Healthy Weight = Healthy Cats

                Feeding a healthy diet is the best way to help your cat have a happy, healthy, longer life. There can be a lot of confusion about what type of diet your companion should be on. The American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners now recommend feeding a canned cat food in addition to a dry kibble food with 30-45% protein content to your cat.  Typically, you should be feeding about 3 oz. of canned for per day to get a sufficient amount of water in your pet’s diet. 

                Cats are obligate carnivores and do not have the involuntary need to make sure they drink enough water to keep themselves hydrated. In the wild, cats rely on their prey to give them adequate amount of water to help keep themselves hydrated.  In addition, adding canned cat food will increase the moisture content and will help decrease the chance of obesity which is one of the number-one problems we see in cats today.  Keeping your cat hydrated also decreases the risk of urinary tract problems, and decreases the risk of your companion developing diabetes and kidney disease. A complete diet consists of water, energy, protein (adult felines needs 30-45%), fat, essential fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins all in appropriate balanced proportions. Cats need a low to no-carbohydrate food.  The protein sources recommended for all cats are poultry based and rabbit based, fish and beef are not recommended due to them being highly addictive, as well as, surprisingly, being the cause of many allergy issues in cats.  

Switching dry kibble eaters to a canned diet is easier than you might think! We recommend slowly increasing the portions of the wet food over a week to two week period.  West Ridge Animal Hospital also offers Hill’s healthy weight protocol. By taking body measurements and using an application provided to veterinarians by Hill’s Science Diet we get your cat’s ideal body weight and their daily caloric allowance. This program helps us formulate feeding plans for cats that need to gain, maintain, or lose weight and help you feel confident that your pet is not overly hungry or being over fed.