Feeding Your Dog and Cat
By Betty Sleep
One of the most hotly debated topics in pets, is diet. So how do you know what to feed the new family member?
Whether you are talking dogs or cats, you want a food that suits their lifestage, and/or condition.
That means puppy/kitten formulas for the young ones, who need the higher fat and protein content. But you need to be aware of when to switch over to the adult formula, and do it gradually to avoid intestinal upsets. With dogs, this is done by mixing a small amount of the new food into the puppy chow, for a few days at a time, until you are sure there aren’t going to be any consequences. Then increase the proportion of new to old food. Cats in general don’t seem to suffer as much from switches of dry food, although changes in canned food can give them diarrhea, as can the feeding of homogenized milk.
Adult animals don’t need the “extras” that young, growing dogs and cats do. This is where you have to be vigilant about your pet’s weight. In dogs, we generally recommend that if you can place your hands on their sides and not feel ribs, that the dog is probably overweight. With cats, if you view them from above, and they have little or no “waist”, then they’ve been chowing down once too often.
Sure, it’s hard to refuse your dog a treat now and then, and there’s no need to cut them off entirely, but you may need to reduce the amount of food they get, and increase their exercise. Being overweight places stress on their cardiac system, as well as their joints, which can be an aggravant to those breeds prone to hip dysplasia.
It’s pretty hard to exercise a cat, but it can be done. At least one good play session a day, (that you and the cat will enjoy) usually helps. You might also need to withdraw the food dish, and discontinue what we call “free-feeding”, or having chow available all the time. This is particularly difficult if you have a multi-cat household, and only one is pigging out. That will take some planning on your part, and extra effort to feed the porky pet away from the others.
Then there is the question of canned versus dry chow. The general perception is that dry foods are better for the teeth of cats and dogs. This seems a reasonable enough conclusion, since the crunching of kibble *should* cause some abrasion against the tartar build-up on their teeth. However, there are studies done in cats, which show that some on wholly canned foods have better teeth than those fed exclusively on dry chow. So the choice of what to feed is one to make after some consultation with your vet, and also considering the pet’s dietary needs.
One way to be sure their teeth don’t suffer, is to start cleaning them early on. This is much simpler in dogs, than cats. You can opt for a regular human toothbrush, or you can get the really handy ones that are attached to the end of a rubber finger, that fits over yours, and you basically “finger brush” the dog’s teeth. When started young, most dogs will tolerate this quite well. For those really into dental hygiene, you can even get liver flavoured toothpaste! Yum! As worthwhile an effort as this is for your pet’s health, it’s very difficult to get Kitty to co-operate. To this end, no matter whether you have a dog or cat, have their teeth checked whenever you happen to be at the vet’s, and during their annual examination.
Prevention is much better than trying to fix a problem later on. When they show signs of tartar build-up, your vet can arrange for a teeth scraping to keep their choppers and gums, healthy.
About the Author:
I am an obedience instructor, kennel owner, and ten year breeder/exhibitor of Golden Retriever dogs. Over the years I have experienced the best and worst of pet buying and selling, and responsibility/irresponsibility on the part of both breeders and buyers.
That, combined with my other hobby of breeding Birman cats, which I also show, and have placed in several countries, gives me a fairly comprehensive overview of pet care, ownership, training, feeding, and health issues.
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
