How To Get Your Cat To Live Until 20… And Beyond
Sometimes, when I’m feeling extra morbid, I think about the day my cats will inevitably leave me. Lying on a cloud, bathed in sunshine, they stretch out languidly and yawn, blinking sleepily at me.
“Well mum,” they purr, “it’s been real. Catch you on the flippy-flips.”
And with that, they drift away into a dandelion-filled sky to cross the rainbow bridge. It’s not something I think about often. But when I do, I like to get a nice good cry in. (I told you, I’m morbid. Besides, crying is cathartic.)
I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this. And it goes without saying that I do everything in my power to try and delay this tragic event. A lot of these strategies are obvious (but I’ll repeat them anyway, cuz that’s how I be), but the rest are a little less so.
Time to bust out our cauldrons and pointy hats—today we’re whipping up some longevity brew, kitty-style.
The Obvious
I’m never one to state the obvious.
HA! Just kidding, I love repeating myself to the point of inducing nausea. So here we go.
Keep your kitties inside
A bevy of beautiful, well-kept indoor kitties.
Indoor cats live drastically longer lives (think 10+ years longer) than their outdoorsy compatriots. It’s easy to rationalize an outdoor kitty’s life as being more stimulating and fulfilling, but as with everything else in life, it’s all about context.
Imagine our earth as just a tiny fraction of the inhabitable worlds in our galaxy. Your mom, being the overprotective helicopter parent that she is, never informed you of this startling fact. You spend an entire blissful existence on this solitary planet, never the wiser.
Cats raised and brought up indoors never know what they’re “missing.” (And really, all they’re missing is disease and car wrecks and wild animals.) Your home is their world.
With that said, it’s absolutely essential that we keep their worlds stimulating and enriching.
Keep their world stimulating and enriching
(I told you I like to repeat myself)
Yes, that extra sunny perch by the window actually does help your cat live longer. A mentally and physically stimulated cat is a happy cat. A happy cat is a healthy cat. It’s not rocket science, friends!
Repeat after me: Toys, beds, & vertical space.
Educate yourself on proper kitty nutrition
Turn off that TV and punch your vet square in the face. Nearly every pet food brand that advertises on TV is going to be garbage. And while vets are awesome human beings (for the most part), SO many I’ve encountered mindlessly shill shitty pet food (like Hill’s Science Diet, Royal Canin) without bothering about proper cat nutrition.
Here’s the rule of thumb: The first 5 ingredients listed on your pet food package should be some sort of meat protein. Not pea protein. Not soy. Not corn meal. Not a by-product. MEAT. If you can swing it, grain free is ideal.
Learn urself on the subject (and as it’s probably the most decisive factor in a cat’s longevity and wellbeing, shouldn’t we all?) and get my pet food recommendations here.
Oh! And one more thing: Don’t free-feed your cats. Cats (especially bored cats) have a tendency to overeat. Start regulating their diet with twice a day mealtimes, and don’t leave food out for more than a few hours.
Here’s how to tell if your kitty is on the tubby end of the spectrum*:
Remember, just like with peoples, the key to healthy cats is plenty of exercise (playtime) and a controlled diet.
*As these are silhouette diagrams, it’s easy to confuse actual tubbiness with primordial pouches, which most cats carry. If your cat’s belly is loose and floppy, that’s normal pouch action. If it’s firm and tubby, that’s…well, that’s a fat kitty.
Keep their water fresh
Cats tend to have a low thirst drive, and derive most of their water needs from their food (which is why wet food is preferable). On top of that, they are picky as hell. Keep multiple water sources set out, refreshed daily. And by refreshed, I mean rinsed and wiped down. You know that tiny film of scum floating at the surface of your cat’s water bowl? They don’t want to ingest it any more than you do. And it comes from a dirty bowl that hasn’t been washed in a while.
Also, be sure to keep their food and water bowls separate. Instinctively, cats consider any water found near their food (which in nature would be a dead animal) to be contaminated. I know, sometimes I wish my cats would be more like dogs, happily slurping down whatever murky liquids are placed before them—but alas. It is not to be.
The bottom line is this: When cats aren’t drinking enough water, they can quickly develop urinary tract diseases and die with very little warning. (9 lives my ass, kitty! Aren’t you supposed to be indestructible like a cockroach??)
