Get Cat Care Tips

What Can You Feed a Cat? A Guide to Cat Diet and Nutrition

• Reina Marie Gonzales
• September 19, 2023December 4, 2023
• 0

Last Updated: December 4, 2023

What can you feed a cat? Whether you’re a new cat parent or an experienced one, one of your top concerns will be ensuring that you give your fur baby the right type of food. As I’ve mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, food is the source of many cat diseases, so it’s important that you choose food that will not only nourish your kitty but will also minimize any adverse effects.

Although my kitty Lucky is a healthy boy, I believe he would be even healthier if I knew then what I know now. So, I’m hoping this article helps you make the right choice on what to feed your lovely cat! 😊

What Essential Nutrients Do Cats Need?

As obligate carnivores, cats need nutrients that come mainly from animal products. As such, a balanced diet for them would consist of a small amount of carbohydrates, large amounts of protein, and moderate amounts of fat. In addition, cats need amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.

In addition to these nutrients, fresh and clean drinking water should be consistently available to your cat.

Do cats need to take supplements?

With cats needing over a dozen nutrients, you might consider giving them supplements. However, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine website, your cat doesn’t need to take supplements as long as they’re getting a balanced diet. In fact, the supplements may cause more harm than good, so be sure not to give them to your cat without the vet’s approval.

What are the Types of Commercial Cat Food?

The different types of commercially available cat food differ in digestibility, palatability, caloric density, protein level, and water content. Each has its own pros and cons, so be sure to weigh them when choosing what to feed your cat. In addition, your vet can give you advice on the specific diet that’s best for your kitty, depending on their age, weight, breed, and any health conditions they may have.

Dry Cat Food

Dry food typically contains six to ten percent water, along with the following ingredients: vitamin and mineral supplements; milk products; fiber sources; fish meal; grain and its byproducts; poultry and its byproducts; and meat and its byproducts.

Pros of dry cat food

• Cats like them because of the taste and crunch.
• It’s relatively cheap.
• You can leave it accessible for your cat to nibble on when you’re not at home.
• It has a long shelf life.
• It’s more energy-dense than the other types of food.

Cons of dry cat food

• It has less water content than wet cat food.
• It’s harder to digest than semi-moist or wet cat food.
• It has a higher carbohydrate content and a lower protein content than wet cat food.
• It would be difficult for cats with no or missing teeth to consume this type of food.

PRO TIP Refrain from giving your cat an all-dry food diet because the high level of carbohydrates in it can cause diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. In addition, its lack of moisture can cause urinary tract diseases and constipation.

Semi-Moist Cat Food

Semi-moist cat food is made mostly of meat and its byproducts, with about 20 to 65 percent moisture content.

Pros of Semi-moist cat food

• It has a higher water content than dry cat food.
• It is easy to store and feed your cat.
• Cats may find it tastier than the kibble.

Cons of Semi-moist cat food

• It may have readily available simple carbohydrates that are not suitable for cats with diabetes or those that require blood glucose.
• It can become dry and rancid once the package has been opened.

Wet (Canned) Cat Food

Wet cat food typically has more than 65 percent water content and has larger amounts of protein, fat, sodium, and phosphorus compared to semi-moist or dry cat foods.

The gourmet type of wet cat food is mainly made of meats, such as liver or kidney.

However, not all brands meet the minimum nutritional requirements set by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials), so it’s important that you read the labels or that you follow your vet’s recommendations.

Pros of Wet Cat Food

• Its high water content helps keep cats hydrated, which is especially important if they have conditions like cystitis (bladder inflammation), urinary crystals, kidney disease, or urinary tract disease.
• Its low carbohydrate content may make it appropriate for some cats with diabetes.
• It has more protein than other types of food. It also has an adequate amount of fat.
• Cats find it tasty.
• It comes in different varieties and flavors, making it easier to find something your cat likes.
• Cats with dental issues find it easier to consume.

Cons of Wet Cat Food

• This type of cat food is the most expensive.
• You can’t leave it out for your cat to eat while you’re away, as it gets spoiled after a few hours.
• Its high water content makes it less nutrient-dense, which means you’ll need to feed your cat more to ensure they receive all the necessary nutrients.

PRO TIP Refrigerate any uneaten wet food after it’s opened to keep its quality from deteriorating and to keep it from getting spoiled. Also, make sure it’s all consumed within 24 hours.

