Nutrition, Health & Feeding

There are many things that go into keeping your cat healthy and happy. Genetics and environment play a part. But, there is one thing that has a huge effect on your cat’s health, and that is diet. Cats are predators that evolved to eat a diet of raw meat. It is only over the past 70 years or so that we have tried to feed cats a diet based on foods unsuitable for a strict carnivore. Grains, vegetable and plant matter and highly processed and cooked meat products.

The majority of cat food brands on the market including the supposedly healthier choices carried by veterinarians themselves contain these ingredients in amounts completely inappropriate for the feline diet.

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID

• Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
• Caramel
• Carrageenan 
• Cellulose
• Glucose / Dextrose
• Garlic and onion (toxic)
• Glyceryl Monostearate
• Iron Oxide
• Meat & Bone Meal (e.g., Chicken Meal)

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• Meat By-Products (e.g., Pork By-Product)
• Red, Yellow & Blue Food Coloring
• Sodium Nitrite
• Sodium Tripolyphosphate
• Titanium Dioxide
• Gums (Xanthan, Guar, Pectins, & Agar agar)
• Wheat Gluten
• Legumes (Peas, Lentils, Chickpea or Soybean)
• Rice, Wheat, Barley, Oats, Potato & Tapioca starch
• Corn & Corn starch
• Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Canola or Olive)

If your cat food contains one or more of these ingredients, it could be a low quality, potentially harmful food.

This question is complicated; however, we will try to make it simple. The biggest factors are moisture (water), the quality of the animal protein and the avoidance of known toxic and unnecessary ingredients.

The fact is, there are few foods on the market that meet those criteria. The decision is also complicated by availability, cost and style of feeding. As your cat’s caregiver, you will have to weigh those factors to make the best choice you can to keep your cat healthy.

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they are biologically oriented to thrive on a species-appropriate diet of high quality animal protein. Investing a little more in higher quality food when your cat is young can pay off in better health and possibly lower medical costs as your cat ages.

Most people feed their cats dry food, or kibble, but this is changing as caregivers acquire more knowledge on the subject of feline nutrition.

• Easy to feed
• Cats can eat when they’re hungry
• Most cats like it
• Usually more cost effective

• High in carbohydrates, low in protein*
• Research is showing it is contributing to the current epidemic of feline obesity, leading to diabetes
• Low in water (moisture content) which is said to contribute to kidney disease and other urinary/bladder issues

Be aware that there is a movement in the pet food industry to make “grain free” dry (and wet) foods. Usually, this means replacing such fibers as corn, wheat and rice with potatoes, peas, oats, etc. The latter have not been researched and found safe for long-term use in cats.

Some veterinarians recommend feeding only wet (canned / moist) food. All About Purrs recommends a majority, if not 100%) wet food diet as well. We also recommend the pate food rather than the flaked food in gravy. Many cats will lick off the gravy and not eat the meat, which leaves them with incomplete nutrition full of thickeners and glutens.

• High in protein, low in carbohydrates*
• Gives cats more water in the diet (better for health)
• Usually very palatable (large variety of flavors and textures)
• Easier to hide supplements or medication in (if needed)

• Must be schedule fed (but can be combined with dry)
• May be higher in cost (for quality ingredients)

*Learn here how to accurately calculate the Carbohydrate % and Protein % of  “dry matter” in CAN and DRY food so you can appropriately compare brands and types of food

What is best for my cat? Wet food with high protein, high moisture content and low carbs. 

The rule is the WORST (cheapest / lowest quality) wet food is better to feed than the BEST (highest priced / quality) dry food.

There’s a growing movement, even among some veterinarians, to feed fresh raw food. This is a complicated decision, however. You either must make your own or rely on ready-made frozen or freeze-dried sources.

Raw food has to be fed correctly. As Dr. Jean Hofve, a leading veterinary proponent of raw food, says, “The best diet you can feed your cat is a properly prepared homemade diet, but the worst diet you can feed your cat is an improperly prepared homemade diet!” Dr. Karen Becker, another veterinary proponent of raw food, says, “If you find that you’re leaving ingredients out and it’s too much trouble, you’re better off with commercial frozen or canned products, or even dry food.”  It can be detrimental to your cat’s health if your homemade recipe does not contain the right quantities and proportions of nutrients for your cat requires. We recommend using a recipe developed by veterinarians certified in animal nutrition.

There are many reputable companies now safely shipping human-grade fresh cat food. 

• Said to cure many difficult diseases, such as Irritable Bowel Disorder and allergies
• May foster better coats and teeth
• Leaves less waste to clean up after

• Can be more work to prepare
• Must be schedule fed
• Many cats–especially those raised on commercial foods–dislike it initially
• Can be expensive on the front end
• If not prepared correctly, a raw food diet can lead to deficiencies in your cat

 Many cat guardians opt to feed a combination of the above for convenience or budgetary reasons.

