Cats Diet and Nutrition Articles

**Admin** 12/28/2010, 11:33 am

A good cat diet and proper nutrition are two of the most important ways to prevent a wide variety of common cat diseases and conditions. What goes into a cat’s body directly affects his physical and mental well-being. While it might not be easy to buy all of the right cat foods all of the time, even feeding your cat the best foods some of the time can help to avoid the most common diet-related conditions. Weight-gain, sluggishness, constipation, diarrhea, allergies, and bloating are just a few conditions that can result from poor cat diet and nutrition. Healthy foods and supplements are readily available to help keep your cat healthy and the opportunities for exercise are limitless. As a cat owner, doing your part to keep your cat healthy is the key to your cat’s good health and longevity. Continue reading to learn more about cat diet and nutrition.

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Why Is My Cat Not Eating?

For a cat, not eating can indicate any number of feline illnesses. From cat upset stomach to poor nutrition, pet owners should identify a possible cause as to why their cat may have stopped eating.
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When to Switch to Adult Cat Food

Kitten owners may be curious as to when they should begin making the switch to adult cat food. They’ve seen different ages listed online or heard various reports from their cat-owning friends.
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When to Feed Your Kitten Cat Food

You will have to feed your kitten cat food when he's between 11 and 12 weeks of age. Kittens have weak immune systems and need a healthy diet that's rich in vitamins and minerals so they can attain full growth and development.
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When Do Vets Consider a Cat Overweight?

A cat is overweight if he has more than 20% of his body mass index made up of fat. However, this is an abstract idea and finding the exact body mass index can be challenging.
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What to Look for in Canned Cat Food

Canned cat food is a healthy alternative for those who want to avoid the hassle of raw food. A high quality canned food can help your cat avoid several medical issues from mild to serious.
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What to Look for in a Cat Food Analysis

Cat food analysis may seem like a confusing and somewhat daunting idea to a cat owner. To get the most information out of the labels on your cat’s food, let’s look at what goes into a cat's diet and a cat food analysis.
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What to Feed a Cat with Diarrhea

A cat with diarrhea can have a mild infection, but may be affected by a more severe underlying condition. While diagnosing the problem of the pet, it is important to care for the cat at home and offer him a suitable diet that can reduce the diarrhea and make the pet feel more comfortable.
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What to Do If Your Cat Has Diarrhea

Diarrhea may occur due to food intolerance or is a symptom that may signal different problems. If your cat has diarrhea you should monitor your cat and try to identify the problem so that you can establish if you need veterinary help or you can solve the problem at home.
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What Makes Indoor Cat Food Different?

Most cat food brands offer an indoor cat food formula that they claim will make your cat healthier and leaner. Their theories are based on the animal's indoor environment, somewhat limited as it is, compared to outdoor cats who exercise more frequently and in many cases, chase their meal.
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What Makes a Cat Overweight? 11 Factors

There are 11 factors that can make a cat overweight. Sometimes the factors overlap and interact with each other in complex ways. It’s rare that one factor alone causes the problem.
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What Is the Difference Between Cat Food Allergies and Intolerances?

There is quite a bit of confusion about cat food allergies and cat food intolerances. These two medical problems are not synonymous and should not be confused with each other.
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What Is Low Residue Cat Food?

Low residue cat food can help with problems of feline constipation in several ways. The fiber in the food serves several purposes.
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What Is a Healthy Cat Weight?

Healthy cat weight is determined by a number of factors, including breed, age, activity level and amount of food consumed daily.
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What Do Cats Eat Naturally?

“What do cats eat naturally” is an important question to consider if you want to give your cat the best nutrition possible. Without the proper nutrition, a cat can develop diseases that could have been avoided. Nutrition formulated for a cat’s specific bodily needs can help improve not only his physical health but his behavior and general disposition as well.
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Wet Cat Food for Urinary Health

Wet cat food contains a lot more moisture than dry kibble; wet food contains about 70% moisture, whereas dry kibble contains about 10% moisture. Vets believe that feeding your cat a diet that contains wet cat food can help prevent a number of urinary tract diseases and problems, since it helps to provide the moisture your cat needs to maintain urinary tract health.
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Weight Loss for Obese Cats

Helping obese cats lose weight and become more active requires patience and dedication from cat owners. Exercise, nutrition and the right diet are essential for successful cat weight loss.
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Weight loss and loss of appetite in Cats

Problems that cause weight loss in cats.
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Weaning Kittens to Dry Food

