🍽️ Feeding Your Cat

Cats are obligate carnivores — unlike dogs, they cannot synthesise certain nutrients (taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A, niacin) and must obtain them from animal protein. A cat fed a vegan diet will develop serious health problems over time.

Wet vs dry food — the key difference

• Wet food (70-80% moisture): Closer to a cat’s natural prey diet. Better for urinary health and kidney function. Most vets recommend wet food as the primary diet.
• Dry food (7-12% moisture): Convenient and good for dental health. Cats on exclusively dry food are often chronically under-hydrated. Always provide a separate water source.
• Best approach: Wet food as primary (morning + evening) with dry food available for grazing — if weight allows.

Feeding frequency by life stage

• Kittens (under 6 months): 3–4 small meals/day — they have tiny stomachs and high energy demands
• Kittens (6–12 months): 2–3 meals/day
• Adults (1–7 years): 2 meals/day or measured free-choice dry + timed wet
• Seniors (7+): 2–3 smaller meals/day — easier to digest; monitor weight closely

→ Calculate exact portion sizes for your cat →

Foods toxic to cats

💉 Vaccinations & Preventive Care

Core vaccines for cats protect against feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and feline panleukopenia (FPV) — often called the FVRCP or “cat flu” vaccine. Rabies is core in most countries.

Vaccination schedule overview

• 6–8 weeks: First FVRCP (given by breeder or rescue)
• 10–12 weeks: Second FVRCP
• 14–16 weeks: Third FVRCP + rabies (first dose)
• 1 year: FVRCP booster + rabies booster
• After: FVRCP every 1–3 years (based on risk); rabies per local law

Indoor vs outdoor vaccination needs

Indoor-only cats can sometimes follow a less frequent booster schedule — discuss with your vet. However, indoor cats are not zero-risk: they can encounter bats, escape outside, or be exposed during vet visits.

🐾 Understanding Cat Behaviour

Cats are often misread as aloof or independent — but they communicate constantly through body language, vocalisation, and scent marking.

🏠 Indoor Enrichment

Indoor cats live significantly longer than outdoor cats (average 12–18 years indoors vs 5–7 years outdoors due to traffic, predators, disease, and injury). But indoor life requires active enrichment to prevent boredom and stress.

• Vertical space: Cat trees, wall-mounted shelves — cats feel safest when elevated
• Hunting simulation: Interactive wand toys, puzzle feeders, food-dispensing toys — make them “work” for meals
• Window access: A perch with a bird feeder outside provides hours of entertainment
• Scratching surfaces: Both horizontal and vertical — different cats prefer different orientations
• Social play: 10–15 minutes of dedicated wand-toy play per day prevents obesity and aggression

⚖️ Weight and Body Condition

Over 60% of cats in the UK are overweight. Unlike dogs, cats shouldn’t be put on rapid diets — reducing calories too fast can cause hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), which can be fatal. Safe weight loss rate is no more than 0.5% of body weight per week.

→ Check your cat’s body condition score →

📊 Cat Age in Human Years

The AAHA/AAFP life stage guidelines define six cat life stages. A 1-year-old cat is equivalent to a ~15-year-old human. A 2-year-old is ~24. After that, add roughly 4 human years per cat year.

→ Calculate your cat’s human age →