Choosing food: what to read on the label, what not to give from the table

Food is where owners are exposed to the most conflicting information. Advertising, social media and shop advice do not agree. There are no brand recommendations below — this directory does not sell products and does not endorse them; the aim is to make label-reading easier.

Three things on the label that actually help

• Which life stage? Formulas for young, adult and senior animals differ. "For all life stages" is in practice a compromise.
• The order of ingredients. Components are listed by weight; the first few show what the product mainly is.
• Cat food or dog food? This is not a marketing distinction. Cats cannot produce certain substances such as taurine themselves, and dog food does not meet that need. A cat fed dog food long term can develop serious problems.

Dry or wet?

Both have advocates and there is no single right answer. What matters in practice: cats naturally drink little and evolved to take much of their water from food. In a cat fed mainly dry food, increasing water intake is a topic that comes up often when urinary problems are discussed.

Simple ways to increase water intake: more than one bowl, placed away from the food, running water (some cats drink only from a moving source), and raising the proportion of wet food.

Changing food: do not rush it

A sudden change of food is one of the commonest causes of diarrhoea. Mix the new food into the old in small proportions over several days. Watch the stool during the change; if it deteriorates, slow the transition down.

The same rule applies to a new product bought from the pet shops in this directory — a change of brand is still a change.

What not to give from the table

"One bite won't hurt" is not true for some substances:

• Chocolate, grapes and raisins
• Onion and garlic — including powdered forms
• Sugar-free products containing xylitol
• Alcohol and caffeine
• Cooked bone — it splinters and can perforate the digestive tract
• Very salty and spiced leftovers
• Cow's milk for cats — contrary to popular belief, most cats cannot digest lactose

Olive stones are a heading of their own in Alanya: they can cause a blockage and they fall from the table easily.

Weight: the most overlooked factor

Excess weight matters particularly here, because combined with heat it doubles the strain on joints and breathing. Weight is assessed by body shape rather than the scale: can you feel the ribs under light pressure, and is there a waistline when you look from above?

After neutering, energy needs drop. If the food quantity stays the same, weight follows; that is a consequence of feeding, not of the surgery.

This page is general information and contains no brand recommendations. A feeding plan suited to your animal's age, weight and health can only be set by the vet who sees it.