Has always been one of the most popular pets for home care. The main and most important point of care is feeding her correctly and healthy. The cat can eat both dry food and home-cooked food. Let's figure out how to properly feed natural food and what food should be given.

The importance of proper nutrition

Today there is a huge range of different animal feeds. In any pet store you can find at least 5 different brands of them. They are wet and dry. The correct choice of feed affects general condition animal body. It should also be understood that nutrition contributes to the formation and condition of the pet’s internal organs.

If fed improperly, the animal may develop chronic and acquired diseases. Most common in cats due to poor nutrition are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, allergies, malfunctions of the kidneys and liver, problems with joints and teeth.

Incredibly important is training with small age to proper nutrition. Thus, from a young age you lay the foundation for a long and healthy life. It is also very important to select food in accordance with the characteristics of your pet, its propensity for diseases, and preferences.

Basic feeding rules

The basic rule when preparing a pet’s diet is that it is unique for each cat. , like people, have their own food preferences, favorite foods, as well as digestive characteristics and, unfortunately, diseases. If possible, you should consult a veterinarian to select the optimal and appropriate food.
Also, based on the characteristics of your pet, you need to decide what kind of food to feed it. You can choose between dry ready-made food or homemade food, or combine them.

For example, normal feed for an adult per day are 60 g, divided into 2 meals. Most often, plates are renewed in the morning and evening.

What to feed?

Today there are a huge number of different feeds available on the market. If you decide to give your animal dry food, you should choose best option, based on the pet’s weight, activity, breed, and diseases.

Many people still believe that it is better to feed cats homemade food. In this case, you should turn special attention on the quality of products and how this or that delicacy is absorbed in the student’s body. Natural food meat, dairy products, eggs, cereals, greens, fish and vegetables are considered.
The basis of any cat's diet is that 50% of daily nutrition should be protein, namely meat and fish products. The remaining 50% should consist of cereals and vegetables in equal parts. The latter are necessary for the cat for good intestinal function.

Did you know? Having put a tasty treat on a plate, owners often wonder why the pet takes so long to sniff the treat. The fact is that cats cannot see anything right in front of their noses. They also use this ritual to determine the temperature of food so as not to get burned..

How many times a day should I feed?

An adult cat needs to be fed 2 times a day. But these meals should be made as nutritious and balanced as possible. This will ensure the cat’s normal mood for the day and its good health.

How much dry food can and should be given to a cat per day depends on its breed and activity. For calm, lazy cats, feeding them twice a day in small portions (40–50 g) is sufficient. But cats that lead an active lifestyle need larger portions (60–70 g).
It is necessary to create a separate schedule and feed more often. You should also include milk in your diet as a snack. Kittens are very active and therefore require more nutrients. In addition, they are actively growing, their body is constantly being formed. To ensure the health of a kitten, it is necessary to saturate their diet with many vitamins and useful substances.

Menu for cats: list of products

A properly composed menu for a pet will tell you not only what foods are included in the cat’s general diet, but also what to feed it every day at home. When choosing and preparing a pet’s diet, owners rely on many factors. For example, some people cannot afford to feed their pet sea ​​fish or turkey. And therefore, you should understand what other meat will be useful for them.

Knowing how to properly feed a cat with natural food will help the owner choose products that he can buy for his pet without much financial loss. The cat menu should be compiled daily and include various products, and also be based on the breed and characteristics of your pet.

What is possible

The main product in your feline's diet should be meat. Cats are predators by nature, and most of the elements they need are found in this product. Before giving your cat natural food, it must be thermally treated.

On the list of what cats eat from homemade food, includes:

• beef;
• veal;
• chicken;
• turkey;
• baby food with vegetables and meat;
• rabbit meat;
• sea ​​fish;
• oatmeal and semolina porridge.

Important! You should never feed an animal milk and meat at the same time. This can lead to serious stomach problems.

Vegetables have a beneficial effect on a cat's body. But to this product Not all pets are positive. The animal should be accustomed to vegetables from childhood, and also correctly introduced into the diet.
You can give cats the following vegetables:

• carrot;
• beets;
• zucchini;
• salad;
• cauliflower;
• pumpkin

Important! Cats cannot tolerate eggplants and tomatoes. These vegetables contain very dangerous and harmful substances.

Very useful for the stomach of cats are and fermented milk products . Among them, the most successful are:

• cottage cheese;
• yogurt;
• kefir;
• fermented baked milk;

Some cats don't like cottage cheese, so you can use some tricks. For example, this product can be mixed with kefir and add a little egg. Thanks to such easy manipulations, the cat will be happy to eat cottage cheese. In addition, the egg is also very useful for cats.

