Is your cat eating right? Hope so!
Posted on May 10th, 2011 by Michele AndersonAre you feeding your cat the right food that has all the essential nutrients? Or are you feeding it table scraps or other human food?
Well, the first thing you need to understand is that human food is not good for cats since it does not contain the exact amount of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and fats that cats need.
I would feed my cat a lot of milk till a friend told me not to do it. Apparently, the high amount of lactose in milk is not good for cats. So, while milk is OK in small quantities, cream and yogurt would be better. You can buy milk made for cats, such as Cat-Sip.
Also, watch out for canned tuna, because mercury content in the tuna is bad for the cat.
But, making yogurt or tuna a treat that you give your cat once in a while is fine.
One thing that my veterinarian told me is to make sure that my cat’s food includes meat. Cats are not like dogs that can make do without meat. Cats thrive on meat, and this also guarantees their good health. Also make taurine, an amino acid, an essential part of your cat’s diet. This amino acid is found in meat and eggs.
But again, each cat is different and would like different things. Some of them even like vegetables. Take, for instance my neighbor’s cat, Puddles. She loves cooked pasta and sweet corn! So cooking homemade cat food is not a bad idea and can work well for your kitty if she takes a liking to it.
Another thing you need to keep an eye out for is onions. Make sure onions are not a part of your cat’s meal since they are toxic for cats.
And, of course, there is the most basic nutrient of all: Water. I leave bowls of water (about four of them) in places that my cats frequents the most. This ensures that she drinks water when she feels like it.
If you want to know more about food for cats, visit www.9livesnation.com/article/9livesnation-staff/nutritional-requirements-of-cats. More on cats at www.9livesnation.com.