One of the most common questions we are asked is “What should I feed my pet?” Since the most important contribution you can make to your pet’s health and well being is his or her daily diet, it’s a question that deserves a good answer.
Don’t base your food choices on what you would like to eat, as many pet food manufacturers would like you to do.Cats are colour blind, so they don’t care whether their food is red or brown. They also don’t care if it looks like beef stew or little pork chops! The fancier the food looks, the more you are paying for unnecessary artificial colouring, flavouring and preservatives.
A dry food is best for your pet’s teeth and gums, so the majority of your cat’s nutritional needs should be met with a DRY type food. Canned foods are much more expensive to feed, as you are paying for a lot of water and extra packaging. Many people like to supplement their pet’s diet with some canned food, and this is fine as long as you pick a good one, and don’t overdo it. Canned foods are more likely to have excesses of protein, which can cause or contribute to kidney disease as your pet ages, as well as being worse for your pet’s teeth.
Recommendation
We usually recommend Hill’s or Purina pet foods because of its consistent high quality. Premium foods contain superior nutrition over supermarket brands. They are extensively tested and meet rigid standards with no ingredient substitutions. The finest pet foods are formulated with controlled levels of key nutrients like fat, protein, phosphorus and magnesium to help reduce the risk of such problems as obesity and kidney disease.
That is why, even though supermarket brands provide adequate nutrition for many pets, we still recommend that you feed your pet the best you can buy. Not only are you getting better nutrition for your pet, but also the daily cost to you is often not any greater than if you were feeding a cheaper brand. Better foods may cost more per bag, but the superior nutrition and better digestibility of these foods means you feed less per day, you clean up less stool later, and your veterinary bills for nutritionally related diseases will be less as well.
What about treats?
An increasing number of cat owners, feed treats to their pets, as well as their regular food. Treats are rarely “complete and balanced”, and are often loaded with salt, fat, artificial colourings and preservatives, all of which comprise “junk food” for animals. A daily vitamin and some biscuits every day will not harm your pet unless it has a diet related disease, but it’s best to give these items in moderation. Stick with a crunchy biscuit type of treat for your dog. Some of them are better than others. Read labels before you buy. Also, these biscuits help slow the build up of dental tartar, but they cannot remove tartar once it is present. Your pet will still need dental care even if you feed him this type of snack.
Supplements & Calories
Do not give any vitamin or mineral supplements to your dog or cat without veterinary advice. These types of supplements can easily cause harmful nutrient excesses.
Kittens need lots of calories to grow on, and plenty of fresh water. Until they are 4 months old, feed 3 to 4 meals a day. Kitten food may be left out all the time.
Frequency
Cats are nibblers and need at least 2 meals a day throughout their lives.
The most important daily contribution you will make to your pet’s health
is his or her diet. So choose wisely, and feel free to consult with us about any
nutritional questions you may have.
We’re here to help you!
01722 416245
