Veterinary Nutritionist Middle River MD

By Nora Simmons

1. Feed your cat about 90 percent meat (including fat), about 10 percent veggies, and very little added carbohydrates. Home-cooked meals are best, but a high-quality natural cat food makes a good runner-up; canned foods usually contain more meat and fewer carbs than dry foods. Serve kitty’s food at room temperature or a little warmer to make it more readily digestible.

2. Supplement her diet with omega-3 fish oil, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and a daily multiple that includes taurine. (Check out “Multiple Choice” at naturalsolutionsmag.com for our favorites.)

3. Throw her a bone. Gnawing on uncooked animal bones helps break down the plaque on your feline friend’s teeth before tartar forms. Just make sure the bones are raw—splinters from cooked bones can tear up the digestive system. Plus, the bits of raw meat on the bone boost your cat’s immune system.

4. Choose natural cat litters—made of wheat, corn, pine, or newspaper pellets—rather than conventional clay litter, which ends up in landfills and can make you and your kitty sick. One of its main components, crystalline silica, a known carcinogen, can cause respiratory problems in humans and perhaps in cats, too.

5. Use an ammonia-free cleaner when taking care of messes since cat urine contains ammonia. Enzymes and oxidizing agents eliminate the odor so Frisky isn’t tempted to repeat the offense. —NS

Author: Nora Simmons

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