Basic Diet Advice

Most cats don't have any trouble eating, but some need a little encouragement to maintain a balanced diet. When it comes to mealtime, follow the following feeding advice to see a big improvement on their eating habit.

Food

Feed a mix of canned food and dried food to your cat. Both canned and dried food will provide your cat with the nutrition they require. It's crucial that cats consume more than just canned or pouched wet food. Cats who exclusively consume soft foods don't use their teeth as they should. Wet food, however, provide your cats with more hydration.

We personally add a couple tablespoons of water to mix with their canned food as this not only add more water to your cat’s diet but also prevent them from becoming too picky and only want the most flavorful food. Feed more dried food than wet as dried food aids with tooth cleaning, while wet food actually build up more plaque. This is where your annal visit to your local veterinarian for teeth clean is a good idea.

Understand what cats can and cannot consume. Not all common foods and products are safe for your cat to come in contact with. Find out what things pose the greatest risk to your cats in the following article 15 Hazardous Human Foods.

Schedule

Feeding your cat twice or three times is a good schedule, but older cats and kittens require smaller, more frequent meals. We do not recommend free feeding unless it is kittens under 6 months old, here’s why, read our article on “Stop Free Feeding” here.

Consistency

Being consistent will help you understand your cat's preferences because they frequently won't touch anything else. Avoid changing your cat's diet often as this can irritate their tummy. When introducing new dried food to your cat’s diet, ensure that you are mixing the old dry food with a little of the new dry food and slowly increase the amounts over a week to help your cats stomach adjust.

Hygiene

Be hygienic by making sure the water and food dishes are set up far from the litter box as some cats will dig their litter and splash it everywhere.

Food dishes and water bowls should be cleaned and changed daily, even those that are only used for dried food. Some cats won't eat from dirty bowls because they tend to be more picky.

Clean your cats litter every day, some cats will simply not use the litter if it is not cleaned.

Stimulation

You can give your cat stimulation at mealtimes by petting them, playing with their paws and tail to help train them overcome any aggression when they are being pet. You can also provide stimulation by hiding portions of their food or placing food in an activity ball.