What is the best food for cats? Ask the internet and you’ll get hundreds of different opinions. How do you know when it comes to cat nutrition?

Common myths about feeding cats

Many misconceptions about feline nutrition can be tied to misunderstandings of what it means to be an obligate carnivore.

Cats evolved to be hunters, surviving on a diet of small rodents. Everything from their teeth to their intestines have evolved for the consumption of animals. But the average domestic cat leads a very different looking life thantheir wild ancestors’, and their diets have evolved with their living conditions.

Myth 1: Cats need a meat-only diet

It’s true that, unlike dogs, cats can’t eat survive on a vegan diet.  Thanks to their need for essential nutrients only found in animal proteins – taurine being a key example – cat’s need a high protein diet. However, high protein doesn’t mean a meat-only diet.

Many vegetables and other ingredients also provide proteins along with other important vegetables. Meat-only diets comes with their own problems, like deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E.

Myth 2: Cats cannot digest carbohydrates

Believe it or not, cats can make digest carbohydrates! While the feline digestive tract did evolve to digest prey, prioritising protein over other energy sources, that evolutionary changes didn’t entirely remove a cat’s capacity to digest carbohydrates.

Cats can still break down and process many different carbohydrates, which provide more than just sugars used for energy production. Carbohydrates are not useless “fillers” as some may believe. They also provide fibre for good gut health,  and other important nutrients that support your cat’s overall health.

Myth 3: Cats should only eat wet food

Many cats prefer wet and fresh food, like The Nosh Project, because of the stronger aroma and meatier texture, but they can eat and digest dry food as well. The important thing is that your cat always has access to fresh drinking water, no matter what type of food they’re fed.

So, what is the best food for cats?

The best food is one that is complete and balanced, which means it delivers all the essential nutrients your cat needs in the right proportions for their size and life stage. Let’s not forget, it also has to appeal to their sometimes fussy tastes! An animal protein should be one of the ingredients at the top of the ingredient list.

The Nosh Project daily diets for cats and kittens are complete and balanced diets made from fresh, natural human-grade Australian ingredients. Every The Nosh Project recipe has been tried and tested by Massey University’s Nutrition Laboratory to ensure it meets the AAFCO nutritional guidelines for cats and kittens.

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How often should cats be fed?

Since cats evolved eating a diet of small prey, they’re digestive tract is made to handle multiple small meals throughout the day. At minimum, it’s recommended a cat be fed twice a day.

Kittens need to be fed more frequently. They should get 4-5 meals a day minimum until they’re 6 months old.

How much food should cats get?

As for how much food a cat should get, it depends on the cat and the food in question. It’s best to start by following the feeding guidelines on the food packaging. These guidelines typically outline the total amount of food your cat should get over 24 hours, not the serving sizes for a single meal.

Over time, adjust the amount of food your cat gets every meal as needed to help them maintain a healthy weight.

Healthy, natural, nutritious. Nothing’s made like Nosh. Try The Nosh Project daily diets for cats and kittens today.

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