Different diets for cats – What to feed your cat

As a loving pet parent, you want to make sure your cat is healthy and happy, and that entails providing them with optimal nutrition. But what exactly is optimal for your cat? When it comes to pets and dietary matters, there’s a lot of advice, often contradictory.

Here’s our take on the current guidelines and best general advice on cat diets and nutrition. Your cat may have more specific needs. We highly recommend consulting your vet or an animal nutritionist to obtain personalised guidance on choosing the appropriate food, portion sizes, and feeding schedule for your cat’s individual requirements.

Feeding guidelines

Feeding your cat the right amount of food is just as important as choosing the right food. Overfeeding can lead to obesity and other health issues, while underfeeding can lead to malnutrition and other health problems.

General guidelines for feeding your cat:

1. Feed your cat a food that is formulated specifically for their age and stage of life.
2. Follow the feeding instructions on the pet food label regarding how much to feed your cat, as this can vary considerably between products. Consult your vet if you need more specific advice.
3. Treats should not make up more than 10% of your cat’s daily caloric intake. Choose healthy, low-calorie treats, and avoid feeding table scraps.
4. Make sure your cat always has access to fresh, clean water.

Feeding schedule vs free feeding

Feeding your cat on a regular schedule, e.g. 7 am and 7 pm, can help prevent overeating and establish a routine. On the other hand, free feeding – where food is left out all the time to be eaten at your cat’s will – is thought to increase the risk of obesity.

Free-feeding is usually done with dry food. This is convenient for pet parents, as their cat can eat when they want and will ideally self-regulate how much they need. However, some cats who are fed this way do overeat and put on excess weight.

If you are not free-feeding, adult cats generally need to be fed two meals per day. Busy pet parents be assisted by automatic feeders that release a measured amount of food at pre-programmed times.

Commercial cat foods

There are two main types of commercial pet food: dry and wet.

Dry food, also known as kibble, is the most popular type of pet food. It is convenient and can be left out for pets to eat throughout the day. Dry foods are generally more calorie-dense than wet foods.

Wet food, also known as canned food, is typically more expensive than dry food but is often more palatable for cats. It contains more moisture than dry food, which can be beneficial for pets who don’t drink enough water. Wet food is also easier to digest than dry food and can be a good option for pets with digestive issues.

What to look for in commercial cat foods

It is important to feed your cat a high-quality, premium commercial food that is appropriate for their life stage and health status. To do so, it’s important to know what to look for on the packaging.

• Check ingredients for high protein content, with the main ingredients being one or more of chicken, turkey, duck, fish and other recognisable proteins. Choose wet foods containing mostly real meat and fish combined with a meat broth.
• Check ingredients for essential nutrients like taurine, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins such as A, D, and E, which help in maintaining healthy eyes, a vibrant coat, and overall well-being.
• Check for the following labels: GMO-free, antibiotic-free, preservative-free and filler-free.
• Check packaging for “complete and balanced” which signifies that the product meets the nutritional needs of your cat. Unfortunately, many carbohydrate-loaded products also qualify for as complete and balanced, so make sure to still check the ingredients list first.
• Check kibble (dry) packaging for “AAFCO compliant” (Association of American Feed Control Officials).

What to avoid in commercial cat foods

Cats are carnivores, so be wary of any products that contains a majority of cereals, grains, starchy vegetables and other non-meat products. Unfortunately, this is the case in many of the cheaper and most popular brands, largely because it keeps down production costs. This does mean that healthier, meat-based products are more expensive, but for good reason.

Always read the ingredients panels of any cat food you are considering before you purchase it, and if possible, base your decision on the quality of the ingredients rather than on the cost of the product.

Alternatives to commercial cat foods

Raw feeding

A raw feeding diet involves providing cats with uncooked, natural ingredients to mimic their ancestral diet. It comprises a combination of raw meat, raw organs and raw meaty bones such as chicken necks. These contain essential nutrients, including amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, which promote overall health and well-being.

It’s important to do your research and consult an expert before embarking on raw feeding your cat, so as to make sure you are providing all the nutrition they need, with the right balance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats. Be aware that you should only feed human-grade raw meat, organs and bones, because bone products, pet meat, pet mince and pet rolls can contain preservatives that can be detrimental to your cat’s health.

