People are becoming more and more attached to their pets, seeing them as part of their family. Cats still remain at the forefront of people's choice of pets. In order for a cat to please its owners, they need to spare no effort or money to organize the life of a purring family member. Important point in caring for cats is good and varied diet. Some people prefer dry food, but others are more accustomed to feeding cats dishes that all family members eat. Below we will find out what homemade food should be included in organizing your cat’s diet.
Rules for organizing homemade cat food
The cat's body has a great need for squirrels. Unlike dogs, cats need five times more. For this reason, foods with high content proteins.
If you have both a cat and a dog, then remember that the dishes should be different, since each animal has its own needs for certain substances.
Notice the presence offal in the diet, for example, hearts. They are a source of taurine for the animal.
From vegetables cats can be offered pumpkin, spinach, carrots. You can mix vegetables with meat by first passing everything through a meat grinder or blender. There should be no garlic or onions in a dish for cats, as they can lead to intoxication of the body.
If you want the animal's body to be enriched carbohydrates, then introduce brown rice into your diet, which will perfectly cope with this task.
There are foods that should not be in the diet of cats or their the quantity should be minimal: milk, raisins, sweets, chocolate, baked goods
Regarding dairy products, then the most acceptable for a delicate cat’s stomach are low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream and non-fat large number cheese.
Many cats enjoy eating eggs, so offer them to them periodically. The egg can be raw or boiled, it all depends on the cat’s preferences.
It’s good when a cat owner thinks about good nutrition your pet. After all, the digestive process of cats is significantly different from the digestive process of humans. Only now the majority makes a choice in favor of industrial feed. Because they do not require time to prepare and their composition is balanced by specialists. So-so, but fresh homemade food much healthier, and in case of health problems, it is certainly better to prepare food yourself, in consultation with a veterinarian.
Please note: This article offers only a few healthy and proven recipes, and not a complete long-term menu.
Basic rules for healthy cat nutrition
About 90% of the diet should consist of meat and offal.
Cat dishes are served raw (with the exception of some products, which will be discussed separately) and at room temperature. It is advisable to defrost frozen portions at room temperature.
Buy meat only from a trusted place.
Food should contain bones or calcium supplements.
Most of the diet should be offered in the form of pieces, since the pet must work with its jaws, tear and chew food. This is important for the cat’s health and prevents problems with teeth and gums.
Clean water should be freely available.
It is necessary to follow the feeding regimen and not exceed the portion size. An adult animal is fed twice a day, in the morning and late in the evening. Daily norm- for a domestic, sedentary pet, it is approximately 50 g/kg of weight.
A cat's menu is much poorer than a human's. Cats are absolute predators, natural conditions Very few grains and barely noticeable amounts of vegetables enter their stomachs. Therefore, no matter how healthy porridge, raw and baked vegetables may be for humans, they should not be included in your pet’s diet. We advise you to read the article, which describes in detail foods that are harmful to your cat’s health.
One of the easiest to prepare dishes that are most similar to natural food are raw chicken heads and necks. Some people do not believe and are even horrified that their cute cat is capable of greedily biting into chicken head and don't choke on bones. But it is the bones of the heads and necks that the cat will gnaw without harm to health. Moreover, such nutrition will bring a lot of benefits to the animal. Heads and necks require treatment before feeding, but this is not difficult to do.
How to Prepare Chicken Heads
Most often, such products are sold in frozen packages. Wait for the heads to thaw. Then you need to rinse cool water, cut off the beaks (they are too tough for a cat), and cut them in half lengthwise. This will not require noticeable physical effort.
If the head is small and the pet is large, you don’t have to cut it - the product will retain more useful substances. Then the halves are put into portioned boxes or cups. You can use plastic cups with a volume of 200 ml, the same volume as sour cream and mayonnaise boxes. One such serving of homemade adult cat The medium size is enough for the whole day.
