Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
can help increase its odor and palatability. Be sure to stir it to avoid hot
spots. Ideally, cats like their food at room temperature.
Recent studies have found that cats with certain health problems,
such as lower urinary tract disease and diabetes mellitus, do better on
canned diets. For picky eaters, cats who need to gain weight or those
who need to consume more water, canned food is also a better choice.
Cats who are prone to urinary tract problems may benefit from canned
food because its high water content helps produce more dilute urine.
If you own a cat with lower urinary tract disease, you should avoid
feeding your cat foods with seafood products.These foods contain high
levels of minerals such as magnesium, which can contribute to the for-
mation of crystals in the urine.
Feeding a combination of canned and dry food to a healthy cat is a
good idea. Cats who eat only canned food tend to build up more
plaque and tartar on their teeth than those who also eat some dry food.
People today are more aware of their own nutrition and health,
and they want to know about what their pets consume. Most dry cat
foods are chemically stabilized and preserved.The safety of these chem-
icals is constantly being challenged, and pet food manufacturers are
constantly defending their safety—backed up by the Food and Drug
DO CATS NEED
FOOD ALL DAY?
We tend to think of cats as grazers who eat a few bites of food at a
time over the course of a whole day. But free access to food is not
necessary for most cats, and grazers can get fat if they consume too
many calories. Dry food can be very concentrated, and feeding your
cat more than half a cup a day of many brands can cause obesity.
Most adult, indoor cats tend to gain weight if their bowls are kept
constantly full.When feeding dry food, check the food label and
consult with your veterinarian to establish feeding guidelines.Then
feed your cat two or more smaller meals a day—some canned, some
dry—to control how much she eats. Another option is to feed a
little canned food once or twice a day and leave out some dry food
during the intervening periods.These methods only work if
portions and between-meal treats are measured and controlled.
