Please NOTE: this page is work-in-progress and is not finished yet. Check it later for all items completed
Q: Should I free-feed (aka, on-demand feeding) my cat/kitten?
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Second, - you are missing opportunity for training because cat is not motivated. Food is a great motivator!
And, the MOST importantly - you are not feeding the right food (i.e., kibble) and raising a fat, lazy and "misbehaving" cat. But obesity is a #1 for health problems, so it will eventually cost you in vet expenses and you cat in health issues dearly.
And, the MOST importantly - you are not feeding the right food (i.e., kibble) and raising a fat, lazy and "misbehaving" cat. But obesity is a #1 for health problems, so it will eventually cost you in vet expenses and you cat in health issues dearly.
Q: How many times to feed?
A: It depends...
Mostly on the age of the kitten/cat but also its appetite:
If he is lazying all day long and sleeping without much stimulation he will probably be less hungry then a happy active cat. All animals (humans included) should eat when they are hungry and not because there's nothing else to do. But bored and depressed cats sometimes are happy to eat just because it is the most exciting activity in their day, let alone SOME attention from the owner. Needless to say that such cats are usually overweight and eventually sick with diabetes, urinary problems, and all kinds of different ailments.
The following minimal schedule is appropriate for most cats and their owners (adjust to your family life-style):
Mostly on the age of the kitten/cat but also its appetite:
If he is lazying all day long and sleeping without much stimulation he will probably be less hungry then a happy active cat. All animals (humans included) should eat when they are hungry and not because there's nothing else to do. But bored and depressed cats sometimes are happy to eat just because it is the most exciting activity in their day, let alone SOME attention from the owner. Needless to say that such cats are usually overweight and eventually sick with diabetes, urinary problems, and all kinds of different ailments.
The following minimal schedule is appropriate for most cats and their owners (adjust to your family life-style):
- 3-4 months = 4 times/day;
- 4-6 months = 3-4 times;
- 6-12 months = 3 times;
- 1year old+ = 2 times a day until he is a very senior cat that, again, requires smaller meals at shorter intervals
Q: How much to feed?
Kittens have tiny stomachs - the size of a quarter! - so when they eat few large meals they may suffer bloating and vomiting, especially if strenuous activity (such as an active vigorous play) is enforced on them. Naturally, after a meal they will need to take a cat-nap, so don't over-stimulate them after a meal (feed AFTER playing).
Growing kittens, like growing babies, need TWICE as MUCH calories as adults - because of their growth and energy spending. They have to eat frequently and relatively lot! I never limit my kittens while they are still growing and not before they are neutered. After that you can and should start watching potential weight gain as their metabolism slows down. I have never seen gluttony in cats (unless very bored and fed kibble exclusively) and the little ones need much more QUALITY food to grow and develop to be a healthy adult cat.
Growing kittens, like growing babies, need TWICE as MUCH calories as adults - because of their growth and energy spending. They have to eat frequently and relatively lot! I never limit my kittens while they are still growing and not before they are neutered. After that you can and should start watching potential weight gain as their metabolism slows down. I have never seen gluttony in cats (unless very bored and fed kibble exclusively) and the little ones need much more QUALITY food to grow and develop to be a healthy adult cat.
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Kittens should be always excited about food and eat with gusto, so if your young kitten is refusing to eat it is either sick and needs to be checked by the vet or already spoiled (see FINIKY CATS section) or you feeding him him more than he needs. |
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But, if the (adult) kitty's gaining weight, I would rather increase his activity level rather than reduce frequency and amount of feeding. Keep in mind that unlike dogs that gobble their food, cats nibble, then go away and return to have more, so if you leave enough food between the meals, they will be eating more frequently in smaller portions - as they intended to eat. |
If you happened to have an unusual "glutton" kitty that gobbles its food like a puppy (or maybe is learning from one), one way to slow him/her down is to use a very large flat dish and spread the food on it.
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If he has not finished all you gave him OR he is fussing and turns his nose the other way (beware: he is training you!), leave it out for 20-30 min then remove until the next feeding. Do NOT offer an alternative - that what he is trying to achieve as his training goal for you :)
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However, if you leave their food for too long (for more than an hour or so at a time), they will probably not touch the stale food because they like their food fresh and slightly warm (at body temperature, like that of their prey).
However, if you leave their food for too long (for more than an hour or so at a time), they will probably not touch the stale food because they like their food fresh and slightly warm (at body temperature, like that of their prey).
I recommend following the guidelines outlined in the National Research Council and further explained here:
ADULT CATS (1 yo and older)
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/nrc-nutritional-requirements-for-adult-cats/?mc_cid=4b9a99ca3b&mc_eid=72022ceec1
KITTEN RAW FEEDING GUIDELINEShttps://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-kitten-guides/
Q: When to feed or NOT to feed?