Mother cats start weaning kittens when they are four weeks old. If you're hand raising kittens because the mother died or abandoned one or all kittens, you should start introducing the kitten to solid food at this time.
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Vitamins and Minerals for Cats

Cats need vitamins and minerals as part of a well-balanced diet. If these are lacking from the diet, your cat can develop anemia and multiple diseases.
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Vegetarian Cat Food

Cat food can be varied and there are options even for the vegetarian and vegan pet owners. Even if cats are supposed to be carnivores, some felines can do well on a vegetarian diet, as this has many health benefits.
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Using Limited Ingredient Cat Food for Allergic Cats

Cat food provides the building blocks for your cat's health. At best, it provides necessary energy and nutrients.
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Using a High-Calorie Cat Supplement for Feline Appetite Stimulation

There are many different types of cat supplement that are available to help your feline pet in a variety of different medical situations. It's important to remember that you should never provide your pet with a supplement of any kind unless you have checked it out with your veterinarian first, as these different supplements can do a number of different things to your pet's body that you may not be aware of without a vet's assistance.
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Unique Characteristics of Senior Cat Food

A beneficial senior cat food will contain balanced nutrients including digestible carbohydrates, fiber, high quality protein, minerals, antioxidants, vitamins, fatty acids and a healthy level of magnesium usually in the form of tasty, small, easy-to-chew kibble.
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Tube Feeding Kittens

Newborn cats are delicate, fragile animals, and the mother cat is always gentle and careful when feeding kittens. Unfortunately, there will be some situations in which the mother is unavailable, is not producing milk or will not feed her own kittens.
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Tube Feeding Cats

Tube feeding cats is an excellent option for cats who can't or won't eat due to sickness or injury. Unlike some other animals who can go days without food, cats can develop serious medical complications if they don't eat for more than 24 hours.
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Transitioning from Milk to Kitten Food

Knowing when to transition your kitten from milk to kitten food is of primary importance, especially if you have an orphaned kitten. In either case, kittens generally will begin eating kitten food at around 8 weeks of age.
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Transitioning From a Kitten Diet to an Adult Diet

For a 4-week-old kitten, diet changes become necessary. Solid foods rich in protein replace kitten formulas.
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Toxic Food for Cats

Commercial food for cats contains all the needed ingredients to keep your cat healthy. However, cats are curious and sometimes crave for some unusual foods, plants or table scraps.
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Tips for Feeding Cats with Diabetes

Cats with diabetes can often be improved with a proper diet. In fact, with a proper diet, you can reduce the amount of insulin you give your cat and possibly even remove it completely.
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Tips for Effective Feline Weight Loss

Feline weight loss is essential for obese and overweight cats. An overweight cat presents numerous health risks, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and a shorter lifespan.
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Tips for Comparing Cat Foods

Choosing the perfect cat foods for your pet may seem a little difficult, but it's important to provide your cat with the best food choices available because you want your cat to maintain optimum health and nutrition. So how do you know which cat foods are the most nutritious and best for your pet?
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The Seven Nutritional Factors of Quality Pet Food

Choosing a good diet for your pet is an important part of being a pet owner. Quality pet food improves your dog's health, which can mean fewer veterinarian visits and a longer life.
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The Science of Feline Cat Food Formulas

Proper feline nutrition is essential for a healthy and active cat. Many commercial cat foods do not provide balanced nutrients that your cat needs and are filled with fillers offering little nutritional value.
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The Nine Most Common Food Allergies in Cats

Nine ingredients frequently cause food allergies in cats. Cats affected by allergy or intolerance to foods develop itchy dry skin or skin rashes, particularly around the face and ears.
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The Health Benefits of Cat Grass

Cat grass eating is frequent and has a number of health benefits for your pet. Even if you feed your cat the best possible nutritional cat food, your cat will still grab some grass and chew on it, because he likes grass.
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The Dos and Dont’s of Bottle Feeding Kittens

It is always best to have a mother cat feeding kittens, but complications may arise requiring human intervention. If you take in kittens that are too young for dry cat food, bottle-feeding with a kitten formula is always best.
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The Dietary Management of Cat Liver Disease

Cat liver disease is not uncommon, especially as your cat gets older. A damaged liver can rapidly deteriorate the entire body's functioning.
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The Dangers of Feeding a Cat Dog Food

When feeding a cat, dog food is not acceptable. Dog food does not contain the nutrients essential to feline health.
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The Benefits of Serving Dry Cat Food

The benefits of serving dry cat food as opposed to wet cat food include cost and convenience. Dry food must be nutritionally balanced, however, in order to be the best diet for your cat.
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The Benefits of Natural Pet Food

