What should I feed my cat in Bangladesh?

“What should I feed my cat?” is one of the most common questions we get in Rangpur — and one of the most important, because many health problems we see start in the food bowl.

What cats actually need

Cats are obligate carnivores. Unlike dogs or people, they must get certain nutrients from animal tissue:

• Taurine — deficiency causes heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy) and blindness
• Vitamin A in its ready-made form — cats can’t make it from carrots
• Arachidonic acid — an essential fat found in animal fat
• High protein — cats use protein for energy, not just growth
• Water — cats evolved to get most of their water from prey

Option 1: Complete commercial cat food

The simplest way to cover everything. Look for:

• the words “complete” or “complete and balanced” for the right life stage (kitten, adult, senior)
• meat or fish as the first ingredient
• the calories (kcal/kg) on the pack — you’ll need it to calculate portions

Dry food is convenient, keeps well and is usually cheaper per meal. Wet food (pouches, cans) adds water — good for kidneys and the urinary tract, especially for male cats. A mix of both works well for most homes.

Option 2: Home-cooked food

Many families in Bangladesh feed cats rice with fish or chicken. The problem isn’t that it’s “bad” — it’s that it’s incomplete:

• rice adds calories but little of what cats need
• cooked fish and chicken are low in calcium unless balanced
• taurine and vitamins are partly lost in cooking
• fish bones, especially the fine bones in ilish, cause injuries

If you prefer home cooking:

1. Make meat, fish or egg the main part of the meal, with only a small amount of rice.
2. Remove all bones and skip spices, onion, garlic and salt.
3. Ask us about a balanced recipe and supplements (calcium, taurine, vitamins) — we’re happy to help.
4. Consider a mixed approach: complete commercial food for most meals, home food as a topper.

Foods to avoid

Onion, garlic, curries, chocolate, grapes and raisins, cow’s milk, raw dough, cooked bones and sweets. Check anything else in our toxic food checker.

How much to feed

Portions depend on your cat’s weight, age, neuter status and activity, and on the calories in the food — the scoop on the pack is only a rough guide. Our pet food calculator works out grams per day and per meal, including dry-plus-wet mixes and home-cooked meals.

As a rough example, a healthy 4 kg neutered adult cat needs about 200–240 kcal a day — roughly 50–65 g of a typical dry food.

Water

• Keep fresh water in several places, away from the food bowl.
• Wide, shallow bowls or a fountain encourage drinking.
• Adding a little water to wet food, or feeding some wet food daily, helps prevent urinary problems.

Kittens, seniors and special cases

• Kittens need kitten food and 3–4 meals a day.
• Neutered cats need 20–30% fewer calories.
• Seniors and cats with kidney disease, diabetes or allergies need a diet plan from your vet.

Our vet-run pet shop can help you choose a food that suits your cat and your budget.