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Feed immediately after a training session (any treats you gave him count towards that meal!) and before you go to bed. Do NOT feed first thing in the morning or when the kitten demands it (or you assume he does) - you got it: he is training YOU! If you do, he will start his demands earlier and earlier every day until you are totally enslaved (don't you worry - you WILL be anyway without even trying). |
Please note a COMMON mistake of cat owners:
A kitten is rubbing against their feet affectionately marking them and saying "MEOW, - you are mine and I love to be around you". The owner then instead of returning the favor in the cat's way by rubbing their hand against the kitty (humans call it "petting"), ask "oh, my dear, what do you WANT? - You are probably hungry poor thing, do you want to eat?" "Always!" - excitingly answers the kitty and thinks to himself ("and my cat-mama used to say that I have to WORK for food? - apparently not when I am with these kind people! Now I know HOW to get them to feed me").
And HE doesn't even feed YOU after this training session! Mission accomplished and case closed.
A kitten is rubbing against their feet affectionately marking them and saying "MEOW, - you are mine and I love to be around you". The owner then instead of returning the favor in the cat's way by rubbing their hand against the kitty (humans call it "petting"), ask "oh, my dear, what do you WANT? - You are probably hungry poor thing, do you want to eat?" "Always!" - excitingly answers the kitty and thinks to himself ("and my cat-mama used to say that I have to WORK for food? - apparently not when I am with these kind people! Now I know HOW to get them to feed me").
And HE doesn't even feed YOU after this training session! Mission accomplished and case closed.
Q: What to feed?
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Those that know me, know that my ONLY answer would be: RAW natural wholesome food. I am very passionate about feeding my cats high quality food because it is the best way to health. "We are what we eat - and cats are even more so!
As OBLIGATE CARNIVORES, this is the ONLY species-appropriate food cats THRIVE on, that is what they are "designed" to eat. |
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Sadly, most owners either prefer to feed them easy and very expensive commercial diet or, simply scared by the pet food industry and afraid to make a mistake and feed them incorrectly. Of course we are all busy people and have no time for extra-cooking, but those who consider their "pets" family members and even babies, should try to treat them as such too. Not to mention, that home-made raw food from quality ingredients is MUCH cheaper than any commercial one, including canned!
I am pretty sure that most mothers do not feed their kids out of cans and boxes day after day, so the same - and MORE - applies to animals, especially wild carnivores like cats. Sure, they SURVIVE on almost anything - but don't you want them to be healthy and happy too?
But what if you agree but REALLY have problem with raw (most of those problems are just mis-information, though)? Then the next best thing will be LIGHTLY cooked homemade on the same basis, and even canned. For more specific recommendations, see Alternatives to Raw Feeding below.
Have you noticed that recently most of the commercial pet food labels put descriptions such as "made of human grade...", "...raw coated kibble", "dry raw" and show you pictures of real chickens?
=>There are a lot of oxymorons here:
What they are trying to say, or rather AVOID saying - is that it is IN-edible and IN-appropriate for consumption leftovers of human food preparation. Cats in particular, are VERY sensitive to the quality and freshness of their food. Unlike their omnivore and scavenger counterparts, dogs, that - if not too spoiled, of course - will eat containers the cat food was in, cats are the best "food safety controlling devices".
So, WHY am I SO adamant about raw food? Isn't the fact that our cats LOVE to eat dry and even get addicted to it a sign that it is good for them? Pet food manufacturers spend millions of dollars on research. Don't they do a good job?
Yes, they do research, a LOT. But the important thing they do not tell you is that what they are researching is NOT quality but "palatability" - they add all kind of "food enhancers" that make that kibble so addictive!
The simple fact is that carnivores eat meat. Period! - and cats are not "JUST" carnivores (i.e., meat eaters), - they are OBLIGATE carnivores, which means that they CANNOT SURVIVE without meat and REQUIRE between 94 and 97% meat in their diet!
Why is that? Because, unlike humans and dogs, cats are unable to produce some essential elements in their bodies they can only get from their prey. Cats are pretty "new" in the evolution of domestic animas. In fact, they are hardly domesticated at all and can survive perfectly well without our involvement even today. They have never "evolved" their nutritional requirements (like dogs) away from what they would eat if given a chance: mice, birds and insects. So, some of those nutrients they abundantly available in their prey, they still get from their prey. Everybody heard of amino-acid Taurine that is required for building proteins in our bodies but there are also few other nutrients and vitamins that they get only food (vit D, for instance).That's why there are NO cat-vegetarians in nature: Please don't try it at home.
I am pretty sure that most mothers do not feed their kids out of cans and boxes day after day, so the same - and MORE - applies to animals, especially wild carnivores like cats. Sure, they SURVIVE on almost anything - but don't you want them to be healthy and happy too?
But what if you agree but REALLY have problem with raw (most of those problems are just mis-information, though)? Then the next best thing will be LIGHTLY cooked homemade on the same basis, and even canned. For more specific recommendations, see Alternatives to Raw Feeding below.
