But when it comes to knowing what nutrients our pets need to grow properly and stay healthy, we often come up short.

Many years ago, little thought or research was put into the manufacture of pet food, or the proper way to feed our pets. Eventually, in response to consumer demand, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) was formed. Their primary function was to publish feed regulations and ingredient definitions. After much research, committee investigations and feeding trials, nutrient profiles for pets were developed, and guidelines established.

This is still a work in progress. Despite significant advances, the importance and proper levels of some nutrients are still under investigation. The recommendations of AAFCO, for instance, may change when additional information about nutritional health in dogs becomes available. For now, the minimum levels of nutrients that should be included in pet foods are listed. In a few cases, excess amounts of certain nutrients can be damaging so maximum levels are also listed in AAFCO guidelines.

When buying pet food, choose only those products that carry the statement “Formulated to meet the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profile for…” because they follow these guidelines. It is not a requirement to meet AAFCO standards in order to sell pet food, so buyers beware. Check the labels and compare products.

The nutrient list is divided into two separate profiles. One profile is for growing, pregnant or lactating dogs and one is for adult maintenance. The nutrients are listed on a dry matter basis. What this means is that if you are comparing products, the moisture content of the food must be taken into consideration. If the food has 75 percent moisture, then the remaining nutrients make up 25 percent of the food.

Take each nutrient amount and divide by 0.25 to obtain an accurate dry matter amount to compare to the nutrient guidelines or even to compare one food to another. If the moisture content is 10 percent, then 90 percent make up the rest of the nutrients. Divide each nutrient value by 0.9 in order to get an accurate value.

Current AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles:

For Adult Maintenance -

Unless otherwise listed, all values are minimum requirements:

Protein… 26%
Fat …… 9%
Calcium…. 0.6%
Phosphorus… 0.5%
Potassium… 0.6%
Sodium….. 0.2%
Chloride…. 0.3%
Magnesium… 0.04%
Iron... 80 mg/kg
Copper… 5 mg/kg
Manganese…. 7.5 mg/kg
Zinc……. 75 mg/kg (maximum 2000 mg/kg)
Iodine….. 0.35 mg/kg
Selenium…. 0.1 mg/kg
Vitamin A… 5000 IU/kg (maximum 750,000 IU/kg)
Vitamin D… 500 IU/kg (maximum 10,000 IU/kg)
Vitamin E… 30 IU/kg
Thiamine… 5 mg/kg
Riboflavin… 4 mg/kg
Pantothenic Acid… 5 mg/kg
Niacin… 60 mg/kg
Pyridoxine… 4 mg/kg
Folic Acid….0.8 mg/kg
Vitamin B12…0.022 mg/kg
Choline….. 2400 mg/kg
Taurine… 0.1%

(For cats diets with over 25 percent of the diet made from fish products, Vitamin K 0.1 percent is necessary)

For Growing Kittens, Pregnant and Lactating Queens -

The majority of nutrient minimums are the same except for the items listed. The maximum for those listed does not change.

Protein…30%
Calcium 1%
Phosphorus 0.8%
Magnesium… 0.08%
Copper… 5-15 mg/kg
Vitamin A… 9000 IU/kg
Vitamin D… 750 IU/kg

Dry cat foods have greater "caloric density" which means simply, there is less water in a 1/2 cup of dry food as compared to a canned food diet. Overall, the choice of "dry" vs. "canned" vs. "semi-moist" is an individual one. When dry or canned food is fed in the proper amounts based on age and size of the pet, either should meet the nutritional requirements of your cat. Some medical conditions, such as dental disease, may benefit from dry food. Other medical conditions, such as urinary disorders in which increased water consumption is desirable, encourage the use of canned foods. Discuss these alternatives with your veterinarian. Most cats enjoy eating a combination of a dry food along with supplemental canned food. This allows you to observe your pet's behavior during the canned mealtime.

How Often?

There are various methods of feeding cats. Sometimes, the age and size of the pet plays a role and sometimes the habits of the cat. There are two common methods of feeding; free choice and limited time feeding.

