Dog & Cat Food

Puppies & Kittens

Puppies and kittens are fed according to their adult size/breed while kittens are fed a general kitten or breed specific diet (example Siamese kitten). Puppies and kittens should be weighed frequently and the food required per weight adjusted as they grow. Generally, puppy growth diets are divided into three groups: – small breed, medium breed and large breed. This is due to differing growth rates and the age when maturity is reached. Smaller breeds tend to grow quicker and reach maturity earlier, therefore require higher protein and calorie containing diets. Large breeds should grow at a slower rate over a longer period of time therefore need a lower protein and fat diet. This is to prevent rapid growth rates and to reduce the possibility of serious developmental orthopaedic disorders.

Adult Maintenance

Adult maintenance diets depend greatly on the breed of dog you have, for example some smaller breeds can reach full maturity from six months; larger and giant breeds from between 12 to 18 months. Overall, an adult pet has less protein and fat requirements therefore how much you feed your pet will depend on 1) the quality of the diet, 2)weight, 3) amount of exercise the animal receives, 4) neutering status and 5) metabolism. Some adults such as working or high energy dogs like Sheep dogs may require diets with a much higher energy density during working periods or to maintain ideal bodyweight.

Senior Diets

Senior diets the timing of a senior or geriatric life phase varies; smaller and medium breeds at approximately eight years of age, with large and giant breeds at five years. Normally cats are deemed senior from eight years. In the main, senior diets contain lowered fat and protein levels due to decreased activity levels. In some cases, senior pets may have reduced ability to absorb and use nutrients therefore; feeding a specialised diet is best. The exception to this is in the case of cats, their maintenance energy requirements do not change as they get older.

Clinical Diets

Pets often suffer from certain conditions such as Liver or Kidney disease. Feeding special clinical diets with therapeutic formulas can slow down the progression or even improve disease. While there are a lot of options available to pet owners to meet any pet’s nutritional requirements not all are equal in terms of a healthy, balanced diet. Therefore, it is vital to understand the differences in these diets and to understand the role of proper nutrition in the optimal well being and health of pets.