How to prepare chicken necks
Necks, like heads, are often sold frozen and in packages. As with the heads, they need to be thawed, rinsed with water and cleaned of skin and fat (the fat contained in any meat, but not visible to the naked eye, is quite enough). Then they need to be cut into pieces 1.5 - 2 cm long. The necks are quite easy to cut, you just need to try to guide the knife blade between the vertebrae. Instead of cutting into pieces, you can flatten the necks a little with a hammer. Then also distribute into portioned containers and freeze. For variety, it’s a good idea to form portions of heads and necks in a 50/50 ratio.
Important!A cat accustomed to human food or industrial feed is unlikely to be happy with the change usual diet on heads and necks. You can learn how to correctly transfer a pet from one type of food to another in the article How to transfer a cat from commercial food to natural food (or vice versa).
Cooking fish
Only suitable sea fish, there are too many bones in the river. It needs to be boiled for a few minutes. Then cool and remove bones completely. One serving - no more than 150 g. You can put raw quail egg. Although many cats simply love fish, it is not advisable to give it more than once every five days. Fish contains a lot of phosphorus and magnesium; its frequent presence in the diet upsets the balance of minerals in the cat’s body. This can provoke many diseases, primarily KSD.
Meat mix
Any meat products in arbitrary proportions from those allowed are suitable for this dish. And the more of them, the better. For example: chicken breast, turkey and chicken stomachs, chicken heart. Everything is rinsed with cool water. Then the following are removed: from the hearts - pieces of fat, from the stomachs - hard connective fibers. After which the products are chopped into pieces measuring about 1 ╳ 1 cm. As in the case of heads and necks, the mixed cuts are placed in 200 ml portioned containers and sent for freezing.
How to prepare beef
It is advisable to heat treat this product. First, cut the pulp into pieces, then pour boiling water over it and wait a few minutes. Then drain the water and cool the meat to room temperature.
Cutlets
This dish can include a wide variety of ingredients, including some cereals and vegetables. Meat products must be raw, defrosted. Sample list:
Chicken necks - about 1 kg
Turkey gizzards - 400 g
Rabbit fillet - 300 g
Beef heart - 200 g
Boiled buckwheat - 2 tablespoons
Boiled cabbage - 2 tablespoons
Proportions and ingredients can be replaced or supplemented. However, it is not recommended to increase the proportion of plant components by more than 5-10%. The pet will sense a “fraud” and simply refuse to eat a vegetarian cutlet - from his point of view. For the first time, you can completely do without cereals and vegetables. Pass all products through a meat grinder, installing a grid with large holes. Mix, form into patties and place them in the freezer. The only condition: the meat grinder must be powerful enough to grind chicken necks.
Adviсe
It is not recommended to prepare dishes such as pates: they require virtually no chewing and are therefore not healthy for the cat. If an animal likes liver, it is better to cut it into pieces and serve it as a separate dish or as part of a meat mix.
If you are afraid to give your cat head and neck, then you will have to add special drugs calcium, which can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy or pet store.
You shouldn’t focus on your pet’s tastes. Many cats exhibit funny and unexpected food habits. It happens that the cat happily eats raisins or chocolate, licks the remains of the owner's coffee, eats canned corn or boiled potatoes. All these products are not only unnatural for a cat's diet, but also harmful to health.
Preface
Proper natural nutrition for a cat is mostly a monotonous, species-specific diet that does not require heat treatment, mainly consisting of fermented milk products medium fat, raw meat or raw offal (heart, tripe, kidneys, etc.) and plant foods (vegetables and some unsweetened fruits) in raw form, as well as in the form of bran cereal crops as an addition to the main diet.
Actually, cereals (porridge and other flour products) should not be present in the cat’s diet. Porridges and products made from flour or with its addition contain easily digestible carbohydrates, which can cause in all dogs and cats, which are known to be carnivores, disruption of the intestinal microflora, as well as a decrease in resistance. The state of the animal’s health directly depends on the state of the intestine, which is a key organ not only in digestion, but also in providing the defense system (resistance and immunity of the body). Thus, the presence of dysbiosis in the intestines, which is facilitated by disturbances in the diet, can lead to the development of mass pathological processes, including increasing the susceptibility to allergies, disruption of internal organs, and the occurrence of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases and obesity, often associated with each other.
