湿食

猫粮是猫吃的食物。猫对饮食有着特定的营养需求。某些营养成分，包括多种维生素和氨基酸，会因为制造过程中的温度、压强和化学处理而被降低有效成分，因此必须在制造后再添加，以免破坏营养成分而导致营养缺乏。例如，在肉类中被发现的胺基牛磺酸，在加工过程中会被降解，因此，合成牛磺酸通常是后期添加的。长期的牛磺酸缺乏，例如长期喂食缺乏牛磺酸的狗粮，可能会导致视网膜变性，失明和心脏损害。相比狗而言（参见狗饼干和狗粮），为猫准备专门食物的观点后来才出现。这很可能是出于猫能易于谋生的看法。1837年，一位法国作家批评​​这个观点：1844年，另一位法国作家解释这个观点：一般而言，乡间的猫食并不受到重视，猫被任其自生自灭，说是要让它自己猎食。然而，当猫饿的时候，它们寻找仓库里的粮食更甚于猎捕老鼠，这是因为猫并不以追逐与寻找老鼠为必须，而是由于天性与吸引力使然。所以，不喂食猫将使它们变得无用且有害。不过，定时且适量的给它们些许屑食，猫就不会造成破坏，也会带来许多益处。"好猫猎得多，吃得少。"他继续说明。当猫以捕鼠为乐甚于觅食时，期望一只猫于狩猎生存是多么不合理。1876年，Gordon Stables强调给与猫特定食物的必要：如果要让猫变成更有价值的害虫杀手，它应该摄取规律且充分的食物。一只猫一天至少需喂食两次。让它有一个自己的盘子，放在地上让它用餐，用餐完毕后再拿走。判定食物量时，经验是最好的老师，而食物内容则要多样化。燕麦粥、牛奶或者浸润温牛奶的白面包，添加少许糖，这些都是猫咪理想的早餐；晚餐时，要增加肉类。白灼灯比起马肉对它更好，偶而让它吃鱼。教导你的猫咪在供餐前耐心等待，一只被宠坏的猫就像被宠坏的小孩一样讨人厌。如果想让你的猫漂亮且干净，偶而喂食它一英寸大的鲜奶油。这不仅能作为一种温和的泻药，油脂与它唾液的碱混合后，会形成一种自然猫皂，然后你会注意到它开始着手清洗自己，变得美丽干净。（注意：如果你希望猫咪为了展示而完美的清理，用沾满鲜奶油的海绵抹上它的全身，当它在舔舐自己的时候会有卓越的效果。）Remember that too much flesh-meat, especially liver,—which ought only to be given occasionally,—is very apt to induce a troublesome diarrhoea (looseness). Do not give your pet too many tit-bits at table; but whatever else you give her, never neglect to let her have her two regular meals.In the same year, an advertisement for Spratt (better known for making dog food) said that their cat food entirely superseded "the unwholesome practice of feeding on boiled horse flesh; keeps the cat in perfect health." And, in another book on cats, Stables recommended the company's food:Attend to the feeding, and, at a more than one-day show, cats ought to have water as well as milk. I think boiled lights, cut into small pieces, with a very small portion of bullock's liver and bread soaked, is the best food; but I have tried Spratt's Patent Cat Food with a great number of cats, both of my own and those of friends, and have nearly always found it agree; and at a cat show it would, I believe, be both handy and cleanly.Spratt, which began by making dog biscuits, appears to also have been the first commercial producer of cat food.During the 19th century and early-20th centuries, meat for cats and dogs in London, frequently Horse meat, was sold from barrows (hand–carts) by itinerant traders known as Cats' Meat Men.大多数店售的猫粮是干的，在美国也被称为kibble，或湿罐装的形式。有些生产商销售冷冻原料饲料和预混料产品，以迎合那些自制猫粮的猫主们的需要。干粮（水分8-10%）通常由高热量和压力下挤压蒸煮，又或为热风干燥、急冻干燥制成。主要成分为各式淀粉（玉米、谷物、其他类淀粉），添加少许肉沫、香料，以增加适口性，和其他的微量成分，其中对热敏感的维生素，在挤出过程中可能被破坏，可能适度增加分量。另外会添加油脂、防腐剂，用以增加保存期限。罐头或湿粮（湿度75-78%）通常是3盎司（85克），5.5盎司（156克），13盎司（369克）的规格。也会以铝箔袋的形式出售。采用湿食是增加宠物饮水量的有效方法，可降低宠物因缺水而罹患疾病（如慢性肾衰竭、尿结石）的风险。以猫来说，一只猫每天所需的水分，每公斤（体重）就需要60毫升的水分，若以罐头为主食，就已摄取了93％每天所需水分；反之，若主食为仅含10%水分的干饲料，一只4公斤的猫，还需要自发性的喝200毫升的水，然而由于猫的口渴机制并不发达，往往会因此缺水。目前有素食和纯素食的猫粮销售。猫为肉食动物，不能从植物食品中合成这些养分，如牛磺酸和花生四烯酸，故长期食用可能将对猫产生负面效果。有些素食猫粮品牌都标有其制造商遵循AAFCO猫粮营养标准。In the United States, cat foods labeled as "complete and balanced" must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. Cat Food Nutrient Profiles were established in 1992 and updated in 1995 by the AAFCO's Feline Nutrition Expert Subcommittee. The updated profiles replaced the previous recommendations set by the National Research Council (NRC). Certain manufacturers label their products with terms such as premium, ultra premium, natural and holistic. Such terms currently have no legal definitions. However, "While most of the food supplied comes from within the US, the FDA ensures that standards are met within our borders even when components come from countries with less stringent ideas of safety or label integrity."成年猫的能量需求范围是，懒猫每天每公斤体重消耗60-70千卡的代谢能量，活泼的则要消耗80-90千卡。5周龄的小猫要250千卡。随着年龄的增长，30周到50周成年的需求下降至100千卡。怀孕的母猫需要约90-100千卡，哺乳期的母猫需要90-270千卡视产崽数量而定。维生素缺乏可导致广泛的临床异常反映其代谢作用的多样性。十二种矿物质被称为是猫科动物的必需营养素。钙，磷是强健骨骼和牙齿的关键。猫需要其他矿物质，如镁，钾，钠，神经冲动的传递，肌肉收缩，细胞信号转导。许多矿物质在体内的微量存在，包括硒，铜，钼，作为佣工多种酶促反应。下表列出AAFCO猫粮营养比例，根据国家研究委员会在猫所需的维生素和矿物质营养的角色。素食或为猫准备的素食是有争议的。据美国国家科学研究委员会称，“猫需要特定的营养，而不是特定的饲料（Cats require specific nutrients, not specific feedstuffs.）” 