Feeding & Nutrition

From around the age of seven you’ll notice that your older cat starts taking life a bit easier - and who can blame them! A senior cat may start to become less active, spend more time indoors and have a slower metabolism. These can all add up to them putting on weight. Equally, as they reach their geriatric years, illness and a reduction in their sense of taste and smell can affect their appetites, which will have an impact on their body condition. As felines get older, their nutritional requirements start to change. And as your cat will spend roughly 40% of their life as a senior, it's important that you give them the right food to stay in good shape. In their senior years, more than ever, your cat should eat a high quality, tasty diet with easy-to-digest protein and a careful balance of key nutrients. A good senior cat diet provides concentrated high quality protein, controlled levels of fat, and easy-to-digest carbohydrates for energy. Key minerals support ageing joints, and vitamins, along with proteins, help support the ageing immune system.

Your cat’s sense of exploration is one of the things that makes them so precious to you, but it sometimes means you have to keep an eye out for things that can harm them, too. There are many harmful substances and poisonous foods for cats that your feline friend might come across in their lifetime, so it’s important that you know which to keep out of their reach in the home. Your cat’s natural curiosity leads them to explore non-stop; whether they’re roaming the great outdoors or climbing into all the nooks and crannies of your house, there’s no knowing what they’ll find on their next adventure. Around the home and in the garden there are poisonous foods for cats and non-food substances, including plants, which could be potentially dangerous to your feline friend. Some of these are obvious, but others look completely innocent. For example, your cat might like the look of the snack you just ate or the medicine you take, but these things – while causing no harm to us – might be poisonous foods for cats, and in some case they could be life-threatening. Many chemicals that are routinely used around the house, such as bathroom cleaners, can also be harmful if your curious cat gets their paws on a bottle.

Eggs are nutritious, they taste great no matter how we prepare them, and they bind many of our favourite recipes together. It’s unbelievable how many things we can do with just a humble little egg, but is it a good idea to feed this tasty food to our cats too? If you are one of the many owners about to give in to their cat’s pleading eyes and offer them a bite of egg for breakfast, but you’re still pondering the question ‘can cats actually eat eggs?’, here are all the answers you need to know about cats and eggs. Can cats eat eggs? The short answer is yes, cats can eat eggs, but only in moderation and always cooked. However, keep in mind that even though eggs come packed with nutrients, their high fat content can be detrimental if you’re trying to help your cat lose weight. If you’re considering introducing eggs to your cat’s diet, make sure to check with your vet first to make sure you’ll still keep your feline friend healthy. In general, it’s best not to feed too much egg to your cat, as this may make them eat less of their complete and balanced diet that contains the beneficial nutrients they need. It’s therefore always best to offer eggs in moderation, as an occasional treat. Rather than feeding a whole egg at once, just feed a small piece of egg alongside their normal food. Egg allergy in cats: is it real?

Juicy, sweet, full of nutrients and easy to eat, grapes may just be the perfect fruit snack. But unfortunately, not everything that’s good for us humans works just as well for our pets. You probably already know that grapes are dangerous for dogs – but should cat owners also worry if they catch their pet eyeing up the bowl of grapes on the kitchen countertop? Keep reading to find out if grapes are good or bad for cats. Can cats eat grapes? It is not recommended to feed grapes to your cat. Although the dangers of grapes are much better understood for our canine companions, there have been reports of cats becoming very ill after eating grapes. Scientists are still trying to understand which particular substance in this fruit poses a risk to our furry friends, but even though we don’t know exactly how the toxicity works, it’s best to assume that grapes are poisonous to cats and rule the fruit out from your cat’s diet. Why are grapes bad for cats? Firstly, there are a couple of reasons why it isn’t a good idea to feed our feline friends sweet fruit in general. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means their diet should mostly consist of meat protein. Also, cats lack sweet taste receptors, which means they won’t appreciate the fruit in the way we do! This means that grapes would be an odd addition to a cat’s meal – and also an unnecessary risk, given how dangerous we know this bite-sized fruit is for dogs. There’s some evidence to show that grapes can be toxic to cats, too. Some cats have suffered a gastrointestinal upset after ingesting this sweet fruit, and more serious problems such as kidney failure have also been reported. Kidney failure is the reason why grapes are so dangerous to dogs, and this condition can potentially be life-threatening. This is why it’s so important to completely avoid feeding grapes to your pet.

