Do you have a Siamese cat? If you'd like your pet to stay healthy, proper nutrition is essential. By providing an appropriate diet you ensure that your cat can be active and happy all its life.
In general, Siamese cats are healthy pets and not very difficult to care for. Apart from basic veterinary care like following a vaccination schedule and regular check-ups, offering a proper diet is the best way to keep your Siamese cat in good health.
If you continue reading this article, AnimalWised will show you what is the best diet for a Siamese cat, together with some basic guidelines.
A Siamese cat's ideal weight
To start with, you should be aware that there are two types of Siamese cats:
- Modern Siamese
- Traditional Siamese (Thai)
The modern Siamese cat looks much slimmer and slender than its partner, the traditional Siamese or Thai cat. However, their weight is similar; both types usually weigh between 2 and 4.5 kilograms (4.5 to 9 lb).
To keep your Siamese cat in good health, we will analyse the three types of food suitable for Siamese cats: Dry feed, wet feed, and fresh food.
A balance between the three types of food is the optimal formula in order for your Siamese cat to keep its vitality and health. We will elaborate on the essential requirements and properties of each type of feed below.
Dry feed for Siamese cats
Siamese cats require feed with different properties depending on their age:
- When they are kittens they require feed with lots of fats and protein to promote growth. There are many dry feeds specifically for kittens, so you should always check the labels. Your vet will recommend two or three quality brand feeds that are suitable for your Siamese kitten. Calcium and vitamins should also be present in its feed.
- When Siamese cats are adults they should eat a well-balanced feed, composed of around 25% protein, 40% fat, plus different percentages of fiber, vitamins and Omega-3 and 6.
There are also several specific feeds for neutered cats, which are very important to prevent obesity.
- Some feeds are appropriate for older cats, as they are not as high in protein and fat. As they no longer do as much physical activity, elderly Siamese cats don't require such large amounts of these nutritional elements. Take a look at our article on caring for older cats for more information.
Wet feed for Siamese cats
Wet feed usually comes in cans or other air-tight containers. Once opened, leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator.
This type of feed should contain a minimum of 35% protein. Its fat percentage should be between 15% and 25%, while carbohydrates should not exceed 5%. This type of feed must contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Similarly, a small percentage of taurine (slightly higher than 0.10%), is ideal. Essential trace elements like phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium must be present in the composition of this kind of wet feed. As always, check the labels.
It is not advised to overuse this type of food, as continuous consumption can cause plaque, bad breath and soft and smelly feces in your Siamese cat.
Homemade diet for Siamese cats
Homemade food should be used to complement a Siamese cat's diet. As in the case of most cats, the best diet for a Siamese cat consists of a mixture of dry food, wet food and fresh food provided through homemade meals.
The healthiest fresh food for your Siamese cat are slices of cooked ham and turkey. Siamese cats are crazy about them! Other suitable foods are chicken, turkey, salmon, cod and hake. These foods should never be served raw. You have to boil or grill them first. Remember to make sure that there are no bones in the fish.
It is good to plant some birdseed in a plant pot so that your Siamese cat can cleanse itself with the buds.
If you're interested in feline nutrition, take a look at our article on foods rich in taurine for cats.
How to create a balanced diet
Ideally, your Siamese cat should eat a balanced, rich and varied diet. If necessary, your vet will prescribe you with vitamin supplements to cover any nutritional deficiencies they detect in your cat.
Cat malt is an ideal complement to give to your Siamese cat, as this will help it to remove ingested hair. Siamese cats lick themselves a lot - they are extremely clean - and this is a good way to prevent trichobezoars, that is, hairballs in the stomach.
Don't forget to regularly provide clean and fresh water as it is crucial for your Siamese cat's diet and health.
If you want to read similar articles to What is the Best Diet for a Siamese Cat?, we recommend you visit our Healthy diets category.