Free Choice -

Free choice feeding is recommended for kittens under 6 months of age. At this young age, kittens should be allowed to eat as much as they want and their food bowls should be kept full with dry kibble. Many people continue to keep the food bowl full throughout the cat’s life. For some finicky cats, this method may work.

However, many cats do not fare well on this method. Keeping the food bowl full allows the cat to eat whenever he wants and as much as he wants. By keeping the bowl full, you cannot monitor the amount of food your pet is eating, leading to obesity. Alternatively, if you have multiple cats and one becomes ill, often you cannot tell if he is eating or not. For cats that enjoy nibbling through the day, fill the bowl each morning with the day’s ration. Regardless of when the bowl is emptied, no more food is to be added to the bowl until the following day. This will allow you to monitor your cat's intake as well as help to prevent growing a chubby kitty.

Limited Timed Feeding -

Another method of feeding is to feed small meals, several times through the day. This can be beneficial for regulating the intake of obese pets or cats in a multi-cat household where one is overweight. In this method, the daily total ration is divided over several feedings. The amount of food is based on the pet’s age and size. For each feeding, the specified amount of food is offered to the cat. If not eaten right away, the food should be removed in 20 minutes and not offered again until the next scheduled feeding. It may take your cat several tries to understand that he needs to eat the food when it is offered, or a meal will be missed.

In multi-cat households, you may want to consider feeding each cat in a separate room, especially if one has health concerns or is obese. Put each cat in a separate closed room and offer the appropriate amount of food. Keep the cats in the room for 20 minutes. After the allotted time, let the cats out and remove all the remaining food. By keeping the cats separate, you can make sure each has eaten his food and there has been no stealing of food by the cat on a diet.

Limited timed feeding should not be used in kittens less than 6 months of age. After 6 months, the feedings can be limited to twice a day. For example, if your cat’s size and age dictates that he should be fed 1/2 cup of food per day, offer 1/4 cup food two times a day. If the cat does not eat at one of the feedings, don’t add more food later. Each feeding, regardless if it is eaten or not, should contain 1/4 cup of food.

As the kitten becomes an adult, feedings can be reduced to once a day. Remember to check the manufacturer’s recommendations on how much to feed. As your cat ages, his size increases, and he will need more food each day.

Once your cat is over 6 months of age, his adult feeding pattern can be established. Some cats do well on one feeding a day but at least two feedings a day is usually recommended.

Routine, Routine, Routine -

Cats thrive on routine so decide on a feeding pattern early in your pet’s life and stick to it. You may want to consider feeding your cat while the family dines. This can occupy your pet while the family eats and keeps him from begging or creating problems during the family meal. Evening meals can also minimize those "early morning wake up calls" that result when you want to lounge in bed but your cat is ready for his regular morning feedings.

The Best Alternative?

Many people leave the day’s ration of dry food out and offer some canned food once or twice a day. For cats that maintain their weight (are neither over or underweight), this is the favorite method of many veterinarians. This allows the cat to nibble all day and also permits you to observe the pet's behavior during the times when you feed canned food. If your cat does not come running for his normal canned food meal, it may be an early warning sign that something is wrong. Inappetence is often one of the first signs of illness in cats.

Dry cat foods have greater caloric density which means simply, there is less water in a 1/2 cup of dry food as compared to a canned food diet. Overall, the choice of "dry" vs. "canned" vs. "semi-moist" is an individual one, but most cats enjoy eating a combination of a dry food along with supplemental canned food.

Cats in the various life stages, including kitten ("growth"), adult and senior ("geriatric"), require different amounts of nutrients. Special situations such as pregnancy and nursing kittens can dramatically affect nutritional needs. Working cats need more calories, while the "couch potato" needs less (just like us).

