Dorwest Herbs Indonesia - Feeding Cats & Kittens

Although closely related to the larger felines who thrive on just one large meal every few days, the domestic cat is more suited to a “little and often” diet. The protein level required by the cat is greater than for a dog as is the need for Vitamin A and they also require thiamine in their diet, which is present in all red meats.

ADULT CAT DIET

Cats generally seem to prefer a mixed and varied diet consisting of different fresh meats as it’s main source of protein – rabbit, chicken, beef, lamb and fish are all suitable meats. Like dogs, cats are unable to digest chlorophyll unless it is reduced to a pulp, but the addition of fresh green herbs such as parsley, dandelion leaves or watercress is beneficial and should be included when available. Cats are also not easily able to absorb carbohydrates in cereals, but boiled rice or oats in small quantities will provide bulk and additional calories. The relatively recent practice of exclusively feeding dried complete feeds to cats is not recommended as part of a natural diet. Unless sufficient water is also consumed these processed foods appear to be a contributory cause of bladder and kidney problems in later life. Milk is also not a natural food for an adult animal and should be given sparingly, if at all, as many cats are unable to digest it and this may lead to diarrhoea and digestive problems.

KITTEN DIET

While the diet described for puppies can be used as a basis, kittens need more daily feeds than puppies – five per day up to 5 months, four daily up to 9 months and then two or three feeds daily for adults. A kitten’s diet should also contain a greater selection of food than puppies, so vary the diet by giving a wide variety of fish and meat, and give rice instead of biscuits. The supplements described for adult cats should be added as well as Tree Barks Powder which is an excellent nutritious food and should form a regular part of all kitten’s diets. It is excellent for those with delicate digestions, as it increases the toleration to almost any food and so is ideal when introducing new foods into the diet.