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Feeding and Diet

Cats are obligate carnivores. Their digestive systems are short and acidic - perfect for getting all they need from raw meat and bones.

My kittens are given raw chicken wings - cut into thirds - and chicken necks with their morning and evening meals to chew on from 3 weeks of age and they love them. It's a healthy and effective way to keep their teeth clean. I use Prota-cat mince (with added calcium) and mix raw diced veal, steak or chicken in with their food too.

Premium cans and pouches – such as Hills Science or Iams are great. Supermarket brand canned foods are okay, but are similar to us eating McDonalds all day every day. I buy bulk trays of chicken wings and necks from the supermarket/butcher and make up ready-chopped freezer bags each containing a day's ration. Then each night I simply take out a bag and thaw it in the fridge, ready for the next day. It takes very little extra effort to make up the raw food component of their diet. We are always available to help you out if you are a little unsure of adding raw food to your cats diet. DO NOT ever feed cooked chicken bones. Raw bones are rubbery, but cooked ones break into sharp splinters and can choke your cat.

Are you a little unsure of adding raw food to your cats diet ? Here are some books and links that will provide valuable information :

"Raw Meaty Bones" - Author : Dr Tom Londsdale. ( a vet with his own web-site - www.rawmeatybones.com.au)

"Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats" - Author Kymythy Schultz ( Animal nutritionist, available at www.amazon.com)

http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/atkins-cats.html - The Raw Food Diet for Cats Page.

It may seem a little unusual at first but believe me, cats thrive on this diet. Check the meat standards in your area - some are higher than others. I never feed pet-grade meats, because it can contain beaks, feet, faeces and other nasty materials. If it’s not fit for me to eat, it’s not fit for my cat.

Food tips :

· Establish regular feeding times and stick to them. Our kittens are used to receiving breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner of raw chicken wings, chicken necks, veal, mince and with premium biscuits available for all day grazing. As they grow, this can be cut down to breakfast and dinner, with biscuits freely available if you choose.

· Separate the feeding area from the litter tray area. Cats do not want to eat on top of their toilet. Would you ?

· Have a dedicated feeding area. Show your kitten, and they will soon know that this is where they are fed. If they try to beg food from you at the kitchen table, always carry them to their own feeding area before giving them anything. This way they know where it is allowable to eat, and you won’t find food scraps around the place. If you need to change the food area, follow the same steps as outlined for shifting the litter tray and do so gradually.

· Give each cat their own dish. This removes competition and stops your cat from wolfing down it’s food too quickly, and avoids upset tummies. Cats like shallow dishes, ones where they can reach the bottom without pushing their whiskers back against their face. Don't use plastic, as bacteria can hide in the scratches and harbour illness. We use stainless steel and ceramic dishes.

· If you decide to change your kitten’s food from what they are used to, start by mixing the two together and gradually increasing the amount of “new” until the “old” is phased out. This way, your kitten will not suffer an upset stomach over sudden changes in diet. We serve a mix of different biscuits just for variety, and so if one is ever unavailable we have an alternative.

· Always have fresh water available. Cats drink a lot of water, particularly if they eat a lot of biscuits. Water dishes need to be cleaned and rinsed daily. On hot days, place four or five iceblocks in the water dish before you go out – this will keep the water cool all day.

· Don’t give your cat ordinary people milk. Most cats are lactose intolerant, which leads to vomiting and smelly stools. Instead, use lactose-free milk (available in long-life cartons from Coles) or specially marketed cat milk.

· Vary the flavours. Cats get bored if they have the same food all day every day. If your cat is being fussy, try sprinkling a little grated cheese on the meal. This usually makes it interesting enough to eat, or heat in the microwave for 15 seconds, releasing the smell and tempting Puss.

· Cats love to chew on plants. Many household plants, however, are poisonous to cats (such as poinsettias). There are three herbs available – catmint, cat grass and cat nip – which are easily grown in pots and give kitty something to chomp on that’s safe. Some plants that are poisonous to cats are listed here, but please do not take this list as exhaustive. If it doubt, check with your vet !

