Diet & Nutrition
Proper diet and nutrition can help your pet fight against disease, maintain a proper weight, and promote the overall well-being of your pet.
Overview
Maintaining a healthy body weight is a very important aspect of a pet’s overall physical health. Good nutrition can help provide your pet with a happier, safer, and longer life.
Why is maintaining a healthy weight important?
Obesity is a common problem among cats. All too often we feed our friends on a schedule convenient to our own lifestyles, forgetting their natural feeding pattern of hunting or foraging multiple (up to 20 portions) small meals throughout their day. Chronic obesity can be a serious problem for cats and contribute to health issues as they age. With proper diet and exercise a healthy cat should be able to maintain a healthy weight while meting all of their nutrition needs. The best way to ensure your cat’s dietary requirements are being met (and not over-provided!) is to consult with our veterinarians about a specific diet for your companion and their lifestyle.
When is a diet change needed?
Healthy cats should be fed a balanced wellness diet based on life stage, activity level, breed or size, and any concurrent medical issues present. Generally diet changes are indicated when a cat enters a new life stage, moving from kitten to adult or adult to senior. We may also recommend a diet change if your cat develops any medical issues that could be managed by prescription diets such as obesity, food allergy or renal disease.