Natural pet food, which is becoming more popular, has many benefits for cats and dogs. Just like humans have found a better quality of life from natural foods, pets can also have an overall improvement in their well-being through a switch to natural pet food.
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The Benefits of Low PH Cat Food

Low pH cat food is formulated to increase the cat urine PH level and is often fed to cats with urinary problems. Low pH cat food is good for cats suffering from FLUTD, or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, a disorder which affects many cats.
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The Benefits of Grass Food for Your Cat

Grass food for cats has proven to have a lot of nutritional and health benefits. Even though cats are carnivores, they often enjoy chewing on grass.
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The Benefits of Feeding Your Cat Fiber

Feeding your cat fiber has a lot of health benefits, starting from a good digestion to prevention and management of obesity. All commercial cat food has fiber content, and sometimes fiber supplements are also recommended to treat certain medical conditions.
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The Benefits of Dry Kitten Food

Dry kitten food is often chosen by cat owners as it is a practical feeding solution. Kittens should be fed wet food immediately after birth, however the transition to dry food can happen as early as possible.
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The Benefits of Canned Kitten Food

There are many benefits to canned kitten food. When supplemented with some hard treats or a bit of kibble, a diet made up primarily of canned food is a better option than diets made up of kibble alone. The benefits of canned kitten food include better hydration, more whole and natural ingredients, and fewer chemical additives and preservatives.
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The Benefits of Canned Cat Food

The benefits of canned cat food in a cat's diet are substantial. Cat owners should consider at least supplementing a cat's dry food with wet food, if not switching to a wet food diet for their cats entirely.
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The Benefits of Canned (Wet) Cat Food

Wet cat food contains about 75 to 80% moisture, which is significantly higher than the 5 to 10% in dry cat food. Wet food has a lot of benefits for the health of your cat and should be considered as a long term feeding option, even if it's more expensive than dry food.
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The Benefits of an Automatic Cat Feeder

An automatic cat feeder is a device that dispenses food to your cat at pre-set times of the day. Regardless of whether you're going on vacation or just trying to manage your cat’s weight more effectively, an automatic cat feeder has many benefits to offer you.
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The 5 Most Common Feline Food Allergies

Feline food allergies can make a cat feel more itchy than normal. Experts estimate that food allergies can account for up to 50% or more of the reasons a cat's skin may feel irritated.
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Symptoms of Malnutrition in Cats

There are several easily identifiable symptoms of malnutrition in cats that pet owners need to be aware of. Although malnutrition is generally observed in stray cats, cats that are cherished members of a family can also suffer from malnutrition.
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Symptoms - Increased Drinking and Urinating

Recently she began drinking copious amounts of water and urinating in her kitty litter box as well as in other areas of the house. My vet did blood work on her and can find no cause for this behavior.
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Switching to Kitten Milk Replacer

A mother cat provides a number of important things to her offspring through kitten milk. In addition to containing the nutrients that the kittens need in order to grow and sustain themselves, the milk has helpful antibodies that protect them against certain diseases.
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Slimming a Fat Kitten Through Diet

A kitten should have additional deposits of fat so as to be able to keep warm. However if you have an overly fat kitten you should consider dieting.
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Should You Give Your Cat Milk?

If you would like to know whether you should give your cat milk you need to learn a few facts about milk and how cats react to it. Felines can drink cat milk, however, when it comes to cow milk, you need to consider a few factors.
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Should You Feed Your Kitten Adult Cat Food?

When it comes to feeding a kitten adult cat food, proper levels of protein and water are the most important factors for a healthy diet. Whether it's organic, wet, dry or a wellness cat food, quality ingredients are essential.
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Should You Feed Your Cat Raw Food?

Feeding a cat raw foods is beneficial to his health. However, you must balance the raw food diet with fiber, taurine, vegetables and fruits to make sure the cat's raw food diet matches what it would be if the cat were in the wild.
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Should You Feed Your Cat Dry Food?

