Cats Protection and International Cat Care, two cat welfare charities, both publish guidance on choosing from the wide range of cat foods on sale. This guide summarises their advice for UK owners on the basics of feeding a healthy adult cat. It is general welfare information; the charities advise speaking to a vet about special diets, weight worries or any cat that stops eating.
Choose a complete food
Cats Protection says cats need a meat-based diet balanced with the right amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals, and advises choosing a food labelled “complete”, which contains all the vital nutrients so no other food or vitamin supplements are needed. “Complementary” foods, such as treats, must be combined with other foods to give a balanced diet. International Cat Care makes the same distinction: complete foods give a cat all the nutrients it needs except water and are designed to be the main part of the diet, while complementary foods are typically treats, are nutritionally incomplete and should form no more than 10 per cent of the diet.
Cats Protection groups life stages as kittens up to one year, adults between one and eight years, and seniors over eight, and says each needs different food. It also advises picking a brand that is a member of UK Pet Food and does not recommend homemade meals unless a vet advises them, because the balance is very difficult to get right. The site’s guide to reading pet food labels explains the wording on packaging.
Wet, dry or both
Cats Protection says a cat can be fed wet food, dry food or both, and that the choice is down to the cat’s preference. It suggests offering both in separate bowls to see which the cat prefers.
- Wet food. It comes in many flavours, can appeal to fussy eaters, has a higher moisture content and is softer to eat. International Cat Care explains that cats tend to concentrate their urine rather than drink more water, so wet food provides a source of water, and that it is always lower in calories than dry food, which makes it bulkier.
- Dry food. Cats Protection says it can be left out all day, which suits cats that graze, and can be used in puzzle feeders. International Cat Care names ease, convenience and cost as the main benefits, and says dry food is more energy dense, which can suit thin or picky cats but can be a problem for cats unable to regulate their intake.
International Cat Care says most owners feed a combination, and that a vet can advise on the best choice for an individual cat.
Cats fed mostly dry food need help drinking. International Cat Care suggests a constant supply of clean water, a water station kept separate from food and the litter tray, ceramic or steel bowls because plastic can leave an aftertaste, wide flat bowls that do not touch the whiskers, several drinking stations, and possibly a water fountain.
How much and how often
Cats Protection says the amount depends on age, weight and activity. Owners should follow the packaging guidance on daily quantity and check the cat’s weight periodically, and speak to a vet if the cat seems over- or underweight. Neutered cats typically have reduced energy needs, so the daily amount may need reducing. The site’s guide to pet obesity covers weight in more detail.
Cats have evolved to eat little and often. Cats Protection notes that a wild cat would eat around 10 to 12 small meals a day and that pet cats often prefer the same pattern. Its guidance for adult cats is fresh wet food at least twice daily and dry food at least once daily, and it says wet food should be changed at least twice a day to stay fresh.
Where to put the bowls
- Cats Protection advises placing food and water bowls away from each other, because cats do not like their water contaminated by food, and putting the litter tray as far away from both as possible.
- Cats usually prefer to eat away from other cats, so in a multi-cat home food should be given in separate places.
Treats and human food
Cats Protection says treats should be limited so a cat does not gain weight, with the regular daily allowance reduced to allow for the extra calories, and that cat food treats are better than human food. It notes that many cats value play or attention more than food. It does not generally recommend human food because calories are hard to gauge, it can unbalance the diet and many human foods are harmful to cats; see the site’s guide to human foods that are toxic to dogs and cats.
Changing food and special diets
A sudden change of diet can upset the stomach or lead a cat to refuse a new food. Cats Protection recommends offering a little of the new food alongside the old in separate bowls, never mixed, increasing the amount of new food and reducing the old gradually over a week or more. If the cat refuses the new food or becomes unwell, it advises continuing with the old food and speaking to a vet. Cats are obligate carnivores, it says, so it does not recommend vegetarian or vegan diets, and anyone considering a raw diet should speak to a vet first.
Frequently asked questions
Is wet food better than dry?
Cats Protection says the choice is down to the cat’s own preference provided the food is complete, and International Cat Care says both have pros and cons.
Should a cat be fed vegetarian food?
Cats Protection says cats are obligate carnivores and do not recommend vegetarian or vegan diets.
The bottom line
The two charities agree on the basics: a complete cat food suited to the cat’s life stage, wet, dry or both according to preference, small regular meals, fresh water kept away from food and the litter tray, limited treats, and gradual changes to any diet. A vet is the right contact for weight concerns or a cat that is eating less than normal.