。国际素食联盟，素食协会和PETA是一些支持猫的素食和纯素食饮食的组织。动物保护研究所（英语：Animal Protection Institute）不推荐喂猫吃素食，，美国爱护动物协会也不推荐这么做。Vegan or vegetarian diets for cats are controversial. According to the United States National Research Council, "Cats require specific nutrients, not specific feedstuffs." The International Vegetarian Union, the Vegan Society and PETA are some of the organizations that support a vegan or vegetarian diet for cats. The Animal Protection Institute does not recommend a vegetarian diet for cats, and neither does the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).Not all animal advocacy groups take a firm position either way. The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (now Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association) accepts that it is possible for a plant-based diet to be nutritionally adequate but stated in August 2006 that such diets "cannot at this time be reliably assured". This position was based on a 2004 study demonstrating that of two commercially available vegetarian cat diets tested, both were nutritionally deficient. The formulation error in one of these diets was promptly identified and corrected. Nevertheless, it remains likely that formulation errors will result in nutritional deficiencies in a wide range of commercially available diets from time to time, whether meat-based, vegetarian or vegan. Hence, regular (at least, annual) veterinary checkups of all companion animals is recommended, and brands may be occasionally varied.In 2006, the first study of the health of a population of long-term vegetarian cats was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Most of the cats were fed a commercially-available vegan diet, though 35% were allowed outdoors. The study consisted of telephone questionnaires of the caregivers of 32 cats, and analysis of blood samples from some of them. The blood samples were tested for taurine and cobalamin deficiencies. Cobalamin levels were normal in all cats. Taurine levels were low in 3 out of 17 cats tested, but not low enough to be considered deficient. 97% of the caregivers perceived their cats to be healthy, including those with low taurine levels.很多宠物主人用自制食品来喂养猫。这些食品通常由某种形式的生或熟的肉、骨头、蔬菜，和补充品（如牛磺酸和多种维生素）。一份2004年的研究报告显示，罐装食品外包装含有双酚A跟甲亢猫有关。Food allergy is a non-seasonal disease with skin and/or gastrointestinal disorders. The main complaint is excessive scratching (Pruritus) which is usually resistant to treatment by steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The exact prevalence of food allergy in cats remains unknown. In 20 to 30% of the cases, cats have concurrent allergic diseases (atopy / flea-allergic dermatitis). A reliable diagnosis can only be made with dietary elimination-challenge trials. Allergy testing is necessary for the identification of the causative food component(s). Therapy consists of avoiding the offending food component(s).非常规饮食喂猫，营养不良可能是一个问题，但因饲料发明仅约六十年，各家饲料产品因成本考量、价格廉价而不可能制作出符合健康之饲料，故猫咪是否应食用加工饲料而有很大争议。用单一的食物喂猫，淡水鱼会得硫胺素缺乏症。只喂对肝就会维生素A中毒。此外，专门肉食为主的饮食可能含有过量的蛋白质和磷而缺乏钙，维生素E，微量元素如铜，锌，钾等。能量密度也必须保持相对于其他的营养成分。当植物油用来维持能量平衡，猫可能无法找到的食物适口性。The broad pet food recalls starting in March 2007 came in response to reports of renal failure in pets consuming mostly wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company beginning in February 2007. Overall, several major companies recalled more than 100 brands of pet foods with most of the recalled product coming from Menu Foods. The most likely cause according to the FDA is the presence of melamine in the wheat gluten of the affected foods. Melamine is known to falsely inflate the protein content rating of substances in laboratory tests. The economic impact on the pet food market has been extensive, with Menu Foods alone losing roughly $30 Million from the recall.没有猫缺乏时的相关研究没有猫缺乏时的相关研究