Feeding your cat the appropriate amount of a well-balanced diet is vital to the maintenance of overall health and well-being, just as eating a well-balanced diet is for us. To understand how and what to feed cats, it is necessary to understand how the nutritional requirements of the cat have developed through biological evolution.
Do cats have special dietary needs?
Biologically, cats are considered obligate carnivores, which means that even though they can eat foods like grains and vegetables, they must have a source of animal protein in their diet. Through evolution, cats have become dependent on the nutrients found only in animal tissue. For example, cats cannot synthesize vitamin A from beta-carotene (found in some vegetables, like carrots), unlike some other animals. Cats require preformed vitamin A, which is available in animal tissue.
Cats also require a higher amount of protein in their diet and have unique requirements for specific amino acids, like taurine, primarily because they use protein for energy. Cats and other carnivores lack the enzymes needed to metabolize fiber; however, including some dietary fiber can have other benefits for gut health.
Can I feed my cat a vegetarian or plant-based diet if I supplement it with nutrients?
A plant-based diet that is supplemented with the nutrients a cat needs (such as vitamin A) might appear to meet a cat’s nutritional requirements on paper. However, there is currently no strong evidence that indicates a cat can digest and use these nutrients as well as they use nutrients from animal tissue. At this time, your veterinarian will likely caution against feeding your cat a vegetarian diet.
Is raw food a better choice for cats?
Feeding raw food to cats has grown in popularity over the years. Currently, the risks of feeding raw food are well reported and strong evidence supporting any benefits is lacking. The primary concerns with a raw food diet are food safety (raw food can contain harmful pathogens) and nutritional adequacy. Many raw food diets have been found to be deficient in one or more essential nutrients. Contrary to what some might believe, cats have adapted to consuming cooked diets and can digest complex carbohydrates more easily once they are cooked.
How much water does my cat need?
The ancestors of domestic cats were of desert origin and this impacts their need for water. Water is essential for all life, but cats can conserve water very efficiently, which means cats drink less water in a day than a dog. A healthy cat’s water requirement can often be met partially or completely by feeding canned food.
Fresh, clean drinking water should still always be available to your cat and, for cats with certain medical conditions (e.g. chronic kidney disease or bladder stones), increasing water intake can be important. Since cats don’t usually drink a lot, getting them to drink more can be challenging. Here are a few strategies to try:
- Add some canned food to their diet
- Soak dry food or add more water to canned food
- Try different bowl shapes and materials (e.g., stainless-steel versus ceramic)
- Try a water fountain – some cats love moving water
- Try different temperatures (e.g., cold versus room temperature)
Changes in drinking behavior (e.g., sudden increase in water consumption) can indicate something is wrong; consult your veterinarian if you notice any changes in how your cat drinks.
Does my cat require milk?
Contrary to popular belief, kittens and adult cats do not need milk. In fact, by about 12 weeks of age, most kittens lose the ability to digest milk sugar (lactose). Therefore, while small amounts may be tolerated, too much milk can lead to intestinal upset and diarrhea. If you are feeding very young kittens that have not yet been weaned to solid food, consult your veterinarian for guidance on an appropriate milk replacement.
How much and how often should I feed my cat?
Left to their own devices, most domestic cats prefer to graze and eat small meals frequently, throughout the day and night. Depending on the individual cat and the type of food, some cats eat from 12 to 20 meals a day. This feeding method, called free feeding, can work well for cats that eat dry food, but moist food spoils quickly if left out for longer periods.
“Left to their own devices, most domestic cats prefer to graze and eat small meals frequently, throughout the day and night.”
Free feeding also makes it more difficult to determine how much food your cat has eaten in a day; it is even more difficult if more than one cat eats from the same dish. For healthy cats with no medical conditions, you may not need to know how much food they eat in a day. However, in certain circumstances, it is critical to know exactly how much your cat is eating (e.g., if your cat is overweight and on a weight-loss plan).
If you free-feed your cat, consider using a scale to weigh the amount of food offered first thing in the morning, as well as any top-up amounts added during the day. Then weigh the food that remains at the end of the day, or the next morning, if food is left out overnight.
Do cats have food preferences?
Many experienced cat owners say that cats can be finicky eaters. Texture, odor, temperature, and flavor of food can strongly influence a cat's food preferences. Cats appear to prefer food with a strong odor. Food temperature influences its odor, and since warm food has more aroma or smell, cats tend to eat it more readily. Feeding warm food is a helpful tactic when cats are sick; in many cases, they can be encouraged to eat simply by warming up their food.
Cats often develop preferences for specific textures and/or shapes of food, and some cats will choose the familiar over the novel shape. This preference is a good reason to introduce young kittens and cats to a variety of shapes and textures while they are young, so that they are more likely to accept changes as adults.
Should I feed my cat differently based on its life stage?
There are a few practical considerations when it comes to feeding cats at various life stages. In all cases, your cat should have access to fresh, clean drinking water.
Kittens
Kittens have a high energy requirement during the first few months of life because they are growing rapidly. They have small stomachs, so they usually need to be fed several small meals during the day to meet their calorie requirement. They should be fed an appropriate food, formulated for growth, because their nutrient needs are different from adult cats’ needs. Additionally, foods formulated for growth often have a higher number of calories per cup/can to meet kittens’ high energy demands.
By six months, kittens are about 75% of their adult size and their energy requirements are significantly lower – especially if they are spayed or neutered at this time. Kittens should still be fed a food formulated for growth until they are completely done growing (typically around 12 months). You can start slowly introducing adult food around 10 months, so that by 12 months your cat is fully transitioned to the new food.
Adult Cats
There are many food options available for your adult cat. It is important to select a food that is complete (contains all essential nutrients) and balanced (in the correct proportions), and you can find this information on a pet food label by looking for a nutritional adequacy statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). It is often best to choose a food formulated for adult maintenance, but in some cases, an all-life-stages food could be appropriate.
Once you select a food, it is important to feed the correct amount. Obesity is prevalent in domestic cats and this can result from an excess of calories. Once a cat becomes overweight, it can be challenging for them to lose the excess weight, so a better approach is to prevent them from becoming overweight in the first place. Whether you choose to feed dry, canned, or a combination, or whether you meal-feed or free feed, it is important to ensure that your cat receives the proper number of calories and gets enough physical activity.
Feeding the Individual
It is important to remember that when it comes to diet and feeding behaviors, each cat is an individual with unique needs and characteristics. The number of meals offered and the amount and type of food used will vary with individual preferences and activity levels. For example, outdoor cats may need more calories than less active indoor cats.
In addition, nutritional requirements and dietary preferences change over the course of the cat's lifetime. Kittens and adult cats have different nutritional needs and should have food specially formulated for these life stages. Cats with certain illnesses will benefit from a therapeutic food that may control symptoms and delay progression of disease.
Choosing a high-quality food from hundreds of available brands and types can be challenging. The pet food industry is competitive and relies on persuasive marketing to sell products. Not all pet foods are created equally, and while there are many balanced, commercially available diets, not all will be the best choice for your cat. It can be difficult to determine quality based strictly on reading the label.
Your veterinary healthcare team can help you interpret food label information based on scientific principles, and can help you choose a food that meets your cat's specific needs. When you have questions about a particular food or food ingredient, your best source of information is your veterinary healthcare provider.
