Below you will find 6 of the most ask questions and answers that interest your cat community, if you have more questions, leave a message in the comment section underneath the article.
Q: Does my cat need to have meat in his/her diet?
A: Domestic cats are descended from strict meat eaters, and their behavior reveals their carnivorous nature. When hunting, domestic cats will seek small prey such as mice, birds, and insects. They may even kill and eat a rabbit. They will stop eating a meal of commercial cat food and go off hunting if distracted by potential prey. The particular chemistry and structure of the cat’s gastrointestinal system is well-suited to digesting and absorbing nutrients from animal-based proteins and fats. Vegan and vegetarian diets can result in harmful deficiencies of major essential amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins.
Q: Does my cat need fiber in his/her diet?
A: Fiber in the diet is great for overall gastrointestinal health and may help overweight cats trim down. Dietary fiber is thought to help maintain proper weight by diluting the caloric density of the food and through physical effects and hormonal inter- actions.
For reasons not yet quite understood, dietary fiber also seems to help in the man- agement of mild hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), a relatively common problem in older cats. On the other hand, too much fiber in the diet can decrease the digestibility of other important nutrients. Also, certain features of your cat’s intestinal tract, including a relatively small colon and nonfunctional cecum, suggest that cats may not be able to utilize dietary fibers as well as other animals. Meals should not have more than 10% fiber.
Q: How often should I feed and provide water to my cat?
A: in the wild, cats would eat between 12 and 20 small meals a day, evenly spread out over 24-hours. That’s not possible with domestic cats, but you should aim to feeding your cat more than once or twice a day, preferably between 3 (minimum) to 6 times, offering smaller portions each time. Free feeding is not the answer as most domestic cats aren’t very active and if bored they tend to eat themselves fat. Fresh water should be available at all times, but the amount needed varies with the type of diet you provide and the environmental conditions.
Cats don’t drink as much per kilogram of body weight as do dogs do, because of their evolution as desert animals. Cats will drink approximately 2 milliliters of water for every gram of dry food they eat. Whereas dogs will drink enough water to replace 6% of their body weight in one hour, cats will take 24 hours to do the same. The weak thirst drive of cats puts some cats at higher risk of developing urinary tract stones and more severe kidney issues. Since launching Pawsome back in 2016, we have seen cats between the age of 2 and 4 already showing mild to severe kidney problems. Therefore cats are better off eating foods that contain a lot of water around 78–82%.
Q: How can I help my overweight cat slim down?
A: The most obvious answer is to put less of the same type of food in his/her bowl each day, still allowing him/her to eat at all times of the day. This is not the same as letting your cat eat as much as he/she wants at all times. About 30 to 40% of cats will overeat and become fat if given the opportunity. One option is to feed low calorie food. It’s also important to remember to keep your cat from sampling the cat-next-door’s food, or giving your cat access to food that other cats eat in the same household. Please also refrain from giving table scraps.
Q: Is it true that cats can be very picky?
A: It is true that taste, texture, and moisture content of food is more important to cats than it is to dogs. Cats will choose foods on the basis of these features rather than nutritional adequacy. That is why it is important for cat pawrents to make sure their cats are getting the recommended amounts and mix of all of the essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. In contrast to dogs, cats will not eat a powdered, commercial diet. They will, however, eat the same diet if it is provided as pellets, in a mash, or in gel or cream form. It’s is important to closely pay attention to commercial foods ingredient lists. An ingredient list mostly citing tuna, is not balanced, even though the smell and texture attracts cats easily and seems easier to be fed. Cats are also more sensitive to bitter taste than dogs are and prefer warm over cold food.
Exposure to certain flavors and textures of food early in life can shape strong preferences later on, as can meal temperature, odor, texture, and taste. It’s important to gradually mix the familiar food with the new food before switching completely.
Q: My cat does not seem to be enticed by food, I have tried many different foods. What can I do to get her/him to eat more?
A: Some cats seem not to be food motivated, they graze food and walk away from it, despite you having tried to offer your feline friend a variety of food offers. In the wild, cats may play for hours with their prey before finally killing and eating some of it. It’s their natural hunter instinct and that may be key to motivating your cat to finally eat. Why not try to initiate play time before each feeding, make your cat work for his/her food just like in the wild.
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