The health and resistance of animals depends very much on nutrition, and this is very important role has a fortune gastrointestinal tract and healthy intestinal microflora. If your cat's diet includes cereal or commercial dry food that contains from 40 to 55% grains, corn or sweet potatoes, then you cannot expect normal, healthy intestinal microflora. However, even with natural nutrition Digestive disorders are possible, indicating a painful condition of the cat. When switching to a natural diet, stool passage becomes a little less frequent, and the consistency of the stool changes to darker and denser. This is typical, normal and does not indicate a problem. But if there is a significant decrease in stool passage (less than once every 2 days), it is recommended to consult a doctor and decide on the possibility of switching back to a dry diet or correcting natural ingredients. Most often, the problem of constipation occurs with an exclusively meat diet, without the addition of fermented milk foods and a source of fiber.
Meat in a cat's diet
The main meat in a cat’s diet is lean beef, maybe not the first grade. It is not necessary or even advisable to feed your cats tenderloin and other high-quality meats. It is allowed to feed lamb, horse meat, and rabbit meat to cats of all ages, given the high calorie content of lamb and rabbit meat, which is more affordable. It is not recommended to give pork.
Chicken, turkey and their offal can also be given, but individually, paying attention to the reaction from the digestive system and skin. It is not advisable to feed chicken skin to cats.
Meat, both beef and chicken, is always given raw, pre-frozen; there is no need to pour boiling water over it and heat treat the meat. Meat should not be ground into mince.
It should be noted right away that feeding a cat up to a year only one meat guarantees development, since the kitten will not be satisfied with the amount of calcium. To prevent this from happening, carefully read the recommendations for mineral supplement follow the link below.
Meat by-products
Meat feeding for a cat can include not only meat, but also by-products (kidneys, heart, by-products of chickens, turkeys, etc.), which can completely replace meat. By-products must also be raw. It should be taken into account that offal is a less nutritious component of the meat diet compared to meat, but at the same time, for example, the udder is significantly higher in calories than meat due to fat.
It is not recommended to give liver and lung to cats often, since not everyone tolerates raw liver equally well, and there is no point in treating it thermally. However, many people successfully use these components in the diet of dogs and cats. However, not all cats tolerate a particular meat component equally well, so if an ingredient is intolerant, which is manifested by diarrhea or vomiting, it should be removed from the diet, as well as if other components of the cat’s natural diet are not tolerated. And in order to be able to determine which component the reaction occurs to, they need to be introduced into the cat’s diet separately.
Of course, one can become infected with one or another disease from one or another product, but rare cases of infection from raw, untested and not frozen meat do not allow one to be afraid of feeding a cat raw product. It is unlikely that any veterinarian will be able to recall a case of infection from anything from meat. In addition, the concentration hydrochloric acid in the stomach of carnivores there is more than in humans and is sufficient to perform its disinfecting functions in relation to raw meat and fish. We also do not recommend purchasing meat “from hand” or at the “Poultry Market”, where you can buy products obtained from a known sick animal, and even freezing it will not help, but heat treatment reduces meat for cats nutritional value product.
Fish in a cat's diet
Cats can be given raw fillets of sea and ocean frozen fish, not bony, low-fat varieties, replacing meat with seafood in meat feeding 2-3 times a week. However, it is not recommended to constantly feed fish. Small fish can be given whole raw, in which case the bone along with soft tissues it is chewed completely and does not pose a threat (it is even recommended), but when feeding boiled fish, which should not be done, the bone easily separates and can be swallowed whole, which is dangerous.
There are several questions that are often asked regarding feeding fish to cats:
The problem with thiaminase is relevant for animal farms, where there is mainly a mono-diet and if you feed only raw fish, there will be hypovitaminosis B1, and therefore this is not relevant for a home mixed diet.
Feeding fish does not have any effect on the development of urolithiasis. This is an assumption for a long time existed among veterinarians, based on the fact that fish contains a lot of phosphorus, which, when released, creates conditions for the development of sand in bladder(struvite). But studies conducted with experience on adding additional amounts of phosphorus to the diet of cats did not lead to the development of this pathology.
