CAT FOOD

Nutritionally, a cat is just an undersized lion. Domestic cats have the same nutritional requirements as lions and tigers. The difference between them is the quantity of food required.

Fending for himself, the cat will eat the fresh, raw meat of mice, rats, birds, fish and even insects and lizards. Although he is a complete carnivore, his hunting life gives him a balanced diet, that includes the semidigested cereal and vegetable matter in the stomachs of his prey.

A varied diet is the best thing to the menu a feral cat feeds himself in the wild-

The protein -is the structural material comprising animal skin, hair, nails,cartilage, muscles, tendons and parts of the bones. It's needed to build and renew body tissues, to metabolize food, maintain the body's self-regulation and fight infection.

Fats - serve as a concentrated source of energy and as body padding.The doctors recommend cheese as an excellent source of both protein and fat.

Carbohydrates -most processed foods contain cereal, which is carbohydrate, that adds variety to the meat or fish.Many cats in old age develop kidney disease, a condition, which calls for less protein in the diet and increased carbohydrates.

Vitamins -needed for disease prevention and the regulation of body process occur naturally in foods.Normal kittens and cats, who are fed properly and get out of doors, do not need vitamin supplements.

Minerals -are used to build the cat's skeletal structure and soft body tissues.

Water -accounts for 70% of the cat's weight and figures importantly is his body's every function.Most canned cat foods are about 70% moisture by weight. Dry chows are only 12% moisture at most, and should be fed with a bowl of fresh water handy.

Green needs -while grooming, the cat may swallow so much of his own fur, that the hairs clump together in his stomach and make him vomit. Some cats will deliberately eat grass to help them vomit up these wads of fur. The doctors recommend occasionally feeding a little fresh grass to confined apartment cats as a tonic.They also advice grooming the cats daily with a good brush, so the cat doesn't have to lick away all his loose hairs and accumulated dust.