Warming cat food?

Addle

Do you know if it's safe to heat cat food?
Do cats need extra warmth this time of year?

azMark09

I would never heat the stuff from the packets but I used to give them proper hot food, or heat milk on the cold days.

But no, I don't think they need the extra warmth, it just made me feel good to spoil them.

Addle

Thanks for the reply.
I thought cats couldn't digest milk?

baby and crumble

Addle wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
I thought cats couldn't digest milk?

You can get cat milk in most pet shops. Ours LOVES it.

azMark09

Cat milk or mix it with water is what I used to do.

maggiepip

I heat tinned cat food for my cats, one cat will only eat it if its warmed. Its safe as they're eating it straight away.

Nody

Addle wrote: »

Do you know if it's safe to heat cat food?
Do cats need extra warmth this time of year?

They need quality food and a bit more then summer time but they don't need it to be heated. What you can do is to pour a bit (spoonful) of hot water on top to make it smell more appetizing but they don't need hot food.

tk123

Not cat food but I give the doggies (good quality) wet food maybe once a week and give it a little heat in the microwave for them lol

intheclouds

One of my princesses will not eat wet food if it is chilled from the fridge! So I must heat it to take the chill off. I dont bother with dry food although the vet said it can encourage them if they are off their food a bit as it brings out the smell.

As far as warmth goes, they both have a variety of beds, cushions, blankies and of course my clothes, bed, couch are fair game also!! Plus their own fur coats. So I dont worry too much about them staying warm. I do have heat pads but neither really seem interested in them. I did find one on the bed once over where the hot water bottle was but it wasnt that warm at that point and I dont think thats why she was on that spot.

One of them did get a fleecey blanky from Santa Paws and she does like snuggling in under it. But she equally lies on it.

SillyMangoX

I'd often heat food just for ten seconds to take the chill out of it from the fridge, or if it's cold in the utility, but with some higher quality foods where you can see the little white streaks of fat in them, I'll heat it for 30 seconds to melt this down and mush the food up with salmon oil, they go crazy for it!!

Speedwell

I had a kitten who would refuse to drink water (many kittens do). I fed him wet food from the packet, mashed up with a little warm water from the kettle, especially if I had fed him just half a packet before and put the other half in the refrigerator and the cold half needed to have the chill taken off it. He's a great big kitten now and wakes me up every morning for his "hot porridge". Of course if you do this you need to check that the food is not too hot. I wouldn't ever put it in the microwave because of "hot spots".

intheclouds

Speedwell wrote: »

I wouldn't ever put it in the microwave because of "hot spots".

If I microwave cat food I mash it afterwards and test it with my finger to ensure its not too hot.

SillyMangoX

intheclouds wrote: »

If I microwave cat food I mash it afterwards and test it with my finger to ensure its not too hot.

I do the same, do it for ten seconds at a time and stir after each one!

baby and crumble

Ok so I tried this last night with some good food that had obvious fat streaks in it and OMG Shade went CRAZY! Good to keep in the back pocket when she take a figary and decides she doesn't like whatever it is I put down!!!

SillyMangoX

baby and crumble wrote: »

Ok so I tried this last night with some good food that had obvious fat streaks in it and OMG Shade went CRAZY! Good to keep in the back pocket when she take a figary and decides she doesn't like whatever it is I put down!!!

Amazing how well it works