Feline Nutrition

[Soft Cars]

Took the cat to the vet today. She's been avoiding jumping up on things which is not normal for her. Usually she jumps on everything. Vet doctor took X-rays and ran some bloodwork. Come to find out, she has a reduction in bone density in her rear legs. The reduction in bone density may be making her legs tender. Vet recommended changing her diet to something that's more fortified with calcium and taurine. Cat is also weighing in at 14 pounds when she should be closer to 12 pounds for her size. What have I been feeding her? Grilled boneless chicken breasts. That's another thing that surprised me: I thought chicken was supposed to be super lean in calories. We both sit down at dinner and eat the same thing.

All these years I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was going above and beyond what most cat owners do. Never in my wildest dreams did I think for a second that I'd be making my cat deficient in calcium and taurine. How did cats survive for thousands of years eating nothing but birds and rodents?

What do you guys feed your cats?

 

[thunderfog]

How did cats survive for thousands of years eating nothing but birds and rodents?

Cats that do that, and living in the wild, probably only live 6-8 years whereas a lot of cats go 15+ years indoors with guaranteed food and shelter.

How old is she?

 

[vavavroom]

The calcium/phosphorus ratio may be out of whack.

Fish, especially small fish, contain a lot of calcium. Sardines and salmon are good but not the canned ones as they contain added salt and cats easily get renal problems from too much sodium. You better get fresh fish from the seafood market or dried fish.
Check the phosphate level in the cat food. Compare wet foods and find one with a lower phosphate content. Chicken contains a good amount of phosphate, maybe too much.
You can mix powdered eggshell powder into wet food.
Greenies contain some calcium.

 

[Soft Cars]

Cats that do that, and living in the wild, probably only live 6-8 years whereas a lot of cats go 15+ years indoors with guaranteed food and shelter.

How old is she?

The SPCA says she was born on 07/17/2019. I got her in December 2019.

You know what? I just realized something. Cat was a lot healthier when I was giving her lactose free milk. I stopped giving it to her because one of the vets said it may be causing a food allergy. I took her in about two years ago for having the itches. They ruled out ear mites and fleas. So I stopped giving her milk. I realize now that may have been a mistake. And plus, two years ago she weighed in at 12 pounds 6 ounces. She was way more active back then. She probably had stronger bones from the milk.

 

[vavavroom]

Milk is not a natural food for adult cats or any mammal, fish, bird, or reptile. Most cats are lactose-intolerant by the time they are adults. Milk as a means of calcium delivery to the skeletal system is overrated in older than in human/animal babies.

Here's what my cats get

Canned:
Tiki Cat
Weruva
Royal Canin

Fresh
fish
chicken
lamb
eggs
blueberries
melon
Greenies

and whatever they manage to nick.

 

[Soft Cars]

The calcium/phosphorus ratio may be out of whack.

Fish, especially small fish, contain a lot of calcium. Sardines and salmon are good but not the canned ones as they contain added salt and cats easily get renal problems from too much sodium. You better get fresh fish from the seafood market or dried fish.
Check the phosphate level in the cat food. Compare wet foods and find one with a lower phosphate content. Chicken contains a good amount of phosphate, maybe too much.
You can mix powdered eggshell powder into wet food.
Greenies contain some calcium.

I'm trying to stay away from wet food because it caused a lot of teeth to fall out on my previous cat. She eventually developed mouth cancer. I had to have her put her to sleep. So far my current cat has had no dental issues. I'm going to try her on some dry food for the vitamins. I have no idea if she'll eat it though. All the neighborhood cats get dry food. I can't be running a grill 24/7.

 

[Pablo]

Hills Metabolic or the like plus a little soft once a day.

Our buggers jump no problem but you know cats

 

[vavavroom]

I'm trying to stay away from wet food because it caused a lot of teeth to fall out on my previous cat. She eventually developed mouth cancer. I had to have her put her to sleep. So far my current cat has had no dental issues. I'm going to try her on some dry food for the vitamins. I have no idea if she'll eat it though. All the neighborhood cats get dry food. I can't be running a grill 24/7.

Dry food tends to be problematic because cats don't necessarily drink enough and then they dehydrate. That leads easily to kidney failure. Good canned wet food is alright so you don't have to cook for your cats.

 

[finmile]

Cats don’t naturally drink much. In nature they get their water from the food. Hence wet food keeps your cat better hydrated.

 

[henni]

..wet food keeps your cat better hydrated.