Fermented milk products
Cats can be given fermented milk products with a fat content of up to 9%, but not everyone tolerates such fat content well. But low-fat dairy products should not be given either. In some cases, full-fat dairy products loosen stools. Also, loose stool may be associated with the brand of kefir, which must be selected individually for sensitive cats. Fermented baked milk, cream, sour cream should not be given to cats, as well as yoghurt with fruit or sugar, but milk is not forbidden if tolerated normally.
The most optimal fermented milk products are cottage cheese with a fat content of up to 5-9%, kefir with a fat content of 3.5%, yogurt, short term storage, up to 7 days.
Using Evitalia and Narine starter cultures based on pasteurized milk, you can make a healthy fermented milk product that is useful not only for cats, but also for humans, and feed it either separately or together with cottage cheese.
Dividing cat nutrition into fermented milk and meat
The main components of the diet are fermented milk products in one feeding and raw vegetables, and raw meat with a little butter in another. As mentioned above, vegetables can, if possible, be fed to the cat separately.
This means that fermented milk feeding can include either kefir alone, cottage cheese alone, or kefir with cottage cheese, curdled milk, yogurt, etc. It is advisable to give fermented milk products with a short shelf life, up to 7 days. Only bran and part of it can be added to dairy products raw egg no more than 2-3 times a week.
Meat feeding may include raw meat, offal or fish. You cannot mix the components of meat and fermented milk feeding with each other.
Vegetables and fiber in a cat's diet
Most vegetables can be fed to cats: carrots, white cabbage, bell pepper, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, cucumbers. It is useful to give greens: parsley, dill, lettuce. The choice is up to the cat. Some cats happily eat grass sprouted at home, this option is also suitable.
Vegetables may be present in the diet as a single option, or there may be several types of vegetables, but one type of vegetable is quite sufficient.
Greens and vegetables should always be given raw, finely chopped or grated on a fine grater.
Vegetables and herbs should always be given only with meat feeding or separately. There is no need to mix raw plant foods with components of a fermented milk diet, with the exception of bran, which goes well with meat and dairy foods.
Bran (about bran, see below) in a cat’s diet can complement or even replace raw vegetables, especially in cases where the addition of vegetables leads to various types of indigestion (flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea) or if the cat refuses all types of vegetables completely , which happens more often.
Consistency of cat food
Cats should not be given food in the form of mince. The meat should be cut into pieces, hard vegetables grated on a fine grater, greens and lettuce finely chopped. Bran can be added to wet foods, both dairy and meat. Cats and dogs do not chew food, but swallow it if the piece corresponds to the size of the animal or bites off a piece accessible for swallowing - this is physiological for them and does not cause harm. In addition, ready-bought minced meat contains too much fat. Even if the cat has few or no teeth, food can be given in chunks.
Eggs in a cat's diet
Eggs can be given raw, both chicken and quail, by adding 14 whole eggs to milk feeding 2-3 times a week. Both kittens and adult cats can and should be given both the yolk and the white, without separating.
Bran
Bran in a cat's diet, like vegetables, is a source of fiber and therefore it is recommended to add them to the cat's diet along with vegetables or, replacing them, as already mentioned, when refusing vegetables. Bran, unlike vegetables, easily sticks to meat and mixes with dairy foods, which deprives the animal of the opportunity to choose what it wants from a bowl.
The main advantage of bran is its high content dietary fiber(fiber), which enhance peristalsis, regulate and improve the condition of intestinal microflora.
Bran can be purchased in bulk at health stores, pharmacies or grocery stores and added in this form to both fermented milk and meat feeding.
But fermented milk is preferable, since bran shows its maximum effect when it absorbs liquid and swells. Then, once in the stomach, the bran does not undergo any changes and, retaining water, enters the intestines, accelerating intestinal motility, which is especially recommended for cats with a tendency to constipation.
