If you've got a feline family member, you may be feeding it wrong and not even know it. Cats need lots of loving attention when it comes to meal time. Just a simple mistakes can end up causing your cat a multitude of health problems. Here are just a few mealtime tips that will help you keep your cat happy, healthy, and well-fed:
Less is Best
Cats love to eat, especially when food is readily available. They'll never turn down a good meal once it's put in front of them. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell when you're feeding your cat too much. Even if you think you're doing your best by adhering to the feeding instructions on the labels, you may still be overfeeding your feline family members. One way to avoid overfeeding is to reduce the amount you feed your cat at each meal. Instead of providing the full amount that's recommended on the label, stop at about ¾ of the recommended serving size. If your cat continues to sniff the dish for more food, go ahead and offer the remaining food. However, if your cat walks away from the dish once the food is gone, continue with the new serving size.
Sharing Isn't Caring
If given a chance, your cat will sit down and enjoy whatever it is you're eating. While the adage may go that sharing is caring, when it comes to cats, the reverse is actually more accurate. Many of the foods that you eat on a regular basis can be quite unhealthy for your cat. This includes foods such as onions, garlic, and even chocolate. Not only that, but high quantities of fats can also be harmful to your cat. To help keep your cat healthy, avoid sharing your food with it. If you want to share an after-meal snack with your cat, dish up two separate treats, one for you and one for your cat. That way, your cat isn't feeling left out, and it's getting a healthy snack.
Vegan Isn't Feline-Friendly
If you live the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, and you want your cat to live the same way, you might want to rethink that decision. Cats are naturally carnivorous. That's why they're perfectly happy grabbing that wayward mouse or bird and making an afternoon snack of them. Cat's actually need some of the vitamins and nutrients that are found in meat. To keep your cat healthy, make sure its meals are meat-based.
Contact a local animal hospital for more information and assistance.
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