Cat dry food is a food option for many pet owners, as it is very practical and inexpensive. When it comes to deciding whether dry food is suitable for a cat, there are several pluses and minuses. Some cats can live on dry food for their whole life, while others will require a different type of food.
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Senior Cat Supplements

Cat supplements become necessary when the pet needs to recover from a health condition or reaches old age and health problems need to be kept at bay. She might still be in good health for a long time if she is well cared for, so discuss with your veterinarian whether supplements can help.
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Senior Cat Food

Elderly cats may are susceptible to a lot of old age diseases such as heart problems, arthritis or obesity, which will dictate the need for a change in diet. The senior cat food is created bearing in mind the special needs of older cats; there are different types of senior cat food that are suitable for cats with heart or kidney problems or food for senior obese cats.
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Routine Maintenance of Cats

Litterpan problems are very common in cats. It helps to think about this problem from the cat's point of view sometimes when trying to deal with it. Cats like to have a clean, inviting place to defecate and urinate. Remember some of the dirty bathrooms you have had to decide whether to use or not, and you can relate to this feeling.
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Rectal, Anal and Colon Problems

Constipation occurs in cats and is associated with megacolon, a condition in which the motility of the digestive tract is not normal and stool size becomes large enough to be uncomfortable or difficult to pass.
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Raw Diet Cat Food

Raw diet cat food can help your cat's overall health and longevity. Research shows that cats who eat raw food are more fertile, have fewer illnesses and a longer lifespan than cats who are fed other types of food.
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Raw Cat Food

A raw cat food diet is beneficial for your pet as cats are obligate carnivores and thrive on the meat, organs and bones of smaller prey. Their bodies are designed to digest flesh and bone in the raw state.
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Pros and Cons of Dry Cat Foods

Cats have multiple food options including canned food, kibble food and home made food. Dry cat foods have several advantages, but there are also some drawbacks if your pet consumes dry food only.
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Probiotics for Cats

Probiotics for cats are one of the few bacterium that cats need to maintain a healthy digestive and intestinal tract. Probiotics are the good bacteria that the body retains from food, to keep the bad bacteria to a minimum.
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Principles of a Diabetic Cat Diet

The proper cat diet can make a huge difference in the treatment and healthy maintenance for the diabetic cat. Organic cat food and chicken cat food are often the best choices to help reduce the symptoms of diabetes.
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Prescription Cat Diet Food

Cat diet food can be prescribed for felines that need to lose some weight or that suffer from a medical condition. The diet will be suited to speed up the recovery or to help the cat lose weight.
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Premium Dog and Cat Food Claims Examined

Premium dog and cat food purchased at a store is supposed to be the best of the best, right? While there are many good items on the market for pets, some of the claims on the food labels may not really as good as the companies claim.
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Photo Gallery - Toxic Cat

An example of the classic swollen face associated with acetaminophen toxcicty.
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Pet Food Recalled

Keep your pets healthy and safe by referring to this comprehensive list of recalled pet foods listed by brand, product description, size, UPC / bar code, and container type. Look For a Date that Falls within the below date range on The Bottom of Can or Back of Pouch.
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Older Cat Diet Tips

An older cat goes through a number of changes and may have various health conditions that will require a certain diet. Even though older cats have about the same nutritional requirements as younger cats, the diet may have to be adapted according to the cat's health.
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Nutritional Supplements for Cats

Nutritional supplements can be very useful for cats that lack vitamins, have a health condition or are fed incomplete diets. Nutrition supplements can also be harmful to your cat if he already received enough of the substances you are supplementing, or if they are not suitable for the development stage of the cat.
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Nutritional Qualities of Typical Cat Food Ingredients

Even some of the "healthier" cat food brands contain unhealthy cat food ingredients. With skyrocketing feline diabetes and cancer rates, it's important to pay attention to your cat's diet.
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Nutritional Guidelines for Feeding Cats

Feeding cats a healthy balanced diet requires some basic knowledge of feline nutrition. Feline nutrition isn't complicated and commercially available cat foods should provide all the nutrition your cat needs.
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Nutritional Features of Commercial Kitten Formula Products

There is a difference between adult cat formula and kitten formula. Kittens have small stomachs, and therefore aren't big eaters, therefore it is important that your kitten is receiving all the nutrients he needs from the calories he's consuming.
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Nutritional Factors of an Ideal Cat Diet

Cat diet is essential in determining the health and longevity of your feline. The basic nutritional needs of a cat are protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water...
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Nutritional Considerations for a Seriously Ill Cat

An ill cat has often decreased appetite, but he still needs certain nutrients to stay strong and recover. Regular cat food may not be the best solution and the diet might differ according to the illness your cat suffers from.
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Natural Vitamins for Cats

Although commercial foods are designed to provide a full load of vitamins for cats, the unfortunate truth is that they are often not entirely able to do so. There are a number of reasons why the vitamins and other nutrients in the food may be insufficient to meet the needs that your cat's body has.
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Natural Supplements for Cats

Supplements for cats can be used as a means of treatment for an ailment, or as a preventative measure over their health. Some cats might not require the assistance of medication to treat their condition.
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Natural Dry Cat Food

