11/13/2024
At Affectionately Cats, we strive to educate each and every client that comes into the building on feeding their kitties a wet food diet. Dry foods have been shown to contribute to life-threatening health problems such as diabetes. Its important to understand that cats in the wild would typically eat a high-protein, high moisture diet that is roughly 70% water. A diet comprised of dry food only contains 7-10% water, whereas a canned food diet is approximately 78% water. In regards to diabetes in cats, we now know that cats do not metabolize carbohydrates very well, the sugars that are not packed into fat, linger off in the bloodstream and raise blood sugar levels. Many diabetic cats have even been successfully weaned off insulin when transitioned to a low-carb, 100% canned food diet. But how do we get your dry-food loving kitty onto a new wet food diet you may ask? We have a few tips and tricks for stubborn kitties who like their dry food. Just remember, this transition may not be instant, but we want to make it as easy as possible for your kitty. We suggest creating a feeding schedule of 3 meals per day, leaving the food for 20 minutes and then removing the uneaten portion. If your cat refuses to eat anything in 18 hours, give then 1/4 cup of their usual food and try again at the next meal. You can try exercising your kitty before feeding to stimulate the appetite, add fragrant treats into the new food, and try many different flavors to see what your cat likes. Just remember, even a low-quality canned food is better for your kitty than dry food.