Cats have particularly unusual nutrient needs. These include:

Vitamin A -

Your cat doesn’t have the ability to convert the carotene found in plants to vitamin A. His source of vitamin A must come from liver, kidney and other organ meats. If a cat lacks vitamin A in his diet, poor growth, weight loss, damage to cell membranes and decreased resistance to disease are among the possible consequences. More importantly, female cats may fail to cycle, the embryo may fail to implant or the pregnant cat may abort or produce kittens with abnormalities, such as a cleft palate.

Niacin -

Your cat is unable to synthesize niacin from the amino acid tryptophan, due to an excess of a certain enzyme. Therefore, unlike other animals, his requirement for niacin must be met entirely from niacin present in animal tissues (plants are low in niacin). Deficiencies include weight loss, loss of appetite, unkempt fur and wounds around the mouth.

Essential Fatty Acids -

Your cat requires sufficient arachidonic acid, a fatty acid found only in animal tissue. Therefore, he requires some animal fat in his diet. Dermatitis and poor reproductive performance are among the deficiency symptoms.

Taurine -

Your cat’s taurine requirement is quite high. Naturally he’d obtain taurine, an amino acid, from muscle meats. Fish and shellfish are also exceptionally good sources. Taurine deficiency can produce central retinal degeneration (CRD), a form of blindness. Besides CRD, deficiency symptoms of taurine include poor reproduction and dilated cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease).

In addition to these dietary peculiarities, your cat requires a high amount of protein in his diet, about 12 percent in comparison to 4 percent for adult dogs. Unlike you, your cat does very well on a high-fat diet. Fat gives him needed energy, assists the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such A and E, and adds taste. Fat also adds to his needed calories, a daily requirement of about 35 kilocalories per pound of body weight.

Feeding -

You can either feed him at least two meals a day or leave food out for snacking. In order to fulfill his needs, feed him one ounce of canned food daily, or 1/3 ounce of dry food, per pound of body weight. Most young cats (one to four years of age) are very active and self-regulate their food intake, thereby maintaining a healthy body weight.

As your cat ages, he may slow down and begin putting on extra weight. Monitor his weight — if he’s becoming too fat, consult your veterinarian.

Remember, water is also an important nutrient. He needs fresh clean water daily. Your cat drinks about twice the amount of water as he consumes in dry food, though since canned cat food in greater than 75 percent water, he barely drinks when his diet consists of canned cat food only.

Recommendations -

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is an organization that publishes regulations for nutritional adequacy of "complete and balanced" cat foods. Diets that fulfill the AAFCO regulations follow the national consensus recommendations for feline foods and will state on the label: "formulated to meet the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profile for…(a given life stage).

Consider Your Cat's Age -

• For kittens (up to 8-9 months of age): Feed your kitten a consistent canned, semi-moist, or dry cat food designed for kittens.
• For adult cats (1-9 years): Feed your cat a consistent canned, semi-moist, or dry cat food designed for an "adult" cat.
• For senior cats (8-9+ years): Feed your cat a consistent canned, semi-moist, or dry cat food designed for a "senior" cat.

Consider Your Cat's Body Condition -

• Underweight cats: Feed your cat 1-1/2 times the "usual" amount of food and make an appointment to see your veterinarian about your cat’s body condition. Consider switching to a food with higher protein and fat content.
• Lean cats: Many healthy cats are a bit thin, especially active young male cats. Consider increasing total daily food or caloric intake by 25 percent. Weigh your cat every week, if possible, to chart progress.
• Chubby cats: If your cat is a bit overweight, try increasing the daily exercise routine. Gradually increase exercise over two weeks unless limited by a medical condition. Many cats like to play. If these measures fail, cut out all treats and reduce daily intake of food by up to 25 percent.
• Fat or obese cats: Stop all treats except hairball medicines if needed. Increase exercise gradually over 2-3 weeks if not limited by a medical condition. If these measures fail, reduce the total daily food amount by 25 percent to 40 percent, switch to a low fat/high fiber diet, and call your veterinarian to discuss plans. Inquire about prescription-type reduction diets that can really be effective while providing balanced nutrition.

Kittens bounce off walls, propel themselves through the air and pounce at warp speed toward anything that moves, especially toys. The only time they seem to slow down is to wash their faces after a satisfying meal.