Oil in a cat's diet
Can be added to cats' vegetable diet different types olive oils, unrefined sunflower oils, pumpkin oils, flaxseed oils, etc., but exotic ones should be avoided. The main oils are unrefined sunflower and olive. Vegetable oils added to the bowl where there is herbal ingredients food (vegetables), regardless of the presence of meat, in a dose of 2-5 drops.
Bones in a cat's diet
Since in the diet of cats, which are classified as small felines, bones are present exclusively in the form of small rodents and birds, at home it is possible to feed cats whole small fish, chicken neck, but always in raw form and together with soft tissues, in which case the animal bites off the bone and meat in sections, but if you chop the bone, the cat can swallow them whole. If in doubt, you can not give the bone at all. It is not recommended to give boiled bones to cats; they are poorly digested and can cause intestinal obstruction.
Prebiotic and probiotic environment in the intestines. Carbohydrates in a cat's diet
Probiotics are preparations based on living “good” microorganisms: lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which remain viable when passing through the gastrointestinal tract, multiply in it and suppress the development of pathogenic bacteria.
Prebiotics are completely indigestible food ingredients that provide a substrate, a nutrient medium for growth and life. beneficial microorganisms in the intestines, and also stimulates its work.
In the absence of a prebiotic environment (indigestible fiber), the amount beneficial bacteria sharply decreases, since they lack the prebiotic environment they need for nutrition and their share in the intestinal microenvironment will be occupied by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli, yeast, etc., which, in essence, is dysbacteriosis.
Cereals, bread, pasta are easily digestible carbohydrates (starch), cats need complex carbohydrates of another type, which are found in raw vegetables or bran and which cats cannot digest. From complex carbohydrates, raw fiber cannot be extracted by carnivores for energy; ruminants and herbivores “specialize” in this. It is raw vegetables and bran, or rather the indigestible fiber they contain, that create a prebiotic environment in the cat’s intestines, which is the basis and substrate for creating a probiotic environment and the formation of healthy intestinal microflora.
Moreover, if the cat has proper natural nutrition, then the cat, even without the use of probiotics, will eventually develop the correct intestinal microflora, but only if the animal is healthy and free from congenital and acquired diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that require treatment and are not dependent on correct diet. It is for this reason that introducing probiotics (lactobifadol, Vetom 1.1) into the diet of a cat that receives porridge or dry food does not bring the desired long-term result.
The role of the prebiotic environment in a cat’s diet is played by raw vegetables, which are best (but not necessarily) given to animals as a separate feeding, and also, when adding bran to a dairy or meat diet, these components are compatible.
It is better to give cats veterinary probiotics, only if they are not available, then try using human ones. It is possible to take probiotics prophylactically every 3-4 months. But prebiotics (vegetables and bran) should be supplied in digestive system constantly, especially since this is not a medicine, but a regular component of the diet.
At the same time, you need to understand that if a cat has proper nutrition and the cat is healthy, then without the use of probiotics in the intestines, over time, a healthy intestinal microflora is formed on its own.
Is it possible to mix dry food and wet natural or canned food?
Mixing different types feeding does not have any advantages over the strict principles of feeding a cat, moreover, dry food is designed for feeding it exclusively. If you add other components throughout the day, then an imbalance is guaranteed. In addition, combining diets does not make any sense: either convenience or a natural diet.
Vitamins and mineral supplements
An adult cat that receives proper natural nutrition with a certain, even small dose raw bone, it is not necessary to add any vitamin and mineral preparations throughout the entire period. In the spring and early summer You can add dry yeast to your food, which is a natural complex of vitamins. However, if under some circumstances there are doubts about the possibility of using raw bone in the diet of adult cats due to various circumstances, you can use and even recommend the same mineral and vitamin supplement regimens as listed in the link below.
At the same time, kittens and adult cats receive vitamins and minerals absolutely necessary. You can read more details in further publications on the site.
