KITTENING

After mating, queens (female cats) need more calories. Their nutritional requirements peak 5-6 weeks after the kittens are born, when they will be using 3-4 times more energy than usual.

Unless they are fed properly, queens will not be producing enough milk so cat owners should consult their vet for additional advice on how best to feed pregnant cats or cats with kittens. A kitten diet would usually be appropriate at this stage.

PET FOOD INFORMATION

INGREDIENTS

NUTRITION INNOVATIONS

LABELLING

TECHNICAL STUFF

PET FOOD TOPICS

OBESITY

PET SIZE-O-METER
For a healthy, happy pet, you need to keep it at the right weight throughout its life. Being overweight, or indeed underweight, can lead to serious health risks. It is good to get in to the habit of checking your pet on regular basis.

PET OBESITY CAMPAIGN
Government statistics show that human obesity has reached crisis point with around two-thirds of people in Britain are overweight or obese. The problem extends to our pets, one in three household pets is now overweight, which equates to a staggering seven million animals.

FAMILY PET PLEDGE
Make looking after your pet family fun

FEEDING YOUR CAT

THE NUTRIENTS YOUR CAT NEEDS
Although cats do not vary in size to the same degree that dogs do this does not mean that they are simple to feed. Cats cannot even be fed the same food as dogs due to their complex nutritional requirements.

HOW MUCH TO FEED YOUR CAT
Manufacturers spend a lot of time trying to make feeding guides on packs as accurate as possible but they will never be exactly correct for every pet. This is because there is a significant amount of variation between individuals.

HOW OFTEN TO FEED YOUR CAT
There is no fixed answer as when to feed a cat, it is completely individual. Some owners may feed their cat once a day only, some owners may feed their cat twice a day, whilst other owners may feed their cat three or four times throughout the day.

FEEDING TIPS FOR YOUR CAT
Check out our top tips for feeding your cat.

KITTENS
Kittens grow rapidly and reach 75% of their adult body weight by 6 months of age. When very young, they should be fed a food high in protein, calories and key nutrients but that is also easy to chew and digest.

KITTENING
After mating, queens (female cats) need more calories. Their nutritional requirements peak 5-6 weeks after the kittens are born, when they will be using 3-4 times more energy than usual.

OLDER CATS (7+)
By around 7 years and older, cats start to experience a decline in the function of certain organs, including the immune system. They may be less active and the sense of smell or taste can also be affected.

UNDERSTANDING CAT FOOD

WHAT’S IN CAT FOOD?
The food you feed your cat is the single most important thing you can do for its health. Cats like all other mammals need a wide range of nutrients to maintain healthy body function. For optimal health your cat needs a diet which is nutritionally balanced and palatable.

TYPES OF CAT FOOD
The main types of cat food are Wet, Dry and Semi-moist.

HOW IS CAT FOOD MADE?
Making a suitable food for a cat is time consuming, demanding and requires a level of knowledge about nutrition that is difficult to acquire. There is a huge body of information about pet nutrition which has been developed over many years and is used by pet food manufacturers.

MAKING SENSE OF CAT FOOD LABELS
Pet food labels can be confusing so we have tried to explain what the information that you see on your cat's pet food tin actually means.

CAT ARCHITECTS

YOUR CAT'S IDEAL HOME
Did you know the home can affect a cat’s behaviour? Find out how a cat would design their ideal home.

CASE STUDY
A positive behavioural change for Maddie the cat.

CAT QUIZ

KITTENING

What reason ranks highest for you owning a pet?