My Top 10 Feline Feeding Tips.

My cat Magpie contemplates breakfast while perusing the passing food choices available 
on the others side of the windowpane.

There are few shortcuts to success in this march toward the final curtain call. When I talk to my clients about how to best care for their cat(s) I focus on essentially a very few topics.

I remind my clients that we really "are what we eat, and we get what we pay for."

For cats, the strictest of carnivores of all of our domestic species, the poorer the diet, and the more contained your cat, the more likely you are to have problems.

Cats are roamers and hunters. They are lean muscled inquisitive beasts who all roar loudly on the inside even if they purr quietly on the outside. They are built to eat flesh, and not chewy cookie like food, they are also less tolerant to the accumulation of adipose (fat) tissue then other species. They tend to accumulate fat around vital organs, like heart, and suffer significantly if that fat remains. The consequences are staggering and severe. Joint disease in 4 and 5 year olds when I typically only see it in 15 plus year old fit cats. Diabetes, the terrible consequences of this disease are often life-threatening and life-costing. Recurrent chronic infections, overwhelming amounts of urine that isn't always deposited in the litter box. Difficulty breathing, poor coat, inability to clean themselves leaving fecal matter stuck to the back of the rear legs and tail area. It is a sad reality that many cats struggle with obesity simply because we, their parents, are feeding them a poor quality kibble based diet.

Tigger presents for a pat.

Here are my recommendations for what and how to feed the felines in your life;

1. Rely on canned food and minimize access and quantity of dry food. 
A normal sized middle aged house cat (8-10 pounds) should be fed 1/2 of a high quality 5 ounce can twice a day. In my home for my 4 cats I use Science Diet. I vary the flavors to keep my cats interested and avoid problems posed by an exclusive single animal based protein. If your cat is used to eating only dry, and is currently overweight start at 1 can twice a day. If they aren't finishing it start to reduce to 1/2 can twice a day.
Confession Notice; The number of clients who tell me that "They cannot feed canned food," is ludicrous. When I ask "why?" The answer is almost invariably, "because I don't like the smell or the mess." I have trained myself to not respond the way my gut wants to. Instead, I remind them that the best diet choices available are freshly killed small rodents.

2. Offer 1/2 cup of dry food per cat a day. This should be age, lifestyle, and appropriate for any underlying disease(s). Again, in my home I use Science Diet adult feline. In general, most of my obese, diabetic cats have been on a poor all-you-can-eat food trough dry food. Worst yet, they are cartooned, day-glo foods with packages that look like these;

Cartoon logo, day-glo colors, and weird shapes,
the junk food telltale trifecta.

Drumstick and fish shapes, with filling..

Filling and "soft inside, crunchy out"
and a cartoon character.

3. Choose a high end commercially available diet. My personal favorites are Science Diet. I have fed it to my cats for decades and I have seen this company stand by their product, their patients and my non-stop veterinary help requests for decades. (I am not paid, compensated, nor biased in any form by any company). I typically buy multiple cases of different flavors and offer a mixed variety to my cats. It is important to not feed one type, or allow your cats to become addicted to only one flavor or type. Having your cat find a favorite can lead to them becoming intolerant to any other foods and make a treatment of a disease by change in diet incredibly difficult.

4. Food and water bowls should be emptied and cleaned at each meal.

5. Pay attention to who is eating and how much they are eating. Too often we catch a sick cat after days to weeks of reduced eating. Free feeders are the most difficult to monitor for adequate food intake. If it is out all of the time many people don't know when, or how much the pets are eating until it they are very skinny and weak.

6. I love water fountains for cats. They seem to enjoy running water, and it encourages drinking. I also like to add cat grass to them. The cats often enjoy the greens and they are fresh and organic.

7. Any kind of diet change, especially for cats, can be difficult. The best advice is to do it so slowly and so gradually that they don't realize it is happening. For the first few weeks (or months if needed) leave the wet food out and gradually reduce the amount of dry available. If your cat is finishing all of the dry and demanding more give in, but try to make it the highest quality dry available. If they are being reluctant to try the wet add a tiny bit of canned tuna, or chicken/beef baby food, or even lunch meat. 

