FAQ: Food for cats

The usual approach is to mix the new food with the old and increase its share gradually over about a week. Cats are often fussy, so start with a smaller pack.

Usually per kilogram, because it contains a lot of water. Compare the price per kilogram separately for dry and wet food.

Dry food contains about 10% water, wet food about 75–80%. Dry food is more convenient and keeps longer once opened, while wet food helps the cat take in more fluid and is often preferred by fussy cats.

If the dry food is labelled as complete, it contains all the nutrients a cat needs. But cats naturally drink little, so on a dry-only diet the cat must always have fresh water, and many vets advise replacing part of the diet with wet food.

Ordinary kibble does little to clean teeth, because cats often swallow it almost unchewed. There is kibble made specifically for dental care, but it does not replace tooth brushing and regular vet check-ups.

Standard-size kibble suits most adult cats. Smaller kibble is made for kittens, and larger kibble that needs more chewing is made for large breeds such as Maine Coons.

They are marketing terms with no strict legal definition. The composition tells you more: which protein sources are listed first, how much protein and fat there is, and whether the food is complete.

Grain-free food helps cats with a diagnosed grain sensitivity, but that is rare. For most healthy cats overall quality and balance matter more, and in grain-free food grains are often simply replaced with potatoes or legumes.

The difference is texture: pâté is smooth and suits cats that lick their food, while chunks in gravy or jelly suit cats that like to chew. Many cats have a clear texture preference, so it is worth trying several.

The recipe can be the same; only the packaging differs. Pouches are handy because one portion is eaten at once, while larger cans often cost less per kilogram but the opened contents must be kept in the fridge.

Gravy or jelly smells and tastes stronger to cats than the chunks themselves. If your cat keeps leaving the meat, try pâté or a finer texture so it eats the whole portion.

Food labelled complementary does not contain all the nutrients a cat needs, so it is only suitable as a treat or topper. The basis of the daily diet should be complete cat food.

You can warm it to room temperature, since warm food smells stronger. Leave food from the fridge out for a while or stir in a spoonful of warm water; if you use a microwave, warm it carefully and stir so there are no hot spots.

In a warm room wet food should not sit out for more than about 20–30 minutes. After that it dries out, loses its smell and bacteria can grow, so leftovers should be thrown away.

Dry food does not spoil as fast as wet food, so it can stay out longer, but it loses its smell and crunch. Also, all-day access to food leads many cats to overeat.

Cats are carnivores, so they need plenty of animal protein. Complete dry food usually contains about 30–45% protein, but the right level depends on age and health, and for cats with illnesses it is set by the vet.

Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first lines show what the food is mostly made of. Also check the analytical constituents: the percentages of protein, fat, fibre, ash and moisture.

It is a collective term covering meat and other animal parts such as offal. These are not bad in themselves, as offal is nutritious, but the term tells you less about the specific protein source than, say, ‘chicken’.

Wet food is mostly water, so its protein percentage looks low. To compare fairly, nutrients are converted to a dry-matter basis: the protein percentage is divided by the dry-matter share.

Taurine is an amino acid that cats cannot make enough of themselves, so they must get it from food. A shortage can harm the heart and eyes, which is why taurine is always added to complete cat food.