Complete and Balanced Nutrition
Proper nutrition is essential for your cat’s overall health. It helps her develop and maintain strong bones, a solid body, thick, lustrous coat, bright eyes and healthy teeth. A malnourished cat is more susceptible to disease, infection and health problems during stressful situations.

Your cat requires a complete and balanced diet for her specific life stage. This means that her food should include the proper levels of vitamins, minerals and necessary nutrients as decided by scientific research such as studies done at the Purina PetCare Technology Centers.

Cats have specific nutritional requirements—such as the essential amino acid, taurine; insufficient amounts can impair their vision and may cause heart problems. For cats’ daily diets, Purina nutritionists have found that a level of 30% high-quality protein will support normal growth and reproduction in cats.

Reading the Label
Today, pet owners are more conscious of ingredient labels because we know that good nutrition is so important to leading a healthy life—for ourselves and for our pets. That’s why you should read your cat food label carefully. It provides a guaranteed analysis of key nutrients including minimum protein and fat and the maximum fiber and moisture. The label also should indicate if the food has undergone actual feeding studies.

The label should state whether your cat food is formulated for growth, maintenance, gestation/lactation or for all life stages. Purina recognizes that your cat is special and that all cats have special needs at specific times. That’s why there’s a Purina® brand food to meet each of these needs. More than 35 years of caring, nutritional studies at the Purina PetCare Technology Centers help ensure that your cat gets all the necessary vitamins, minerals, protein and other nutrients in proper amounts.

Where, When and How Much to Feed
Place your cat’s food and water dishes away from foot traffic, noise, and her litter box, in a place that is comfortable and easy for her to reach. When there are multiple cats in the home there must be multiple food bowls in different locations so that all cats have easy access to food. Newspaper or a plastic mat under the dish makes cleanup easier. Above all, always keep clean, fresh water available at all times.

Establish a routine so that your cat is fed at the same time each day. Use your cat’s name when feeding her. This can help to reinforce her name while associating you with a pleasant activity. If you are feeding a dry cat food, you can put out a whole day’s supply in the morning (very convenient if you are a working person) or feed half in the morning and half at night. Another advantage of dry cat food is that it can help keep your cat’s teeth clean and her gums healthy. Always measure the amount of food provided; this will allow you to keep track of her intake and monitor her health.

For a proper feeding program, follow the feeding instructions on the cat food package.

Supplements
Unless directed by your veterinarian, it’s not necessary to add supplemental vitamins, minerals or other foods to your cat’s daily diet. If she’s eating a Purina food, she is getting complete and balanced nutrition already.

Feeding Don’ts

• Never feed dog food to your cat. Cats have unique nutritional needs that dog food does not provide.
• Never feed bones to your cat. These can splinter or lodge in her throat or pierce the stomach walls and intestinal tract.
• Never feed milk to your cat. She doesn’t need it and it may cause diarrhea.
• Never feed your cat any food containing chocolate or onions. These can be toxic to your cat and should be stored and disposed of in a place your cat can’t reach. Ask your veterinarian about foods that might be harmful to your cat.
• Avoid the temptation to spoil your cat with table scraps. This too can produce a finicky eater who learns to refuse her usual cat food in favor of those high-calorie tidbits.

Special Nutrition For Your Kitten
Your kitten’s first year is critical to a lifetime of good health. During that time she grows from infancy through the equivalent of childhood and then on to young adulthood. She needs to have the best possible nutrition to build a strong bone structure, good muscles, a well-developed nervous system and the vitality that will take her through her first year.

Years of research at the Purina PetCare Technology Centers show that a normal kitten’s weight practically triples during her first three weeks. In her first 20 weeks, a kitten can have a 2,000% increase over her birth weight. At 26 weeks, the visible growth rate starts to level off and she may look like an adult cat. However, your kitten will continue to develop inside—her bones become stronger and her body fills out—until she is a year old.

Kittens, like babies, need their own special food. Her rapid growth and high energy level require food which will give her extra nutrition and calories. And since she has a small stomach, it’s difficult just to eat more food to get the calories she needs. Kittens therefore tend to be “occasional” eaters—they eat a number of small meals in spurts during the day. To meet the unique needs of this growth pattern, your kitten will do best on a food that is specially formulated for her. Dry kitten food is the perfect choice because it will remain fresh and flavorful in your kitten’s bowl throughout the day.

Give your kitten three meals a day, if at all possible, until she is six months old. At six months, she will closely resemble an adult in size. But don’t be misled; she still needs to do a lot of growing up and filling out. At this point she can be fed only twice a day—but remember, she is still a kitten and should continue eating a diet made specially for kittens. Don’t be worried if your kitten’s appetite decreases slightly between four to seven months of age. As she loses her baby teeth, she may eat a little less because her gums are sore. By the time she is seven months old, most of your kitten’s permanent teeth should have grown in. One of the advantages of feeding dry food, apart from the convenience, is that dry food can help to decrease the rate of tartar accumulation on teeth.

Important:
Be sure to provide a bowl of fresh water daily for your cat. The water should be in a clean container and available to her at all times.

For a proper feeding program, check the package for the recommended amounts for various age levels. It’s also a good idea to get your veterinarian’s advice for your particular kitten’s needs.

Once your kitten has reached her first birthday, she is officially an adult. The high calorie requirements she had as a kitten have gradually declined and she can now switch to an adult food.