Musti ja Mirri mainitsee melkein saman,
Moni kissa tuntee huonosti janoa ja yksinkertaisesti unohtaa juoda - tai ei vain kiinnosta - ja sillä taas voi olla hyvinkin ikäviä seurauksia, kuten virtsatieongelmia. Siksi kissalle kannattaa tarjota märkäruokaa joka päivä

 

[vavavroom]

Musti ja Mirri mainitsee melkein saman,
Moni kissa tuntee huonosti janoa ja yksinkertaisesti unohtaa juoda - tai ei vain kiinnosta - ja sillä taas voi olla hyvinkin ikäviä seurauksia, kuten virtsatieongelmia. Siksi kissalle kannattaa tarjota märkäruokaa joka päivä

Yes, UTIs are another consequence of the kitty not getting enough fluids and wet food is the most important source.

 

[Soft Cars]

Dry food tends to be problematic because cats don't necessarily drink enough and then they dehydrate. That leads easily to kidney failure. Good canned wet food is alright so you don't have to cook for your cats.

The problem with wet food is that it sticks to the cat's teeth. Out in the wild, cats get their teeth cleaned by crunching on the bones of birds. In a domestic setting, they have no way to clean their teeth. It would be easy to clean their teeth if they would eat apples, but they won't eat anything that's not meat.

 

[vavavroom]

The problem with wet food is that it sticks to the cat's teeth. Out in the wild, cats get their teeth cleaned by crunching on the bones of birds. In a domestic setting, they have no way to clean their teeth. It would be easy to clean their teeth if they would eat apples, but they won't eat anything that's not meat.

Just like with humans, hard and fibrous foods clean teeth mechanically. Greenies Dental Chews work. Also, domesticated cats need their teeth brushed a few times a week.

Apples do clean teeth but the malic acid can erode tooth enamel.

https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Up-Toot...keywords=cat+toothbrush&qid=1696582739&sr=8-3

Cat Dental Treats & Chews | Vet Recommended | GREENIES™

Shop online for GREENIES™ cat dental treats and save with a subscription on vet approved dental treats that clean teeth and freshen breath.

www.greenies.com

 

[Soft Cars]

Just like with humans, hard and fibrous foods clean teeth. Greenies Dental Chews work. Also, domesticated cats need their teeth brushed a few times a week.

Amazon.com

Cat Dental Treats & Chews | Vet Recommended | GREENIES™

Shop online for GREENIES™ cat dental treats and save with a subscription on vet approved dental treats that clean teeth and freshen breath.

www.greenies.com

I tried to get her to eat the Greenies; she won't touch them. I would definitely brush her teeth if she would let me. I wish I would have introduced her to a toothbrush back when she was still a kitten.

 

[vavavroom]

I tried to get her to eat the Greenies; she won't touch them. I would definitely brush her teeth if she would let me. I wish I would have introduced her to a toothbrush back when she was still a kitten.

Best of luck with your kitty.

 

[Soft Cars]

Best of luck with your kitty.

Thank you for all your help, I appreciate it very much.

 

[mattwithcats]

I have been feeding Blue Buffalo Blissful Belly wet to my elderly toothless long hair…
An occasional can of Fab Feline, or Perfect Coat, just to keep things interesting..,

Dry is available 24/7, usually Blissful Belly, but I found Fab Feline 11 pound bags for cheap…

The shorthair trouble making pest gets dry…

BLUE True Solutions™ Blissful Belly

Support your cat’s sensitive stomach naturally with this highly digestible recipe formulated with prebiotic fiber, clinically proven to support digestive health.

bluebuffalo.com

BLUE True Solutions Fab Feline for Indoor Cats

This tasty recipe features protein-rich chicken and L-Carnitine to support ideal weight, plus clinically proven prebiotic fiber to aid digestive health.

bluebuffalo.com

 

[SHOZ]

I give my feral cats a half can of wet food and the dry whenever they want it. The male's coat has really improved with this and flea treatments. They both eat grass, any vegetable contains calcium.

 

[zzyzzx]

Wet, slightly watered down pate cat food for the win!

Not a fan of Blue Buffalo anything; it's more of a marketing company.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

The problem with wet food is that it sticks to the cat's teeth. Out in the wild, cats get their teeth cleaned by crunching on the bones of birds. In a domestic setting, they have no way to clean their teeth. It would be easy to clean their teeth if they would eat apples, but they won't eat anything that's not meat.

I have had cats since the late 1950'. Pet food is simultaneously worse than ever and better than ever!

Dry food is likely causing allergies. GMO is doing no one any favour.

Supplement wet meals with a quality dry food that is grain free. If you find one let me know.
Don't feed a lot. Dry kibble is calories rich. In contrast wet food is over 75% water.

Give a majority diet of wet food, I like Merrick Real Duck and limited Ingredient Turkey
In Pate grind only

have plenty of cool fresh water available.

Play and exercise is important. Play and hunt before feeding, Grooming at rest after.

No Milk No fish.

I haven't tried eggs.

p.s.: I would stay away from IAM's and Hill's Science Death, uh I mean Diet.

ALSO STAY AWAY FROM food that has cellulose and wood pulp as fibre!

- Ken