As cats are becoming more important family members, more research and information is coming forward. Nutrition is one of the areas veterinarians are learning about. What you feed your cat plays an important roll in meeting his or her nutritional requirements and maintaining your cat’s lean body mass. Since cats use protein as an energy source, cats need a higher percentage of good quality protein, which comes from canned food. (Not all canned cat food contains protein or carbohydrates of the same quality, READ the Label). If the protein requirements are not met, your cat will loose muscle mass, which is not good for your kitty. Research has shown low carbohydrate diet with 45% or higher protein content will sustain muscle mass and normalize the cat’s appetite, reducing the urge to constantly eat and gain weight.
Eating canned food is a learned behavior, therefore kittens should be started on canned food early. To help control obesity in your cat or kitten get him or her use to eating meals at specific times and not having food available through out the day. Eating canned food helps to control calorie intake and increase the amount of water consumed.