[ashleywong]

Hi all

i'll try to keep this short (i've been known to go on and on on a subject i identify with...)

cats are obligatory carnivore - according to articles i read, this means a cat cannot synthesize certain essential amino acids it requires for its bodily functions from the grain protein/vegetable protein and carbohydrate the way man and dog can. therefore a cat will gain the most from eating meat protein instead of grain protein/cabohydrate.

what this means is - the type of ingredient you feed your cat is important, and even more important that you feed correctly from kitten stage as this will set the foundation for a good health for your feline friend.

so when you next reach for that bag of cat food on the shelf, don't look into your checkbook or handbag or wallet (although this will to some extent determines whether you have adequate money to pay up at the cashier counter), but look instead at the ingredient list.

things to avoid : grain-sourced protein such as corn, wheat, and other type of grains, gluten (one ingredient that commonly causes allergy reaction in animals as well as human beings), non-food-grade meat ingredients such as animal-by-product (which they don't list out ind etails) but generally by-product is feathers, beak, tail, offals (internal organs that we don't eat), blood, and entrails, etc, cheap stuff that can be "recycled" as pet food.

this is for store-bought commercially available food.

another no-no is do not feed human food to cats/kittens - especially if they're commercially prepared or processed as they contain lots of addictives and other chemicals that is no good to the feline health in the long run, especially the white salt content that's high.

if you choose not to use kibbles but instead feed food like fish, chicken breast, etc, please ensure that you give your feline companion a variety of meat supplemented with vitamins and essential minerals.

in their natural state, a feline's natural diet is varied, from raw meat to certain plants and herbs to aid in digestive function/elimnation function. the varied nature of the feline's intake in the natural world ensure the feline get his/her required nutritional intake for good bodily and brain function.

just feeding your cat/kitten a single type of food ,i.e. just fish, will not do.

incidentally, it is a myth that cat love fish and need only fish. my vet showed me a kitten, just about 5-6 months old, the kitten has fragile bones and a broken leg - because his owner fed him solely on fish and neglect to provide him with other essential vitamins and minerals. fish may be cheaper but the vet bill is higher!

feeding your feline companion good quality food made with appropriate ingredients will go a long way to ensure the good health of your feline companion and also will definitely ensure and guarantee a lower veterinary bill in the long run and be pocket/bank-account-friendly in the long run.

that, my friend, is my "two-cents" on cat food and proper nutrition.

comments requested and welcomed.