A well balanced diet is essential to good health and growth, and is an important preventive measure itself in the health of your cat or kitten. Table foods, dog food or generic diets are unacceptable diets for your cat as they are not properly balanced for your cat’s nutritional needs and may lead to metabolic or nutritional deficiencies. Poor hair coat, poor weight gain, excess weight gain (obesity), susceptibility to disease, and general weakness are all symptoms of a poor diet.

Premium brand foods are those whose ingredients are of higher quality. Typically, the higher quality foods have nutrition more readily available to your cat because of higher digestibility and absorption than lesser quality foods have, though the guaranteed analysis may appear very similar on the label. Your veterinarian can recommend some diet brand options that would be of high nutritional value to your cat.

Physical exercise is integral to the developing strength and overall health of your cat. As with people, too little activity may lead to general weakness and obesity. Daily activity can be increased in several ways, including providing climbing poles or perches, playing directly with your cat, and taking your cat for a walk (don’t laugh, it has been done successfully!)