Have you noticed that recently most of the commercial pet food labels put descriptions such as "made of human grade...", "...raw coated kibble", "dry raw" and show you pictures of real chickens?
=>There are a lot of oxymorons here:
- there is no such thing as "Human grade"! It is either food or garbage. "Animal grade" is an oxymoron because whatever is not suitable or safe for humans is also not suitable for animals.
- "raw coated kibble?" - what is that? Kibble is kibble and now raw! Even if at some point it was raw, it has been cooked for a long time at very high temperatures and as dry as stone!
- "freeze-dry" or any other pellet-based food usually contains better quality ingredients but still very dry kibble
- etc
What they are trying to say, or rather AVOID saying - is that it is IN-edible and IN-appropriate for consumption leftovers of human food preparation. Cats in particular, are VERY sensitive to the quality and freshness of their food. Unlike their omnivore and scavenger counterparts, dogs, that - if not too spoiled, of course - will eat containers the cat food was in, cats are the best "food safety controlling devices".
So, WHY am I SO adamant about raw food? Isn't the fact that our cats LOVE to eat dry and even get addicted to it a sign that it is good for them? Pet food manufacturers spend millions of dollars on research. Don't they do a good job?
Yes, they do research, a LOT. But the important thing they do not tell you is that what they are researching is NOT quality but "palatability" - they add all kind of "food enhancers" that make that kibble so addictive!
The simple fact is that carnivores eat meat. Period! - and cats are not "JUST" carnivores (i.e., meat eaters), - they are OBLIGATE carnivores, which means that they CANNOT SURVIVE without meat and REQUIRE between 94 and 97% meat in their diet!
Why is that? Because, unlike humans and dogs, cats are unable to produce some essential elements in their bodies they can only get from their prey. Cats are pretty "new" in the evolution of domestic animas. In fact, they are hardly domesticated at all and can survive perfectly well without our involvement even today. They have never "evolved" their nutritional requirements (like dogs) away from what they would eat if given a chance: mice, birds and insects. So, some of those nutrients they abundantly available in their prey, they still get from their prey. Everybody heard of amino-acid Taurine that is required for building proteins in our bodies but there are also few other nutrients and vitamins that they get only food (vit D, for instance).That's why there are NO cat-vegetarians in nature: Please don't try it at home.
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So what about most commonly used cat food, kibble? Is there something wrong with it?
In fact, a LOT! There is NO ONE brand of kibble that has not been recalled or that I would recommend or feed to my cats. I don't want to go into ingredient contents of any of them - they are ALL inferior, full of toxic substances and fillers cats cannot process - but the most dangerous aspects are that they are the reason cats have such diseases as diabetes, thyroid disorders, IBD and urinary stones, even cancers - and, not to mention, the main offender - obesity! |
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Cats have never developed to be able to process carbohydrates - they don't have appropriate enzymes - or to drink much water. Most of their fluids they get from their prey that as any animal body contains 60-70% water - see more about water requirements in cats in a separate chapter.
The moisture content of kibble is usually around 7-8% only and absorbs even more water from the body for the purpose of digestion and processing. Together with the natural tendency of the cat's body to concentrate their urine, moisture deficit from dry food creates perfect conditions for developing urinary crystals that accumulate to form stones and cause dangerous, often deadly, blockages, especially in neutered males. Feeding a male cat kibble is a sure way to cause urinary tract disease, including potential kidney insufficiency.
The moisture content of kibble is usually around 7-8% only and absorbs even more water from the body for the purpose of digestion and processing. Together with the natural tendency of the cat's body to concentrate their urine, moisture deficit from dry food creates perfect conditions for developing urinary crystals that accumulate to form stones and cause dangerous, often deadly, blockages, especially in neutered males. Feeding a male cat kibble is a sure way to cause urinary tract disease, including potential kidney insufficiency.
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Then what about canned foods?
=> Yes, canned foods contain much larger amount of moisture (but I always add some water to them anyway) but most of them also contain a lot of fillers, such as inferior vegetable proteins, carbs and indigestible bi-products. However, they are much healthier option for feeding cats IF you are against raw feeding. |
"So, how should I feed my cat? Will it be too expensive to afford and difficult to prepare? I don't know anything about right cat food preparation. And what about bacteria?"
=> No, I would not advocate for it if it were hard. I know that most of my clients have families and busy lives and don't have extra time for cat food preparation. But it is truly not that hard.
=> No, I would not advocate for it if it were hard. I know that most of my clients have families and busy lives and don't have extra time for cat food preparation. But it is truly not that hard.
More info on specific foods: https://faqs-docs.weebly.com/food-menu.html
Also, please check the RESOURCES section for my suggestions and recommendations
Q: About "Finicky Eaters"
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That is, as we all heard, are most cats. But finicky eaters are not born, they are created - usually by their loving humans that inadvertently spoil them. And cats are master-manipulators: they always get what they want.
