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.