Rice is a fantastic filler food for us humans. Whether we’re serving it with a hearty helping of curry or filling out a burrito, it’s a great way to bulk up our meals and it’s also relatively good for us. But is this the case for our feline friends? A lot of commercial pet foods will add in grains like rice, but is it actually good for our cats? Can cats eat rice by itself? Can cats eat white rice or brown? Read on to find out all you need to know. Cat cats eat rice? Yes, cats can eat rice in small amounts. It’s non-toxic, so it won’t harm them to have a bit in their food, but you shouldn’t give too much as it’s not an essential part of their diet. If you’re feeding your cat a complete and balanced cat food, they won’t gain additional nutritional benefits from eating rice alongside. Plus, too much of this filler may actually stop them eating enough of the healthy diet they need! Is rice good for cats? Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they’re meant to eat mostly meat and aren’t well-equipped to digest grains. Unlike us humans, cats have no need for carbohydrates in their diet. Some commercial cat foods will contain grains such as rice but only in small, carefully considered amounts to bulk out the food. So, how about the different types of rice? In general, brown rice is nutritionally better than white as it’s higher in fibre. Vets will sometimes recommend this for cats with diarrhoea or constipation. However, rather than using brown rice as a home remedy for your cat’s digestive troubles, it’s always best to get advice from your vet on the best course of action to take. Cats can eat white rice too – it doesn’t have as much nutritional value, but if rice is only given in very small quantities alongside other food, this won’t matter too much. It’s important to note that too much carbohydrate in the diet can lead to obesity in cats. Obese cats are more likely to develop a range of health problems including diabetes, a condition which may require regular insulin injections. It’s therefore important to avoid feeding your cat too much carbohydrate – you don’t want to harm them with kindness! How to feed rice to your cat As rice offers no nutritional benefit to cats, we suggest that you just avoid giving your cat rice entirely, and stick to a quality diet and treats specially intended for feline consumption. If you do feed rice to your cat, only offer them a tiny bit. Make sure it’s thoroughly cooked without any seasonings, spices or sauces. Never give your cat uncooked rice, as this is extremely difficult to digest and may also contain a natural pesticide called lectin which can cause diarrhoea and vomiting if ingested in large quantities. If you notice bloating and your cat seems to be in pain more than 24 hours after eating uncooked rice, be sure to take them to the vet as soon as possible. Now you know the answer to the question ‘can cats eat rice’! Want more nutritional advice for your cat? Next, read our full guide on what human foods cats can eat.

Getting lost in all the different flavours and formulas cat food comes in? No worries! We’ve broken down the process of choosing the best cat food into easy steps. If you’re a cat owner, choosing the best cat food can quickly get overwhelming given all the options available. There is dry cat food, wet cat food, grain-free cat food, not to mention all the different flavours and special formulas. Leaving it up to your cat to decide on the flavour is fair game, but when it comes to other requirements, pet will count on you to select the best cat food brands and products. In this article, we aim to help make the decision a bit easier. Here is what you need to know in order to choose the best food for your cat.  

Cats and dogs might venture into each other’s food bowls from time to time. If you’re wondering if cat food is bad for dogs, read our article to find out why and how to keep dogs out of your cat’s dinner.

There is significant debate on whether we should feed our feline friends raw meat or not. We’ve put together a quick guide looking at the considerations and the risks of feeding your cat raw meat. Feeding a raw diet for cats is a controversial topic and there can be genuine health risks to you and your pet. If you decide to try raw-feeding, it is always best to discuss this with your vet first. They can give advice on responsible raw-feeding, making sure your cat receives a suitably balanced diet, and highlight some of the health and hygiene concerns that need addressing.

We’ve all heard the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” For humans, there's some basis to this as apples can make up part of a balanced, healthy diet. Packed full of fibre and vitamins, apples are one of the more popular fruits amongst humans in the UK, and most of us will regularly have them in our fruit bowls. Because this fruit is relatively inexpensive, readily available and healthy for us, many pet owners have come to wonder if cats can eat apples too, and whether our feline friends will experience the same benefits. Keep reading to find out if cats can eat apples.

Has cucumber ended up on your cat’s radar lately? This green vegetable is a staple in our homes, but it’s not one of the human foods you would expect a cat to be interested in. Yet some of our feline friends may seem keen to get their paws on cucumber as soon as it touches the chopping board. If your pet is intrigued by this vegetable, keep reading to find out whether or not cats can eat cucumber safely.

Mango is hard to resist. This exotic fruit often tempts us, with its lovely scent and sweet flavour. But what if it’s not just you eagerly waiting to dig into a bowl of mango cubes... Have you ever noticed your furry companion sitting next to you, hoping to do the same? Some felines will be interested in anything they see their owner snacking on, and many cats are also curious about new things, so you may find your mango pieces will spark your cat’s interest. However, before sharing your fruit treat with your pet, find out whether or not cats can eat mango.

For many of us, oatmeal is a food we consume daily at breakfast. Its popularity is partly due to the fact it’s easy to make, and it also has the benefit of being a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. As oats and oatmeal are so good for us, many owners have started to wonder whether we can offer this food to our feline friends, and if they will experience the same health benefits as us humans. Keep reading to find out if cats can eat oatmeal, or if they should stay away from this breakfast staple.