Selecting a Food for Your Kitten |
Back |
|
Today, most cat owners prefer the reliability and convenience of feeding a commercial pet food. When selecting a food for
your kitten, food characteristics to consider include nutrient content and ingredient quality, energy density, palatability,
and the reputation of the manufacturer. Select a food that is formulated for your kitten’s age and activity level, and that
your kitten finds to be appealing and satisfying. When fed, the food should support normal gastrointestinal tract functioning
and produce regular, firm, and well formed stools. Most importantly, the selected food should support vitality and health,
good coat quality, healthy skin condition, and proper body physique and muscle tone.
|
| Helpful Tip |
|
Dry or Canned Food? |
The decision of whether to feed a canned or dry commercial pet food can be made with an understanding of the advantages and
disadvantages of each type of food.
- Dry cat foods are easy to store and keep, and can be fed free-choice without risk of rapid spoilage. Dry foods are
also somewhat lower in fat content and may be preferred for cats who tend to over-consume and gain too much weight.
Dry foods are somewhat more economical than canned products, primarily because they contain less water and more dry matter
and energy on a per weight basis. Finally, dry food may offer some dental hygiene advantages because of the increased
chewing and grinding needed during consumption.
- Canned cat foods have the advantage of a very long shelf-life prior to opening. These foods can be very appealing to
cats because of their texture and because they contain a relatively high level of fat and protein. This palatability can be
a distinct advantage when trying to entice a “finicky” cat to eat. Canned cat foods also have a much higher water content
(75 percent or more) so they provide a good dietary source of water. Many owners feed primarily dry food and supplement it
with one or two tablespoons of canned food each day as a “treat” for their cat. One disadvantage of canned food is that
the high energy density and palatability may contribute to obesity in some cats.
|
|
|