The problem of obesity in cats
Obesity occurs when an animal consumes more energy than it expends. This leads to positive energy balance and obesity. However, the factors that cause positive energy balance are very complex and include physiological and genetic predisposition, influence environment. In other words, obesity is not simply the result of overeating. If this were so, then all individuals consuming high-calorie foods would develop obesity. The main factors causing obesity are:
1. Overeating;
2. Social environment (food competition);
3. Dietary factors;
4. Sterilization;
5. Reduced energy consumption.
The feeling of hunger decreases with stimuli such as stomach distension, the presence nutrients in the blood and liver, as well as from the look, taste and smell of food. All this creates negative feedback to the hypothalamus, which controls energy consumption. To stop eating, one factor is not enough; all are needed at the same time.
Social environment, i.e. competition between animals can increase the amount of food eaten. Additional "snacks" and begging are other important external factors. Some owners encourage animals to do this, and “ light meal" can be high in calories and often doubles your overall energy intake.
Neutered individuals are more susceptible to obesity than their normal counterparts. This is partly due to lower energy expenditure due to their condition, as well as impaired estrogen and testosterone production, which influence the satiety effect of food.
60-70% of energy is spent on maintaining body functions (homeostasis), 10% on heat production (specific dynamic effect), and the remaining 20-30% on physical activity. With increased physical activity, appetite increases. If physical activity decreases, then appetite worsens. Thus, in latest situation the animal can easily develop a positive energy balance.
The total volume of food from all feedings per day is calculated using the formula: up to 9 months. 10% and older than 9 months. 5% of body weight (body weight is calculated without taking into account body fat, of course, approximately).
The resulting daily volume of food is divided in half between 50% fermented milk products, 50% raw meat and everything related to meat (beef by-products, poultry, fish), raw plant foods are given ad libitum, but approximately 5-10% on the volume of meat portion. For example, on average cat weighing 4 kg, you can eat 1-2 teaspoons of grated carrots or other vegetables per day, 12 teaspoons of bran. Please note that vegetables and bran are additives to protein diet and is not included in the calculated percentages (10% and 5%).
An example of calculating the volume of food for a cat weighing 4 kg, age 9 months. and older:
4kg x 0.05 * =0.2 kg. or 200 gr. Of these, 100 gr. this is cottage cheese and kefir, which will make up fermented milk feeding and meat feeding will consist of 100 grams. raw meat, to which about 10 grams are added. raw grated vegetables and 2-5 drops. unrefined vegetable oil.
An example of calculating the volume of food for a cat weighing 2.2 kg, less than 9 months old:
2.2kg x 0.10 * =0.22 kg. or 220 gr. Of these, 110 gr. This is cottage cheese and kefir, which will make up fermented milk feeding and meat feeding will consist of 110 grams. raw meat, to which about 10-15 grams are added. raw grated vegetables and 2-5 drops. unrefined vegetable oil.
* — Coefficient obtained by dividing 5 and 10% by 100
This formula is not absolute and mandatory, the cat’s feeding regimen, and the amount of food may vary depending on physiological state(pregnancy, breed tendency to be overweight, presence of hormonal disorders, sterilization, etc.); age: for old and aging animals, the amount of food is reduced, as well as for other individual characteristics. Also welcome fasting days no meat at all, but also without increasing the dose of dairy food. Cats in apartment conditions most often behave sedentary lifestyle life, therefore, in case of food whims, pickiness, or loss of appetite, the diet can be reduced even without fear.
For example, the food quantity calculations above are valid for active cats who even allow themselves active games in an apartment, etc. But for a cat leading a sedentary lifestyle, which prefers to sleep most of the day, the calculated amount will be exceeded, and the diet of such an animal requires a reduction in the amount of food eaten by 20-30% (see section The problem of obesity).
Are there breed specific characteristics of a cat's diet?
There are no fundamental features for a healthy cat of any breed. A sick animal may need correction, but this requires individual work with the pet.
The cat is accustomed to dry food and refuses natural food.
