Whats good and not for cats

[nicole698]

My cat eats veggies, meat, and bread, pasta, rice etc. but sometimes afterwards he does vomit or do some unusually water stools that smell awful. i would really like to know what is good for him and what is not. somethimes he is strangely sweeter than other days and sometimes he has quick tempers. i wonder why?

[nicole698]

Thank you so much to all the answers to my question. I should take this to account and see if my kitty does change. :)

[FurballsMom]

Some cats, like mine, are definitely allergic to grains.  Commercial canned and dry cat foods (the inexpensive stuff found at grocery stores) all have grains in them.  While many cats tolerate grains, it is not part of their natural diet.  As with humans, cats can be temporamental if their food is making them ill.  Food intolerances will do this for both humans and cats.  This isn't the most obvious symptoms with my kitty, but it is worth noting, since you said your kitty will have bad temper.

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they must eat meat.

All the other above information is right on the money, too.

[nancyjac]

Onions, garlic, raw potatoes and many other root vegetables are toxic to cats.  Also, tomatoes (particularly green tomatoes) and chocolate.  While not toxic per se, many cats are lactose intolerant so it is generally a good idea to avoid cow's milk and other dairy products.  Tuna and other canned meats marketed for human consumption have too much mercury for cats.  

Cats are obligate carnivores and so their diet should be primarily animal protein, but some amount of carbohydrates is critical to cats.  Fiber, which can only be obtained from vegetable carbohydrates, are essential to digestion and to clean the intestines, urinary tract, and bowels.  Even cats in the wild eat grasses and grains to get fiber.  

[DonnaYav]

From what I have read on a vet info website raisins and grapes should never be fed to cats .
Scientists really don't know what is in both that can be toxic to the cats kidneys..

Canned tuna , you would not want to give on a daily basis it is usually very high in sodium and human tuna does not contain Taurine, essential for eye and heart health of cats.
Too much canned tuna, or fed on a daily basis could lead to heart problems in cats..

[PikaPika88]

Opps!  My Pika likes the raisin toast with butter.  He eats raw mince but not fish (he hates fish).  The other cat (Eiva) like tin tuna but not raw meat nor raw fish!  Not even eat roast chicken!   Both my cats don't eat the fresh (de frost) seafood like Squid, Shrimps, Mussel and fish fillet.  Are they normal?

[DonnaYav]

Since I myself am not a professional in Animal nutrition I can not agree nor disagree with the above statement but only go by what I have read.."cats do not  have the appropriate enzymes to break down grains" and too high of Grains (starches and carbs ) on a regular basis can cause a rise in blood sugar levels possibly leading to Diabetes in Some cats..
Mice, being very small probably would not have alot of grains in their stomach compared to a larger grain eating animal so I see Annie's point...

Some vets will disagree with the point of cats do not need grains, they will say cats need all four food groups...Just do some research and gather some information for yourself and use your better judgement

[AnnieBrooke]

Well, although cats are carnivores, in nature they do eat vegetables and grains, because they also eat the things in the stomachs of their prey.  A friend of mine was the head nutritionist for a cat food company, and he said that except for the risk of getting worms, the ideal diet for a cat is mouse.  Meat, cartilage, half-digested grains, etc.  But mostly meat.  

[DonnaYav]

Cats are suppose to be strictly carnivores, meaning meat eaters.
Best to stay away from Pastas, breads, etc they are high in starches and carbohydrates. This only sets your cat up to possibly become obese and may lead to such diseases as Diabetes.
Low carbs and higher protein is what your cat needs.

Great dry food choices are : Evo, California Natural, Solid Gold Indigo Moon,Blue Spa, Blue buffalo Wilderness,Wellness.

Since cats have a natural low thirst drive it would be good to incorporate some canned food into your cat's diet also to make sure your baby is getting enough hydration.Dry cat food only contains about 7% moisture which is not enough to keep your cat properly hydrated unless your cat drinks a healthy amount of water..
..Some good choices on some grainless canned are: Wellness no grain, Evo canned, Merrick in such choices as Turduckin", Grammy's pot pie and Thanksgiving dinner.

Tuna out of a can is not good, it has alot of sodium, and milk, cats usually can not digest and it can give them diarrhea..also Grapes, raisins, chocolate can be very bad for your cat.

Please consult with your vet as what cats should not eat, only warning is alot of vets recommend Iams or Science diet for animals as the choice for feeding but I believe there are alot better cat foods out there as I listed above...

What you need to look at  is the first five ingredients..If it lists Corn, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten or white rice in the first two to three ingredients this can indicate a low quality cat food. Also try to stay away from any cat food that lists "BY-Products", this can be anything from beaks to organs of an animal...
The first ingredient in a good quality cat food should be a protein source such as Chicken, Turkey, duck, etc..

So mainly, a good quality cat food with occasional cat treats ..

[juana105]

Hi,
Cats shouldn't eat really anything except meat - this is ideal diet.
So good quality dry food, cans without veggies and rice in them, no bread, no pasta - cats don't digest carbohydrates, that's why he gets watery, smelly stools.
Diet change is not going to be easy, but you should try it. I keep my fingers crossed!

[AnnieBrooke]

Better for a cat not to have cream or tuna, oddly enough when you think about all the stuff we think of giving cats as treats, both of those come up.  

Talk to your vet about finding a good, balanced dry food, preferably one of the higher-quality ones so you can feed it without having to supplement with canned food, and let that plus water be kitty's main diet.  Then let the cat have bites of veggies, but not bread or pasta.  Rice is OK if you must, but not too much.  The main things to avoid are cheap dry cat foods that are mostly filler, and wheat-based products, and things that are simply too rich for their digestive tract (as in tuna or milk).  Your vet can tell you in a nano what foods are really pretty bad for cats.

Good luck!