your cat’s food does not have this phrase on the label, you should talk to your veterinarian. By feeding your cat a diet that is not balanced, you could be putting your pet at risk for nutritional deficiencies that could lead to neurological problems, heart damage, vision issues, skin disease and many other health problems.

How Good Are the Ingredients?
Not all balanced foods are of the same quality. Lower quality foods have artificial preservatives, colors and flavors. In addition, they have a high proportion of poorly digestible and incomplete protein sources including byproducts and various vegetable proteins.
Because cats are carnivores, they thrive when they get most of their protein from meat. When reading the ingredients list of a high-quality dry cat diet, you will note that meat is the first ingredient, and there are no fillers and few additives. The ingredients list of a high-quality canned food will have water as the first ingredient, and the second ingredient will be some type of meat.
Does It Meet Your Cat’s Health Needs?
If you have a healthy adult cat, any high-quality balanced diet should work for your pet. Choosing a cat diet for an older pet or one with chronic health problems, including kidney disease, diabetes, joint disease, liver disease, allergies, skin issues, obesity and others, is more complex. Make sure you discuss your pet’s condition with your veterinarian before choosing a new food or changing your pet’s diet.

Is It the Best Type for You and Your Pet?
The problem of how to put a cat on a diet that fits with the owner’s lifestyle is a common one. Fortunately, there are several types of commercial diets available, including dry, canned and frozen raw, so you should be able to find something that works for you and your cat.

Dry
Dry food is easy and convenient. It is simple to store and can be left out all day. Problems with dry diets include their lack of moisture content and the fact that it is very easy to overfeed a cat when you use dry food.
You can read more about selecting a commercial food here.

Canned
Canned foods provide a good source of water, an important component for maintaining the health of the kidneys, and they tend to be higher in protein than dry foods. They are also messy, more expensive than dry foods and cannot be left out for long periods.

Beware of Frozen Raw
Frozen raw foods are becoming more widely available. This tries to mimic a wild cat’s diet, and for this reason, a lot of pet owners have been wrongly lead to believe this is safe and healthy.
The truth is raw foods can be contaminated with fecal bacteria, E Coli and salmonella. These have the ability to make domestic cats sick, and they can also be very easily spread to your family – when your cat licks itself and you give it a pet (or if you have a cat that likes to ‘groom’ you).

Signs of food borne illness in pets are the same as in humans- severe vomiting or diarrhea. Contact your vet right away if they come down with these symptoms at any time.

How Much Cat Food Should Your Pet Be Eating?
Obesity is epidemic among house cats, so you need to have annual discussions with your veterinarian about how much cat food your pet actually needs. While many people have trouble figuring out how to put a cat on a diet, the method is simple. Once you know how much cat food your pet needs, just measure out the appropriate portions on a food scale or in a measuring cup.
 
Have you Visited a Veterinary Nutritionist?
A veterinary nutritionist would recommend a high quality commercial diet or a balance home cooked diet to optimize your cat’s health. Upper Canada Animal Hospital has one on staff who can help you balance your best friend’s nutritional intake.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment with the nutrition counselor, or to ask more specific questions about your feline’s diet.