Types of natural dry cat food are generally designed to meet feline nutritional needs while avoiding the additives and preservatives often found in commercially processed products. Many natural dry cat foods are marketed as "holistic" and feature "organic" ingredients.
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Natural Canned Cat Food

Canned cat food is a healthy form of food for a cat. It comes in all kinds of varieties and levels of quality and nutrition.
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Mother Cat Nutritional Recommendations

A mother cat must have a special diet that meets all of her and her growing kittens' requirements. Even after the kittens are born, the nursing cat still needs additional nutrients if she's to remain healthy and strong and assist with the kittens' growth.
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Medical Conditions of Obese Cats

Obese cats may encounter health issues more frequently than cats with a normal weight. Being overweight is not healthy for your cat. Spayed or neutered...
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Managing Feline Diabetes with a Low Carbohydrate Diet

A feline diabetes diet that is low in carbohydrates can help control or reverse the disease by preventing obesity and blood sugar spikes that wear out the pancreas. Approximately 40 percent of cats are overweight, and fat cats are four times more likely to develop canine diabetes.
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Making Sense of Healthy Cat Food Claims

Many companies claim to make healthy cat food, but not every food benefits your cat. It is important to read cat food labels and make sure you avoid fillers, dyes and excessive carbohydrates.
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Making Organic Cat Food at Home

Making homemade organic cat food is a great way to ensure that your cat is getting the balanced nutrition that commercial cat foods often lack. Dry cat foods usually have a large amount of carbohydrates, preservatives, additives and fillers that cats don't need
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Making High-Nutrient Gourmet Cat Treats at Home

To provide the most nutritious snacks for your cat, gourmet treats can be made at home. You can choose the best ingredients and use them according to your cat's tastes and needs.
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Maintaining a Healthy Cat Weight

Maintaining a healthy cat weight is essential to avoid certain obesity related diseases such as heart conditions, diabetes, arthritis, frequent skin infections or hormonal imbalances. It is important to determine the ideal weight for your cat and maintain it through diet and workout.
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Lysine Treats for Cats

Lysine is one of the most common ingredients in treats for cats. Cat treats are oftentimes designed to be tasty and rewarding eating experiences for pets, but many treats also contain helpful nutrients as well.
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Low Protein Diet for Cats

Felines are carnivores and require a high amount of proteins on a daily basis, but a low protein diet may be recommended for some cats. The proteins are essential in providing the energy needed for the daily activities.
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Low Allergy Cat Food

Of all of the reasons why your pet cat may develop an allergy, cat food is one of the most common. Pet food allergies can develop suddenly or may build in intensity over the course of months or even years.
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Liquid Vitamins for Cats

Cats, like humans, do not always get the nutrition they need from their diet alone. Cat lovers want to do what’s going to keep their cat healthy in order live a long life.
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Liquid Nutrition for Cats

In certain very specific cases, a liquid nutrition diet is a viable option for your pet. Generally speaking, most healthy cats should eat a regular diet of either dry or canned food.
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Liquid Diet for Cats

A liquid diet may be required at times if your cat has a health problem or has undergone a surgery. The diet will be prescribed by the vet and administered at the hospital, but you may have to administer the food at home in some cases.
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Kitten Health Problems Indicated by Diarrhea

Kittens are more exposed to health problems due to the fact that they have an undeveloped immune system and they may also lack some essential vaccines. Kittens get diarrhea more often than adult cats; knowing what kitten health problems are indicated by diarrhea can be helpful.
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Kitten Formula Ingredients

Kitten formula can be purchased in pet shops, some grocery stores and online. Kittens that have been taken away from their mother before the age of around 6 weeks need to be fed kitten formula.
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Kitten Food Recommendations

The kitten food you choose will have a great influence on the overall health of your pet. It is important to get informed on the optimal foods you can feed kittens and opt for quality brands that will keep your pet nourished.
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Kitten Diet Recommendations

You should take the greatest care in selecting the proper diet for your kitten. Here are some important kitten diet recommendations.
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Kitten Diarrhea Causes

Kitten diarrhea is more common than diarrhea in adult cats, due to the kitten immune system that is not fully developed yet. In addition, the kitten may not have all vaccinations, which makes him more exposed to certain infections that may involve the gastrointestinal tract.
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Is Your Cat Obese? Feline BMI Norms Explained

Are you wondering, "Is my cat obese?" Overweight animals are more likely to develop diabetes, heart disease and joint problems. Use feline body mass indexes to discover if your cat suffers from obesity.