Expensive Branded Gourmet Cat Food - Are They Any Better Than Common Cat Food?


Recently, there has been a surging increase in the production of premium cat foods that looks and taste much more lavish than the basic cat food brands in the market. Commonly known as gourmet cat food, their sales are ever increasing in the ever demanding pet industry.


One of the main reasons for the increase in demand is the need for cat food that is closer to a home prepared quality. As current research support the fact that inferior cat food ingredients are detrimental to a cat's health and are mainly responsible for many feline illnesses that have become much more common over the last few decades, customers are looking for healthier alternative to the traditional cat food diet with more prominence on wholesome ingredients.


With the increase in cat obesity, the other benefits of gourmet cat food is that they usually come pack in smaller packages and therefore less likely to overfeed your cat and become overweight. Owners looking for dietary management as well as convenience would find these smaller packages attractive in both their design and their suitability in helping to control their cat food intake.


One of the more popular brands of gourmet cat food is Purina, they offer a variety of pet food including brands like Fancy Feast cat food and Gourmet Gold that offers both restaurant quality and a wide variety of choices. Purina dm Cat Food is also manufactured by Purina and is targeted at cats with diabetes.


The obvious benefits to these pet food companies is the higher price tag put onto these luxury cat food. Putting more care in the manufacturing, design and presentation means that each pack of cat food can fetch a higher profit. On the other hand, cat owners are willing to part with more money, knowing that they are getting higher quality cat food.


Currently there seems to be an implied understanding among cat owners that the higher the price of the cat food, the better the quality, and the more you care about your cats health. While this belief is generally not wrong, it is not totally right, as a healthy balance diet need not necessary consist of gourmet cat food. With the correct mix, common brands of cat food with a good mix of home prepared food can still create a healthy and balance cat diet.


It is advisable to seek your veterinary opinion if you have any concerns about your cat diet. Your veterinary knowing the condition of your cat would be able to recommend or even prescribe a suitable diet for your cat, be it commercial, homemade or mixture of both.

About the Author


Moses Wright is a webmaster and he provides more information on Cat Health, Cat Veterinary Diseases and Cat Illnesses Symptoms on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Improving Cat Food Taste - How to Make Your Cat Like Her Healthy Food


In order to own a healthier cat, you have decided to change your cat's food diet after much pondering and discussion with your veterinary. But knowing that you own a finicky and choosy cat, you wonder if there is anything you can do to help your cat likes its new diet.


First, you should introduce the food slowly and steadily, sudden and abrupt changes can force even the most easy to please cat reject her food for a day or two even when she is hungry. This is the last thing you want because experts feel that a starved cat is at a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease, and the fatter the cat, the higher the risk.


Apart some a gradual change of food, here are a list of things you can do to improve the taste of your cat's new food:


1. Add a dash of salt.


2. Food with a strong odor is enticing. Mix a little odiferous cat food or some meat baby food (no onions!).


3. Add some moistened cat treats.


4. Change the texture slightly, if it is ground, add some meat chunks, raw meat, or fish (mackerel, salmon, tuna).


5. Mix a teaspoon of old food, or change out old food, food left out loses preferred odor and texture.

6. Add warm water, homemade beef or chicken broth and warm the dish in the microwave or by steaming.


8. Try adding a different flavor or formula or add a little canned food with beef tallow in it. Mix different consistencies - wet and dry, canned pumpkin, minced sardines, tuna or clam juice.


9. Dab a little on his paw to get him accustomed to the taste as he cleans it off.


10. Top dress with cottage cheese.


Food aside, you can try changing the feeding dishes. Some cats prefer eating from a flat dish (don't ask me why!), some don't like plastic or metal material and prefer ceramic, others might just like heavier dishes that stay put on the floor as they eat.


If your cat is usually not a picky eater, there could be some other reasons why she is not eating as much or showing little interest. She could just be sick - down with a mouth disorder problem which makes eating painful and difficult or maybe a troubled digestive system.


The above cat food taste improvement tips should work fine if your healthy cat is refusing her food. Visit your veterinarian if she refuses to eat the new diet for a day, try not to go beyond 48 hours. The worse possible situation is to go back to her old diet food and change her diet from there gradually.

About the Author


Moses Wright is the founder of FelineDiet.net. More helpful information on Feline Cat Diet, Natural Cat Food and Homemade Cat Food can be found on his website. Webmasters are welcome to reprint this article if the content and live link are keep intact