I signed up for this at Pet.com and will receive one habit per day and will post them consequtively. I'm not sure if we'll learn anything new but I'm optomistic!
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Cat Crazy Habit #1: Don't Skimp on Food
Monday, August 4, 2008
Thanks for joining me today for
Habit #1. First, let me ask you a question. Do you think your cat is bored eating the same food? This is one of the most common questions I'm asked. The answer? Probably not. Your cat has fewer taste buds than you do, so he doesn't have the range of tastes that a person does.
Here's today's habit! Highly effective cat-crazy owners don't
skimp on food! Cat-crazy owners know that good nutrition and a balanced diet are essential elements for good health in a cat. They don't look for what is cheapest or what is on sale. They stick with a high quality diet that is complete and formulated to meet their cats' needs.
Cat-crazy owners know that cats need plenty of fresh clean water.
Cat-crazy owners also make sure their cats are fed a food
appropriate for their life stage. Dietary requirements vary
according to activity, stress levels and medical history. Outdoor and indoor/outdoor cats may experience increased levels of exercise and stress and thus require a higher percentage of protein and fat for energy production than a cat that is indoors only. Cats in various life stages [including kitten ("growth"), adult and senior ("geriatric")] require different amounts of nutrients. Active cats need more calories, while the "couch potato" cat needs less (just like us!).
Another common question that I get is, what is the best brand to feed? To be honest, that's a hard question to answer. In my opinion, prominent manufacturers of high quality food include Iams(Eukanuba), Hill's (Science Diet), Nature's Recipe products, NutraMax, Purina and Waltham do a very good job at making quality nutritious foods that are safe and consistent.
In general, the pricier name brands are better quality and usuallycannot be purchased in a supermarket. To buy them, you need to go to a pet store. Supermarkets stock what sells the most rather thanthe healthiest pet food. One thing to consider is that cats do eat less of the higher quality products, thus reducing the cost.
Effective cat-crazy owners should follow the label
recommendations and work with a veterinarian to decide what pet food and how much is best for your cat.
Tomorrow I'll discuss another cat-crazy habit: it's about feeding treats! Do you feed treats? Do you think it is "healthy"?
Until then,
Dr. Jon