It happens when sometimes, like with all of us, a cat is not too hungry or sick or just bored with the same food and refuses a meal. Not a big deal - unless the cat is ill and does not eat at all for more than 24 h-s - then it is a cause for concern and warrants a visit to the vet. But, in most cases, as soon as he turns his nose away or just does not finish his usual portion, his human parent immediately panics and tries to offer something else... and something else again if he refuses again. The cat gets the message, i.e. "If I refuse, they will offer me a better choice". And you are hooked, he trained you yet again. Unless we are talking about a young growing kitten that should always or almost always be excited about their next meal and needs it, a healthy adult cat can afford to go a little hungry from time to time. |
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In the free-world of nature, a cat is always on the prowl for its next meal, so he is active and hungry. His hunger is rarely fully satisfied and he is very active, so his energy expenditure is also high. But in our homes, most of the time, our cats have nothing else to do than sleep all day, especially when their humans stop playing with them as much as they did when they were little funny energy-loaded furry balls that demanded play all day long and we happily responded to the newness of the experience.
You would undoubtedly remember that earlier on I said that kittens need to eat more than the adults do. That is true but we often overestimate how much food the adults need. A healthy cat on raw meat diet is never overeat. But the energy and growth demands change over the lifetime, especially as the kittens grow. Up to 6-8 months kittens grow like weed but then the speed of growth and metabolism slow down significantly, especially after they have been spayed/neutered. There are few steps on that ladder of growth spurts that important to remember and keep in mind (you can review them in HOW MANY TIMES TO FEED? chapter). If a kitten seems to start getting less hungry when you bring next meal, maybe it is time to reduce the number of meals or the amount per meal or, rather, increase the play time.
The kittens that grow in my home from day one never refuse their meals, especially meat: mostly raw but sometimes also cooked chicken and fish. In addition to their mother's milk, they get at least 4 meals/day. Kittens stomachs are very small and they cannot eat too much at once, so they ate their fill and go sleep, then play and eat some more. I do not take their unfinished food away until the next meal, so, in fact, they nibble all they long, as they do in nature when they hunt for small animals and insects or their mother brings them their next meal and one mouse or bird for the whole litter is what they would have until she hunts again. In our homes, we typically feed our lazy, mostly bored felines, way too much and the older they get, the fatter they become. A meal becomes not a necessity but a distraction from boredom.
On the other hand, cats are creatures of habit and quickly get used to what you give them and then stick to it (some say, get addicted). That's why if you always give them the same food, same taste in the same manner, they will expect that - and only that. But sometimes, they also get bored with the same kind of food, much like we do - and yes, - that is very typical of these creatures of paradox and contradiction in many different areas of their life! So, do not fall into routine out of which it will be very difficult to wean them later - introduce variation like in your own daily meals. One day it is chicken, another - liver, yet another - fish and eggs... They need excitement about everything!
Where you feed them is also important - it has to be the same comfortable place - not in a far corner where the kitty cannot see what's going on and feels trapped, especially if it's a busy household. If there is a dog or a small child in the house, an elevated surface unreachable for others is ideal. It should not be in the middle of commotion and most definitely not close to his litter box! - cats like to eat by the toilet no more than we do. Some cats don't even like their water dish to be close to their food - no explanation that I know of but worth keeping in mind.
Generally speaking, a food dish should be shallow and wide: cats do not like their whiskers to touch anything. This little antennae are there for a purpose - to gauge the size of an opening. If the whiskers touch the sides - it's like a STOP sign for us - we may still try to get through but know that it is not safe. The same is for them.
Contrary to common belief, cats do not lick their food like dogs (unless its liquid) but bite large pieces of it (that's why they have huge canines and no "grinding/chewing" molars). So, smearing the food all over the plate will make the process very slow and the finicky eater will give up before he is satiated. But probably the most important thing about food is that it has to be fresh. Once it becomes stale - usually after a couple hours on the plate - the cat loses interest. It is always better to keep them slightly hungry between the meals and offer less but fresher.
You would undoubtedly remember that earlier on I said that kittens need to eat more than the adults do. That is true but we often overestimate how much food the adults need. A healthy cat on raw meat diet is never overeat. But the energy and growth demands change over the lifetime, especially as the kittens grow. Up to 6-8 months kittens grow like weed but then the speed of growth and metabolism slow down significantly, especially after they have been spayed/neutered. There are few steps on that ladder of growth spurts that important to remember and keep in mind (you can review them in HOW MANY TIMES TO FEED? chapter). If a kitten seems to start getting less hungry when you bring next meal, maybe it is time to reduce the number of meals or the amount per meal or, rather, increase the play time.