My cat Wren, takes a little love bite nibble.

8. If your vet advises that your cat should be on a prescription diet I would still recommend that you try a gradual transition. If you cat is not so keen on the new diet it is better to have some of the 'good' versus all of the 'bad'. Let them decide how fast you can transition them. If you are having a difficult time with the prescription food ask your vet about other options. In many cases there are a few different manufacturers and a few other options.

9. Cats are ALWAYS in charge. The old "eventually they will get hungry enough and eat it," is NOT TRUE for cats. Cats can, and do, go on hunger strikes that can lead to irreversible life-threatening liver failure or disease. Surrender before they prove their point with an expensive potentially deadly disease (hepatic lipidosis). If your cat is getting so finicky that they are refusing the best stuff, start feeding other stuff. In the end a cat has to be eating, and as disease, or age, advances feed them whatever you have to to keep them eating. Try the following; gravied canned foods, chopped cooked chicken, fish, shellfish, meats, hot dogs, baby food meat flavors, tuna, or any of the foods or treats from number 2 above. In the clinic we have a special 'junk food' section that we pull out as our secret weapon to encourage our sick cats to eat.

10. Embrace the challenge that is the independent intelligent spirit of a cat. They have their reasons for every decision that they make. They need more than most of us can offer in a life of jobs, kids, responsibilities, and convenient diet choices. Too often we are not meeting their dietary needs, their inquisitive curious minds, and their exercise stamina. I have become an advocate of lots of choices, loads of mental and physical stimuli and an appreciation that we, unknowingly, and unintentionally asked them to live a life of boring captivity. Take your cats for a walk (try a harness or an enclosed outdoor cat cage), or even a playmate to chase and play with in the house. What about a cat room with shelves on the walls, cat trees, and an indoor garden of their own?

If you have any tips, or thoughts on how to best care for cats please leave me a comment. If you have a pet care question please visit me anytime at Pawbly.com. Pawbly is a free open pet community designed and dedicated to helping pet people care for the pets in their lives.

I am also available for veterinary care at the vet clinic, Jarrettsville Vet, in Jarrettsville Maryland, or on Twitter @FreePetAdvice.

The Troubles with Growing Old, Taking Care of Your Geriatric Dog

A big favorite, lasagna.

For many of my clients there is a time when their pet gets either too old or too sick to be coerced to stay on their 'regular' food any longer. 

The discussion of diet and disease state is an important part of every complete treatment plan, but at some place in time that prescribed, or regular diet is not palatable, or interesting enough to keep their pet on it  routinely.

For almost every disease there is a specially formulated highly studied, evolved and exemplary diet. From the most common to the most complicated, or even combinations of diseases, there are dietary options that will lessen the severity, progression, or clinical signs all thanks to your pet being on an appropriate formulated prescription diet. 

Savannah is always fed on a big soft bed.
It is the easiest way for her to keep her feet underneath her and the food in front of her.
Finding ways to assist your pet in eating is key to their ability to
maintain adequate calorie intake and muscle mass.

Over the last few years there has been an explosion of dietary options made available for pets. It is remarkable that so many people are so interested in their pets care that the thought of a $40 small bag of food is deemed to be worthy of their hard earned  dollars. It is easy to understand that pet parents care so much about their family members to want to prove what they believe the best for them. But what is harder for me to imagine is that people are making decisions based on infomercials, store sales clerks, or lay people. Your pet and  their care, I hope, should be based on the recommendations of those who have been trained, educated, and remain unbiased in their quest to provide your pet the best care possible. 

When it comes to diagnosing your pet and assisting them in overcoming their disease or ailment there is no greater authority than your veterinarian. But to prescribe a dietary treatment plan there needs to be some groundwork done, (a physical examination and diagnostics that may include blood work, radiographs, ultrasound, etc.),  and a short  term and long term treatment plan discussed.

When your pet is diagnosed their diet should be an integral part of the treatment plan. You should understand what ingredients are detrimental to your pets condition, which should be avoided, and a few helpful hints to safely and effectively switch your pets over to their ideal food.

