To keep your cats healthy, you need to be aware of what you feed them. Wholesome nutrition is essential to ensure your cats live without any deficiencies or diseases. Also, remember that during the different life stages of cats, their activity levels and nutritional needs also differ.

Listed here are some of the best tips for your adult cats.   

1. Ensure they consume enough water
Like humans, water is an integral part of a cat’s diet, too. About 60-70% of a cat’s body weight is water. But it is a fact that most cats dislike drinking still water and prefer fresh, moving water. A deficiency of water can lead to serious health issues like dehydration or even death. Ensure that fresh, clean drinking water available to your cats at all times. A wide shallow bowl or a water fountain is more inviting and encourages cats to drink water. 

2. Ensure they have enough proteins
After water, it is proteins that cats need the most. And for cats, animal-based proteins are the easiest to digest. Because they have smaller intestines, plant-based proteins are more challenging to break down and absorb. Most of the calories that cats need come from proteins, the basic building blocks essential for normal growth and maintenance. Cooked eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, green peas, whole grain oats, and corn are common protein sources for cats. 

3. Add essential fatty acids to their diet
Third on the list of essential nutrients for cats is fats. Apart from making food palatable and giving a sense of satiety, fats provide energy, insulation in cold weather, and protection for internal organs. Fats also help in efficient nerve signal transmissions, transportation of nutrients, and control of inflammation. Fat aids the absorption and usage of soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Moreover, cats can absorb fats from corn, soybean, safflower oil, poultry, fish oil, beef, and pork. Besides these, essential fatty acid supplements of Linoleic acid and Arachidonic acid must come from your cat’s diet because cats cannot synthesize them adequately. These are vital for maintaining healthy skin and coat, reproduction, and proper kidney functioning in your kitties.

4. Maintain a carbohydrate-sufficient diet
Though carbohydrates do not play a significant role in a cat’s diet, it is still an essential part of wholesome nutrition, especially for the health of the cat’s intestine. It is another source of energy for these active, curious beings. However, remember that too much of it can lead to malnutrition, obesity, organ issues, and GI tract issues. On the other hand, low carbohydrate and high-fat diets are also a risk for obesity. Glucose required for the functioning of critical organs, like the brain, comes from carbohydrates. Also, pregnant and nursing cats need more carbohydrates than others to meet their additional energy requirement. Good sources of carbohydrates for cats are grains, potatoes, and legumes. Since cats metabolize carbohydrates differently than other animals, there is a misconception that carbohydrates are unsuitable for cats. However, healthy cats can efficiently metabolize dietary carbohydrates.