Perhaps they schedule feed wet food in the morning and evening and leave out a small amount of kibble during the day give a small amount right before bedtime. Or perhaps they mix some freeze-dried raw nuggets in with wet food on scheduled feeds throughout the day. 

There are many ways to keep your cat happy, as long as he or she is getting good nutrition. 

A note on treats, they are fine to feed you cat. However, it is best to make sure the calories are included in your cat's daily calorie allowance. There are also some healthy options to consider. For example, freeze dried chicken (or another protein source). Combining treats with enrichment using food puzzles or creating a scavenger hunt is a fantastic way to implement a foraging exercise for your cat during snack time.

 By Cats.com 

After researching feline nutrition and reviewing all kinds of cat foods, Cats.com learned which brands and products are worthy of your cat’s bowl—and which ones aren’t.

With taste, nutrition, and quality ingredients always top of mind, here are 10 of the best cat foods you can feel good about feeding your cat.

10 Best Cat Foods (2024)

Why trust Cats.com? 

Over the past four years, Cats.com tested hundreds of cat products including dozens of cat food brands. Informed by the owners personal experience and countless hours of research on feline nutrition, the owner selected the best cat foods on the market to test at home with her two cats, Wessie and Forest.

In choosing products to test, she prioritized meat-centric formulas for cats in various life stages with different needs and preferences. All products were purchased at full retail price and evaluated in-depth. Her cats provided input on the foods’ flavor and general appeal while she analyzed the product information to determine its nutritional adequacy. She also researched the brands to assess their trustworthiness and rate of customer satisfaction.

The Cats.com team of veterinary experts provides additional informative support as well as their professional opinion on what makes a great cat food product. Finally, we consulted seven veterinarians to get their professional opinion on what makes a great cat food.

Note: There are many lists of cat foods available; however, none will meet all caregivers and cats individual needs, preferences and budgets. In addition, not all lists will meet the requirements outlined above for ingredients to avoid. 

Don’t forget the water! Multiple water bowls (in a variety of bowls/glasses/fountains and in numerous locations) ensure regular access to water as well as backup sources should one get contaminated by food or tipped over. 

Cats need to be encouraged to drink, so offering more choices will make sure your cat gets the water he or she needs. Many cats also like water fountains which mimic fresh running water. There are many commercial ones available. 

Only use glass or ceramic / porcelain for water bowls and fountains. No plastic or stainless steel. Cats prefer water sources in glass or light colored ceramic where they can see the bottom of the bowl.

Spring Water or water from a Reverse Osmosis System is preferred for cats. Filtered water is acceptable as well. Fresh clean water is important to encourage cats to drink.

Water bowls MUST BE rinsed with hot water and refilled with fresh water daily.  Bowls and fountains should be cleaned with a mild dish soap 2x a week. 

Cats instinctively take their prey away from other cats to eat. When we expect multiple cats to eat side-by-side, we may be setting them up for conflict. We don't want them to feel like they are competing for resources.

Watch your cats’ body language. If they aren’t completely relaxed while eating, focusing on their food instead of other cats, or if they stop and dart away in the middle of eating, you may need to give them more space or feed some in separate areas.

Watch also for food bullying, even if accidental. This can be very subtle, as in a nose nudge at the tail or bottom of another eating cat, in order to get them to move away from their dish. Some highly food-motivated cats may naturally push shy ones out of the way. 

Some cats, especially those lower in the cat hierarchy, may need to be fed in a different part of the room. Some may even need to be fed in a different room entirely.

If you free feed, please offer more than one feeding station and in different locations. Much like litter boxes, there may need to be a separate feeding station per cat. Again, this is just insurance for preventing possible conflicts over food.

One of the most common feline health issues is a tendency to vomit. Many kitties throw up on a more-or-less routine basis. It happens so frequently, in fact, that their humans and even some veterinarians assume chronic vomiting is completely normal for cats. It is not.

Typical excuses vets and cat guardians offer for regular episodes of vomiting include: “He eats too fast,” “She has a sensitive stomach” or “Maybe it’s just hairballs.” 

Chronic vomiting, even in kitties with hairballs, is not standard behavior and should be thoroughly investigated. It’s important to remember that big cats in the wild don’t routinely vomit.

Wild cats also don’t have hairball issues, which is why I believe recurrent hairballs in housecats is also a sign that something is wrong. There’s no need to panic, of course, but I would definitely recommend investigating what’s going on with a kitty who is regularly coughing up hairballs.

Common causes of persistent vomiting in cats include a poor diet, food intolerances, eating too fast and too much time in between meals.

Other causes include enzyme deficiencies, gastrointestinal (GI) problems that manifest as hairballs, toxin ingestion and underlying medical conditions like kidney disease and GI cancer.