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kitten who recieves fish oil supplement
kitten who recieves fish oil supplement

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The Health Benefits of Fish Oil in Kitten Food

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Is anything cuter than an adorable kitten with a gorgeous, healthy coat? We don’t think so. That’s why we include fish oil in IAMS™ dry kitten food to help promote healthy skin and a healthy coat for your furry bundle of joy.

Let’s dive deeper into fish oil and meal, what it does, how it can help your kitten and why it’s an important component in all IAMS™ dry kitten foods.

illustration of a cat lunging afer a fish

Let’s dive deeper into fish oil and meal, what it does, how it can help your kitten and why it’s an important component in all IAMS™ dry kitten foods.

 

What Is Fish Oil?

You guessed it: Fish oil is fat or oil extracted from fish. Fish meal, which is used in IAMS™ dry kitten foods, is a good source of natural fish oil — which is a high-quality source of omega-3 fatty acids.

 

Now, time for a science lesson! Fatty acids, a smaller component of fat, are critical for many kitten body functions. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fatty acid with important nutritional value for kittens. Fish oil from deep, cold-water fish contains omega-3 fatty acids including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

fish oil chemical compound structure

When a kitten eats food with fatty acids, the fatty acids are incorporated into their tissues, including the skin. (Turns out you really are what you eat!) Omega-3 fatty acids produce substances that promote healthy skin conditions, especially when balanced with omega-6 fatty acids (found in common kitten food ingredients such as chicken fat and corn oil). 

 

How Is Fish Oil Good for Cats and Kittens?

So what does all this mean for your kitten? Feeding a complete and balanced diet with a balanced ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is proven to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat in cats1. Studies reveal that when fed fish oil, cats show:

  • A more uniform coat
  • Increased shine
  • A softer coat

paw licking good

DHA from fish oil has also been shown to promote healthy brain and vision development in kittens — important for all the hours of play and nighttime zoomies your kitten will experience in their lifetime.

 

All IAMS™ dry kitten foods, such as IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Mother And Kitten, are formulated with fish oil and an optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Proper nutrition as a kitten can help support your kitten’s soft and shiny coat now — and for all the years to come.

 

1 Data on file, The IAMS™ Company, 2000.

 

 

  • 5 Shocking* Secrets about Single-serving Cat Food
    5 Shocking* Secrets about Single-serving Cat Food
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    5 Shocking* Secrets about Single-serving Cat Food

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    *Actually very obvious things no one thinks about

    Okay, we admit it: We’re kind of obsessed with cat food. And while we’ve done tons of research to create the world’s best single-serving menu items, all it really took was observing the obvious. Here are five basic facts about cat food you didn’t know you already knew.

     

    1. Cats don't like leftovers any more than people do

    We presented a neighbor’s 12-year-old tabby with both a Perfect Portions™ fresh salmon meal and yesterday’s salmon leftovers from a can. Guess what happened? She sniffed us out and chose fresh. Is it because her sense of smell is more powerful than a human’s? Or was it completely obvious that the leftovers had mixed with the scent of the blue cheese and pea soup sitting next to the can in the fridge?

     

    2. A picky eater might be your fault

    How would you like to have tuna salad for lunch? And then for dinner? And then for breakfast? Don’t assume your cat doesn’t mind just because her taste buds are different — feeling superior is a cat’s job. Your job is to give them variety, which is hard when you have leftovers coming out of your ears. Try a multipack of Perfect Portions™ for the ultimate in no-leftovers variety.

    Why your cat judges you

     

    3. Leftovers smell bad

    A focus group of four people at a recent dinner party revealed that opened cat food smells less than good. It’s especially embarrassing if you're the host and the smell keeps wafting over your mashed potatoes.

    What cat food smells like when it's left over in your fridge

     

    4. Cans. Very messy.

    Canned food has been around for more than 100 years, so it seemed high time for a design update. When we reimagined canned cat food, we decided to get rid of the can altogether in favor of Perfect Portions™, with no-mess, no hassle containers. The results have been, uh, uncanny. Everyone agrees we should can the can. For good.

     

    5. Cats like to (over)eat, just like us.

    With food this good, lunchtime for cats can be just as tempting as Thanksgiving dinner for humans. Cats can have problems maintaining a healthy diet — and sticking to healthy portions — just like we do. It’s why we’ve taken the guesswork out of meals with Perfect Portions™. Each pack contains just enough (and not too much) every time. So don’t be fooled by cat food cans with 1½ servings. Unless you plan on training your cat to use the treadmill.

    Cats after mealtime on regular canned food

     

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