Formulating the right nutritional balance for your cat necessitates care, research and tremendous forethought, according to an article appearing in  The Daily Cat .

"Cats are true carnivores and balanced nutrition for them means twice the amount of protein as dogs," explains Sally Perea, DVM and certified veterinary nutritionist in Davis, California.

Perea recommends feeding felines a commercially-prepared cat food that meets the standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials ( AAFCO ) for kittens or adult cats. Look for AAFCO statements on the food's packaging to guarantee the appropriate nutritional content.

Perea explains in the article the six important nutritional needs cats require: animal protein, fat, fiber, taurine, vitamin A and niacin.

"If you think of the nutrient makeup of a mouse, you have a pretty good idea of what your cat needs," she said.