And what could be more satisfying than a meal that supplies all the necessary nutrients. Meeting your kitten’s nutritional needs is important to provide for her rapid growth rate and boundless energy.

Your Kitten’s Growth -

At birth, she weighs about three ounces (100 grams) and gains about 1/2 ounce (15 grams) each day. By 10 weeks of age, she’ll weigh more than two pounds (1 kilogram), a tenfold gain in 10 weeks. Although males and females grow similarly at first, males begin to outweigh females by 10 weeks of age. Males tend to increase in weight until about 11 months of age, about four to eight weeks longer than female kittens do. The growth for both sexes is rapid at first, through about six to seven months of age. Males continue at this pace until about nine months of age, leaving their sisters behind.

The Feeding Regimen -

Right from birth, food is critical. On mom’s milk up to weaning at around ten weeks of age, your kitty will begin to eat solid food at about three to four weeks of age. At this time, with few teeth and a tender tummy, a soft meat-based (canned food) diet is more easily consumed.

When Weaning Ends -

After weaning, a balanced complete diet provides all the nutrients – energy, protein, vitamins, minerals – in proper proportion and amount. Though foods specially formulated for kittens are more nutrient-dense, a diet for “all stages” – one that can be fed to kittens and adults – may be fed as well. Both diets provide for the increased demand of your kitten’s growth. Although your kitten requires the entire complement of nutrients, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, thiamine, essential fatty acids and taurine are especially important. For example, a diet that’s otherwise sufficient but deficient in one nutrient, such as zinc, can result in poor growth, dermatitis (skin lesions) and other deformities.

It Has to Taste Good -

Your kitten should eat well as long as the food is tasty. Palatability is based on aroma, texture and taste. If your kitten is fed a variety of flavors, she’ll probably be a less-selective eater as an adult. As your kitten matures, a complete and balanced dry food may be fed in addition to canned food. Feeding should be consistent, not switching back and forth, to avoid digestive upset or diarrhea. It isn’t essential to offer a variety of food types, though feeding canned and dry is fine, as long as it is palatable and sufficiently eaten to provide enough nutrition. For younger kittens, ease of eating is important; a soft diet or small pieces is best. To make it easier to consume, dry food may be moistened with warm water.

Beware of "Adults Only"

Specially formulated kitten foods are higher in protein and energy density. Dry kitten foods contain about 35 percent protein, have a higher fat content, about 12 to 24 percent, and are about 25 percent higher in calories than adult dry cat foods. If a food is labeled “100 percent complete and balanced for all life stages,” it’s okay to feed to your kitten. Don’t feed him a food labeled for “maintenance,” which is for adults only.

Can You Overfeed?

At a very young age, up to three to four months, it’s almost impossible to overfeed your kitty. At 10 weeks of age, he needs 250 kilocalories of energy per kilogram of body weight per day or about two and a half to three ounces of dry food, or eight to nine ounces of canned food. At four to six months of age, your kitten’s daily requirement for energy is about 100 to 130 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight, closer to that of an adult cat (70 to 80 kcal/kg body weight), as growth of body tissues slows down. Between eight months to a year of age, most kittens reach adult body size and weight. The daily food requirement at adulthood is about 1 ounce of canned food or one half ounce of dry food per pound of body weight.

Has Your Kitten Lost His Appetite?

As your kitten plays, your concern for his food needs should be primarily for a good quality, balanced diet. Consult your veterinarian with any concerns; however, if your kitten is playfully frisky, you and he are doing just fine. If your kitten doesn’t eat for 48 hours, consult your veterinarian. If symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or fever accompany a lack of appetite, see your veterinarian immediately. In these cases, lack of water intake or dehydration (excessive water loss) is more critical than lack of food consumption.

