Melinda D. Luper DVM
Fur & Feather Veterinary Hospital
Nutrition is a big part of health and wellbeing for anyone including our furry companions. It is especially important for felines. Have you ever walked down the dry cat food aisle and looked at the different types of food and what they were specifically designed for? Weight control formula, urinary tract health, and hairball prevention just to name a few. It can be overwhelming to decide what is best for your cat. But one category of food trumps all others: wet food. Whether you choose canned or raw diet, the high water content helps cats in many aspects.
Cats are obligate carnivores and hunt rodents, birds, and lizards all day. These tasty little meals are made up of approximately 70% water, just like commercially available wet diets are. Cats are thought to have originated from the Middle East which is a desert type of environment. Their bodies are made to conserve water and the only water a wild cat typically consumes is from the diet.
High dietary water content helps with satiety levels making a cat not want to eat as much volume of food thus decreasing overall calorie intake. It’s like eating a big juicy steak versus a dehydrated jerky stick. The increased moisture in wet food helps ingested hair not get gummed up in the stomach and pass through the GI tract smoothly without being yacked up on the expensive oriental rug. Hairballs should not be considered normal although they are so common in dry-fed cats, most people think hairballs just come along with having a cat. The extra water intake also goes to flush the urinary tract making the kidneys happy and healthy.
Mental wellbeing of cats is another aspect that greatly impacts their health. Cats tend to be solitary creatures, unlike pack-minded dogs. So it can be difficult for cats to get along with other furry members of the household. Provide high areas for them to escape other cats, dogs, and toddlers since cats feel safer in high places. This goes for visits to the veterinary hospital as well. Keep the carrier up high on the table or on a chair when waiting for the exam. Another note on carriers: Leave it out as a normal part of your cat’s environment instead of only using it for travel and vet visits. Teach your cat that the carrier is a good spot to be by feeding inside and/or placing its favorite bed in it. It’s best to have the carrier up off the floor because again, cats prefer higher places.
Make sure to provide plenty of interactive toys for exercise. Outdoor / feral cats hunt all day long so cats can develop pent up aggression if kept indoors without enough exercise. Natural aroma therapy can really help as well. Feliway is well known as a calming pheromone can be used in the household for a stressed cat having difficulties in adjusting to a new house, a new pet, or a new baby. Ask your veterinarian about using Feliway in the exam room as well.
These practices have been part of holistic veterinary recommendations for years. And they are now being embraced by many traditional western doctors as well. Happy cats, happy households!