Get on them annual checkups
Our cats are warriors. When something is wrong, many tend to suffer in silence. “Just muscle through it,” they tell themselves. This is no bueno from a cat parent perspective. Even if kitty seems to be in perfect health, swing by your vet at least once a year to screen for any silent-but-deadly maladies.
The Slightly Less Obvious
Brush kitty often
Sky the Ragdoll, the world’s most brush-able kitty.
Cats are always grooming themselves, as you may have noticed. When summer comes around and shedding season is in full swing, they’re working overtime to whip their coats back into manageable shape. This mean swallowing a lot of extra fur, which, if your cat already has a problem with hairballs, could be a problem.
Get yourself a nice soft slicker brush and lend a helping hand. You’ll also be doing double duty of bonding with your cat (I firmly believe that cats with a loving, close bond with their owners live much longer) and checking for fleas/ticks.
Speaking of fleas…go natural with your flea control
Natural is best, says hippy cat.
Avoid chemical flea control and pet shampoos like the plague. The toxins in chemical flea control are extremely harmful to cats and their ability to ward off disease. In your daily life, I’d encourage you to go natural with your household cleaners and soaps. I know I’m sounding dangerously like a crunchy-ass hippy right now, but that’s OK. I kind of am. The amount of chemicals and toxins we allow into our homes these days is appalling. It’s killing us, and it’s killing our pets.
Toxins in chemical cleaners, pesticides, and flea control products build up in our cats’ bodies, weakening their immune systems and making them much more prone to cancer and disease in old age.
If you’re not ready to give up your Lysol disinfecting sprays (the worst…seriously), at the very least dump those chemical-laden flea collars, sprays, and shampoos. Go natural.
We’re not trying to turn our kitties into radioactive mutants, y’all.
Shall we get a little preachy? …Eh why not, you’re already here.
Secondhand smoke kills. You’ve heard that before, no? It kills babies and fur-babies alike.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that cats are animals in the same way that humans are animals—what harms us is likely to harm them just the same, if not more, considering their considerably smaller body mass. In fact, cats are twice as likely to get cancer and die prematurely if their owner smokes.
Don’t believe me? According to Dr. Carolynn MacAllister, veterinarian:
“Secondhand smoke has been associated with oral cancer and lymphoma in cats, lung and nasal cancer in dogs, as well as lung cancer in birds.
One reason cats are so susceptible to secondhand smoke is because of their grooming habits. Cats constantly lick themselves while grooming, therefore they lick up the cancer-causing carcinogens that accumulate on their fur. This grooming behavior exposes the mucous membrane of their mouth to the cancer-causing carcinogens.”
Learn urself (even more) on the subject, here and here.
If you want your kitty to be with you until the ripe old age of 20, take your chain-smoking outside! (And maybe consider cutting down a bit yourself? …I know I know, I’m sorry, I care!)
Want more natural cat care tips? Head over to Natural Cat Care Blog – one of my favorite cat care resources. Be sure to subscribe to Liz’s newsletter and get her free ebook on cat longevity, where she goes more in depth into the factors that affect our cats’ health and lifespans. It’s a seriously interesting and enlightening read.
According to Liz, every cat, properly cared for, has the potential to live to 20. Now that I can get behind.
Hope this has been enlightening. I expect us all to be caring for healthy, happy, unnaturally old cats years from now. Deal?
Want more?
How to leave your cats home alone (without the guilt)
How to decode cat sounds: 7 things your cat is trying to tell you
Cat Treat Breakdown: What to Indulge, What to Avoid
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I had 4 male cats die from urinary blockages . My fault … they were feral outside cats I was unable to watch,
Then my male inside cat started with blood in his urine and eventually a blockage . He was an ex feral that we brought inside at 8 weeks old . When he was developing a blockage …. He’d go to the bathtub and urinate there so I’d see the blood…. And then he’d go right to the vet to get UNBLOCKED ! After the third time the vet put him on Hills RX Urinary and he never blocked again . But I did have one vet tell me to only use DISTILLED water. That was 25 years ago and I put 2-3 tablespoons in their pottery bowls then add their wet food . Hence they get water wether they like it or not.
I’ve had colonies of “ dumped “ cats of 28 … in two different states ( I’ve been told I’m a “ CAT MAGNET” and I’ve never lost another cat from a urinary blockage . Distilled WATER 😻
These comments are crazy. I liked the site. Sounds like good info. I wish I would have stopped there. As a 41 year old man I have dealt with the stereotypes of cat people for a while. I always felt it ridiculous when someone generalizes a human based on what type of pet they cohabitate with. After reading some of these comments I wonder.
