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Understanding Kitten Food Nutrition Labels

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Health Concerns About Feeding Cats

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How Do I Encourage My Cat to Eat Dry Food After Eating Scraps from The Table?

Cats are creatures of habit and can resist diet change. It's important to completely stop feeding your cat from the table. This is best accomplished by removing the cat from the kitchen during mealtimes. Be persistent when offering dry food. Your cat may refuse to eat for several meals before deciding to give the food a try. Heating food in the microwave increases the aroma of the food and will often entice a cat to eat. Another alternative is to try mixing some wet food with the dry food, or topping it with a sauce or gravy specifically formulated for pets. Be assured that your cat eats to meet an energy need and will eventually begin to eat unless there is an underlying medical issue.

What Should I Do If My Cat Is Constipated or Has Loose Stool?

Keep in mind that your cat's stool should be small and firm. Most cases of constipation are temporary and due to dietary interruptions. Loose stools also are often temporary and can be due to dietary interruptions, as well as many other things, including an abrupt change in diet, overeating, parasites, medication, eating table scraps, viral or bacterial infections, and stress. If constipation or diarrhea persists, however, it is important to consult a veterinarian.

  • How Nutrition Can Help Manage Your Cat’s Hairballs
    How Nutrition Can Help Manage Your Cat’s Hairballs
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    How Nutrition Can Help Manage Your Cat’s Hairballs

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    Why Make a Hairball Management Formula?

    • Most cats are susceptible to hairballs due to continual ingestion of hair during regular self-grooming.
    • Cat owners have told us that hairballs are one of their top concerns.
    • According to IAMS™ consumer research, a number of cat owners and their cats have found hairball treatments to be an unpleasant experience.

     

    How Were the IAMS Hairball Formulas Developed?

    IAMS nutritionists were looking for a way to control hairball formation while maintaining optimal feline health and well-being. They evaluated risk factors for hairball formation in cats fed diets that varied in fiber source and content.

    • 98 cats were studied.
    • Nine groups were fed test diets and three were fed control diets.
    • The test-feeding period was six to seven weeks, following a five-week control-feeding period.
    • Total cat-days of testing = 9,968.

     

    Researchers found that feeding diets that contained a blend of beet pulp and cellulose was more effective at moving hair through the digestive tract, compared with the same diets containing beet pulp as the only fiber source.

    • There was an 80% to 100% increase in fecal hair excretion with beet pulp/cellulose-blend diets, compared with the beet-pulp-only diet.
    • By promoting the passage of hair ingested by the cat during normal self-grooming, an important risk factor for hairball formation is minimized.
    • Hairballs were not evident in cats fed the beet pulp/cellulose-blend diets.

     

    How Do IAMS Hairball Formulas Work?

    • The fiber system (blend of beet pulp/cellulose) gently moves hair through the gastrointestinal tract while maintaining healthy digestion.
      • Beet pulp, a moderately fermentable fiber, promotes optimal intestinal health.
      • Cellulose helps to enhance the passage of ingested hair.
    • An optimal fatty acid ratio enhances skin and coat health, which decreases the likelihood of excessive shedding, a factor related to hairball formation.

     

    How Do IAMS Hairball Formulas Compare with Other IAMS Cat Food Formulas?

    IAMS hairball formulas provide high-quality nutrition and taste, like our other adult formulas, with the added benefit of reducing the risk of hairballs.

    • High-quality nutrition for adult cats
      • Optimal protein and fat levels
      • Higher fiber content due to added cellulose
      • Excellent stool quality, skin and coat condition, and taurine status
    • Great taste
      • Similar acceptability and palatability test results as other IAMS adult formulas

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