Introduction to Cat Care - Your New Cat: Lesson 3 - Food and Water

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Introduction to Cat Care - Your New Cat Lesson 3 - Food and Water From Franny Syufy, your Guide to Cats The diet a cat gets early in life will set the pace for his lifelong health and well-being. Your knowledge of cat food ingredients will help ensure not only longevity, but the quality of life you want for your new family member. Although this class is presented in one day, the content is something you should review for weeks and months ahead, until you feel secure in your knowledge. Better yet, once you have completed this course, consider enrolling in my 5-week course on The Role of Food in Your Cat's Health. Although some of the information will be reviews of content in this lesson, there will be a great deal of additional information and resources you can use. For questions that may not be fully covered in this lesson, bookmark the Cat Food FAQs page - frequently answered questions about cat food and nutrition. Cat Food: Your Most Important Choice for Good Health Choosing a Starting Food Cats get along better in the first two weeks if they are fed the same foods they were given in their previous setting. If you don't know what they are presently eating, I'd suggest starting with a premium dry food. Nutro Natural is a good choice - economical, and cats seem to like it universally. Once you're assured the new diet doesn't cause tummy upsets, you can proceed with a final diet plan. Start off Right with a Premium Food Please don't practice "false economy" by buying cheap grocery store foods. Cats have an innate ability to know when they have consumed the nutrients they need for growth and development. It has been found that they will eat lesser amounts of premium foods, which are packed with high-quality nutrients, which will effectively even out your costs. Learn How to Knowledgeably Choose Cat Foods Cheap commercial foods usually are packed with carbohydrate fillers and provide a low-quality protein source. Read this article throughout, then go on to read Understanding Cat Food Labels. You'll then be an expert in selecting quality cat food, and can move on to the A-Z Food Ingredients. list to make your selections easier. Don't Forget Canned Food Although dry food is often considered a "staple" diet, particularly when working adults are away from home a large part of the day, cats should eat canned food regularly. Ideally, a cat's diet should be canned food, supplemented with dry. If you work, you can offer canned food in the morning and again at night, and leave dry food down for free-feeding. My own Top Picks of Canned Food will give you some guidelines. Kittens Have Special Needs Kittens need a more densely-packed diet for the development of strong bones and teeth and healthy, supple muscles and organs. Although adult food won't harm a kitten, it does not contain the growth nutrients he needs. Please don't practice false economy (there's that phrase again) by feeding your kitten adult food. Food and Water Dishes Although plastic bowls may seem economical and practical, some cats will develop allergic reactions to the plastic, causing itchy bumps on the chin. Plastic also scratches easily, and the scratches harbor harmful bacteria. Choose instead sturdy ceramic (with lead-free glaze) or stainless steel food and water dishes. Make sure the bowls are tip-proof, with a broad, solid bottom. Water - The Stuff of Life What's in Your Cat's Water? Although domestic cats descended from the desert, they need water for survival. A dry food diet calls for extra water, so be sure your cat is supplied with clean, fresh water at all times in convenient locations. Change the water every day, particularly if your municipal source contains excessive minerals. In that case, I suggest using bottled drinking water for both you and your cats. Consider an Automatic Water Dispenser If you are a "working parent," I strongly urge you to look into an automatic watering system for your cat. My cats have two of them, and they love their fresh, clean, filtered water. We used bottled water because our municipal water tastes "yucky," and on warm days I frequently float a few ice cubes in the water for added interest. Tomorrow we'll talk about litter boxes and beds. Have a great day! This email is written by: Franny Syufy Cats Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Missing a lesson? Click here. About U. is our collection of free online courses designed to help you learn a new skill, solve a problem, get something done, or just learn more about your world. Sign up now, and we will email you lessons on a daily or weekly basis. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the About.com 'Introduction to Cat Care - Your New Cat' email. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2010 About.com   Advertisement