Cat lovers care for their beloved furry friends. The fact is, the most important part of caring for the cats is feeding them. There are many types of cat food available. In U.S. and UK online pet products shops allow pet owners to buy wet or dry food for their cats, as well as treats and snacks. Cats prefer several small meals a day, but because this is usually inconvenient for owners, the most cats can adapt to eating two or three meals a day. It is recommended to read the feeding instructions printed on product packaging, but this is just a starting point. Cat owners know that every cat is an individual, so the quantity and the type of food to be served is also individual.
The most common dilemma is weather to serve dry or wet food. Benefits of dry complete diets are numerous. They are convenient because they are easy to use, measure and store and they have a longer shelf-life than wet foods. Cats that eat dry food chew it very actively and longer (they like it that way) and drink more water. Usually, cats do not eat all the given dry food at once, they return to it regularly when they feel the need. Dry food is helpful in removing the plaque from the teeth. Wet food is more aromatic and it some cats prefer it because of the texture, smell and taste. But, wet food has to be served fresh each time and at room temperature. It is common amongst the cat owners to serve a mixture of dry and wet food.
It is important for the cat to have clean, fresh water at any time, especially for the cats that eat dry food. Cats do not need milk after weaning and in fact many of them are intolerant of lactose, so drinking milk can cause diarrhea. Some commercial treats are claimed to improve digestive or dental health, because they are designed to taste great and not to upset the nutritional balance. But, owners should be careful, because cats often have an obesity problem, so treats should be avoided in cases of recommended weight loss diet.