| Cat food can be classified into dry, moist, and | | | | much tuna in your cat's diet can cause yellow fat |
| semi-moist foods. Each one has its advantages, and | | | | disease (steatitis). |
| Ragdolls need various kinds of food at different | | | | Milk |
| stages. Kittens need on the whole breast milk and | | | | Milk is rich in water and carbohydrates, but many cats |
| moist food, while adults require more protein and dry | | | | are lactose intolerant and get digestive problems a |
| food. Pregnant Ragdolls have special dietary needs | | | | few hours after drinking milk. Regular cow's milk can |
| that change all through the pregnancy as well. | | | | cause diarrhoea and loose stools, which can lead to |
| Ragdoll kittens ought to be only breastfed for the first | | | | malnutrition and dehydration. If your cat likes milk, use |
| four to five weeks. Cat milk includes all the nutrients | | | | replacement cat milk instead. |
| necessary for the kitten's growth, including antibodies | | | | Catnip |
| that help prevent disease. Breast milk also passes on | | | | Cats love the smell of catnip leaves, but it can cause |
| other antibodies that the mother produced to fight | | | | short-term behavioural changes. Catnip is a |
| previous diseases. | | | | hallucinogen and may possibly put your cat in a state |
| More food ought to be supplied after four to five | | | | of near delirium. Some effects include rolling, rubbing, |
| weeks, as the kitten requires more nutrients to support | | | | chasing phantom mice, or simply staring into space. |
| its fast growth. Introductory food ought to be easy to | | | | Although it's not addictive, catnip has no place in your |
| digest. Mix canned food with warm water or kitten | | | | cat's diet. |
| replacement milk until it constitutes a loose paste. Do | | | | Dog food |
| NOT use regular cow's milk this is too heavy for | | | | It could be more convenient to feed your cat and dog |
| kittens and could cause in indigestion. | | | | from the same dish, but it's not very healthy for either |
| Dry food | | | | pet. Cats require more protein, taurine, preformed |
| After another four to five weeks, your kitten should be | | | | vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, and arachidonic acids, |
| ready for dry food. To make the change easier, | | | | which they can get from a meat-heavy diet. A |
| moisten dry food with a little warm water in the first | | | | shortage of these nutrients can make your cat |
| few feedings. It's also essential to choose high-quality | | | | seriously ill, and an overdose can have the same |
| supplements to dry food and some of the good | | | | effect in dogs. |
| brands are Iams®, Science Diet®, and Nutro | | | | Low ash diets |
| Kitten®. Science Diet Feline Growth® is popular | | | | A popular belief among cat owners is that diets low in |
| among Ragdoll kittens. Supplements can be provided | | | | ash can help discourage urinary tract infection. But |
| twice a day with morning and evening feeding. You | | | | that's only partly true. Ash is not a single nutrient, but is |
| can switch to adult food after approximately 12 | | | | actually a group of minerals including calcium, copper, |
| months. | | | | magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Lower levels of |
| Choosing and preparing kitten food | | | | magnesium keep urine at its normal, slightly acidic state, |
| Ragdoll kittens have fragile stomachs, so take extra | | | | but reducing other minerals will have no effect. |
| care in choosing kitten food. Food should always be | | | | Other foods to avoid |
| warm or slightly above room temperature. Discard all | | | | Alcoholic beverages. |
| food that has been left out for more than 30 minutes, | | | | Alcohol can be toxic and cause fatal complications. |
| especially in the summer. Bacteria grows fast in warm, | | | | Baby food. |
| wet foods and may possibly upset your kitten's | | | | Many baby foods contain onion powder, which can be |
| stomach, or even lead to food poisoning. To stop | | | | harmful to the blood. |
| wasting food, just observe how much your kitten eats | | | | Fish and meat bones. |
| at a time so you know how much to prepare per | | | | Small splinters can cut into the digestive tract and lead |
| feeding. | | | | to bleeding. |
| House flies can easily contaminate kitten food, so keep | | | | Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate). |
| your feeding area as fly-proof as possible. Wash the | | | | Caffeine can affect the cat's heart and nervous |
| feeding bowl daily with hot, soapy water and replace | | | | system. |
| water in the drinking bowl several times a day. Wash | | | | Citrus oil extracts. |