If raw feeding sounds appealing but too challenging, freeze-dried and air-dried raw food specifically for cats can provide a balanced and safe way to feed a raw and whole-prey diet. These products come with the convenience and simplicity of kibble but without the challenges that come with feeding a conventional raw diet.

Home made cat food

Although home cooking may seem like a more nutritious option than commercial cat foods, feeding your feline an exclusively home-made diet that is complete and balanced can be challenging. There’s a risk that a home made diet won’t supply all the essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids required in the right ratios.

Home made cat food often lacks a good source of omega-3 fatty acids for brain and eye development and can lead to taurine deficiencies, which can cause blindness and heart failure in cats. Therefore, we recommend that a home made cat food diet should be underaken only with the support and guidance of a vet or animal nutritionist.

Home made cat food does not have to be an exclusive choice; if your prefer, you can feed it to your cat as a supplement to commercial food. One advantage of supplementing with home made cat food is that it exposes your cat to a wider variety of flavours and textures.

Many cats develop strong dietary preferences from an early age, both in terms of texture (dry or wet) and flavour. To reduce the likelihood of a fussy cat who will only eat one particular brand or type of food, you can try adding a small amount of one or more of the following home made options to your cat’s meals from time to time:

• Home made bone broth
• Lightly cooked or warmed raw meat
• Cooked pumpkin
• Psyllium husks, flaxseeds, chia seeds
• Scrambled or boiled egg

Can cats be vegetarian?

No, a vegetarian diet is not a suitable option for cats.Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they must derive some of their nutrients from animal sources and have a higher protein requirement than dogs. They have unique nutritional needs, including essential nutrients like taurine and arachidonic acid, which are crucial for heart health, vision, and overall well-being. These nutrients are only found naturally in animal tissue. Taurine deficiency can lead to serious issues like dilated cardiomyopathy (an often-fatal heart condition) and blindness.

Cats also don’t digest carbohydrates well, so diets high in vegetables may be more challenging for them. To support animal welfare, choose cat food brands with humane and transparent farming practices.

Transitioning to a new diet or type of food

If you want to change your cat’s diet or transition to a different brand of cat food, it’s best to do so gradually over a week or more to avoid possible stomach irritation. Introduce news foods slowly, giving your cat the opportunity to adjust, both behaviourally and digestively.

If your cat is shifting away from a highly processed diet, their gut microbiome (the microorganisms and populations of bacteria that assist with digestion and nutrient absorption) may need some time to adapt. Some cats do have more sensitive stomachs than others, so in these cases this can take longer and require a bit more persistence and patience.

If your cat is fussy or sensitive, you may find it preferable to add small amounts of the new food, mixed in with their old food. Start with up to 1/4 of the new food and gradually increase it as they get used to it, decreasing their old food until you are feeding only the new food.

Foods you should not feed your cat

Cats have unique nutritional needs, and it’s best to provide them with a balanced and species-appropriate diet specifically formulated for feline consumption. While tempting, feeding your cat human food should be approached with caution.

To prevent potential health issues, don’t feed your cat these foods:

• Milk and dairy products (most cats are lactose intolerant)
• Tuna (a steady diet of tuna can cause malnutrition and mercury poisoning)
• Table scraps (can cause digestive issues)
• Dog or puppy food (doesn’t provide the correct nutrients for cats)
• Processed meats, including sausages
• Cooked bones (can splinter, causing intestinal cuts or blockage)

Some foods are toxic to cats and should be avoided at all costs. These include:

• Caffeine
• Chocolate
• Grapes and raisins
• Onions and garlic
• Macadamia nuts
• Alcohol

Read our article Emergency cat food: The human foods cats can eat

Water is an essential part of your cat’s diet

In summary

The right nutrition is important throughout a cat’s life to ensure they live their best possible lives. Their diet needs to provide the right amount calories, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals that their bodies require, and this is best achieved by feeding a high quality, balanced and complete premium cat food that is predominantly comprised of good sources of protein.

Always read the ingredients panels of any cat food you are considering before you purchase it, and avoid any products that contains a high amount of cereals, grains, starchy vegetables and other non-meat products. If possible, base your decision on the quality of the ingredients rather than on the cost of the product.

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