The kittens that grow in my home from day one never refuse their meals, especially meat: mostly raw but sometimes also cooked chicken and fish. In addition to their mother's milk, they get at least 4 meals/day. Kittens stomachs are very small and they cannot eat too much at once, so they ate their fill and go sleep, then play and eat some more. I do not take their unfinished food away until the next meal, so, in fact, they nibble all they long, as they do in nature when they hunt for small animals and insects or their mother brings them their next meal and one mouse or bird for the whole litter is what they would have until she hunts again. In our homes, we typically feed our lazy, mostly bored felines, way too much and the older they get, the fatter they become. A meal becomes not a necessity but a distraction from boredom.
On the other hand, cats are creatures of habit and quickly get used to what you give them and then stick to it (some say, get addicted). That's why if you always give them the same food, same taste in the same manner, they will expect that - and only that. But sometimes, they also get bored with the same kind of food, much like we do - and yes, - that is very typical of these creatures of paradox and contradiction in many different areas of their life! So, do not fall into routine out of which it will be very difficult to wean them later - introduce variation like in your own daily meals. One day it is chicken, another - liver, yet another - fish and eggs... They need excitement about everything!
Where you feed them is also important - it has to be the same comfortable place - not in a far corner where the kitty cannot see what's going on and feels trapped, especially if it's a busy household. If there is a dog or a small child in the house, an elevated surface unreachable for others is ideal. It should not be in the middle of commotion and most definitely not close to his litter box! - cats like to eat by the toilet no more than we do. Some cats don't even like their water dish to be close to their food - no explanation that I know of but worth keeping in mind.
Generally speaking, a food dish should be shallow and wide: cats do not like their whiskers to touch anything. This little antennae are there for a purpose - to gauge the size of an opening. If the whiskers touch the sides - it's like a STOP sign for us - we may still try to get through but know that it is not safe. The same is for them.
Contrary to common belief, cats do not lick their food like dogs (unless its liquid) but bite large pieces of it (that's why they have huge canines and no "grinding/chewing" molars). So, smearing the food all over the plate will make the process very slow and the finicky eater will give up before he is satiated. But probably the most important thing about food is that it has to be fresh. Once it becomes stale - usually after a couple hours on the plate - the cat loses interest. It is always better to keep them slightly hungry between the meals and offer less but fresher.
Q: water
Water is an absolute necessity for cats because they never drink enough! Their natural ancestral habits - like everything else - teach them to get most of their water from their prey.
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An average (female) cat at 4-5 kg should have a glass of water a day - that's a LOT! Only cats on exclusively raw diet come anywhere close to consuming as much because uncooked meat with blood is 60 to 70% water. Anything else immediately puts them in fluid deficit which may result in kidney and urinary tract problems. Males in particular, due to the morphology of their urinary system, are particularly prone to accumulation of crystals and potentially deadly blockages. Neutered males - the vast majority of the domestic cats we live with - are at the top of the list for this condition. That is why I specifically insist on keeping them on raw diet that is ideally suited for their bodies. The only viable alternative for this kind of diet is canned food with added water (I add a little hot water to an empty can, swirl it around to clean the food residue and pour it in the plate).
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In addition to their natural preference to drink less (see article below for explanation why), the way cats drink is quite inefficient. Unlike dogs that turn their tongue forward creating a spoon filled with liquid, cats turn their tongue backward and "grab" the water column throwing it up into their mouth. This tiny backward spoon does not have enough capacity and the process is not very efficient (but neat and cats do not splash water all over like dogs do). |
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Here is a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6Wus9FAvU4 - slow motion video of lion drinking
Cats also cannot see immobile objects from closer than 12"-14" from their face but they have excellent detection of motion. So many cats, especially in nature, prefer to drink from moving streams. At home, some of them like to drink from taps or fountains and many are generally fascinated by water in bathtubs and showers. Siberians are typically not shy of water, so often they like to join their owners for a dip.
Cats also cannot see immobile objects from closer than 12"-14" from their face but they have excellent detection of motion. So many cats, especially in nature, prefer to drink from moving streams. At home, some of them like to drink from taps or fountains and many are generally fascinated by water in bathtubs and showers. Siberians are typically not shy of water, so often they like to join their owners for a dip.
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Why males and what makes them particularly prone to troubles?
Urethra of a male cat is much longer and narrower than that of a female cat and is bent to boot, so even the smaller amount of urinary stones can easily block it.
MOST (if not all) of neutered indoor male cats fed exclusively kibble will, at some point, suffer from such dangerous conditions that can become fatal within 24 hours if not taken care of immediately. Unfortunately, cat will usually show their suffering only when the situation is dire and often too late. In our group, we had one such cat - magnificent Sailor - that died of burst bladder within such a short time to the total devastation of his family that could not save him. I said this in many different places and repeat again - if you want to have a healthy large male cat, do NOT feed him kibble. And if you are not ready to deal with raw food or even feed him high-quality low-carb no-grain or other fillers canned food, PLEASE, do NOT get a male cat. With a female cat you have a better chances.
So why neutered, specifically?