How to Choose the Appropriate Food for Your Kitty

1. Read the labels and compare the nutritional content of different brands.
2. Ask your vet for recommendations on the best type of food to give your cat. This is important, especially if your cat has a specific health condition.
3. Choose food with the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement, which signifies that the cat food is considered nutritionally balanced and complete. AAFCO’s FNE (Feline Nutrition Expert) subcommittee is responsible for establishing the nutritional standards for cats.
4. Choose cat food that contains adequate animal-source ingredients, as these provide your kitty with the fatty acids and amino acids they need. For this, look for cat food where meat, seafood, or meat byproducts are listed among the first ingredients.
5. Choose food that’s appropriate for the life stage your cat’s currently at, which can be any of the following: kitten, adult, pregnant, or lactating. Of course, there are also cat foods that are suitable for any life stage, which can be a great option for households with multiple cats at different life stages.
6. Once you have identified the food that contains the nutrients your cat needs, choose the type of food your kitty prefers: dry, semi-moist, wet, or a combination of these.

PRO TIP It’s best to give your cat a combination of the different types of food that have different flavors, too. They usually get tired of having the same food all the time, so giving them variety keeps their meals interesting.

PRO TIP Choose food from reliable brands like Hills Science Diet, Purina, and Iams, as they’re known for providing high-quality cat food.

Treats

Treats are like junk food, which means consuming too much of them can have adverse effects on one’s well-being. Well, the same is true for cats. Eating too many of them can lead to obesity and diabetes due to their high carbohydrate content. In addition, it can cause stomach upset, which can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Moreover, high-fat treats can lead to pancreatitis.

In this regard, give your cat treats occasionally, not as a meal replacement. Aside from their adverse effects on your cat’s health, they don’t have all the nutrients your cat needs to stay healthy. Ensure that treats do not comprise more than 10 percent of your cat’s daily caloric intake.

A couple of occasions that merit the use of treats are when training and bonding with your cat. You can use them as rewards to enforce positive behavior during training. You can also use them to express love and care when establishing a relationship with them. This will allow them to create a positive association between you and the treats, making them feel more comfortable around you.

PRO TIP Avoid giving your cat treats close to mealtime, as they can ruin your cat’s appetite.

RELATED: What Foods Are Deadly to Cats?

Prescription Cat Food

While it’s not necessary for a healthy cat to eat prescription food, I recommend that you ask your vet if you can keep your cat on a prescription diet if they have a health condition, even after they’ve recovered from it. A vet who checked my cat recently told me that the diseases they incur while they were young tend to recur as they grow older.

As a case in point, my cat had a urinary tract infection and kidney disease when he was a year old. Since the vet and my own research showed that those conditions were caused by the food he ate, I decided to keep him on a urinary diet (with the vet’s approval, of course). I’m happy to say that he’s never had to suffer from those diseases again (he’s now 9 as of this writing).

I also give him prescription dental food because dental treats, like any other treat, come with adverse effects.

PRO TIP Prescription cat food may cost less at your local vet clinic. The vet clinic I bring my cat to also allows me to return food if my cat doesn’t like it. If you think the food is too expensive, pet insurance can help pay for it. Just make sure they cover preventative care.

How Often Should You Feed Your Cat?

Cats are individuals, which means they may have their own preferences for when to eat. Some cats can eat 12 to 20 small meals a day, especially if they’re eating dry cat food. On the other hand, one to three large meals a day may be sufficient for those on a wet food diet.

A disadvantage to giving your cat one to three big meals a day is that they can get so hungry that they end up quickly gobbling their food, which in turn causes them to vomit or regurgitate. Because they eat so fast, they usually just swallow the food without chewing; in the process, they also ingest a lot of air. As such, the large pieces of unchewed food and the air in your cat’s stomach can come back up.

Likewise, if they go without food for too long, then acid can form in their stomach, making them vomit mucus, fluid, and yellow-colored bile. This is why cats who don’t eat throughout the night usually vomit in the morning. As such, it may be better to feed your cat more frequently or to always have food available for them to eat.

Of course, allowing your cat to graze or free-feed can also lead them to overeat and become overweight. In such an instance, one approach is to divide their daily caloric requirement into three meals of wet food and some dry food you can leave out for them to eat.

For example, if your cat needs 200 calories a day, you can allocate 50 calories for each of the three meals of canned food and use the remaining 50 calories for the dry food you leave for your cat to eat in between meals during the day or while you sleep.

How Much Should You Feed Your Cat?

How much you should feed your cat depends on several factors, such as your cat’s age, weight, activity level, and health condition. You also need to consider the type and quality of food you are offering, whether it is dry, wet, or a mix of both.