Besides this The list of essential healthy foods includes:

• egg yolk;
• green;
• vegetable oil;
• clean water;
• vitamins;
• various porridges made from rice, oatmeal, wheat with a small amount of meat.

Egg yolk serves as a separate product in the diet and as an excellent addition to porridge. Greens can and should be added to porridge. You can also sprout oats or wheat and offer the fresh sprouts to your cat.

Important! The yolk must be boiled. Raw food may contain dangerous microbes or pathogenic bacteria.

What not to do

It is important to understand that not everything you like will be beneficial for your pet. Cats are quite picky about food and have their own peculiarities of the digestive system.

• fried - this food, as a rule, contains a lot of fat, which leads to excessive weight of the animal;
• salty, as this can lead to chronic diseases gastrointestinal tract;
• sweets, as these products can lead to allergies and diabetes in a cat;
• products made from flour and dough, since they contain a lot of carbohydrates, and frequent consumption of such products can lead to obesity;
• foods with various flavor enhancers, such as various seasonings and spices, cause diarrhea.

It is not recommended to feed pets at all raw meat. It quite often contains various chemicals, antibiotics and other chemical elements that can harm the animal. It is recommended to boil or steam the meat so that high temperature destroy harmful substances.

Important! Milk can only be given to kittens. In adults, this product causes stomach upset and is practically not digestible.

Dry food or natural food: all the pros and cons

Owners often cannot decide which food to choose for their cats - dry or natural. The advantages of the latter are: its low cost, availability of products, and the ability to constantly monitor and regulate the pet’s diet. Among the disadvantages, it is worth highlighting that this food quickly deteriorates, and the preparation process is quite long. It can also be difficult to choose the necessary products for a balanced diet of an adult cat, and it is impossible to raise kittens on such a diet without adding special vitamins.
If you still decide to give preference dry food, then you should understand that you will have a rather long search for the optimal option for your pet. The advantage of this type of feeding is that dry food contains all the vitamins and microelements necessary to maintain the health of the animal. It is easy to use, no need to cook, it says on the package detailed instructions according to product dosage. Premium food goes through a huge number of quality checks.

The disadvantages of dry food include the fact that they are quite expensive and you need to spend a lot of time choosing an option that your pet will like. And low-quality food can adversely affect your pet and even cause harm.

Most veterinarians are still inclined to believe that the ideal option would be to combine ready-made dry food and homemade food. The main nuance with this feeding is that different types nutrition should be given at different meals.

Why you can't feed your cat food from your table

Cats and people have lived in the same territory for a long time. But this does not mean that, in addition to the apartment, they should share food. Almost all owners often find it very difficult to refuse their pet treats from the table. Seeing these eyes full of pity, you just want to give your pet the best piece. But despite this, you should first think about the health of the animal.

When cooking, people tend to add various oils, seasonings, flavor enhancers, a lot of salt and other products unacceptable for the cat’s body. For example, eating onions or garlic by an animal can be fatal because these products are completely indigestible.

Are there any differences in feeding a cat and a male cat?

The diet of a cat and a female cat may contain exactly the same foods. A cat differs from a cat only in size and weight. From this we can conclude that the main difference in feeding is that the cat needs to be given slightly larger portions.
It becomes necessary to think about a different diet when the cat is pregnant, because it was during this exciting period to the expectant mother you need as many vitamins and minerals as possible. At this time, it is worth increasing portions for, and also adding special supplements to the diet to ensure correct formation kittens

If you prefer dry food, then you should buy special food for your cat during the period. And the cat can continue to be fed as usual.

Any owner is always kind and attentive to his pet. Everyone wants to ensure as long and happy life pet. The basis for this is proper, balanced nutrition. When creating the optimal healthy diet the cat will always be active, healthy and happy. He will be able to please, give warmth and comfort to his owner for many years of their life together.

What's in the article:

Making cat food is not difficult if you have kitchen helpers and necessary products. In addition, this is a truly excellent and healthy alternative to store-bought food in all respects. Therefore, our article today on the Koshechka.ru website will be devoted precisely to this.

Making your own food for cats: pros and cons

Before starting the description, I would like to note all the advantages and disadvantages of this food, as well as the fact that the recommendations listed below are unacceptable when preparing food and food for dogs. Because in cats and dogs different standards daily consumption proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins.

