First and foremost, Cats are NOT Small Dogs !

To most of you, that should seem pretty obvious. But we tend to generalize sometimes that what is good (or bad) for one is good (or bad) for the other. Sure, there are loads of similarities between dogs and cats, but there are a few items worth knowing that can enhance your care and your knowledge of cats.

Cats Are Carnivores. Period. They MUST CONSUME MEAT or FISH … a high protein diet … for optimum health! (Dogs are carnivores, too, but when necessary, they can adapt their diet to eat more carbohydrates.)

Many cats are fussy, and you may have to experiment to see what foods they will eat, but to help prevent the risk of obesity and diabetes and joint problems (from bearing too much weight for too long), it will be worth the effort to make the switch. If your cat is reluctant to switch from a dry food to a canned food, I recommend to gradually introduce the canned food, or keep trying different flavors or different brands.

One common myth regarding dry cat food is that it will keep a cat’s teeth clean. Absolutely NOT TRUE ! Every day, we see cats with horrible infections of the teeth and gums that only eat dry food. Many of those cats will enjoy the moist texture of canned food far more than the pain of trying to break up dry kibble with infected teeth.