All cats drink and urinate in limited amount, so their urine is extremely concentrated. Intact males use their urine to mark and protect their territory, so they urinate much more frequently. But indoor neutered cats do not have such a strong hormonal and territorial urge. In addition, they are often overweight which also increases pressure on the urethra and narrows the passages. And if that is not enough, their penis undergoes some changes (losing its spikes) under decrease in testosterone level. There is also a possible incomplete development of the whole structure because we rarely allow it to properly mature and neuter them as soon as they start showing hormonal changes (if not much sooner - and this is a main reason why I encourage my clients to neuter their male cats as close to 9-10 month of age as possible).
Urethra of a male cat is much longer and narrower than that of a female cat and is bent to boot, so even the smaller amount of urinary stones can easily block it.
MOST (if not all) of neutered indoor male cats fed exclusively kibble will, at some point, suffer from such dangerous conditions that can become fatal within 24 hours if not taken care of immediately. Unfortunately, cat will usually show their suffering only when the situation is dire and often too late. In our group, we had one such cat - magnificent Sailor - that died of burst bladder within such a short time to the total devastation of his family that could not save him. I said this in many different places and repeat again - if you want to have a healthy large male cat, do NOT feed him kibble. And if you are not ready to deal with raw food or even feed him high-quality low-carb no-grain or other fillers canned food, PLEASE, do NOT get a male cat. With a female cat you have a better chances.
So why neutered, specifically?
All cats drink and urinate in limited amount, so their urine is extremely concentrated. Intact males use their urine to mark and protect their territory, so they urinate much more frequently. But indoor neutered cats do not have such a strong hormonal and territorial urge. In addition, they are often overweight which also increases pressure on the urethra and narrows the passages. And if that is not enough, their penis undergoes some changes (losing its spikes) under decrease in testosterone level. There is also a possible incomplete development of the whole structure because we rarely allow it to properly mature and neuter them as soon as they start showing hormonal changes (if not much sooner - and this is a main reason why I encourage my clients to neuter their male cats as close to 9-10 month of age as possible).
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Female cat urinary system
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Male cat urinary system
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Encouraging cats to drink is not an easy task. The article below describes some methods to do so.
https://vetfocus.royalcanin.com/en/scientific/the-water-requirements-and-drinking-habits-of-cats
https://vetfocus.royalcanin.com/en/scientific/the-water-requirements-and-drinking-habits-of-cats
Q: Dietary supplements
Many nutritional veterinary "authorities" would tell you that cats require certain vitamins, minerals and other nutritional elements for their food to be nutritionally balanced and complete. Although I fully agree with that, there is a lot of confusing information that makes people feel very uncertain about preparing food for their cats at home because the more they read, the more complex this issue seems, while it is really not as difficult as they are trying to present it. In many cases, the confusion and complexity is presented only by those who actually sell and trying to promote their own pet food and present it as the only appropriate way to feed cats or dogs.
Personally, I feel very ambivalent about synthetic supplements. Synthetic supplement industry is no less aggressive and persuasive in its attempts to lure us to buy their products than pet food industry or big pharma for human medications. Every food store today is full of shelves after shelves of supplements of every kind and manufacturers. But the truth is that most of those over-the-shelf supplements, although purporting to promote health is rarely - if ever - of much value and most of them are of unproven quality. And because they are sold as nutritional supplements (i.e. on par with food stuff), they do not require much of oversight.
From my medical studies in my previous professional life as an Intensive Care Nurse, I know that there are few issues we have to be aware of and concerned about. The first concern is the adequacy, quality and production of these supplements:
The second - and even more important! - aspect of this issue is that these experts neglect to mention that all these required micronutrients are ALREADY PRESENT in the food we consume, so if you eat balanced, properly produced, prepared and varied food, you do not need adding anything synthetic that may be useless at best and harmful at worst, UNLESS your nutrition is consistently lacking in certain elements. For instance, it is only if a human lives in the arctic circle with no exposure to natural light consuming processed foods, will he be subjected to lack of vitamins and minerals resulting in scurvy and will definitely require artificial supplementation. But if the same humans also eat fresh fruit and vegetables, they will not experience such conditions.
Similarly, veterinary nutritional experts will tell you that cats require amino acid Taurine for their eyes and heart and Ca for their bones - this is absolutely true and they do... but it does not mean that you have to add them to their food if they eat what they supposed to eat in nature: raw carcasses of the prey they catch because bones of mice and birds contain enough and correct quality and quantity of Ca, as well as their muscle meat contains the right amount of natural Taurine. Have you ever seen a lion asking for supplements or lacking for them? Not if he has enough gazelle to catch.
The third aspect is that cats are very cautious and careful about anything artificially added to their food, so if you add some supplements, they may turn away from the food you offer all together. So even if those supplements do not negatively affect them in any way, they may experience imbalances just for the simple reason of not enough proper nutrition.