To the site owner: Thanks for some great info and very good advice on keeping my kitty healthy. Good luck to you and the crazies infesting your comment sections.
As with anything existing in this world, there are exceptions. A grey kitten graced my property 21 years ago. He was named Gandolph the Grey and he is now 23. This cat has suffered all kinds of issues, chased dogs much bigger than him off our property and has stolen ribbons from my neighbor’s clothes line. He is at the end of his life now and our neighbors will miss him. If he was at their house visiting they would put their kitchen light on so we knew where he was and visa versa. When there was a dog visiting us, Gandy would trot next door until the coast was clear. He received all the medical care he needed and made our neighborhood so much better.
If I want to give my cat dry food just to nibble on, is Petcurean Go Solutions skin and coat formula, chicken flavor a good brand. I am confused and afraid of what to feed her as my last cat had died from urinary issues and I dont want it happening again. Appreciate any help you can provide to help me with this. I simply want the best for my cat.
That is supposed to say the best cat treats not trees, sorry about that.
I currently feed my cat Beyond organic chicken and carrot wet cat food and took away the dry food. Can you leave a reply on if this is a good food or a wet food that is NOT grain free, seems to give kitty oo poo issues so rather not use that stuff. Also, what are the best cat trees to use. Appreciate any help you can provide and thank you for all this information and the time it took for you to do this for us consumers.
You’re awesome…and funny – amazing combination! I’ve had cats since I was a kid and wow, there have been some crazy changes since then (the 50’s I’m referring to). Lots of them good, I’m happy to say. I’m nuts about anything with fur/feathers – basically all animals, so love to learn more. Take care, Happy New Year from Australia. Susan
Thank you and happy new year!!
Excellent points. As an avid cat rescuer and mama to felines, I would also suggest adding “use a cat fountain” into the water section. After having multiple cats with urinary problems and a whopping $4k in vet bills after my cat had recurring blockages, we invested in two fountains. I have noticed my kitties drink way more than with a bowl of water and we’ve been a full year without any infections in my 3 male cats.
This is a really great point! We added a water fountain to our house recently and both cats drink way more water. It’s definitely effective!
I very much enjoyed reading all of your website.
Could you provide me with any information you have on PHOSPHORUS in the cat diet. My cat LOVES Orijin and Arcana dry food but the phosphorus is extremely high. Tanya’s website has phosphorus but I can’t get many of these foods. Why isn’t phosphorys content required in the ingredients list?
Hi James! Check out this chart from catinfo.org. It’s super comprehensive and has phosphorus content listed for a slew of big wet food brands. I hope it’s helpful!
https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
Feline Natural freeze dried raw Chicken and Lamb is low in phosphorus and a good ph for bladder health. If you cat struggles with uti’s or stones, instead of listening to your vet about a trashy prescription diet, this is a healthier alternative, plus you can addVetoquinol Methigel Urinary Acidifier to Promote Urinary and Bladder Health for Dogs &
which is a supplement vers used to recommend for uti’s and stones before Hills came out and ruined everything. It works great. There is no need to sacrifice your pets health.
*vets
My indoor cat is especially prone to fleas so I need to use the best flea prevention products. Is there any natural product that you know works the best?
I did leave a comment, but l haven’t seen it. I feed my cats Halo and sold gold. I would feed them one of the brands you recommended, but they would have to be cruelty free too. I know Shelba isn’t cruelty free. Halo and solid gold are. I have 3 cats indoors. I have 2 cats outside, but they are feral. There is no way they are coming in. We also feed them solid gold wet food and Halo dry. Do you know what foods dry and wet foods you recommend are cruelty free? I would really like to know. I tried to look some of them up and can’t find any information. Where do I look for your reply. My cats are all seniors. One is 20. The others are about 13,14 years. I really want to hear from you. I need some answers. There was no where for the cats outside to stay sooo l told my husband to back up his truck to the garage and he did. We cleaned the back of the truck and put blankets down and beds and left the tailgate down. We have a cover over the top that the truck came with. That is the best we can do for them. Please reply.
Hi Pam! I’m so sorry for the super delayed reply. The one “ethical” pet food brand that I know of is Open Farm: https://openfarmpet.com/collections/cat-food. Definitely give them a look! Apparently all their protein sources are humanely raised and slaughtered, and their ingredients seem very high-quality. Let me know what you think.
