What to Actually Feed Your Cat: A No-Nonsense Guide

Walk into any pet shop and you'll find an overwhelming wall of cat food: raw, grain-free, freeze-dried, pâté, kibble, prescription, "holistic," "ancestral diet." The marketing language is designed to appeal to your concern for your cat's wellbeing. But what does the science actually say about feeding cats well?

Cats Are Obligate Carnivores

This isn't marketing — it's biology. Unlike dogs (which are omnivores), cats cannot synthesise several nutrients they need and must obtain them from animal tissue. These include:

• Taurine — essential for heart and eye health; absent from plant sources
• Arachidonic acid — an omega-6 fatty acid cats cannot manufacture
• Vitamin A — cats cannot convert beta-carotene from plants into the active form
• Vitamin D3 — must come from animal fat, not plant-derived D2

Any cat food worth buying should have a named animal protein (chicken, salmon, turkey) as its first ingredient — not "meat derivatives" or corn.

Wet vs. Dry Food

Both have a place in a healthy cat's diet, but wet food has a meaningful edge for most cats. Cats evolved getting most of their water from prey; they have a low thirst drive and often don't drink enough from a bowl. Wet food is 70–80% moisture; dry kibble is around 10%. Chronically under-hydrated cats are at higher risk of urinary tract disease and kidney problems — two of the most common feline health issues.

That said, quality dry food is nutritionally complete and convenient. A mix of wet and dry, or wet-only with occasional dry treats, is a sensible approach for most healthy adult cats.

Reading the Label

UK and EU pet food labels are regulated but can still mislead. A food labelled "with chicken" only needs to contain 4% chicken. "Chicken flavour" may contain no chicken at all. "Chicken dinner" or "chicken recipe" must contain at least 25%. Only labels that lead with the ingredient (e.g. "Chicken for Cats") guarantee it's the primary component.

Look for: named protein first, AAFCO or FEDIAF complete nutrition statement, taurine listed, no excessive fillers like corn syrup or artificial colours.

How Much to Feed

Most cats do well eating twice daily. Free-feeding (leaving food out all day) is convenient but contributes to obesity — over 50% of pet cats in the UK are overweight. Use the feeding guide on your food's packaging as a starting point, then adjust based on your cat's body condition: you should be able to feel their ribs without pressing, but not see them.

Foods to Never Give Your Cat

• Onions and garlic — toxic to cats, destroy red blood cells
• Grapes and raisins — can cause kidney failure
• Chocolate and caffeine — theobromine and caffeine are both toxic
• Raw dough — yeast expands in the stomach
• Xylitol (artificial sweetener) — extremely toxic, found in some peanut butters
• Alcohol — even small amounts can be fatal