It may be tempting to purchase budget-friendly food for your cat, but that usually means low quality ingredients which will not provide all the nutrients your cat requires. Cheaper food may be more palatable for your cat as there will be various artificial flavourings and preservatives included, but in the long run can cause illnesses, alter blood pressure, and cause kidney and liver damage, just as it would for humans.
If we were to offer a child a plate of meat and vegetables or a plate of chicken nuggets and french fries, the child will most likely choose the latter, based on the taste and not being aware of the health hazards. Most children have an adult to guide them towards a healthier diet, and as cat owners, it is our responsibility to do the same for our pets.
But with so many different cat food varieties to choose from, how do I know which one will meet the needs of my cat?
We all know that there are two types of food – wet and dry.
These can be classified into the following according to their:
- Nutritional adequacy
- Life stage (kitten, adult, senior, geriatric)
- Sensitivities and lifestyle (hairball prevention, neutered, indoor, sensitive skin, obesity management, etc.)
Life stage diets are nutritionally balanced for your cat\’s age. For example, growing kittens require more protein, calories, and have a higher nutritional demand than adults. Adults require less calories, and in senior cat diets, phosphorus levels are reduced to help support ageing kidneys. If you choose a life stage diet for your cat, until 12 months of age would require kitten food, 1-7 years adult food, 7-11 years senior food, and 11+ geriatric or ageing food.
Wet food
Wet food is cooked at high temperatures for sterilisation, which results in longer shelf life than dry food before opening, but once opened, is more perishable. Felines in general have a low thirst drive, which can lead to dehydration without us even noticing it. It has been suggested that feeding a wet food diet may be a more appropriate way to provide water for cats rather than solely relying on drinking water. They are particularly used for cats with:
- Urinary health issues – Wet food produces more diluted urine which can prevent urinary tract complications, which could result in a lower concentration of inflammatory components in the bladder.
- Weight Management issues – As water does not provide calories, wet food always has lower calories than dry food. The average dry food has roughly 3-4 kcal/g, whereas wet food has only 0.8-1.5 kcal/g. Some weight loss or satiety management diets provide even less calories, making owners who have cats struggling with obesity opt for wet weight loss food.
- Constipation issues – Hydration is essential for cats dealing with constipation. Providing wet food for felines dealing with constipation is a common recommendation by veterinarians.
Dry Food
The main benefits of dry food would probably be its\’ convenience and cost. Dry food allows for free-feeding, and can be left out for extended periods of time, as some cats prefer to graze their food throughout the day. Dry food will provide energy and nutrients in concentrated small volumes, maximizing the nutritional supply. It is also easier to use with food dispenser toys, feeding toys or puzzles as a way to provide mental stimulation.
However, owners must remember that for cats who are fed mostly dry diets, it is important to keep track of their water intake. A constant supply of clean water should be available for your cat at all times. To achieve a similar moisture to wet food, some owners add water to dry food at a ratio of 2 cups of water to 1 cup of dry food.
Most brands carry both dry and wet options for the same kind of food, so it is easy to mix the two types without having to constantly change your cat\’s food.
Both dry and wet food have pros and cons which will be different for every pet\’s needs. In order to decide which food will best suit your cat, a complete nutritional evaluation should be carried out by your vet, which can be done during routine checkups.
Quality Food
Just like human food, the ingredients list on cat food is listed in order of decreasing proportional weight. So we need to look at the first ingredient when searching for the best cat food, and that first ingredient should be meat. While humans and dogs can adapt to diets that have a relatively low protein content, cats have a much higher protein requirement in their diet that would typically only be met by feeding a meat-based foods. Other than protein, a number of specific amino acids such as taurine, arginine, methionine and cysteine are necessary, as well as an adequate amount of fats, a small amount of carbohydrates, vitamin D, A, and B3. Because of their unique and particular dietary requirements, it is extremely difficult to provide a well-balanced diet for cats with home prepared foods. Therefore, feeding a good quality commercial cat food is preferable, at least as a major part of the diet. Commercially prepared cat foods have been developed to give your cat the correct balance of nutrients and calories in order to meet their dietary requirements.
Which food for my cat\’s health issues?
Good quality prescription brands we can find at veterinary clinics provide many varieties of food for diverse health issues.
Satiety – For felines with weight issues. High protein content helps support safe and healthy weight loss while maintaining muscle mass to avoid weight regain.
Urinary – Increases urine volume and assists in the management of lower urinary tract disease.
Renal – Formulated to support kidney function in the case of chronic kidney disease.
Gastrointestinal – For long or short term digestive sensibilities. Helps reduce intestinal absorptive disorders and promote nutritional restoration.
Fibre – Promotes digestive health and optimal stool quality with highly digestible proteins and prebiotics.
Hypoallergenic – For cats with allergies or skin issues.
Calm – Formulated to assist in the management of stress and anxiety in cats.
Other than these, we can find food to tackle health issues related to obesity, food sensitivity, liver care, dental care, etc.
Whether or not your cat needs a special prescription diet should be discussed with a vet during a health check up. Keep in mind that even if your feline friend may not have any health issues, it is important to provide him/her with good quality food, which will make a massive difference in the long run. If you believe your cat may need or may benefit from a prescription diet, please call us at 800CATVET to book a consultation with one of our vets!
