Taurine is a nutrient that is similar to an amino acid but also acts in the body like a vitamin. It is required in the body for a number of functions, including retinal development for sight and heart muscle development.

It is found naturally in meat materials however, the level can be quite low and variable. Unlike dogs, cats cannot produce this nutrient in their body, so instead it has to be consumed via the diet. Taurine is added to all Cagatay cat foods to ensure that their nutritional requirements are met.

Some cats do prefer wet food however, dry feeding can be more convenient and cost effective. To introduce your cat to dry food for the first time it is advisable to do so very gradually by mixing a little dry food in with the wet food. It is often the texture of the dry food that the cat can find unusual, so do not be worried if it rejects the dry food at first. You can also soften the food with a little warm water, never milk because by adding milk to a nutritionally complete food, it will add fat, sugar and protein and so will potentially unbalance the diet and some cats, have an intolerance to lactose contained in particularly cow’s milk which causes loose faeces and sometimes vomiting. You can also offer one or two kibbles by hand as a treat before its main meal. Once it has accepted a few kibbles you can increase the proportion of dry to wet food over a period of around a week, until dry is the only food offered.

Unlike with our dogs it is not always easy to observe the consistency of their faeces in order to assess the digestibility of the food. Instead their hair condition, activity level, and weight maintenance are good indications. They should have smooth, shiny hair, a good level of activity, and a good but not excessive amount of muscle and fat on their body. A simple way to assess this is by stroking the full length of their back. You should be able to feel their back bone but it should not be sharp and pointed.

Using dry food throughout a cat’s life is perfectly suitable so long as the food is correctly formulated. Dry food has been available on the market for over 40 years and there is no evidence to suggest that it causes any problems at all. A good dry food is certainly far better than a poor wet food. It is also good for maintaining healthy, clean teeth, which can be a particular problem for cats. It is also more convenient and cost effective than most wet foods.

Cats can cope perfectly well with the same food for the whole of their life if that food is nutritionally balanced and of good quality. However, some cats naturally prefer a variety of flavours. This does not mean that there is anything necessarily wrong with the food. It is extremely rare for a cat to develop any sensitivity or allergy to a good quality food but by introducing a variety of flavours to your cat when they are young will generally also make them more tolerant of changes in later life.

The formation of stones in cats is a complex issue. There can be many factors that are not diet related, such as stress, infection, age, thirst, but probably more is known about the influence of diet.

In general, stones are produced when the concentration of certain minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, are high and the environment is conducive.

There are many types of stone or crystal, but the two most common types are called struvite and oxalate. The first requires an alkaline urine for crystals to form, whereas the second requires an acid environment. Different nutrients in the diet can cause the urine to become acidic or alkaline and so can have an influence on their formation however, by far the biggest influence if the concentration of the minerals. For this reason it is very important to balance these minerals, and to ensure that cats have access to plenty of clean, fresh water so that they do not become dehydrated and produce concentrated urine.

Also, urinary stone problems are particularly prevalent in neutered male cats, because their urethra is narrower than in females, and they have a tendancy to put on weight, which can also be a contributory cause of stone formation. This is why we have to be particularly careful when feeding castrated male cats.

PH and mineral levels are carefully balanced in all Cagatay’s formulas to minimise the risk of the urinary stone formation and, particularly for neutered cats, Bonacibo Light and Sterilized petfood should be used.

Bonacibo “Light Sterilized” food is available for cats that are overweıght or less active. This contains less energy than standard foods and will help to reduce and then maintain a suıtable weıght. It ıs ımportant to stıll feed the correct quantıty as ındıcated on the pack, as sıgnıfıcantly restrıctıng the quantıty fed can produce a condition called hepatic lipidosis. In this situation the toxic by-products from fat metabolism literally poison the cat, and so weight reduction should be controlled and gradual. It is also important to know the weight of your cat and to weigh out the quantity of food accurately.

When protein and white blood cells are found in the urine it is generally an indication that there is a disturbance in the function of the kidney.

This can be caused by a huge variety of things, including infection, old age, trauma, disease, and ingestion of poisons.

It can also be caused by poor nutrition, although kidney and liver problems will tend to occur over a period of time.

Examples include excessive or imbalanced dietary amino acids, where the kidney is used to excrete excessive quantities of unwanted amino acids, unbalanced minerals, where again the kidney removes unwanted quantities, and mycotoxin contamination.

It is very important to understand the progression of the condition, i.e. over what period this has occurred, as well as any other factors such as age and environment, before making a diagnosis.

If kidney problems are suspected it is advisable to move the cat onto a specific diet that is low in protein and has a high digestibility.

Bonacibo Light and Sterilized cat food is ideal in such cases.