| the drinking bowl at the same time and refill with fresh | | | | This can lead to stomach upsets and vomiting. |
| water. | | | | Fat. |
| Table scraps can be given occasionally, but don't | | | | Animal fats can lead to pancreatitis. |
| make regular meals out of them. Cooked human | | | | Don't feed your cat fatty cooked meats, or at least |
| foods do not contain the nutrients necessary for your | | | | trim the fat off first. |
| kitten's growth. Generic cat food from groceries are | | | | Grapes and raisins. |
| better, but Stellarhart recommends high-quality foods | | | | These contain a toxin that can harm the kidneys. |
| from specialty pet stores. Also, cats don't like the smell | | | | Human vitamin and iron supplements. |
| of plastic and metal containers, so use only glass | | | | Excessive iron can damage the liver, kidneys, and the |
| drinking bowls. | | | | lining of the digestive tract. |
| Dry vs wet foods | | | | Liver. |
| Dry foods are generally better for your Ragdoll, | | | | Liver is safe in limited amounts, but an excess can |
| except in the breastfeeding and introductory stage. | | | | cause vitamin A toxicity. |
| They work your kitten's chewing muscles and help | | | | Macadamia nuts. |
| keep the teeth white. Dry food consists in the main of | | | | Unknown toxins in macadamia can damage the |
| meat and vegetables, and can be moistened or | | | | muscles, digestive system, and nervous system. |
| served dry. Serving them dry allows your cat to nibble | | | | Marijuana. |
| throughout the day, rather than eating one large meal | | | | Marijuana can lead to vomiting, depression, and irregular |
| at a time. Dry food ought to contain about 9 to 10% | | | | heart rate. |
| moisture, 8% fat, and 30% protein. | | | | Mushrooms. |
| Moist food contains about 75% moisture and equal | | | | Some mushrooms contain highly toxic substances that |
| amounts of fat and protein. Not all moist foods are the | | | | can affect multiple systems and even cause death. |
| same some are all-meat or all-fish, while others are a | | | | Onion and garlic (powdered, cooked or raw). |
| mix of meat and vegetables. The former should not | | | | These contain disulfides and sulfoxides, which can |
| be used for regular meals, as your cat can get | | | | cause anaemia. They are harmful to both cats and |
| addicted and refuse to eat other foods. The small | | | | dogs, but cats are more vulnerable. |
| treat cans of variety foods are usually all-meat or | | | | Persimmons. |
| all-fish. As with kitten food, moist foods ought to be | | | | Persimmons seeds can obstruct the intestines. |
| warmed to room temperature before serving. | | | | Potato, tomato and rhubarb. |
| Semi-moist food has about 35% water, 27% protein, | | | | These can be harmful to the nervous, digestive, and |
| and 7% fat. Most of them are nutritionally balanced, | | | | urinary systems. The leaves and stems could possibly |
| very tasty, and can be left out for nibbling, but they | | | | also be toxic. |
| spoil quicker than dry food. | | | | Raw eggs. |
| Kitten treats | | | | Raw eggs can damage your cat's hair and coat. |
| Occasional kitten treats will not harm your kitten, but | | | | Salt. |
| take care not to fill them up so they can still eat regular | | | | Salt and salty foods can cause electrolyte imbalance, |
| meals. Treats ought to not provide any more than 10% | | | | a potentially fatal condition affecting the heart and |
| of your kitten's daily caloric intake. Look for hard chew | | | | nervous system. |
| treats to help improve your kitten's dental health | | | | String. |
| B. Feeding Ragdoll Adults | | | | Strings from beans and other vegetables may possibly |
| Ragdolls are not very active, so they gain weight | | | | not be digested, which can cause blockages. |
| faster than other cats. Do not let them become obese | | | | Sugar. |
| provide them only 70 calories per kilogram of body | | | | Sweets are high in empty calories, which can lead to |
| weight. A lot of what people believe to be cats' | | | | obesity, diabetes, and dental problems. |
| favourite foods are actually harmful. Here are some of | | | | Yeast dough. |
| the most common cat food myths: | | | | Yeast can expand in the stomach during digestion, |
| Fish | | | | causing it to rupture. |
| Fish may be good for cats, but it can't cover all their | | | | Once you have educated yourself as to the unique |
| nutritional needs, and too much of the same nutrients | | | | requirements of ragdoll cats you will instinctively know |
| can be harmful. Tuna is rich in polyunsaturated fatty | | | | what is good or bad for your cat. |
| acids, which need vitamin E to break them down. too | | | | |