Nutritional Foods for Cats

Ingredients

• Cats are strict or obligate carnivores that rely on the ingredients supplied in different types of meats to satisfy their nutritional needs, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. A cat requires a diet primarily consisting of protein from sources such as chicken, beef, lamb or fish. In addition to protein, cats require a moderate amount of fats and a small amount of carbohydrates. To maintain proper heart function, cats require taurine, an amino acid obtained from animal-based proteins, in their diet. Cats also need arginine, another amino acid, fatty acids such as arachidonic acid and linoleic acid, and a pre-formed vitamin A, all ingredients from meat-based proteins, according to the Doctors Foster and Smith website.

Types

• Cat foods come in dry kibble, canned or pouched moist and semimoist varieties. Manufacturers make dry cat food from a combination of meat, grain, vegetable, vitamins and minerals that they form into bite-sized pieces and dry. The resulting food is coated with animal fat to make it palatable to your cat and contains a very small percentage of water. Semimoist food has a softer consistency than dry kibble and contains a higher percentage of water. You can free-feed both of these foods to your cat since they do not spoil when left out. Canned or pouched cat food contains at least 75 percent water, is highly palatable to your cat and has the longest shelf life of all cat foods, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. You must refrigerate any leftover food to prevent spoilage.

Quality

• Cat foods come in different qualities, based on the types of animal proteins included in the food. Since manufacturers must list the ingredients of the food by weight, consider those listed first as the most important, when purchasing a food for your cat. High-quality protein sources such as chicken, salmon or beef provide your cat with good sources of essential nutrients. The Association of American Feed Control Officials has a set of standards to ensure a food provides your cat with its daily recommended dose of vitamins, minerals and proteins. These standards also regulate the safety of ingredients. Cat food manufacturers who follow these standards for health and safety list this on the packaging for the food. Look for the AAFCO seal to ensure your food contains safe, quality ingredients.

Considerations

• When choosing a nutritionally balance food for your cat, consider its condition and age. Canned and dry foods come in varieties designed for different life stages of your cat, including kitten, adult and senior formulations. Each of these types of food contains a specific combination of vitamins and minerals that satisfy the nutritional requirements of cats under 1 year old for kittens, 1 to 7 years old for adult cats, and over 7 years old for senior cats. Look for foods with high-quality proteins and stay away from foods containing by-products made from lower-quality parts of animals that have less nutritional value. Avoid foods with artificial colorings, artificial flavorings, and chemical preservatives. Overweight or obese cats need a low-calorie, high-fiber diet specially formulated to address this issue.