Solving this problem with cats is much more difficult than with dogs. Cats are more picky, capricious and capricious. Long-term feeding of dry or wet food to a cat, other food not typical for cats food ingredients leads to a change in the food instinct, that is, it disorients the animal in choosing the food possible and provided by nature. In such cases, fasting for 1-2 days, which would solve all the problems with the dog, may not help. It is recommended to feed the same food, but reduce it significantly so that the cat does not gorge on it for a long time (2-4 weeks or even more). During this period, the cat will lose some weight, its appetite will increase, and its feeding instincts will begin to return. And it is then that you can offer one or another component of natural food, gradually stopping the previous diet. However, the transfer may not be possible, and you will have to feed more familiar food.
Afterword
As you can see, among the indicated food components there are no dry and wet commercial foods, cereals in the form of porridges, breads and other carbohydrate foods; they are not recommended for cats, just as feeding sweet sugary fruits and everything else is not recommended. It is necessary to take into account that in relation to feeding dogs and cats, the concepts of “likes to eat this” or “does not like to eat that”, a strict diet, regardless of whether it is dry food or natural food, do not apply.
The main mistake that owners make in feeding cats is overfeeding. Even if the recommended components are kept, but their volume is greater than the norm, then this is as harmful as feeding the cat unacceptable products.
Should be adhered to simple rule, which works in most cases - if after eating food, the cat left any amount of it in the bowl, then this means that the animal is already overfed. The bowl should not be constantly filled, as is often the case. Only an animal with a moderate feeding instinct will not overeat in conditions of unlimited access to food. By the time of feeding, the cat should show a keen interest in food and eat the entire calculated amount, otherwise if some of the food remains in the bowl, then perhaps the animal is overeating, someone other than you is feeding the pet, or there is a disease leading to decreased appetite. This situation requires a reduction in food volume.
An animal that experiences health problems (diarrhea, regular vomiting) while eating natural food is sick and requires treatment. Switching to dry food will only adapt the animal to the disease, and will not relieve it. This is like a diet that makes life easier, which has the right to be used in practice veterinarian, especially in cases where the animal’s health condition is irreparable or the doctor is unable to cope with the pathology natural diet. Owners need to understand this.
Therefore, the answer to the question: “What to feed a cat?” natural food, which contains everything necessary for the body of a carnivore. You also need to know that the recommendations of breeders or felinologists, as well as what they write popular literature on keeping and feeding cats, has nothing to do with objectively in the right ways feeding, because the reason for such recommendations is partly due to ignorance and lack of understanding biological nature cats, and, partly, to reduce the cost or simplify the maintenance of the animal.
If you follow all the above feeding rules, your pet will live a long and healthy life.
Many of the questions that you still have after reading this article have already been asked in. However, if something remains unclear, ask there.
Also, questions and answers on most issues related to feeding dogs and cats can be read in.
Cute and fluffy cats have become the most adored pets in the world. different corners planets. And how can you not fall in love with a charming creature, a soft bundle of happiness and warmth? Few people think that the irrepressible energy and cheerfulness of a pet is not the norm, but the result good care and constant care. The main question, which the owner of the animal should ask himself - what to feed the cat? What products - raw meat (natural) or dry food?
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Diet
The Internet is filled with bright photographs of plump cats lazily lounging on the sofa. They are funny and cute, but only suffer from obesity, which has become a common mustache disease. Overweight puts abnormal pressure on joints and internal organs, calling acute problems with liver. The reason is quite simple - the animal consumes much more energy than it uses. Only correct mode nutrition eliminates the possibility of obesity by strictly determining how many times a day to feed the cat.
It is better to feed small kittens in small portions of 100 grams up to 5 times a day. When the fluffy becomes old enough, it is necessary to increase the amount of food to 400 grams at a time. The daily norm for a cat is two or three feedings per day only in a strictly defined quantity. In addition, the pet must have free access to clean and fresh water. Daily norm also depends on activity, so it is better to take into account individual characteristics animal.
What to feed your beloved pet?
Why is it worth pampering your fluffy with natural food or is it better to give preference to dry food? What should proper nutrition be like and can it be given at the same time? different products? The owners' advice is quite varied, because everyone tries to convey their point of view or standard. Before deciding how many times a day to feed a cat, you need to understand exactly what is best for the animal. Only after knowing the difference between natural food and dry food can you make your choice.