However, pet food industry is quite correct about the fact that the meals they offer your kitty is significantly lacking of all or most of these elements, so they have to add them in synthetic form in order not to cause diseases of nutritional imbalances (after they kill all the natural nutrients in over-processing). But don't take my word for it: this is what the one of the most renowned experts in feline research and my personal idol, Dr. Pedersen from UC Davis in University of California says about use of supplements in cat food:
T H E S T O R Y A B O U T S U P P L E M E N T S F O R P E T S L I K E C A T S
Niels C. Pedersen, DVM PhD
April 6, 2021
The use of supplements for dogs and cats has become increasingly more common, mirroring the increase in the use of supplements for people...
Some owners take it upon themselves to use supplements, but in some cases, they are used on recommendation of their veterinarians. There is also a heavier reliance on supplements in regions of the world where the state of veterinary care is lacking. In many cases they are “prescribed” to either
prevent, retard, or reverse specific health conditions. In truth they are often used on the need to do something and that even if they do not work, they will not hurt. In some cases, there is a hint that a specific organ is “in need of some form of help.”
A significant proportion of test panels done in even healthy animals will show one or more suspicious values, in particular involving blood, liver or kidney.
Such values should not be used as a reason for prescribing or selling supplements. As a person who believes in the scientific method and clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy, I cannot in good conscience advise owners of <cats>to use untested over the counter supplements that
claim to prevent, alleviate, or cure disease.
I am aware of the many testimonials that exist on the world wide web that attest to the efficacy of a vast array of products. However, there are also many articles from reputable sources that support my beliefs. I am quoting portions of such articles below.
_________________________________________________________
McKenzie B. The Top Ten Pet Supplements: Do They Work? Science Based Medicine, May 19, 2011.
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-top-ten-pet-supplements-do-they-work/
_________________________________________________________
Finno CJ. Veterinary Pet Supplements and Nutraceuticals. Nutr Today. 2020;55(2):97-101.
doi:10.1097/nt.0000000000000399. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7802882/
_________________________________________________________
Pet Nutrition Alliance. How are dietary supplements for animals regulated?
https://petnutritionalliance.org/site/pnatool/how-are-dietary-supplements-for-animals-regulated/
I urge you to read the articles in these links as well.
Personally, I feel very ambivalent about synthetic supplements. Synthetic supplement industry is no less aggressive and persuasive in its attempts to lure us to buy their products than pet food industry or big pharma for human medications. Every food store today is full of shelves after shelves of supplements of every kind and manufacturers. But the truth is that most of those over-the-shelf supplements, although purporting to promote health is rarely - if ever - of much value and most of them are of unproven quality. And because they are sold as nutritional supplements (i.e. on par with food stuff), they do not require much of oversight.
From my medical studies in my previous professional life as an Intensive Care Nurse, I know that there are few issues we have to be aware of and concerned about. The first concern is the adequacy, quality and production of these supplements:
- synthetic supplements are not the same as minerals and vitamins that are already present in natural products, such as meats, grains, fruits and vegetables in our human food; while micronutrients in natural foods are easily absorbed by the body and their excess is easily excreted, not so with synthetic supplements that can cause even more harm in excess amounts than when deficient;
- many of these elements require exact balance among them, i.e. it is easy to create an artificial imbalance that can cause disease when you consume too much of some of them on the account of others. Therefore, only when this balance is for some reason is disturbed and we lack a particular element, should they be added after appropriate testing.
- Many studies of supplements created for humans have failed to demonstrate their benefits, yet we as society spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on these mostly useless products in out quest for health - often disregarding proper dietary needs and other important environmental requirements such as fresh air and adequate physical activity.
The second - and even more important! - aspect of this issue is that these experts neglect to mention that all these required micronutrients are ALREADY PRESENT in the food we consume, so if you eat balanced, properly produced, prepared and varied food, you do not need adding anything synthetic that may be useless at best and harmful at worst, UNLESS your nutrition is consistently lacking in certain elements. For instance, it is only if a human lives in the arctic circle with no exposure to natural light consuming processed foods, will he be subjected to lack of vitamins and minerals resulting in scurvy and will definitely require artificial supplementation. But if the same humans also eat fresh fruit and vegetables, they will not experience such conditions.
Similarly, veterinary nutritional experts will tell you that cats require amino acid Taurine for their eyes and heart and Ca for their bones - this is absolutely true and they do... but it does not mean that you have to add them to their food if they eat what they supposed to eat in nature: raw carcasses of the prey they catch because bones of mice and birds contain enough and correct quality and quantity of Ca, as well as their muscle meat contains the right amount of natural Taurine. Have you ever seen a lion asking for supplements or lacking for them? Not if he has enough gazelle to catch.
The third aspect is that cats are very cautious and careful about anything artificially added to their food, so if you add some supplements, they may turn away from the food you offer all together. So even if those supplements do not negatively affect them in any way, they may experience imbalances just for the simple reason of not enough proper nutrition.