I would check out Feline Natural. They are a New Zealand brand and the animals are all from locally sourced farms. I am very much in favor of cruelty free too. Of course, cruelty free is kind of not the right word yo use in this case because cruelty free means not tested on animals. I’m sure you mean instead,that the animals are grass fed, free range.
I hope you got my comment about the solid gold wet food and the Halo dry food. That is what l feed my cats inside and out. I wanted something cruelty free and help their teeth and urinary tract. I am really trying to get things that are cruelty free. I have tried to get the outside cats in, but to no avail. They are feral. They have been trapped once to take them and get them fixed. I starved them for two days and they wouldn’t get in the traps again!! I had to feed them. I couldn’t wait anymore. They just came to my house one day. I told my husband to set up his truck. They have beds and blankets in back of the truck. The tailgate is down and it is backed up to the garage. I have had nine cats inside. They have all died, but 3. The youngest one that died was 16. The oldest we still have he is 20 years. If we are not feeding them the right food can you recommend a cat food that is cruelty free and good for all of them PLEASE. I am just about out of my mind worrying about them inside and out. I have a Petco and Pet Smart 14 miles from me. They seem to like salmon,whitefish, and Tuna. We can take it back at those pet stores if they don’t like it. I am sorry this is sooo long, but l thought I should let you know what is going on. Thanks for your time.
This was an excellent post! Thank you so much for sharing.
We find it very hard to get our cat to play, so that’s one we really need to work on!
I agree with all your points, but sometimes genetics plays a role. I lost one cat suddenly this summer probably to a heart defect. I have another with cancer. We did everything on the list. Of these two cats, one was eight and the other is nine. We’re going through chemo for lymphoma and we’ll see how he does.
I’m so sorry for your loss! And yes of course, genetics plays a huge role. Wishing your other cat a speedy recovery.
My beloved Obie died just past 16. He was very well loved by my family, had regular vet check ups including dental, was flea combed and brushed. He also was fed premium cat food. Maybe it wasn’t your intention but the tone of the article is that cats living less than 20 years are not as well cared for.
Just like with people, genetics plays a big role and it’s a big unknown with most kitties.
Definitely not my intention to imply that. Just setting lofty (maybe perfectly reasonably unattainable) goals for cat parents to strive for!
Agree! We go a step further and make our own kitty food. We source human grade raw meats, mostly birdy, and add in a reputable feline supliment to assure vitamins and nutrients. We are scrupulous about the preparation and metal feeding bowls. All get sanitized after every meal. No complaints from the kitties!
Love this!
My Persian will be 20 in January. She was diagnosed with kidney disease about 6 years ago. After doing much research, I have learned just how awful dry food is for dogs and cats alike. She was never a cat to eat table scraps so I have difficulty getting her to eat anything other than canned cat food. I have her on 2 supplements that help her alot, one is a renal supplement from Vetrscience and the other is calls Epikitan. I also do give her subcutaneous fluids which help to flush her kidneys. I recently started giving her some hemp oil which seems to be helping her appetite. I am happy to report that she is doing very well and she is still a happy girl. She has always been an indoor cat. I do make homemade food for my dogs which they love but unfortunately my kitty is very finicky.
Hi I have a Persian who will be 10 years old in June. She has a heart murmer [thankfully low grade] I feed her Royal Canin dry Persian kibbles as this seems the only kibble she can pick up with her jaw shape. I tried feeding her grain free kibble but she couldn’t pick them up. I also feed her wet pouches. She ia great water drinker. Hopefully I’ll get to live to 20
I have a question on cat food for cats that are in renal failure. Vets recommend less protein and less phosphorus. What is out there that is healthy and not all this bs crap filled diets?
Thank you!
Amy
Hi Amy!
I don’t know much about renal failure in cats, but I do know that a special diet low in protein and phosphorus (like you described) is essential. As this flies in the face of conventional wisdom about cat nutrition for healthy cats, I defer to vet-recommended diets. I’ve heard many success stories about cats with renal failure thriving on prescription diets, even those from “dreaded” brands like Royal Canin and Hills. Best of luck!
My Scout was just dx with a degree of renal failure at ONLY 8 Years old, wtf, really? I want to blame these specific treats she is thoroughly addicted to, but I don’t know how to determine the phosphorous content in these treats or her current food. I want to be able to naturally address this issue butGoogling is not getting me the necessary information and good science. Your site seems to be the Least biased source thus far. Any suggestions on places to research for more information?