Switching Foods
To avoid turning your cat into a finicky eater, try using one cat food exclusively. But if you do want to switch foods, do so gradually over a period of about 7-10 days to avoid digestive upsets. Begin the changeover by giving her a small portion of the new food with her present food. Gradually increase the new food and decrease the amount of the food being replaced. This is especially important when changing from a dry to a canned cat food.

Pregnancy
Your pregnant or lactating cat should receive a diet specially formulated for gestation/lactation or all life stages. During the final two or three weeks of gestation, she may eat up to double the amount she usually eats. Remember that she has to produce enough milk to feed all her kittens. Consult your veterinarian to make sure she is getting everything she needs for her “delicate condition.”

Too Many Pounds, Too Many Problems
With an overweight cat, there’s more to love—but there may be less time to do so. Keeping your cat’s weight in control really pays off. Because research shows that overweight cats are more likely to develop health problems—the incidence of diabetes, in particular, increases up to four-fold. In addition, overweight cats are prone to lameness; skin diseases; liver, kidney and pancreatic diseases; at risk for urinary tract and constipation problems; and likely to experience osteoarthritis and ligament damage.

The good news is that it’s not too late to get your cat back into shape so you can enjoy more active years together. While changing your cat’s diet and behavior can be challenging, the right approach—and plenty of patience—will help her shed those extra pounds.

Many cat owners don’t even realize their cat is overweight. And because cats have such small body frames, even an extra pound or two can be a problem for your pet. Work with your veterinarian to determine your cat’s body condition.

• Cats tend to show extra weight in their stomachs first.
• To see if your cat is in ideal body condition, do the Rib Check: place your hands on your cat’s rib cage. If you cannot feel the ribs, your cat is overweight.
• Watch for the double chin, too—deposits of fatty layers under the skin around the jowls and neck make your cat’s face appear puffy.

Too Thin
Ribs and hips are visible. Increase the amount you are feeding. After 2 or 3 weeks, compare again. Adjust until cat exhibits ideal body condition.

Ideal
Can feel ribs, but not see them. Cat has a waist when viewed from above. Belly is tucked up when viewed from the side. Maintain current feeding regimen.

Too Heavy
No waist when viewed from above. Belly hangs down when viewed from the side. Decrease amount you are feeding. After 2 or 3 weeks, compare again. Adjust as necessary.

With the help of your veterinarian, plan the best weight management program for your cat. Here are simple steps that will help put your cat on the path to a long, healthy life:

Correct Nutrition
Your veterinarian can recommend a nutrition plan that helps your cat reach ideal body condition. An effective diet should include the right balance of protein, fat and fiber to promote healthy weight loss.

Measure Each Serving
Follow the feeding guidelines on the back of Purina packages, and measure carefully. Dividing the daily food allowance among multiple meals can help you keep your cat satisfied all day.

Limit Treats
If you give your cat treats, work with your veterinarian to determine a treat allowance, such as 10% of the daily calories.

Pounce & Play
Check with your veterinarian to determine how much exercise is appropriate for your cat. Then encourage increased activity with more playtime and even daily walks. Even simple changes such as putting the food bowl where the cat has to walk further to eat can help promote exercise. Or have multiple bowls in several places that each only have a small portion of the daily allotment can increase exercise. Your cat will burn more calories and maintain more lean body mass. And you’ll have fun together.

Fortunately, veterinary medicine has made a number of medical and therapeutic advances in treating obesity in cats. Your veterinarian may recommend a special diet like Purina Veterinary Diets® OM Overweight Management® brand Feline Formula to help manage your cat’s weight.

Help your cat get in shape so she doesn’t develop potential health problems that can diminish her quality of life. After all, you and your cat want to spend many happy years together.

When Your Cat Has Special Dietary Needs
Maintaining your cat’s good health is a big responsibility, and one that’s best shared with your veterinarian. At your cat’s next regularly scheduled check-up, let your veterinarian know of any physical or behavioral changes in your pet. If your veterinarian discovers that your cat has a special condition, he/she may recommend a therapeutic food from the Purina Veterinary Diets® line.

Purina Veterinary Diets® use the power of nutrition to help in the dietary management of many health conditions. All veterinarian-prescribed formulations are based on the latest advances in scientific research and technology.

Exercise
A regular exercise and enrichment program should go hand-in-hand with diet to help an obese cat lose weight. Here are some suggested activities to help her lose weight and contribute to your cat’s general health and happiness. Besides its health benefits, exercising your cat is a great way for you to play together and have some fun.

• Get your cat up in the morning for playtime before you leave for work.
• Put some distance between your cat and her food. If you leave dry food out, put it in a room apart from where your cat sleeps. The walk provides some exercise and you can put toys along the way to encourage additional activity. Have multiple feeding stations and use different ones daily to encourage your cat to forage for her food.
• Try offering part of the daily food allotment in a feeder toy that encourages manipulation to dispense the food.
• Get your cat to run. Use toys and wand toys to encourage movement and activity.
• Pamper your cat into a playful mood. When she just isn’t in the mood to play, boost her spirits with a brushing.
• Reintroduce favorite games and toys you once played with your cat. Even when attention wanes, introducing a new toy will get play to resume at high levels.
• Leave safe toys out to encourage your cat to play on her own. This is important if you are away from home much of the day. Rotate the toys frequently to keep things interesting.