The only disadvantages that can be noted are the time and price of some products. But on the other hand, a couple of hours spent on the weekend will provide your little friend with complete and balanced nutrition for the whole week.

As for the cost. Of course, rabbit and turkey meat, like brown rice, are not easy to find, and they don’t cost a penny. But also good food They are also not cheap. In addition, by purchasing the products yourself and preparing food for your pet from them, you will have a 100% guarantee that this food contains real meat, vegetables and cereals, and you did not pay for a “brand” and beautiful packaging with dubious contents. In addition, such food can be perfectly stored and will delight your pet for many days.

Products: what can dry cat food be made from?

Now let’s talk about products that can and should be included in an animal’s daily diet. So, a complete cat food should contain the lion's share (50%) of protein (meat, fish), 25% fiber (vegetables) and the same amount of carbohydrates (cereals).

The meat can be anything. The main thing is that it is lean. If it is pork, then you need to remove all the fat. If it is chicken, then you need to remove the skin and fat. After all, animal fat has a very negative effect on the health of cats and quite often, if it is regularly included in the diet, leads to diseases of the internal organs. You can also prepare food with several types of meat at once. This will help you choose a recipe that your pet or pet will like. After all, it may happen that your pet does not like the food you prepare the first time.

Anything can be cereal. Brown rice is an ideal source of carbohydrates. Vegetables and herbs can also be added to food with the exception of onions, garlic, mushrooms and herbs(eg celery, basil).

In addition, when figuring out how to make your own food for cats, you should take into account that there are a number of other necessary products for the health and normal functioning of a pet that should be in its diet. One of these is taurine. If a cat walks on the street or lives in a private house, then it can provide itself with it by catching a mouse, bird or any insect. If the cat does not have such an opportunity or is simply a bad hunter (which is unlikely, because this is a hunting instinct in them at the genetic level), then it must certainly be included in her diet. The best source for this essential amino acid the heart of any animal (for example, beef, chicken, turkey). It should be at least ten percent in the feed. This means a couple chicken hearts per kilogram of food. To this list add yogurt, cottage cheese, boiled egg, kidneys, spleen, liver.

How to make cat food: the process itself

After purchasing the necessary products, you will need a cutting board, knife, meat grinder, blender, oven or vegetable dehydrator. It all depends on what kind of food you will prepare: dry or fresh. And also on the form in which your pet is used to receiving food. After all, for some it is enough just to chop everything with a knife, and for others you need to chop everything in a blender and disguise pleasant aroma favorite fish or liver.

So, how to make cat food. If you decide to cook for your cat dry food in stock. To do this, grind all the necessary ingredients in a meat grinder (blender). Place the resulting mixture thin layer Place on a baking sheet covered with foil or baking paper and place in the oven. The temperature is no more than one hundred degrees. You need to wait about one and a half or two hours. It all depends on the oven. An important point: constantly look inside. The minced meat should not be baked, but dry evenly. It's like making crackers. After complete drying, we take it out, wait until it cools down, and break it or cut it as you see fit. This food can be stored for several weeks in a dry, tightly closed container.

If you decide make food for cats in the form of “wet” food. It will be enough, for example, to chop boiled or scalded meat or fish and mix with boiled carrots (spinach or broccoli) and oatmeal or brown rice. This food can also be stored in the refrigerator for several days. We will not give examples here various recipes. After all, a lot depends on what exactly your cat is used to eating. Therefore, the best recipe is your own.

We hope that the article from the site was useful to you and fully showed you how easy it is to make cat food yourself, which will be healthy, nutritious and will please your pet.

Many owners prefer to feed their pets natural homemade food. The advantages of such food are its natural composition, the absence of artificial additives, preservatives and colorings, control of the quality and freshness of the ingredients used for preparation and the ability to create a new recipe for the individual characteristics of the animal (diet for diseases, pickiness of the pet). It would be better to formulate feeding principles and meal options according to the advice of a veterinarian.

Show all

The importance of proper cat nutrition

Nutrition is the most important component of an animal’s health, well-being and appearance. In nature, representatives of the cat family feed exclusively on meat (caught birds and other animals). It is this diet that completely meets the nutritional needs of cats.

Unfortunately, some owners underestimate the importance of proper nutrition for their pet, offering monotonous or completely unsuitable food.

The cat's body cannot independently produce some important microelements. For this reason, food must contain all the necessary proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements.

