Your mother has probably told you this countless times: fish is good for you. But is feeding fish to cats a good idea? Well recent research is suggesting that it probably is. And that's great news for cats, as most felines love the taste of fish.

Are All Fish Created Equal?

You might be tempted to think that if fish is so great that you can just dish up the odd treat of a little Dover Sole, lightly steamed, or poached in milk. But if you really want your cat to receive the maximum nutritional benefit from fish, read on…

Like any other ingredient, fish should be given as part of a balanced diet. And there is mounting evidence to show that you can get a lot of benefit from eating just some particular nutritional components of fish.

First off, fish is a great source of protein, whether you are a cat, or a cat owner. That means that pound for pound, it supplies a good amount of protein that is very usable by cats' bodies. It has the right amino acids - the components of protein - in the ratios we need them, although it's not going to be an exact match.

On the negative side, some kinds of fish can also destroy certain vitamins. So, feeding fish to cats is a bit of a science, if nutritional balance is to be achieved. Another problem for cat owners is that cat food that has a lot of fish in it, frankly, smells horrible and can linger!

Technology

Thankfully that's where technology can lend a helping hand. By extracting the best nutrients from the fish and adding them to cat foods, your cat can get the useful health benefits whether they eat their favourite chicken, beef or lamb varieties.

Even if you don't have a degree in fishmongery, you would probably suspect that white fish, such as sole and cod, is going to differ from oily fish, such as Mackerel and Tuna. In fact, if we were to isolate just one 'super-nutrient' that can be found in fish, then it has to be fish oil.

Your natural inclination may be to opt for white fish, but these contain very little of the valuable oils, so, it's the oily fish that should be your first choice.

The Healthy Option

The studies that scientists are publishing about the benefits of fish oils are just astounding. Want your cat to have good eyesight? Try fish oils. Your old cat is stiffening up? Try fish oils. Wish your cat was a bit brainier? Try fish oils.

Veterinary surgeon, Libby Sheridan from Hill's Pet Nutrition explains it like this, "There is a particular fish oil called DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid, that we know is involved in neurological development - that's development of the brain and its connections. Although some of that development occurs while the kitten is still in its mother's womb, it's clear that some changes are still occurring after birth.