You need to make sure that you read the label on the food that you are getting for your cat. Although it may seem strange because you can is a pet, their nutrition is still just as important as yours is which is why you should read the ingredients so that you are aware of what is in the food you are giving your cat. You also need to pay attention to what formula of cat food that you are purchasing. They have food for adult cats, kittens, aging cats, cats on diets, and everything in between. You don't want to be feeding your kitten adult food and vice versa.

After picking up the right food for your cat, there is matter of where to feed your cat, when to feed your cat, and how much to feed them. If you have never owned a cat before this can be quite a tricky process to figure out all on your own. First and foremost, you need to find a place that is ideal for your cat to eat at.

Think about it from your cat's perspective, you really wouldn't want to eat while adults and kids are running all around you and being loud. This is why you need to find a place that is quiet and accessible for your cat to have their food and water bowl. Once you decide on a particular place, don't keep changing it around because cats don't always deal well with that type of change.

Keep in mind that your cat might make a bit of a mess when they are drinking and eating so it may not be wise to put the food and water in an area that is going to be ruined by the mess. You also need to make sure that you are keeping the bowls clean and changing the water out on a regular basis in order to avoid your cat getting sick. As far as when you should feed your cat, it is good to get your cat into the habit of eating at a particular time each day. Just as humans eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at certain times, so should your cat. Of course this might not be quite so easy if you are away from the hose during the day, but there is a solution. If the cat is eating dry cat food you can simply put the entire days ration into the food bowl and your cat can eat from it throughout the day.

If you aren't sure you want to put it all in, you can choose to be half of it in the bowl. It's really up to you and your schedule as to what a regular and convenient feeding schedule will be, but it is wise to get a regular pattern started. Listed below will give you some ideas as to how to coordinate your feeding schedule.

• At 4-6 weeks - 1/2 to 1 oz - 3 to 4 times per day
• 7 weeks to 6 months - 1 to 3 oz - 3 to 4 times per day
• 7 months to 1 year - 3 oz - 2 times per day or you can leave 6 oz in their bowl all day

You can also look on the package of cat food that you buy for what they suggest you feed your cat.

Just as there are certain things that you need to keep in mind when feeding your cat, there are also certain thing that you shouldn't do when feeding your cat.

• You shouldn't give your cat bones; this is a good rule for any pet whether they are a cat or a dog. Chicken bones, pork bones, and fish bones are a big no because they can cause quite a bit of damage to your cats tummy and throat that could lead to a trip to the veterinarian or worse.
• Again a good tip for any animal, don't give your cat leftovers from the table. Although you think that you are doing them a favor by giving them a treat, you could be making a bigger problem when your cat begins to avoid their cat food.
• Cats can't eat two foods in particular, the first being chocolate and the second being onions. Both of these foods are considered a toxic food to your cat.
• Despite what you may have seen on television or in the movies, cats do not need to drink milk. What more, if you give milk to your cat you might find yourself cleaning up after an icky mess since it can cause diarrhea.
• The last tip is not to feed your cat any other animal's food. They need the nutrients that are in their cat food and dog food won't quite give them what they need.

As time goes on and you have your cat, you will find out what foods or pet foods your cat can tolerate.

Cats are very similar to people in many ways. Just as it is important to watch what is going into you cats tummy, you also need to keep an eye on how much is going into your cat's tummy. When people eat too much food, over time they become overweight.