Pet Feeding Best Practices

6th March 2024

Veterinarian Gwendoline Chaix talks about her own pet’s feeding regime.

In this interview, Gwendoline Chaix, one of MSD Animal Health’s veterinarians, gives a rare look into her own home and shares her key principles to keeping her dog Rooibos and kitten Némo healthy and happy.

As a veterinarian with a postgraduate qualification in pet nutrition, what is important to you when it comes to feeding your own pets?

I prioritise providing my pets with a well-balanced diet, considering their specific nutritional needs based on their age, breed, size, neutering status, activity, and overall health condition. I focus on choosing high-quality pet food that provides the essential nutrients they require for optimal health and wellbeing.

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for the overall health of pets and their quality of life. Therefore, I’m diligent in monitoring their daily dry food portion sizes using a scale to prevent overfeeding, especially considering that my pets are neutered. To help offering generous food portions, I have opted for mixed feeding. In the morning, I provide them with a pouch of high-quality wet food mixed with cooked courgettes. Courgettes are low in calories and help increase the volume and the fibre content of their meal, promoting better satiety or fulness. Some non-pet food ingredients that are safe and beneficial for pets include cooked and unseasoned fresh vegetables like carrots, peas, and green beans, which can be added to their meals as a source of vitamins, minerals, and added fibre. When incorporating vegetables into your pet's diet, it is advisable to check with your vet first before gradually adding a recommended quantity while also paying attention to any signs of digestive sensitivity or intolerance, to ensure a smooth transition and optimal digestive health.

My cat has access to his dry food ration throughout the day, divided in two feeding puzzles placed at an elevated height to prevent Rooibos from reaching them. As for my dog, I split his daily dry food ration into two portions, that I provide at noon. I use a sniffing mat for my dog, to turn mealtime into a mentally stimulating activity. Luckily at this point, Némo has no interest in Rooibos’ food.

By implementing these strategies, I aim to maintain a healthy weight, provide a varied diet, and ensure that mealtime is both satisfying and engaging for my pets. I believe that feeding time should be a positive and enjoyable experience for pets. I pay attention to my pets' eating behaviours and preferences to prevent them becoming frustrated.

Owning a cat and a dog, how do you keep them separate during mealtimes and both happy?

As cats and dogs have different eating habits, it’s important to ensure that they have separate feeding areas to avoid potential conflicts or food stealing. Placing my cat’s dry food at an elevated height can prevent my dog from reaching it. However, most elevated places including worktops that are intended for human food preparation, aren’t suitable. Older cats that may suffer from osteoarthritis pain, can also find it difficult to jump to higher heights. In such cases I would recommend using a selective access feeder like the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect for each pet, allowing both the dog and cat to be fed on the floor, without stealing each other’s food. This feeder can also be useful in multi-cat households.

Cats and dogs also have different feeding habits. Indeed, in the wild, cats are solitary hunters with an instinct to eat multiple small meals throughout the day. Feeding them on a schedule that mimics their natural hunting behaviour helps satisfy their instinctual needs. Dogs are scavengers and opportunistic eaters, which means they are more adaptable in their feeding patterns. However, establishing a consistent feeding routine is still important for their overall wellbeing.

Finally, cats can exhibit neophilic behaviour when it comes to food, meaning they appreciate novelty or change. Introducing new food textures periodically can help stimulate their interest and prevent them from becoming bored or disinterested in their meals. So, in Némo’s case I like experimenting with different food textures, such as introducing new types of wet food.

In your experience, what would be the top advice to owners of multiple pets to create the ideal feeding environment?

My recommendation for owners of multiple pets is to utilise connected selective access feeders like the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect, as they can help creating the ideal feeding environment while maintaining ease and convenience. They are individual feeding stations for each pet to eat from without competition, especially if the pets have different eating speeds. Additionally, they can also help portion food, monitor food intake, and keep an eye on each pet's food consumption.

About Gwendoline Chaix:

Gwendoline is one of MSD Animal Health's veterinarians. She holds several qualifications, including a post-graduate certificate in pet nutrition. In her current role, she oversees and leads clinical trials on companion animal technology products, such as Felaqua Connect, SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect and Thermochip.