A general rule of thumb is that an adult cat requires around 25 calories for each pound of their body weight daily. However, this is only an average and may vary depending on your cat’s individual needs.

After determining your cat’s calorie needs, you can then examine the packaging of your cat’s food to find out the number of calories per can or cup. Then you can divide the overall calorie count by the quantity of meals you intend to provide your cat with daily. For example, if your cat requires 260 calories daily and you’re feeding them twice daily, you can provide 130 calories per feeding.

If you are feeding dry food, you can use a measuring cup to determine the correct portion of food. A cup of dry food usually has about 500 calories, so for a 10-pound cat who needs 260 calories per day, you would give them slightly more than 1/4 cup per meal.

If you are feeding wet food, you can check the label to see how many calories are in each can. A 3-ounce can of wet food usually has about 125 calories, so for the same cat, you would give them one can per meal.

You can also feed your cat a combination of dry and wet food, as long as you adjust the portions accordingly. For example, if you want to give your cat half dry and half wet food, you could give them 1/8 cup of dry food (about 65 calories) and half a can of wet food (about 65 calories) per meal.

PRO TIP Another way to keep your cat from overfeeding is to use an automatic feeder. You can set it so that it dispenses only a specific portion of kibbles at the intervals you determine.

What Can You Do If Your Cat Refuses to Eat?

A cat not eating can be a sign of illness, but before you start worrying, here are some things you can try:

• Give them a different flavor or type of food. Cats are finicky. Even if they love the food you give them, they may suddenly get tired of it and not want to eat it at all.
• Rotate two or three different flavors or types of food to keep your cat from getting bored with their meals.
• Place their food and water bowls away from dirty food dishes or their litter box. Cats like to keep everything clean and will not eat where they answer nature’s call.
• Put their food and water bowls in a quiet place where they will not be disturbed by other people or animals in the household.

If your cat still doesn’t want to eat despite trying everything, then it’s time to take them to the vet.

RELATED: What Foods Can Cats Eat That Humans Eat?

Final Thoughts

Food is an essential part of your cat’s care, so choosing the correct cat food is vital, taking into account your cat’s weight, age, and health condition. It’s also essential that you give your cat a balanced meal, that is, one comprising large amounts of protein, moderate amounts of fat, and a small amount of carbohydrates.

By making sure you give your kitty the right type of food, they are sure to remain healthy and have a long life, allowing the both of you to spend many happy years together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What nutrients are essential for cats?

Cats require vital nutrients primarily sourced from animal products, including substantial protein, moderate fat, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.

Is it necessary for cats to use supplements?

Giving your cat supplements isn’t required if they’re receiving a balanced diet. Moreover, it’s crucial to seek guidance from a veterinarian if you’re thinking about supplements, as they can potentially do more harm than good.

What types of commercial cat food are available?

Commercial cat food comes in various forms, including dry cat food, semi-moist cat food, and wet (canned) cat food. Each type has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of dry cat food?

Dry cat food is favored for its taste, affordability, and extended shelf life. However, it contains lower moisture levels, can be challenging to digest, and has a higher carbohydrate content.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of semi-moist cat food?

Semi-moist cat food is appreciated for its higher moisture content and ease of storage. However, it may contain simple carbohydrates and can become dry once opened.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wet (canned) cat food?

Wet cat food stands out due to its high moisture content, suitability for specific health conditions, and increased protein content. However, it tends to be more expensive, has a shorter shelf life, and is less nutrient-dense.

How can you select the appropriate food for your cat?

To make an informed choice, carefully examine product labels, seek advice from your veterinarian, ensure the food has the AAFCO statement, prioritize options with ample animal-source ingredients, consider your cat’s life stage, and cater to their food preferences.

What’s the recommended feeding frequency for cats?

Feeding frequency should accommodate your cat’s preferences. Some cats may prefer 12–20 small meals a day, especially with dry food, while others may find 1-3 larger meals of canned food sufficient.

How much should you feed your cat?

The right quantity varies depending on factors like your cat’s weight, age, level of activity, and type of food. A general guideline is to provide about 25 calories per pound of body weight daily, with adjustments based on the specific food type.

What steps can you take if your cat refuses to eat?

When your cat turns down food, consider offering different flavors or food types, rotating their meal options, maintaining a clean eating area, and placing their food in a quiet, uninterrupted location. If the issue persists, it’s advisable to consult your veterinarian for guidance.