Best Cat Food Advice For Pet Owners

Cat food is no longer just big tins of jellied tuna and shapeless, brown bites. Dietary science has come a long way and we have better food than ever for our furry friends. Here we’ll walk you through everything you need to know on basic foods, foods you can and can’t share, fostering wellness, age-specific foods and treats. 

Dogs love cat food too, but if you’re in the wrong place, check out our Dog Food Advice blog here.

The pet food industry is well regulated in Canada. All pet food must follow PFAC (Pet Food Association of Canada) guidelines on weight, naming conventions, ingredients, instructions, quantity, nutritional adequacy and/or intended life stage. There are also plenty of online cat food reviews as Canadians are passionate when it comes to pet care.

Feed Based on Nutrition

Sourcing healthy, local and organic food is a staple of living in Vancouver, and this attitude extends to cat food as well. Some of the best dog food brands in Canada include Smack from Manitoba, Zeal from British Columbia, Orijen and Acana from Alberta, and Gather from Ontario.

Not everyone is an expert on pet nutrition, so the labels should make it clear if a type of food is complete: good for daily feeds, supplementary: fulfilling a specific need, or a treat: occasional.

Feed Based on Age

All cat food in Canada has to advise on a recommended life stage for optimal nutrition. Make sure to choose the right food for your cat or kitten’s stage of development.

Healthy Food for Cats

There are a lot of different foods available to help maintain your pet’s health. There are different food combinations you can use to keep your pets in shape. And as your doctor might put you on a specific diet due to a deficiency or to combat a specific illness, you can do the same for your cat.

Monitoring Your Cat‘s Weight

Obesity can lead to lots of health problems in cats. Cats are generally quite lean, so if you notice they’re starting to put on weight, gradually adjust their diet. Don’t worry too much if they start to put on a little bit of weight in wintertime as this is natural.

Storing Cat Food

Always store pet food in its original packaging. Cat food packaging is designed to keep it fresh for longer, stop pests getting in and reduce contamination. You can also refer back to serving sizes, nutritional guidelines and use by dates on the packaging.

Foods You Can Share With Your Cat

Eggs

Cooked eggs are fine for cats as they’re high in protein. Don’t give them raw eggs though.

Meat

Cooked meats are okay to share with your cat on occasion. They love it. Avoid giving them raw meat and real meat is always better than processed.

Cheese

Little bits of cheese are okay for cats every now and then.

Whole Grains

They’re good for you and the cat. Go for smaller grains and make sure they’re cooked to save your pal’s digestion – ground cornmeal, oats, polenta, millet and couscous.

Fish

This isn’t exactly surprising. All of those omega-3 fatty acids do your cat the world of good. Just make sure the fish is cooked – no sushi for the kitten.

Fruit and Vegetables

If you can get them to eat them, cats can have steamed asparagus, carrots, green beans and broccoli. Bananas, blueberries and melon are okay but most cats don’t go for fruit.

Foods You Shouldn’t Share With Your Cat

Chocolate

Chocolate has toxic agents in it that are really bad for cats. There’s more left for you though!

Grapes and Raisins

These fruits contain too much concentrated sugar for cats.

Onions, Chives, Leeks and Garlic

These are poisonous to cats and are a definite no in any quantity.

Macadamia Nuts

It’s not known what makes these toxic to cats but even in small amounts they can do a lot of damage.

Bread Dough

Cats’ digestive systems don’t hold up well against bread and bread dough.

Alcohol

None for him, he’s driving. Sorry, even if they give you that look, you can’t share booze with your cat. Treat them to a buzz of catnip instead.

Xylitol

No sweets, candy or gum for our furry friends.

Emergency Cat Food

As we’ve all learned recently, sometimes events are out of our control and we’re left without the essentials we need to get by. You should set aside about a week’s worth of pet food in case of an emergency. This isn’t doomsday prepping, it’s just a wise precaution. It also doesn’t hurt to have some extra chow in the house on those days when you’ve forgotten to go to the store and it’s getting late.

The simplest solution is to buy a few cans of cat food. They last for a year or two and keep out unwanted diners like mice and bugs. Keep them in a cool, dark space but don’t forget them – you’ll have to replace them periodically. Maybe set a reminder ahead on your phone to a few months before they go out of date, so nothing goes to waste.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to research how best to take care of your pet. Check out our other pet posts here.