Hi Mary, my favorite cat food research site is http://www.catfooddb.com. Super thorough and I agree with all of their nutritional analyses. Let me know what you think.
Feline Natural Chicken and Lamb is what I feed my cat. Unlike Stella and Chewy’s, which is known to be high in bone and phosphorus, as well as secretive about their recipe, Feline Natural is a brand from New Zealand and this recipe in particular is low in phosphorus and a perfect ph for cats that have uti issues and problems with bladder stones. My female had bladder stones and my vet wanted her on Hills K/D and I said: No way. I did a lot of research and decided on this brand and recipe due to the low phosphorus and ph. I also give Vetoquinol Methigel Urinary Acidifier to Promote Urinary and Bladder Health for Dogs & Cats which you can find on Amazon and it’s what vets used to recommend for bladder issues before prescription diets. And you know what, it still works. My cat hasn’t had a stone flare-up since, and I’m pretty a sure this food would be a great food for your cat, but I’m not an expert. It’s expensive, but it’s worth it to me.
Ive had 3 cats all lived 20 plus years . Fed them meow mix , table scraps they went outside they did all the bad kitty stuff. They were loved and always kept warm. My sister fed her cats wet grain free food no outside both died 10 years earlier.
You’re very blessed! :]
Sometimes “natural” ends up being more harmful. Anyone thinking of using essential oils for flea treatments should be aware that EO’s are damaging to kitty kidneys. Don’t assume that all-natural is better.
Interesting read and you’re so funny!
I had my cats on a raw diet for all of their 5 years, and now one of them has weak kidneys and the other has crystals up the wazoo and bone material collecting in her stomach. Great. I was told these are the things that raw feeding would prevent, not cause!
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that. What raw food brand were you feeding them?
Talk to your vet about Royal Canin! It saved my cat’s life. Listen to a vet, not some blog. A lot of raw diets are not good for cats and dogs alike actually.
A quick bit of research on the topic will reveal that most vets (and veterinary schools) are “partnered with” or otherwise sponsored by large pet food manufacturers, even funding their nutritional “studies.” Would you believe a nutritional study on the effects of sugary drinks on childrens’ health, funded by the Coca Cola company (which exists, by the way)?
Just as pharmaceutical companies give our doctors kickbacks to prescribe (often ineffective and unnecessary) drugs to us, corporations like Mars Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive incentivize vets to market and even prescribe foods like Hills and Royal Canin to our pets. None of this is a secret–the information is readily available to anyone and everyone with an internet connection.
I cannot speak to cats with special needs, like urinary crystals, as they may benefit from restricted prescription diets like Royal Canin, but a healthy cat should never be fed a processed diet loaded with carbohydrates and fillers, like Hills or Royal Canin.
Are you feeding Stella and Chewy’s? They are known to be secretive about their ingredients and it has been found that there food is high in both bone and phosphorus. I stopped feeding it to my 2 males at once. Now I am feeding the Feline Natural Chicken and Lamb which is a bit more pricy, not gonna lie, but this is the freeze dried raw that, after many hours of reading, I found out is the best ph for cats prone to bladder stones, which my female has suffered from. Now all the cats eat this food. I also give the female Vetoquinol Methigel Urinary Acidifier to Promote Urinary and Bladder Health for Dogs & Cats, which you can find on Amazon, and it is whay vets used to recommend for preventing utii’s and bladder stones before all these prescription diets came out. My vet told me I ought to feed my girl Hills kd, but there is no way I am feeding corn, by products, additives and the rest of what is in that junk to my baby. I believe that raw is the way to go, and if you aren’t able to do it yourself, freeze dried raw is the the next best thing. Feline Naturals is made in New Zealand and they are transparent about their ingredients, unlike Stella and Chewy’s. Furthermore, my female with the bladder stones has been on the combination of this diet and the Methigel for almost a year now, with no UTI’s or stones. I strongly urge you to try both the brand and the Methigel out. The Methigel could be helpful with just about any diet you choose, but I thought I would tell you what I use with success, dealing with the same issue as you. It’s also important that cats that are prone to uti’s or stones drink plenty of water, so make when you hydrate your freeze dried raw food, try to make it of a fairly runny consistency, if the cat will allow this. Also, substituting water bowls for a drinking fountain that makes that dripping sound, greatly increased the amount that all 3 cats drink. This is especially important for cats with bladder issues. I wish you the best of luck. I hope you see this message. I know what a difficult condition this is to treat, but a vet will never tell you about Methigel. It’s great stuff. They should have just stuck with this instead of bringing dangerous prescription foods into their clinics.
