What’s the best way to feed your pet dry food?

Most dry pet food can either be fed dry, or soaked in gravy or in water. Most cats do prefer to eat their food dry, and dry cat food tends to become rather unappetizing in appearance when soaked in any liquid. Some dogs prefer dry food to that of soaked food, however dogs may differ. Dogs that are used to eating canned dog food usually prefer their food to be soaked in a bit of water or gravy. You can soak the food in warm water, for about half an hour, and then allow for it to cool before giving it to your pet. Remember that gravy can be quite salty and there is usually no need to offer this with a dry complete food – this contains all the nutrition your dog will need. At the end of the day, be it dry or soaked dog food; feed your pet what it will happily eat.

Fussy kitty!

Every cat is an individual and like people, each cat can have taste preferences. Cat foods are available in many different forms such as chunks in jelly, chunks in gravy or a meatloaf type. If your cat is a very fussy eater, warming the food slightly will help to release the natural aromas, which should entice your kitty to its bowl. Hand feeding your cat can also be very useful to tempt him/her to eat. This method is particularly helpful when trying to feed a cat that is on the road to recovery after an illness. One trick is to try offering a "platter" (yes this does sound ‘spoilt’ but if you are desperate it may be the best solution!) with a little of each different type of food on it and watch for the one your cat shows a preference for. Don't forget that some cats prefer crunching on a dry food, so do consider this when your cat pulls its nose up to the other types of cat food available.

Feeding your fish: a general guide

It's not often that we talk about fish here at SA Pet Lovers, but a concerned pet owner sent us an email asking 'How often should I feed my fish?' and we thought it was such a good question!

One of the biggest mistakes that a fish owner can make is feeding their fish too often. This is because the excess fish food can clog up the filter and also break down into harmful toxins that can kill fish. You also do not want your fish to overeat and get ill.

Fish naturally eat food whenever it is available so they will gobble up all of the food that you provide them will; they'll keep on nibbling on fish food even if they've recently eaten. It is for this reason specifically that you need to regulate the amount of food that you give your fish and how many times you feed them.

How many times you feed your fish depends on the type of fish that you have - you should check with the pet store or breeder that you bought them from before buying new fish food. Most types of fish are quite happy being fed once a day, but some bigger varieties require additional meal times. Herbivorous fish require many small meals in a day, and nocturnal feeders only eat at night, so be sure that you know what kind of fish you have before starting a feeding plan.

The amount of food that you give your fish is also dependant on the kind of fish that you have but a good rule to follow is to see how much food your fish can consume in five minutes and regulate the meal to that amount. This is a good way to ensure that your fish gets enough food without it becoming harmful!

Best of luck with your pet fish: hopefully this guide will be useful!

Pet food

Do you give much thought as to what your animal eats? Cats and dogs require certain nutritional elements to their diet that they may not get from leftovers and table scraps. Feeding your pet real ‘pet food’ is essential to ensuring that your pet is receiving a well balanced diet.

Commercially produced pet food has been around since the 1860s. Starting out with dog biscuits, the cat and dog food industry has expanded to include many forms food to keep your pet healthy and well fed. Today we have a large choice of a variety of soft, dry and semi-moist foods to cater to our pet’s nutritional needs. From canned foods to pellets and even pet treats there’s no reason not to feed your pet the best.

Also available are specialised ranges of pet foods. Most brands of dog and cat foods produce ranges designed for age groups from kitten or puppy to adult and senior foods. These foods ensure that as your pet grows and their nutritional needs change, they still receive the best that can from their diet.

In addition to all this there are even more health specific orientated foods that are available from, and through the advice of most vets. These foods are for pets with specific health requirements. Specially formulated to adhere to your cat or dogs health needs, pet food brands such as Hill’s and other vet approved brands can ensure a better diet for whatever your pet’s specific nutritional may be.