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Before you assume that by-products in kitten food are bad thing, here are some facts. In common usage, a by-product is something that is just that—a side product from the making of another product. By-products are not by definition poor quality. For instance, gingerbread cookies wouldn’t be the same without molasses, which is a by-product of sugar manufacture.
In relation to IAMS™ kitten foods, such as IAMS ProActive Health™ Kitten, by-products are generally parts of the animals that are not the muscle meat preferred by most American consumers. The term refers only to the anatomic parts included, not to the nutritional quality of the parts.
While many Americans may not be used to eating these animal parts themselves, it is important to realize that many of the items included in by-products (e.g., organ meats) may be higher in essential nutrients—amino acids, minerals, and vitamins—as well as more palatable to pets than the skeletal muscle meat.
In addition to nutritional benefits, inclusion of these ingredients in pet foods reduces waste and likely has environmental benefits as the livestock industry does not have to produce additional animals just to satisfy the needs for muscle meats to feed pets as well as people. Feeding these nutrient-rich, tasty parts to pets may prevent them from being wasted and allows the entire animal to be put to good use.
Much of the consumer confusion and discomfort surrounding by-products most likely stems from the marketing strategies of some pet food brands and perhaps from the ingredient name “by-product” itself.
It is important to keep in mind that most ingredients in pet foods can vary greatly in quality. In addition, quality cannot be assessed purely on the basis of the ingredient list. All by-products are not the same quality. Neither is all muscle meat. There are very high-quality by-products as well as poor-quality chicken and chicken meal (or beef or pork).
Purchasing food only from reputable manufacturers who are very selective about their suppliers, have full-time, qualified nutritionists, and perform analytical testing to ensure that every ingredient, as well as the finished product, meets their exact nutrient specifications, will help avoid problems due to poor-quality ingredients.
Compared to humans, your cat needs a high-fat, high-protein diet along with other important nutrients. Cats usually eat many small meals throughout the day, so they easily adopt a free choice feeding schedule to maintain their normal body weight. Dry foods, such as IAMS™ PROACTIVE HEALTH™ Healthy Adult with Chicken, are best suited for free choice feeding because they stay fresh for a longer period.
Here are few tips on how to feed a cat:
Cats need nutrients from animal-based protein sources. Providing the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other components found in a portion of complete and balanced pet food can help your cat live a long and healthy life. It is important to avoid supplementing your cat's diet, as doing so may lead to a variety of health problems.
When selecting cat food, look for ones that offer the following nutrients:
A cat's energy intake should be increased gradually by up to 50% over her maintenance intake throughout its pregnancy. You can feed your pregnant cat wholesome kitten food to provide the needed nutritional support during the last few weeks of gestation.
After birth, the mother cat's energy increases by 50% to 75% over normal in the first week to twice the normal in the second week, and up to three times during the third week. The third and fourth weeks are the most demanding because kittens are still feeding on the lactating cat’s milk and have not begun eating dry or canned food. Once kittens begin weaning, the mother cat should be feed normal food portions to avoid unnecessary weight gain.
‘What do cats eat that result in them developing obesity’ is a commonly asked question by cat parents. Several factors are responsible for causing an unhealthy weight gain in your cat. Food and nutritional requirements of a cat are quite different than that of a kitten or even a senior cat. Simply increasing the amount of food your cat eats to satisfy its nutritional need could lead to cat obesity. And this is a health problem that should not be taken lightly. In general, indoor cats are at a higher risk of developing obesity because they do not engage in many physical activities. But as a cat parent, you must pay attention to your cat’s food intake and make sure it remains active. You may also introduce a new kind of diet that may help your cat to maintain its weight. Read further ahead for some useful cat feeding tips that can help you.
same time, we recommend you control the amount of food you feed your cat. Even if it is a weight loss-based cat food, the quantity should be checked properly.
Cats spend a considerable amount of time grooming themselves. In the process, they end up swallowing their body hair. This leads to a hair build-up in the stomach. If the hairball doesn’t pass into the intestines, a cat may try to cough it up. A special diet can help decrease the likelihood of hairballs, but you may decrease its effectiveness if you combine it with other foods.
Underweight cats need more nourishment, which will help them increase their body mass, eventually increasing their weight. For underweight cats, an intake of extra calories is also essential. These extra calories will help your cat gain healthy weight. You may contact your vet who can devise a proper weight gain chart for your cat.
Overweight cats need a calorie-restricted diet for them to come down to their healthy weight. In fact, the food you feed your overweight or obese cat should ideally have high protein and low calories. At the
The amount to feed your cat depends on its age, size, and activity level. Feeding guidelines that recommend the daily amount of food you may feed your cat are included on all IAMS packages. Start feeding your cat the mentioned amount and adjust according to its needs. Remember to divide the portion accordingly if you feed more than once a day. With that said now, take a look at this table to know how much to feed your cat:
Weight of cat (kg) | G/day |
3 | 45 |
4 | 55 |
5 | 60 |
6 | 70 |
7 | 80 |
8 | 90 |
IAMS offers a high protein diet food for cats that are either underweight or overweight. The IAMS Indoor Weight and Hairball Care food is made with a formula that is suitable for cats who are either in need of increasing weight or decreasing it. The benefits of this cat diet plan are as follows:
