Good Cat Nutrition
Cats need the right nutrition so they can stay healthy and live a long and active life. By paying a little more on high quality cat food in the short term, you will undoubtedly save in the long run with low or non-existent trips to the vet. A common misconception is that cats need similar diets to that of dogs. This is not true, as dogs can eat totally vegetarian diets whereas being unable to digest vegetable based sources of proteins, cats cannot. Cats need amino acids such as taurine in their diet which only come from animal based sources of protein.
The nutritional needs to cats change throughout their lives. Kittens and young cats need extra nutrition to help them grow and develop correctly. Adult cats to senior cats need nutrition for maintaining strength and overall health. Their nutritional needs also depend on their activity levels as active, working cats will need many more calories each day than inactive, house cats.
Young cats and kittens need more protein per pound of body weight than adult cats as protein provides energy and helps growth. Fats are vital for good cat nutrition too as it is needed to maintain cell membranes and provide energy. Carbohydrates are not necessary for a cat and should be left out of their diet. Poor diets are often the result of the presence of too much carbohydrate. Water is a crucial component of a cat’s diet, whatever their age of condition. A full bowl of clean water should be available continuously, with extra being given at meals.
Meat based protein is very important for cats, as are a large number of other vitamins and nutrients including vitamin A ,vitamin E, niacin and taurine. Your vet can provide more information about special diets or considerations that your cat might need if you want to know more about diet. Pay close attention to the weight of your cat continuously as excess weight can be very detrimental to a cat’s health, and sometimes it can be difficult to see.