Nutrient Needs -

In comparison to other animals, as true carnivores, the cat and kitten have unique nutrient needs. Since they’ve evolved as meat-eaters, many of these needs are associated with their meaty diet, not obtainable from plant sources. Their requirement for a higher protein level, pre-formed vitamin A, niacin, essential fatty acids and taurine are based on this fact. They cannot convert carotene to vitamin A, getting it naturally from the organ meats of prey. Similarly, cats cannot metabolize niacin from tryptophan (an amino acid), can use only essential fatty acids from animal fat sources and need taurine from muscle tissue.

When to Switch to Adult Cat Food -

Growing kittens have different dietary requirements than adult cats and should only be fed a high quality growth-type diet. You can allow your kitten to eat as much as she wants, because overeating is not a significant concern in kittens, like it is in puppies. Supplementation with vitamins and minerals is not usually recommended as it can cause serious illness. Supplement only on the advice of your veterinarian.

For most cats, leaving dry food out to nibble on through the day and offering small amounts of canned food twice daily should work. If your kitten does not eat the canned food within 20 minutes, remove it and offer it in the evening as normal. Soon your kitten will catch on and eat when the canned food is offered. Even if your cat does not like canned food, the dry food that is left out is sufficient.

Once you have chosen a good quality kitten food, continue feeding it until your cat reaches 80 to 90 percent of his anticipated adult weight. For most cats, this occurs around 9 months of age.

Once your kitten is ready for his new diet, gradually begin changing by feeding 1/4 adult food and 3/4 kitten food for a few days. Then add 1/2 adult food and 1/2 kitten food. After a few more days, feed 3/4 adult food and 1/4 kitten food. Then, you can feed straight adult food.

If you have any concerns about changing your kitten’s diet, consult your veterinarian for advice.

As cats age, their health and stamina slowly decline. Their bodies lose the ability to repair themselves, maintain normal body functions and adapt to the stresses and changes in the environment. In addition, metabolism slows down and older cats require fewer calories.

Providing the proper diet is very important in the care of an aging cat. However, there is no best food to feed a geriatric cat; the best food depends on the specific problems or nutritional requirements of the individual animal. Most foods for older cats are lower in protein, sodium and phosphorus to help their aging hearts and kidneys. Increased amounts of certain vitamins have also been found to be beneficial in the senior cat.

Obesity is a very common problem of older animals and should be taken seriously. It directly correlates to a decreased longevity, and may contribute to other problems. For the best health care, provide your older cat a good quality food that is appropriate for his specific needs, and do not allow your cat to gain excessive weight. Try not to give table scraps, and stick with a consistent diet.

Cats that are arthritic have a far more difficult time moving and may require strong anti-inflammatory drugs to ease their discomfort. Weight loss in these animals may have a great impact on improving their quality of life. Your veterinarian can prescribe or recommend special lower calorie, high fiber diets that make weight loss easier.

Additionally, through the geriatric work-up, special nutritional requirements or restrictions may be recommended. These diets attempt to either slow the development of the disease process, or improve specific organ function. Special diets for many diseases (even in the early stages), including kidney, liver, gastrointestinal, heart, dental and skin disease, are available. Diets for diabetes and cancer may also be recommended.

Proper nutritional management is a very important part of the care for your geriatric cat, especially since it is something that you have control over.

Obesity in cats is a major health concern. Just as with people, obesity can lead to very serious health problems. Diabetes, pancreatitis, arthritis and heart disease are just a few of the problems that can be caused by or worsened if your pet is overweight. While many pets are fortunate to stay naturally slim, there are those who seem to get fat with little effort.

And then there are those accomplished actors who have refined the business of asking for a morsel to an art form. Here are a few suggestions for offering your pet some healthy alternatives when you want to give them a treat.

If your pet has any type of weight problem (underweight as well as overweight) please check with your veterinarian to rule out possible causes. If your pet has dietary restrictions, discuss giving any new food with your vet.

Vegetables -

Anyone who's ever seen a cat eat grass or greens knows there's a vegetarian side to your pet. Before domestication, when cats hunted for their living, they ate the entrails of their prey, which contained a considerable amount of digested vegetable matter. Most animals still want some of this vegetation, but can't digest the tough fibrous components on their own. Try offering your cat some cooked green beans, carrots or peas. Many pets love them, and you can even mix them into their regular diet. Cats love kitty greens, little pots of soft grasses that they can consume straight from the container.

