To help your cat lead a healthy, happy and active life for as long as possible, her diet needs to achieve the right balance of the six major groups of nutrients: water, protein, fats/oils, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Did you know that cats actually need to obtain 41 different and specific nutrients from their food!

Unless your cat is pregnant or nursing, undergoes a significant change in exercise regime (e.g. moves from an outdoor to an indoor environment) or is suffering from a particular medical condition, there is no reason to upset the nutrient balance that is appropriate for a normal, healthy adult cat from 12 months of age until they reach 'senior' status around the age of seven.

Unlike dogs, cats are carnivores. This means that they need meat in their diet, so can never be vegetarian. Cats require higher levels of protein in their diet than dogs and meat is a ready source of protein. Additionally, although they don’t have a necessary requirement for carbohydrates in their diet, they are able to use carbohydrates to obtain energy and they contribute to overall gut health.

Meat provides cats with three essential components to their diets that they cannot live without i.e. Taurine, Arachidonic Acid and Vitamin A. Taurine is an essential amino acid that is only found in meat protein and is required for a healthy heart and good vision. Arachidonic acid is an essential fatty acid, again only found in animal fats and also known as one of the Omega 6 fats. It contributes to a shiny coat and healthy skin, as well as playing a key role in wound healing. Finally Vitamin A needs to be provided in a nutritionally balanced cat diet and the most usable form for cats is found in both liver and kidney meat. Vitamin A is vital for good vision, particularly at night as well as keeping coats shiny. However, care needs to be taken with Vitamin A not to over-supply it in the diet, as it can lead to very serious bone abnormalities. It is therefore critical to ensure the correct balance of all necessary nutrients in cat diets. All good quality complete manufactured cat foods have been carefully formulated to provide the exact balance of all the nutrients a cat requires to thrive, as well as ensuring excellent taste! Adding human food or supplements to a nutritionally balanced commercial cat food may upset that balance.

Water
Water is the most essential nutrient for all living beings and cats are no exception. The amount of water a cat needs depends on several factors including environmental temperature, exercise levels and whether or not they are eating wet or dried food. Water regulates the body's internal temperature, transports nutrients and other materials around the body and is involved in almost all the processes which take place within the body. Cats can lose almost 100 percent of their body fat and 50 percent of their protein, but will still survive. A loss of only 15 percent water, can lead to death. Insufficient water intake, can also contribute to the formation of bladder stones and cystitis. You should therefore ALWAYS make sure your cat has access to plenty of clean, fresh drinking water at all times.

It’s also worth noting that cats may prefer to drink water from unusual sources such as dripping taps, a puddle in the garden or even the shower! However, they will still need an easily accessible source of constant fresh, clean water and this doesn’t have to be a water bowl, water fountains are a great alternative for those cats that like running water.

Protein
Proteins, made from small units called amino acids, are the building blocks of the body. Cats require larger quantities of protein than dogs due to their carnivorous nature and good sources are animal meats such as chicken, beef or fish and eggs. Cats have to receive certain specific proteins in their food as these contain essential amino acids that the body is unable to manufacture on its own. Taurine is one of the essential amino acids that cats need, but dogs are actually able to make themselves. Taurine is needed for a healthy heart.

The proteins you feed to your cat as part of a complete and nutritionally balanced cat food will contain all of the essential amino acids he needs and are responsible for forming healthy muscle, skin and hair, as well as being an integral part of the immune system and ensuring transport of oxygen. Insufficient protein can lead to poor growth, loss of muscle bulk, poor coat condition and increased risk of infection through impaired immunity. Excess protein gets stored as fat.

Fats
Fats, made from small units called fatty acids, provide the 'fuel' your cat needs to stay active - supplying more than twice as much energy as protein or carbohydrates. Good fats, and essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6, are vital for healthy skin and coat condition as well as providing insulation and protecting our internal organs. Fats are also important for improving the taste of food!

The fats you feed to your cat as part of a complete and nutritionally balanced cat food will contain all of the essential fatty acids he needs. Too little of the good and essential fats can lead to poor skin and coat condition, as well as reproductive problems. Too much fat can lead to clinical obesity and associated medical problems.

Carbohydrates
Although carbohydrates are not an essential component of the cat diet, they do provide an excellent and readily available energy source. Fibre also helps to maintain a healthy gut by promoting good bacteria and ensuring normal intestinal function. Too little carbohydrate in the diet can lead to reduced energy and secondary effects on coat condition for example. This occurs because dietary fat and protein is used instead to ensure sufficient energy and there is therefore less to spare for non-essential functions such as healthy, glossy fur. Too much carbohydrate in the diet gets stored as fat.

