FOOD & NUTRITION

Would you ask someone who works at the supermarket which foods you should buy to stay healthy? If the answer is no, then you know not to ask the clerk at the pet store which food to feed your cat every day. But not everybody makes the connection. We hear people say all too often […]

A number of companies now manufacture vegan diets for cats. They don’t contain any meat, eggs, or dairy products. One such company advertises on its site that all its pet food is “cruelty-free” and approved by a leading animal rights organization. For many people, vegan cat food makes an attractive option. They appreciate the idea […]

Look at the package of almost any food intended for people, and you will find a Nutrition Facts label. It tells you at a glance how much of the food equals a serving and how many calories are contained in that serving, along with fat, sodium, fiber, and other nutrients. It not only makes it […]

Every so often, there is a media report about a pet food recall that occurs in the wake of animals becoming sick. The news...

It’s not just pet owners who assume that cat food labeled “senior” has a different nutritional profile than food labeled for use by adult cats in general. Veterinarians often make the same assumption, according to researchers collaborating at Oregon State University, Colorado State University, and the University of California, Davis. But that’s not the case, […]

You correctly choose a food from a reputable company with a label that carries a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which indicates that the contents are right for your cat’s stage of life. But do you have a healthy and safe way to store and serve the food you give […]

Many cats go through the motions of covering their food by scratching or pawing around the bowl in a simulation of digging. They’re not actually putting dirt over their food, of course. An instinct just has them acting as if they are. A cat who does this is not neurotic. She’s acting on a genetically […]

Q. I’ve read that it’s possible to buy bottled water made for cats that is pH balanced and supposedly healthier, but I’ve never heard a discussion by a veterinarian as to whether or not it makes a difference or is worth the investment. What say you? Linda Reilly Merrimack, New Hampshire Dear Ms. Reilly, A. […]

You switch your cat’s diet, and she turns up her nose at the new kibble. Figuring your finicky feline won’t be able to hold out for long, you stand firm. Don’t. While a dog’s hunger will finally get the better of her, a cat may very well not come around. And going even just several […]

Imagine if the food we fed our cats could make us less allergic to them. It may sound far-fetched, but at least one company is now marketing a cat food designed to significantly reduce the allergens cats put into the environment. If it works, it will help the millions of people, cat owners included, who […]

Pet food is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S., and companies spend no small amount of money deciding what words to put in large, bold letters on the front of their packages to get you to buy their brands. But many of the come-hither terms have no legal definitions. They mean whatever the manufacturer wants them to mean. Others do have legal definitions, but they do not match the popular definitions, so they can confuse consumers into thinking a food has a special quality that it doesnt. And some pet foods are simply misbranded. Heres a guide for which terms to ignore, or at least rethink, when choosing food for your cat.

One in 10 cats develops heart disease, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. It’s not a small number. The most common kind of heart disease that afflicts our feline pets is called cardiomyopathy. This often leads to congestive heart failure. The heart gradually loses its ability to pump blood properly, and the situation eventually […]