Rice, Popcorn and Pasta -

Another favorite for many pets are rice, popcorn and pasta. A bit of a rice cake or some air popped popcorn is a great substitute for a high fat treat. Cooked rice can be added for bulk to a weight control diet. It's a way of giving you pet more food without adding a lot of fat calories. Cooked pasta is also great. Many pets relish a few elbow macaroni or other plain pasta.

Egg Whites, Cottage Cheese and Yogurt -

A cooked egg white is a great protein treat, hard boil a few and keep them on hand. (The yolk has all the fat!) A little dab of cottage cheese or plain yogurt substitutes for licking that ice cream bowl!

Prescription Diets -

Sometimes treats have to be eliminated if your pet has a health problem that is being controlled by a prescription diet. Ask your veterinarian if a canned formulation of the diet is available. Most companies do make both canned and dried versions. Remove the food from the can in one large piece. Use a cheese slicer or knife to cut 1/4-inch slices and put them on a cookie sheet. Bake them at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until they are crispy, like a cracker. This gives your pet a crunchy treat that stays within the diet plan.

Food Sensitivities -

Many pets have allergies or food sensitivities. Common culprits are dyes, flavorings, preservatives, carbohydrates and protein sources. If your pet is sensitive to any of these components, look for treats that are hypoallergenic, and have minimal or no dyes or preservatives. There are a number available in your local pet store.

The Last Word -

If you can't resist feeding your pet little extras from the table or sharing every meal you have with him, consider carefully what you may be doing. A cat that would normally weigh 10 to 12 pounds can gain a lot weight if given too many treats. A weight gain of 1 pound may not seem like much, but to a small pet that pound can be 10 percent of his body weight. That's like 15 pounds for a person! Use some healthy alternatives to help keep your pet in his best shape.

Cats have a reputation for being finicky. Although many cats are overweight and eat just about anything you place in front of them, other cats are just plain picky and will always be thin. Whether a cat is truly finicky or just doesn't need to eat a lot is up for debate. Sometimes they eat their meals and other times they turn up their whiskered faces as if to say, "You don't expect me to eat that, do you?" If your cat is a truly finicky eater, mealtimes can be a frustrating and challenging experience.

Solving the Mystery -

Illness or other physical problems may cause a cat to stop eating. If your cat suddenly doesn't want to eat, have her checked by your veterinarian to make sure that nothing physical is causing her loss of appetite. Place a chart on your refrigerator to keep track of her food
consumption. Knowing what is normal for your cat is vital in determining if she has reduced the amount she eats. If she is eating less than 50 percent of her normal intake for 4 or more days or eating nothing at all for as little as 48 hours, she could develop serious liver problems. Skipping a meal is fairly safe, but skipping more than one meal could spell trouble.

There are many reasons why your cat might become finicky:

• The size of your cat's bowl may have something to do with how appealing her meals have become. That cute little bowl you bought when she was a kitten is now too small for her to stick her head into and eat. Her whiskers flatten against the sides, and she gets food on her face. As soon as she lowers her head into the bowl, she wants to lift it out again.
  
• Perhaps you are feeding her in a lightweight plastic bowl or on a paper plate that slides around as she eats. If the plate moves around or slides under the furniture, she may become frustrated and decide that eating is just too much trouble. If your cat's bowl is flat, and the food slides onto the floor behind it, she may give up rather than scrape up the pieces that fell behind or under the plate.
  
• Where your cat's bowl is placed may contribute to how much or little she wants to approach it. Look at mealtimes from your cat's perspective. Is the bowl near your dog’s bed? Is it near a noisy piece of equipment such as the washing machine? Is it near a door where family members frequently come and go? Is it in a damp location such as the basement? All of these places may have a negative impact on her appetite.
  