Natural nutrition involves separately preparing food for the mustache in the required quantity. It is a mistake to think that table food is suitable for feeding a cat at home. No matter how tasty it is, the dish includes several grams of spices and salt that are incomparable to the pet’s body. Boiled or raw meat, ocean fish, cottage cheese, oatmeal, rice, carrots, apples - the main components of natural food. You can also give special grass or sprouted oat grains.
Dry food already includes the necessary complex of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. They have a long shelf life, do not require additives and are intended for animals of different ages: kittens, adult cats and elderly pets. Pick up good food It’s not difficult, the main thing is that it just suits the fluffy’s taste. When feeding dry food, you need to ensure that there is fresh water in the drinking bowl - the animal will need more liquid to digest food. You need to remember that you cannot feed your pet natural food and dry food at the same time.
Sorry, there are no surveys available at this time.Why do cats like grass? One theory is that green stems contain vitamins A and D, as well as some macroelements necessary for purring.
Cat food: choosing the best
Manufacturers of food for four-legged tomboys continuously advertise their products. It is difficult to decide among the wide range, so it is better to pay attention to the description of the food. The ingredients should be in descending order of their quantity in the composition. In the first place - only meat, indicating the exact name - beef, rabbit, fish or lamb, and not meat flour. The phrase "offal" often suggests ground hooves or leather.
It’s good if the description of dry food includes grains such as rice or ground corn - they are digested better than wheat. The presence of flavors, artificial colors and preservatives should be avoided. Each ingredient in dry food should be clearly indicated, for example, if it says “minerals”, then there should be a list of them. The best dry food is considered to be the one whose composition is the shortest and most understandable to the average consumer. This is why you need to pay attention to the presence of the original text of the manufacturer - the translation sometimes differs from the source.
You can feed the tomboy at the same time wet food, which is no less useful than dry types. It doesn't last as long as dry food, but cats love it for its unsurpassed aroma and soft texture. By eating wet food, the animal immediately receives required quantity water for digestion. According to veterinarians, such food eliminates the possibility of obesity - protein quickly saturates the pet. As when choosing dry food, you should carefully study the composition, paying attention to the quantity and name of the components.
Advice: under no circumstances should you feed your kitten dry or wet dog food - animals have different protein needs.
Meat and fish in the purr diet
Meat and fish are the main products balanced diet purrs, normal good nutrition. It is better to include beef, rabbit and poultry in your daily menu. Raw meat contains more protein and useful substances, but it must pass pre-treatment. The product must be left in the freezer for several days to destroy foreign organisms.
It is advisable to exclude pork completely - some bacteria do not die when exposed to low temperatures. Boiled pork tenderloin is not saturated with essential vitamins and can cause stomach problems in the animal.
It is better to prefer beef to veal - it is a unique supplier of protein. Before feeding raw meat, it must be cut into small pieces and only scalded with boiling water. Minced meat is not considered an acceptable food for a fluffy - it passes through the intestines too quickly, without leaving a feeling of fullness. In addition, a cat, as a predator, needs to bite and chew meat, using its incisors in the process. You can feed not raw rabbit or poultry meat, but boiled meat, but without bones, which will only injure the animal’s stomach.
It is best to give fish to your pet only once or twice a week. Eating fish for a long time provokes vitamin deficiency, allergies, urolithiasis And low coagulability blood.
What should you not give?
Prohibited foods for mustaches and why they are harmful:
- chocolate - the presence of caffeine and theobromine, which stimulate work nervous system and cardiovascular;
- alcohol - causes disorientation, loss of coordination, vomiting and severe poisoning;
- coffee - causes hyperactivity, rapid breathing and palpitations, and ultimately hypertension;
- avocado - presence of toxin, vomiting, poisoning, in in rare cases- death;
- onions and garlic - contain harmful substances, causing anemia in cats;
- legumes - are not digested normally in the animal’s stomach, often leading to bloating;
- tomatoes - provoke severe pain in the intestines and stomach, fatal cases are known.
Video “What to feed cats?”
From the video you will learn how to feed an animal correctly and hear some tips on choosing food for your pet.
