{"topic_id":"companion_cat_nutrition","category":"companion-nutrition","context":"---\ntopic_id: companion_cat_nutrition\ncategory: companion-nutrition\ntitle: \"Cat nutrition — dietary needs, standards, and feeding practices (Merck Vet Manual)\"\nlang: en\nsource: \"First-hand professional veterinary reference, saved to source_file; paraphrased derived fact summary per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3. Deepened 2026-08-01.\"\nsource_file: pdf-raw/companion-care/companion_cat_nutrition_src.txt\ndate_parsed: 2026-08-01\ntokens_estimated: 558\nverification:\n  method: paraphrase\n  claims: 15\n  passed: 15\n  date: 2026-08-01\nrecovered: false\npath: companion-nutrition/companion_cat_nutrition/01_companion_cat_nutrition.md\nsource_document: \"Merck Veterinary Manual\"\ncitation:\n  authority: \"Merck Veterinary Manual\"\n  title: \"Cat nutrition — dietary needs, standards, and feeding practices (Merck Vet Manual)\"\n  url: \"https://www.merckvetmanual.com/cat-owners/selecting-and-providing-a-home-for-a-cat/proper-nutrition-for-cats\"\n  retrieved: \"2026-08-01\"\n  ref: \"\"\n  doc_type: \"professional veterinary reference\"\n  needs_review: false\nlicense: paraphrase\ncopyright_note: \"Source Merck Veterinary Manual (merckvetmanual.com) is a copyrighted veterinary reference and not openly licensed; per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3 all claims are paraphrased derived fact summaries (numbers and proper nouns preserved, sentences rewritten), not verbatim quotations.\"\nauthority_tier: T3\nauthority_tier_basis: \"T3:vet-ref\"\nauthority_tier_date: 2026-08-04\n---\n\n# Cat nutrition — dietary needs, standards, and feeding practices (Merck Vet Manual)\nSource: Merck Veterinary Manual (merckvetmanual.com), a copyrighted veterinary reference. Per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3, the points below are paraphrased derived fact summaries: numerical values and proper nouns are preserved from the source, but sentences are rewritten and not quoted verbatim.\n\n## Claims\n\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Cats need high-quality fat and protein plus specific amino acids (e.g., taurine) absent from dog or human food.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Feed balanced commercial diets; homemade ones often lack essential vitamins and minerals.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* AAFCO's Feline Nutrition Expert Subcommittee sets cat nutrient requirements.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* The NRC publishes nutrient profiles for cats and kittens.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* WSAVA gives global small-animal nutrition guidance.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* An adequacy statement confirms the food is complete and balanced for a life stage (growth, reproduction, or adult maintenance).\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Foods failing the standard may be sold only as treats or occasional feeds.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Cats are obligate carnivores, eating chiefly meat.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Never make dog food a cat's regular diet; their needs differ greatly.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Raw meat and raw dairy (including raw milk) are unsafe for cats.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Kittens need extra calories, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals; feed 3–4 times daily under 4 months with kitten food.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Cats like small frequent meals; free-choice feeding risks overeating.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Twice-daily feeding suits most cats' weight and welfare.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Offer several fresh-water bowls and clean them daily.\n- *[Paraphrased derived summary — non-Open-Access source.]* Wet or canned food boosts water intake — a common reason vets favor it over dry.\n---\n## License & attribution\n\nSource: Merck Veterinary Manual (merckvetmanual.com) is a copyrighted veterinary reference and is not openly licensed. Per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3, every claim above is a paraphrased derived fact summary (numbers and proper nouns preserved, sentences rewritten), not a verbatim quotation.\n\n- https://www.merckvetmanual.com/cat-owners/selecting-and-providing-a-home-for-a-cat/proper-nutrition-for-cats","sources":["companion-nutrition — Cat nutrition — dietary needs, standards, and feeding practices (Merck Vet Manual) (retrieved 2026-08-01)"],"source":{"authority":"companion-nutrition","title":"Cat nutrition — dietary needs, standards, and feeding practices (Merck Vet Manual)","url":"https://www.merckvetmanual.com/cat-owners/selecting-and-providing-a-home-for-a-cat/proper-nutrition-for-cats","retrieved":"2026-08-01","ref":"","doc_type":"official PDF","source_document":"Merck Veterinary Manual","verification_file":"pdf-raw/companion-care/companion_cat_nutrition_src.txt"},"source_document":"Merck Veterinary Manual","source_file":"pdf-raw/companion-care/companion_cat_nutrition_src.txt","trust":{"authority_tier":"T3","fidelity":"paraphrase","license":"paraphrase","display_grade":"B"},"tokens_estimated":493,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}