Minerals
Minerals, such as calcium and phosphorous, are essential for strong, healthy teeth and bones and must be provided in sufficient and balanced proportions through the diet. This is particularly important for growing kittens. Other minerals that are important for normal body function are sodium, chloride, magnesium and potassium, as well as zinc, copper and iron. All dietary minerals must be carefully balanced and always will be in a good quality complete manufactured cat food. If minerals are not properly balanced an excess of one can lead to a deficiency in another.

Vitamins
Vitamins are required in small amounts through the diet to help maintain growth, normal vision, a healthy skin and coat, wound healing and normal functioning of the nervous system. They are also involved in nearly every chemical reaction at a cellular level for the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Vitamins can be divided into two groups: Fat Soluble and Water Soluble. Fat Soluble vitamins, (A, D, E and K) are stored in your cat’s fatty tissues, whereas Water Soluble vitamins (B complex and C) are excreted in the urine. Unlike humans, cats do not have an essential requirement for vitamin C as they can make it themselves, however it can form part of a balanced diet and is a good anti-oxidant.

Milk
Cats actually don't need milk after weaning. In fact, many cats have difficulty digesting milk as they don’t have enough of the enzyme they need to break down and use lactose (the sugar found in milk) once they have been weaned. Cow’s milk can therefore quite often cause diarrhoea. Specially formulated 'cat milk' with a very low to absent lactose content is becoming more widely available, but be careful and always remember that milk is a food and not a substitute for water.

Moist or 'wet' foods
Keep opened, unused portions of food within cans, foil trays or pouches covered and refrigerated, for up to, but no longer than, 24 hours. Always serve the contents at room temperature. Cats are notoriously conscious of smell and texture and food that is straight from the fridge won’t be as appealing to them. Be careful not to leave moist/wet food lying out for more than an hour or so as it will turn crusty and may become populated with bacteria, which could lead to a tummy upset.

Complete dry foods
With the right balance of nutrients and a crunchy texture to help keep your cat's teeth healthy, dry kibble foods are very popular with cats. They are more concentrated with nutrients than moist foods, so only small servings are needed. Always make sure you follow the feeding guidelines on the pack, but don’t be afraid to make minor adjustments to serving size based on your cats own body condition score.

Make sure the food is described and labelled as a 'complete' food rather than 'complimentary' one, otherwise you might be buying a snack treat instead of a balanced meal. Also, if you decide to change foods either from wet to dry or change between different brands within wet or dry foods, always make sure you introduce the new food gradually over a seven to ten day period. Sudden switching of foods and brands, can lead to tummy upsets, particularly if your cat is used to always eating the same food. And remember, always to provide lots of fresh, clean drinking water at all times.

Home Prepared Diets
If you regularly prepare your cat’s meals from raw or cooked meats, particularly cuts such as beef/pork/lamb steak, minced meat, chicken breast or fish, take care. These meals, without proper supplementation are often too high in protein content and not rich enough in other important nutrients and minerals, like calcium and taurine. This can lead to your cat becoming malnourished. Also, take care with feeding liver! Cats love the taste and it’s great for treats, but it should never form part of the staple diet as too much can lead to bone deformities due to very high levels of Vitamin A.

Raw meat can also contain parasites and bacteria such as salmonella, which can make your cat sick. Never give bones to your cat, even soft bones such as found in chicken necks and wings, can splinter and even lodge in your cat’s mouth or throat.

Some cats love dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt and others like scrambled eggs - but remember that cats have difficulty properly digesting dairy foods (see section on Milk above) and human foods without the right supplementation are nutritionally unbalanced for cats.

It is possible to prepare your cat’s diet from scratch, but it requires considerable skill, knowledge and variety of nutrients to ensure it is balanced and healthy for long-term use.

Food supplements
Supplements are not necessary when a normal, healthy cat is being fed a complete and balanced diet. However, situations such as pregnancy, over or under exercise, or existing medical conditions can leave cats with special nutritional needs. These needs can be met by the appropriate choice of manufactured pet food that is tailored to the specific requirements of your cat.

Some pet owners believe that extra calcium should be added to the diets of pregnant and nursing females and growing kittens. Whilst it is true that an increase in certain nutrients, including minerals, is needed at these times, it is critical that they are given in the correct proportions via a high quality, nutritionally balanced diet that is specifically formulated for this lifestage. Adding them out of proportion to other nutrients can contribute to skeletal deformities and other problems

And remember never feed dog food to cats as it will not have the essential additional amino acids, fatty acids or vitamins that cats absolutely must have in their diet.