Alfalfa	Chrysanthemum	Geranium	Locoweed	Pokeweed
Almond (Pits of)	Cineria	German Ivy	Lupine	Red Emerald
Aloe Vera	Clematis	Giant Dumb Cane	Madagascar Dragon Tree	Red Princess
Alocasia	Cordatum	Glacier IvyGolden Chain	Marble Queen	Red-Margined Dracaena
Amaryllis	Coriaria	Gold Dieffenbachia	Marigold	Rhododendron
Apple (seeds)	Cornflower	Gold Dust Dracaena	Marijuana	Rhubarb
Apple Leaf Croton	Corn Plant	Golden Glow	Mescal Bean	Ribbon Plant
Apricot (Pits of)	Cornstalk Plant	Golden Pothos	Mexican Breadfruit	Rosemary Pea
Arrowgrass	Corydalis	Gopher Purge	Miniature Croton	Rubber Plant
Asparagus Fern	Crocus, Autumn	Hahn Self-Branching Ivy	Mistletoe	Saddle Leaf Philodendron
Autumn Crocus	Crown of Thorns	Heartland	Mock Orange	Sago Palm
Avocado (fruit/pit)	Cuban Laurel	Philodendron	Monkshood	Satin Pothos
Azalea	Cutleaf Philodendron	Hellebore	Moonseed	Schefflera
Baby's Breath	Cycads	Hemlock, Poison	Morning Glory	Scotch Broom
Baneberry	Cyclamen	Hemlock, Water	Mother-in Law's Tongue	Silver Pothos
Bayonet	Croton	Henbane	Morning Glory	Skunk Cabbage
Beargrass	Daffodil	Holly	Mountain Laurel	Snowdrops
Beech	Daphne	Honeysuckle	Mushrooms	Snow on the Mountain
Belladonna	Datura	Horsebeans	Narcissus	Spotted Dumb Cane
Bird of Paradise	Deadly Nightshade	Horsebrush	Needlepoint Ivy	Staggerweed
Bittersweet	Death Camas	Horse Chestnuts	Nephytis	Star of Bethlehem
Black-eyed Susan	Devil's Ivy	Hurricane Plant		String of Pearls
Black Locust	Delphinium	Hyacinth	Nightshade	Striped Dracaena
Bleeding Heart	Decentrea	Hydrangea	Oleander	Sweetheart Ivy
Bloodroot	Dieffenbachia	Indian Rubber Plant	Onion	Sweetpea
Bluebonnet	Dracaena Palm	Indian Tobacco	Oriental Lily *	Swiss Cheese plant
Box/ Boxwood	Dragon Tree	Iris	Peace Lily	Tansy Mustard
Branching Ivy	Dumb Cane	Iris Ivy	Peach (pits/ leaves)	Taro Vine
Buckeyes	Easter Lily	Jack in the Pulpit	Pencil Cactus	Tiger Lily
Buddist Pine	Eggplant	Janet Craig Dracaena	Peony	Tobacco
Burning Bush	Elaine	Japanese Show Lily	Periwinkle	Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)
Buttercup	Elderberry	Java Beans	Philodendron	Tree Philodendron
Cactus, Candelabra	Elephant Ear	Jessamine	Pimpernel	Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia
Caladium	Emerald Feather	Jerusalem Cherry	Plumosa Fern	Tulip
Calla Lily	English Ivy	Jimson Weed	Poinciana	Tung Tree
Castor Bean	Eucalyptus	Jonquil	Poinsettia (low toxicity)	Virginia Creeper
Ceriman	Euonymus	Jungle Trumpets	Poison Hemlock	Water Hemlock
Charming Dieffenbachia	Evergreen	Kalanchoe	Poison Ivy	Weeping Fig
Cherry (pits/seeds/leaf)	Ferns	Lacy Tree Philodendron	Poison Oak	Wild Call
Cherry, wild varieties	Fiddle-leaf fig	Lantana	Poppy	Wisteria
Cherry, ground	Florida Beauty	Larkspur	Potato	American Yew
Cherry, Laurel	Flax	Laurel	Pothos	English Yew
Chinaberry	Four O'Clock	Lily	Precatory Bean	Japanese Yew
Chinese Evergreen	Foxglove	Lily Spider	Primrose	Western Yew
Christmas Rose	Fruit Salad Plant	Lily of the Valley	Privet, Common

List compiled by Jeffrey D. Rakes
Reprinted from PET Magazine's Cat Care Guide, Summer 1987
Updated with the assistance of Dr. Jill Richardson, ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center, December 1997