Your cat's nutrition is important for a healthy & happy life. petMD experts help you to know what to feed your cat, how much food to feed, and the differences in cat foods, so your cat gets optimum nutrition.
Nutrition Nuggets is the newest offshoot of petMD's Cat Nutrition Center. Each week Dr. Coates will use her expertise and wisdom to blog about the intricacies of cat nutrition.
Feeding and nutritionally monitoring a cat that has been diagnosed with heart disease in oftentimes difficult. Heart disease itself and the medications used in its treatment can all adversely affect a cat’s appetite and nutritional status.
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My cat Victoria is going bonkers. I just changed the type of canned food I’m giving her, and she obviously loves it. After she’s eaten a meal, she simultaneously meows and licks her lips producing an odd, garbled sound. It seems to me that she is saying, "Wow, can I tell you …... READ MORE
Any discussion about the nutritional needs of cats invariably starts by talking about protein. Cats are carnivores and as such have developed distinctive physiological pathways for utilizing protein. One of the most elegant explanations about what makes cats unique (nutritionally speaking, at least)... READ MORE
Over the last couple of years, I’ve been afflicted with something that most people who reach a "certain" age have experienced — a declining metabolic rate. It used to be that I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted. As long as I remained reasonably active my weight remained stable.... READ MORE
At first glance, cats and cattle aren’t very similar with regards to their nutritional needs. Cats are carnivores and cattle are herbivores, but they are both designed to graze.
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I’m bummed out after reading a study that looked at whether exposing kittens to canned cat food at a young age increased their acceptance of it as adults after a period of eating dry food.
This is an important question. Many owners elect to feed their cats dry food because it is cheaper and... READ MORE
"Hey Doc, someone just left a box of kittens outside the front door and drove away."
That’s how one of my more memorable days in veterinary practice started. When the clinic’s receptionist uttered those fateful words, I was already up to my armpits in patients and didn’t... READ MORE
In response to my statement, "I’ve had much better luck diagnosing and managing food allergies in dogs since I’ve started relying more on hydrolyzed foods…" that appeared over on the canine version of Nutrition Nuggets a couple of weeks ago, TheOldBroad asked the following... READ MORE
A couple of weeks ago TheOldBroad asked for more information about a statement that appeared in my post on the importance of food intake in the face of illness.
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“Should I feed wet or dry food, doc?”
That’s one of the most common questions I get from cat owners. I usually reply, “If possible, both.” I base my recommendation on the fact that cats tend to form early and strong opinions regarding what they will and will not eat,... READ MORE
... graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado. She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms, Vet-Speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian .
Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics. Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.