• Sometimes a cat appears to be finicky because she is intimidated by other household members or pets. Perhaps the cat hides under the bed at mealtimes because there's a loud, overly active child in the house who harasses her as she eats. The child thinks he's being playful, but his antics frighten the cat. Dogs are famous for wanting to eat cat food when it is available and may scare off your cat before she takes her first bite.
  
• Other causes include spoiled food, food that has become stale because it has been left sitting out too long or food that is overcome with ants or other insects.
  
• If your cat suffers from bad teeth or gums, the condition may reduce her appetite or make it difficult for her to eat.
  
• Cats internalize stress, and if there is any stress or sudden changes in the household such as a family member leaving or new people arriving, or changes in routine such as you working late, your cat may not be as interested in her food.
  
• Cats may eat less in warm weather than they do in the winter months, even though they may not go outside. And, if your cat eats only one kind of food, she may be just plain bored with it.

Foiling the Finicky Eater -

Although many cats do well on a diet of only one type of food (if it is complete and balanced), they may lose interest in it over time. The best way to prevent your cat from becoming finicky is to accustom her to a variety of flavors when she is still a kitten. A cat eating only one kind of food may have a more difficult time changing to a new food if a medical condition requires that she be put on a prescription diet.

Make sure your cat has an adequately sized bowl and that it is placed in a location that is appropriate from her point of view. Many cats prefer to be off the floor when there are other pets or small children around, so find an elevated place that is acceptable to you and your cat if tiny hands or floppy feet frighten her off.

If you are feeding your cat only dry food, adding a tasty broth will put variety into her mealtimes. Or, if your cat has problems with her teeth, dry food can be difficult for her to chew. Soften her food in some water from a can of people tuna or in some clam juice. Bouillon or chicken broth also make dry food softer and tastier.

Try feeding your cat canned food or jars of baby food occasionally to entice her to eat. If your cat is stubborn, offer her cooked meats or cooked fish to stimulate her appetite. Warming her food will help bring out the flavor, but be careful it isn't too hot for her to ingest.

If you've just changed your cat's diet, she may be refusing to eat the new food. Begin offering her a little of the new food mixed in with her old food. Over the course of a few weeks, gradually increase the amount of new food in the mix.

A little creativity and patience will help you keep your cat interested in her meals and keep your stress level down while trying to get your finicky feline to eat.

Ideally, your cat should not be overweight; but he should not be too thin either. If you are concerned that your pet is too thin, here are some ways to determine his body condition.

• Body fat - Stand behind your cat and place your thumbs on the spine midway down the back. Fan out your fingers and spread them over the ribs. With your thumbs lightly pressing on the spine and fingers on the ribs, slide your hands gently up and down.

If your cat is normal, you will feel a thin layer of fat, and you will be able to feel the ribs, although you won’t be able to see them. If your cat is too thin, you will readily feel the ribs, and you will see them, too.

• Appearance - Normal cats have an hourglass appearance. Thin cats have a very narrowed waist and protruding rib cage. The processes of the spine are evident and the shoulder blades readily apparent.

If you feel that your cat is too thin, contact your veterinarian. Tests may need to be performed to eliminate underlying disease as a cause of the thinness. In addition, your veterinarian can help you improve your cat’s body condition and overall health.

Obesity is defined as the excessive accumulation of body fat. At least 25 percent of all cats are considered obese or are likely to become obese. It is the most common nutrition-related health condition in cats in our society.

The primary causes of obesity are overeating and lack of exercise. When regular caloric intake exceeds the energy burned, the excess is stored as fat. As little as an extra 1 percent caloric intake can result in 25 percent increase over ideal body weight by middle age.

Most owners don't recognize that their cats are overweight until they take them to the veterinarian for another reason. Most pets begin slowly gaining weight and only a historical review of body weight reveals the insidious nature of this condition.

Cats that are overweight may experience difficulty breathing or walking or they may be unable to tolerate heat or exercise.

Veterinary Care -

Diagnosis

Veterinary care should include diagnostic tests to determine overall health and to provide recommendations for weight loss.