Hello im currently using Revolution for my cat… you stated that it’s best to go natural with flea treatment… any recommendations?
Here’s a great article with a few suggestions: http://cattime.com/cat-facts/health/22837-10-natural-flea-treatments-for-cats
I’d pick a few that seem doable for you and try them–better than attempting too many heavily-scented remedies all at once. If your cat currently has a bad infestation of fleas, it’s probably ok to quickly nip it in the bud with a one-time topical treatment like Bayer Advantage, and then go natural with your flea prevention (as listed in the article above).
If your cat is an outdoor cat, that makes fleas considerably harder to control and prevent. I’d try a light topical spray of diluted ACV or lemon water as a good preventative “layer” that your kitty can take with her.
So disappointed in this article. Thought it would be interesting and thought provoking but perpetuates “healthy” myths that end up hurting your pet in the long term. Good luck with that.
Care to elaborate? I’m all ears!
Can you comment on why you think there are myths in this article?
Hello! Can I just confirm with you, by “chemical flea control”, does this include the flea drops that go on their neck. How about the pills that we give them for worming? Thanks 🙂
Yes, typical store-bought flea drops are riddled with toxic chemicals (and are known to be very ineffective to boot). I’m unsure about worming pills–there maybe be natural remedies, but I think giving your cat medication to treat a condition like worms is unavoidable!
What can I do for my 12 week old baby for fleas that is natural? Can it be used on my 3 yorkies thank you
In January 2017, I sadly had to let my baby girl Opal go to wherever it is we (cat-dog-human) go to next.
Wonderful little life cat buddy for 22 years and actually fought against the fact her body was failing her physically and hissing at me while taking her to her vet since she couldn’t move her arms, stand up nor walk anymore and all I could do at that moment was hold her close and cry.
The cycle of life did what it does, I still miss her contributions to my life and 7.5 months later, I was drawn to adopt 2 kitten girls who are just another version of the magical connection cats, or dogs and humans are fortunate to have and share… and they had some personality qualities Opal had which captured my heart.
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM ALL THIS; Water type and water bowls are a HUGE component for life extending possibilities.
Opal, and now my new rescued love-bug girls, Did not/DO NOT accept or drink directly from the tap or market delivered plastic water containers…
Based on Opal’s prior 22 year existence, best appears to be alkaline water, from a local water host vendor and NOT MARKET BOTTLED DELIVERY (since they don’t mention from where, or when).
The best water bowls (with filtered pump rotation) are ceramic, thick glass or stainless steel… Plastic and its hidden or quiet particle breakdown ended Opal’s brother at 14 years.
Pay attention daily too, listen to and observe and Love your little buddies completely; feed them as well or better than you do yourself (since it’s not that expensive in bulk and wise storage) but just as your life blood is 95+% water based, make sure it’s as perfect as one can for your extended family cat members.
Love this. Thank you for sharing your experience. My cats only drink filtered water, and I’m currently working on transitioning them to a 100% raw diet (I’ll do a post about it soon). Worth looking into, if you haven’t already!
I strongly agree that we should treat our animals just as well (if not better) than we treat ourselves. Their welfare and entire happiness is in our hands–the least we can do is provide them with the best possible experience they can on this earth. :]
it is a shame that more vets don’t think outside the box when it comes to nutrition. Fortunately, there are more now than there ever has been that do, but still far too many that think processed corn is a-okay for cats
Completely agree! At least it’s an obvious indicator of whether your vet is knowledgeable about cat nutrition or not! If not, we run for the hills.
Those are all excellent points!
Thank you kindly! :]
My cats eat Halo dry food salmon and white fish. They eat solid gold wet food. Are those ok? They aren’t tested on animals. If those aren’t the right food what is? I don’t want anything that is tested on animals and l still want something good for my cats. I thought they needed wet food for their kidneys and dry food for their teeth. I have 2 cats that are feral. They aren’t coming in. I tried to trap them. They went hungry for 2days. They are NOT getting in those traps again. The other cats l have are inside. If solid gold and Halo isn’t the right food what is? I also need something that is cruelty free remember. What do you suggest? Please let me know.
Sometimes my older cats stop eating the good stuff and will only eat the cheapest crap. Cats are a lot like us.