The optimal diet plan for your cat most include quality food and plenty of fresh water. Bear in mind that the more water contained in your favorite cat food, the more of it your cat will need to eat to stay healthy. Dry food has no water, canned food has a high percentage. On average, a cat will require three times the amount of canned food then dry food. Another point to remember is that cats in different life stages, require different types of food. Kittens, adult cats and seniors all have different requirement.
You should feed the adult cat at least two meals a day or leave food available for his to pick at. In order to satisfy his requirements, feed him one ounce of canned food per pound of body weight or one ounce of dry food for every three pounds of body weight. A lot of young cats, those less than four years of age, are extremely active and actually eat the right amount to maintain a healthy body weight. As your cat ages, he may start gaining additional weight. If he’s gaining excessive weight, take a trip to your vet with your cat for help with his diet.
Keep in mind, water is likewise a vital nutrient. The cat requires that fresh clean water always be available. Your cat should drink about a quantity of water equal to about twice what he eats in dry food. Canned cat food contains more than seventy-five percent water, so a cat on a canned food diet will drink very little additional water.
If your cat is less than a year in age, feed her canned, semi-moist, or dry cat food that is specially made for a kitten or really young cat. For adult pet cats one to nine years of age, use canned, semi-moist food, or dry food for an adult cat. For older felines, nine years or older, feed your cat canned food, semi-moist food, or dry food and get a formula specially made for your older cat. Kitten food is usually labeled for kittens. Adult food usually contains the word adult on the label and food for older cats normally contains the word senior or geriatric. Special circumstances such as pregnancy and nursing or even the cats personality can dramatically impact nutritional needs. Active pet cats need more calories, while the inactive cat needs less. You must know your cat and monitor his weight to provide him or her with a proper diet.
Underweight cats should be fed fifty percent more than the normal amount. Think about switching over to a food with greater protein and fat material which will minimize the need to increase the cats food quantity and will maintain his normal routine. If your cat is just a little bit too thin and this is common in particularly active young male pet cats, think about increasing his or her daily food by about twenty-five percent. Keep a close watch on his weight when adding extra food. Slightly heavy felines really require more exercise, so you should play with him or her more often. Progressively increase exercise over a two week period unless your cat has health issues, remember to always discuss your intended actions with your cats vet. If the additional exercise fails to reduce his weight, cut his regular intake of food by a quarter. For a really fat or overweight cat, you must stop all additional snacks. Increase his exercise slowly over several weeks if your cat is healthy. If these procedures fail, lower his overall food consumption by a third, switch over to a reduced fat/high fiber diet, and call your veterinarian to create a diet plan. Inquire about specialized diets that will reduce his weight while still supplying the necessary well balanced nourishment.
When trying to help your cat reach his optimal weight, remember to always make a visit to your veterinarian with your cat to make sure that your cat’s body condition is not due to sickness or disease.