Diagnostic tests may include:

• A thorough veterinary examination, including an accurate measure of body weight and an assessment of body condition score. A historical review of changes in your cat's body weight is often helpful in establishing a pattern of weight gain and may help identify a particular event or change in environment that relates to the increase in body weight.
• Routine blood work including a complete blood cell count, serum profile and urinalysis are necessary to determine if there is an underlying disease. If the results of these tests indicate a problem, additional tests are warranted to specifically identify the condition before starting a weight loss program.
• Assessment of your cat’s current daily intake of all food, treats, snacks, table foods and exercise schedule is important in the development of a successful weight loss program. Clearly if the calculated caloric intake exceeds the calculated daily energy requirement of the cat at an ideal body weight, then excessive caloric intake is the cause of the obesity.

Treatment -

Treatment of any concurrent or underlying disease that affects obesity is recommended.

• Lower your cat’s daily caloric intake by changing the cat food product (there are several diets formulated for weight loss) or the amount fed daily.
• Increasing fiber or water intake may sometimes be necessary to satiate your cat.
• Increase exercise activity. To enhance exercise, a variety of leashes and toys are available.

Home Care -

Weight loss should be a family effort. All members of the family must admit the animal is overweight and commit to a weight loss program. It may be helpful to maintain a log of intake (food and treats) and weight to monitor progress. It might be most effective if one person takes charge of feeding your cat, but all members can help exercise her.

To achieve significant weight loss, the diet must be changed to a therapeutic veterinary diet specifically designed for weight loss. Simply feeding less of your cat’s regular food is rarely, if ever, successful. Owners must be willing to measure exactly the amount of food offered and minimize treats. If treats are necessary, offer low calorie snacks such as air popped popcorn or a piece of vegetable (such as a carrot).

Re-check visits are essential every 4-6 weeks to monitor the weight loss since adjustments to the feeding plan are often needed. As your cat approaches ideal body weight, caloric intake must be reduced further to maintain weight loss.

Most cats require an 8-12 month weight loss plan to reach their ideal weight. Most cats do achieve ideal or near ideal body weight when the owner and family members are committed to improving the pet’s health. Most owners continue feeding the weight loss diet, only at a higher food dose, to maintain their pet’s ideal weight.

Specific recommendations depend upon the underlying disease. For obesity due to:

• Excessive caloric consumption – Once an ideal weight has been achieved, a low calorie food should be continued, treats and snacks should be minimized, and the exercise program continued.
• Diabetes mellitus – Regular recheck visits are necessary to monitor insulin dose and effectiveness. Body weight changes should also be checked regularly.
• Blood thyroid levels should also be checked regularly particularly if the cat is losing weight rapidly.

Diet Recommendations -

Prevention -

• Hill's Prescription diet w/d®

Treatment -

• Eukanuba Restricted-Calorie®
• Eukanuba Weight Loss Formula®
• Hill's Prescription diet r/d®
• Purina CNM OM-FORMULA®
• Waltham Calorie Control®
• IVD Weight® or IVD Hifactor®

There are several causes of feline obesity, but whether your cat is overweight because of overfeeding or because of a disease process, she is still taking in more calories than she is using.

Obesity in pets is more commonly due to over-eating (excessive caloric consumption) than disease. The most common cause of obesity is a chronic consumption of calories greater than actual daily energy requirement. Excessive dietary calories are stored as body fat.

Other causes of obesity are due to an altered energy metabolism. Some diseases and conditions can contribute to obesity. The most common is diabetes.

• Diabetes mellitus – There is a relationship between obesity and diabetes, where overweight and obese animals become insulin resistant. These animals often begin to show the early signs of diabetes mellitus which are excessive drinking, excessive urinating and hunger. As the disease progresses, the cat eventually loses too much weight.

Call your veterinarian if you suspect that your cat is overweight, or if your pet begins experiencing difficulty breathing or exercising or appears unable to get comfortable. Also, have a veterinarian examine your pet to determine if these abnormalities are present before instituting a weight loss program.