However, pet food industry is quite correct about the fact that the meals they offer your kitty is significantly lacking of all or most of these elements, so they have to add them in synthetic form in order not to cause diseases of nutritional imbalances (after they kill all the natural nutrients in over-processing). But don't take my word for it: this is what the one of the most renowned experts in feline research and my personal idol, Dr. Pedersen from UC Davis in University of California says about use of supplements in cat food:
T H E S T O R Y A B O U T S U P P L E M E N T S F O R P E T S L I K E C A T S
Niels C. Pedersen, DVM PhD
April 6, 2021
The use of supplements for dogs and cats has become increasingly more common, mirroring the increase in the use of supplements for people...
Some owners take it upon themselves to use supplements, but in some cases, they are used on recommendation of their veterinarians. There is also a heavier reliance on supplements in regions of the world where the state of veterinary care is lacking. In many cases they are “prescribed” to either
prevent, retard, or reverse specific health conditions. In truth they are often used on the need to do something and that even if they do not work, they will not hurt. In some cases, there is a hint that a specific organ is “in need of some form of help.”
A significant proportion of test panels done in even healthy animals will show one or more suspicious values, in particular involving blood, liver or kidney.
Such values should not be used as a reason for prescribing or selling supplements. As a person who believes in the scientific method and clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy, I cannot in good conscience advise owners of <cats>to use untested over the counter supplements that
claim to prevent, alleviate, or cure disease.
I am aware of the many testimonials that exist on the world wide web that attest to the efficacy of a vast array of products. However, there are also many articles from reputable sources that support my beliefs. I am quoting portions of such articles below.
_________________________________________________________
McKenzie B. The Top Ten Pet Supplements: Do They Work? Science Based Medicine, May 19, 2011.
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-top-ten-pet-supplements-do-they-work/
_________________________________________________________
Finno CJ. Veterinary Pet Supplements and Nutraceuticals. Nutr Today. 2020;55(2):97-101.
doi:10.1097/nt.0000000000000399. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7802882/
_________________________________________________________
Pet Nutrition Alliance. How are dietary supplements for animals regulated?
https://petnutritionalliance.org/site/pnatool/how-are-dietary-supplements-for-animals-regulated/
I urge you to read the articles in these links as well.
Q: Resources
Below are some of my recommendations for reputable sources of information about food I trust
My absolutely favorite source of great information from a reputable veterinarian and and excellent source of all feline-related information,
not only food:
https://catinfo.org/making-cat-food/#Making%20Cat%20Food%20-%20Quick%20Summary
Another one of my favorite online vets is Dr. Becker. The only reservation I have about her (and the vast majority of other online vets) is that her recommendations sometimes skewed in favor of the supplements they sell. But at least hers are based on natural and not synthetic components. Personally, I am not in favor of synthetic food elements and rely on more natural approach of the Prey Diet Model (below) but for those people who prefer using them, I would definitely recommend more natural sources, like Dr. Becker's:
Dr. Becker and Steve Brown on Raw Food Diet for Pets (Part 1) - on utube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xDK-4lkpR0 and
Dr. Becker and Steve Brown on Raw Food Diet for Pets (Part 2):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grGlkNpaq_4
and https://healthypets.mercola.com/ - for her informative website
I highly recommend following the guidelines for raw feeding outlined in the National Research Council (NRC) and further explained here:
ADULT CATS (1 yo and older)
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/nrc-nutritional-requirements-for-adult-cats/?mc_cid=4b9a99ca3b&mc_eid=72022ceec1
KITTEN RAW FEEDING GUIDELINES
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-kitten-guides/
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/
not only food:
https://catinfo.org/making-cat-food/#Making%20Cat%20Food%20-%20Quick%20Summary
Another one of my favorite online vets is Dr. Becker. The only reservation I have about her (and the vast majority of other online vets) is that her recommendations sometimes skewed in favor of the supplements they sell. But at least hers are based on natural and not synthetic components. Personally, I am not in favor of synthetic food elements and rely on more natural approach of the Prey Diet Model (below) but for those people who prefer using them, I would definitely recommend more natural sources, like Dr. Becker's:
Dr. Becker and Steve Brown on Raw Food Diet for Pets (Part 1) - on utube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xDK-4lkpR0 and
Dr. Becker and Steve Brown on Raw Food Diet for Pets (Part 2):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grGlkNpaq_4
and https://healthypets.mercola.com/ - for her informative website
I highly recommend following the guidelines for raw feeding outlined in the National Research Council (NRC) and further explained here:
ADULT CATS (1 yo and older)
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/nrc-nutritional-requirements-for-adult-cats/?mc_cid=4b9a99ca3b&mc_eid=72022ceec1
KITTEN RAW FEEDING GUIDELINES
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-kitten-guides/
https://perfectlyrawsome.com/raw-feeding-knowledgebase/prey-model-raw-pmr-diet-for-kittens/