Cats need more than milk and raw fish to be healthy
According to cartoons, all cats, apart from lasagne-loving Garfield, live exclusively on a diet of milk and raw fish. In real life, this diet would be a disaster.
Canned food: Good-quality canned food contains everything a cat needs. It is easily fed and there should be at least one flavour your cat likes. It is important that you do use tinned cat food, not dog food.
The latter is cheaper, but does not contain all the ingredients essential for a cat's health. Feeding dog food will lead to deficiencies, especially of vitamin A. Canned food left uneaten in the dish after 20 minutes should be thrown away. Refrigerate any that is opened but unused and do not keep it for more than a couple of days.
Special note: Squash empty tins flat before throwing them out. Cats have been known to get their head stuck inside tins.
Fish: You can choose to feed fresh fish, but it must be cooked (preferably steamed) and you must remove all the bones. Fish is not enough on its own and must be supplemented with cat biscuits to provide necessary minerals.
Just about the worst food you can give a cat is dried fish. Although cheap and convenient, it is the disastrous choice of thousands of cat-owners throughout Hong Kong. Cats fed on nothing but dried fish face almost certain kidney failure at as early as two years old.
Cat biscuits: Most cats like these and crunching them is good for their teeth and gums. They provide carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals and are a necessary supplement to fresh steamed fish. However, they may contribute to bladder problems if fed exclusively.
Complete cat foods: Complete cat foods such as Whiskas or Iams provide all the nutrition a cat needs with no other supplement required apart from drinking water. In the form of small pellets, most cats like them and though expensive, such small quantities need be fed that they are, in the long run, economical. Many vets recommend such food for cats prone to diarrhoea or other gastric problems.
Fresh meat: Fresh chicken, lean beef or offal may be fed, but must be supplemented with an equal amount of cat biscuits. This form of feeding involves more work - the meat must be trimmed of fat, cooked and completely de-boned and it is difficult for an owner to maintain a proper balance of all the nutrition required.
Special note: Liver should al ways be cooked and not fed more than once per week. Too much liver causes arthritis.
Milk: It is a fallacy that all cats need to drink milk. In fact, it often does more harm than good. A balanced diet is the best bet.
Finally, a point to remember is that once cats reach seven or eight months of age, they need less food.
The SPCA is an organisation that deals with animal welfare. It aims to prevent and suppress cruelty to animals. The organisation welcomes pet owners and non-pet owners to show their concern for homeless animals. If you would like to join or find out more about the SPCA, call the membership department on 2802-0501
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