Cats need to consume a lifestage-appropriate premium quality diet for optimum health. They are strictly carnivores and requires a diet that contains more meat-based proteins. Some pet owners love handing out food from the table to their cats.  raw meat may be recommended for its nutritional value, there are safety concerns that you have to take into consideration particularly with uncooked meat.

Fish

Fish is a good source of essential protein and other important nutrients for cats. In fact, it is a major ingredient in many commercial cat food products. If you have the habit of giving fish to your pet you should be aware of some important facts about fish—first, tuna has high quantities of polyunsaturated fatty acids that can exhaust a cat’s vitamin E reserves; second, fishes that are carnivores, like salmon, tuna or swordfish, have been found to have higher amounts of mercury compared to other fishes such as cod or halibut; third, uncooked fish contains high amounts of thiaminase that can break down thiamine, an essential vitamin to felines.

Your Mt. Airy, MD vet is an important source of information about your pet’s diet. Learn more here.