When it comes to switching diets I usually suggest a 'slow and sneaky approach'. Ideally we want to switch your pet over to the new food gradually. This will accomplish two things. First, the new diet will not upset the gastrointestinal system, and second, your pet is more likely to transition to a new food if it is done slowly and gradually. Your veterinarian should explain in detail with a time frame as to how this is best accomplished.

In general, I recommend transitioning to a new food over weeks. For dogs with a sensitive stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, or allergies I usually recommend a transition period of a week with the following; 1/4 of the new food with 3/4 of the old food for two days, then 1/2 of the new with 1/2 of the old for two days, then 1/4 old with 3/4 new for another 2 days. For pets transitioning to a kidney friendly diet, especially felines, I recommend a much longer more gradual approach. Kidney friendly diets are pretty boring. They are effective and very beneficial but most cats are hard to convince that they are a delicacy. For this reason I advise switching over weeks. Adding tiny increments over months so that the transition is so gradual your cat doesn't even notice. Should your cat decide that they are not willing to eat a prescribed diet call your vet and inquire about other options. There are multiple prescription diet manufacturers and your cat might prefer one over the other. After all, variety is the spice of life. If your pet still refuses to accept the new food then remember that a little bit, (or as much as possible) of the right food, is better than none.

Yep, asleep with her head in the water bowl.
If I see a pet doing this I am concerned that their thirst is dictating their lifestyle
and I look very closely at reasons that a pet might have an increased thirst.
Regardless of the reason, and regardless of how much urinating is occurring with the increased thirst, PLEASE! Never, ever restrict water. 

At some point along the road of disease, life and age we lose the ability to mandate optimal choice. At some point your pet will tell you that they refuse to submit to your 'ideal diet'.  When this point arrives my advice about what is best turns into advise about how to preserve life. 

When your pet refuses to eat those packaged labeled prescription diets you should know what you can offer with their disease state and dietary consequences in mind. When even those options are being refused the food restrictions are lifted and free choice is prescribed.

Adequate food intake is a careful combination of many factors for the elderly geriatric patient. The food must be highly palatable, smell enticing, and be easy for them to prehend, chew, and swallow. For many clients I advise warming food, mixing in wet food, trying other foods like baby food, cat food, or human food.

For Savannah I usually offer at least three options. If these fail to intice her to partake in them I cook something. This morning's breakfast was shells, tuna, and cheese. All warm and all fresh. It was a hit!

As Savannah ages and loses her peripheral muscle mass (her rear legs are progressively weakening) I have her eat propped up on a bed or even propped up on the bottom step of our stairs. This way she can't slip backwards and away from her meal.

Delicious!

Caring for your older pet requires constant supervision, dedication, and persistence. For every obstacle there is in almost all cases an option to assist them. 

With her front legs planted in her bed, and her back end supported she is able to eat on her own.
Savannah's meal times are always supervised.

Geriatric medicine is very similar to pediatric medicine. Monitoring daily food intake, feeding twice (or more) a day, and also monitoring bathroom behavior is vital to their immune systems and ability to maintain adequate body condition.

Savannah's bedroom area.
Lined with absorbent non-slip blankets and rugs, it has become the cats favorite rumble arena.

Oriole body slams Wren.

Savannah's bed is adjacent to the cats room (the warmest spot and the brightest spot in the house).

At the end of the day there is sleep.

As your pet ages their ability to climb over, or into, things becomes more difficult to impossible.

To address this Savannah's beds have gotten progressively lower to the ground. 

And sometimes we just close enough to think we are in the bed.

It has been a long road of twists, turns, dark days, and long brutal nights. I have tried many treatment options, medical therapies, and been determined to not let a decision be made to let her go without feeling as if I have exhausted all of the options available.

Savannah sleeps through the night, is calm and relaxed, eating well, and happy. I really can't ask for more than that. I am beginning to think that my hope for her will come true. 

That maybe she will get the gift all of us ask for,,, to die of just plain old age.

If you have any pet questions you can find me at the clinic Jarrettsville Vet, or on Pawbly where we help pets with any problem at anytime and always free, or on Twitter @FreePetAdvice.

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