As professional pet sitters, we like to keep our readers up to date on some philosophies when it comes to caring for cats. Here are some methods to avoid.

1. Feeding the Wrong Diet

Many foods can cause unwanted stress on your cat’s digestive system.
Examples of some of these inconspicuous foods are:

• Dry kibble formulas
• Any processed pet food
• Food containing feed-grade ingredients, as opposed to human-grade
• Some food containing grain, potatoes, or any other starchy ingredients

Examples of foods that are easy on feline digestive systems include:

• Whole foods
• Raw foods
• Unprocessed, organic foods
• Non-GMO foods
• Feline ancestral diet items, like animal meat
• Include omega-3 essential fats, such as krill oil

It’s important to note that a diet of entirely dry food can also stress a cat’s liver and kidneys because of chronic low-grade dehydration. Mix in wet food to counter-effect this type of dehydration.

2. Offering a Kitty All You Can Eat Buffet

You can probably envision what’s being described here. It’s also known as free feeding and is often done with kibble because it’s the only type of food you can safely leave at room temperature all day. Free feeding is a gateway to an overweight cat. It can also work against the nature of your cat’s instinct. It essence, it transforms a feline hunter into a grazer.

If you feel like your cat is grazing, try separating his or her daily rations into several small portions and place them in different locations around the house for them to find. However, you should be available to supervise so that your cat doesn’t end up eating spoiled food. You can also try placing food bowls at the top of the stairs. In this case, kitty has to scale the stairs to eat, which promotes physical activity and muscle growth.

3. Too Many Treats

We’ve all been guilty of this at some point, right? And it’s ok to give your pets treats, but it’s also your role as a pet parent to be responsible for your pet’s health. Treats, even the healthiest kinds, shouldn’t make up more than 15 percent of your cat’s daily food consumption, and ideally, you want it to be less than 10 percent. It’s vital to remember that treats aren’t a comprehensive form of nutrition for your cat, and should never be fed in place of balanced meals like those mentioned above.

4. No Access to Cat-Friendly Water Sources

Cats don’t gulp water down like dogs because they have a naturally low thirst drive. In the wild, felines receive most of their water through the small animals they prey on and digest. If you’re worried about your kitty’s water consumption, consider adding water to their food. You can also try adding flavoring to the water, like liquid from a can of tuna, to make it more appetizing, or add bone broth. Furthermore, some cats ignore still water but will drink flowing water from a pet water fountain.