Unbalanced food for cats leads to various diseases:

• visual acuity decreases;
• the heart muscle is weakened (possible death);
• digestion is disrupted;
• urolithiasis develops;
• problems with reproductive function appear:
• fatigue and weakness are observed.

An attentive owner can also see changes in the animal’s appearance:

• the coat becomes dull and shine disappears;
• dandruff appears;
• the fur becomes thinner and sticks out in clumps.



Basics of proper cat nutrition

Forming proper diet for your pet, you need to remember that it will differ significantly from a healthy human diet. In other words, not every food from the human table is suitable for pet.

Cat nutrition must contain a number of important components.

There are also several microelements, the presence of which is essential for the health and well-being of cats.

Item name	What role does it play in nutrition?	What products contain
Taurine	Supports visual acuity. Responsible for normal work cardiovascular system	Beef, poultry, seafood, white fish
Vitamin A	Increases immunity. Saves good eyesight. Gives wool shine and luster	Eggs, milk, liver
Vitamin E	Prevents the appearance of fatty deposits. Supports normal reproductive function	Cereals, fish, vegetable oil, eggs
B vitamins	Normalizes digestion	Meat, fish, eggs
Calcium	Accelerates skeletal growth in young individuals. Responsible for bone strength	Eggs, dairy products, fish





Hill's line of food for cats: types and composition

Advantages and disadvantages of natural nutrition

Pros of natural nutrition:

• Freshness. By preparing food for cats on their own, the owner can control the quality and freshness of the food.
• Balanced composition. You can include everything in this food necessary elements for health and good mood your pet.
• Accounting individual characteristics. Ready-made store-bought feeds take into account general feeding requirements, individual approach provides only homemade food (recommended for cats with diseases and intolerance to certain foods).
• Absence harmful additives, artificial preservatives and colors.

No matter how good homemade cat food is, this approach to feeding still has its drawbacks:

1. 1. Time consumption. It takes a lot of time to prepare food for pets. That is why this method is not suitable for people with a strict work schedule.
2. 2. Special knowledge. In order to develop balanced diet cat will require knowledge from the field of veterinary medicine. On the other hand, you can always consult a veterinarian nutritionist on this issue.
3. 3. This method is not always cheap.



Feeding rules

Before you start planning healthy diet For a furry pet, you should pay attention to some rules:

1. 1. Kittens that have reached 3 weeks of age should be fed 3-4 times a day. Adult cats (from 6 months) need two meals a day.
2. 2. If several animals live in the house (cat, dog, chinchilla), food will have to be prepared separately for each of them. The reason for this is different nutritional needs. For example, cats need 5 times more protein than dogs.
3. 3. The cat should always have free access to water. The food bowl can be removed after each feeding; for adult cats, it can be left.
4. 4. The bowl should always be clean. Leftover food quickly turns sour and can cause indigestion.
5. 5. It is not at all necessary to completely transfer your pet to natural food. It can be successfully combined with ready-made food.
6. 6. Including your pet in your diet raw eggs, protein should be avoided - the cat’s body cannot digest this product. In boiled form, you can safely give both the yolk and the white.



Particular attention should be paid to the list of products that must be included in the diet:

• meat (lamb, beef, horse meat, rabbit);
• Poultry meat (chicken, turkey) should be introduced into food with caution, as some cat breeds do not tolerate this product well;
• offal (heart, liver, lungs) is very useful, but it is often not recommended to give it;
• fish (ocean, sea, river) should be lean and not bony;
• dairy products (cottage cheese, milk-based starters, kefir) should not be given often, as these products have a laxative effect;
• boiled vegetables (carrots, potatoes) - not large quantities;
• cereals

When preparing food for your cat, you should use the following formula as a basis: ½ protein (meat) + ¼ carbohydrates (cereals) + ¼ fiber (vegetables).

Prohibited Products

Many products useful for human body, can be extremely harmful to animals. That is why the owner should pay attention to the list of foods prohibited for cats. It includes:

• pork (this meat is too fatty for the cat’s digestive system);
• garlic and onion (they are toxic substances for animals);
• chocolate (white and black);
• raisin;
• raw dough;
• sugar;
• nutmeg;
• ready-made dog food (it contains different proportions of nutrients, so this food does not meet the needs of cats);
• sweets (the sweeteners included in the composition negatively affect the animal’s liver);
• tea, coffee and other products with caffeine (cases of caffeine poisoning in cats are known);
• medicines for people (including painkillers and against colds).



How to properly switch a cat to natural food?

Cats are quite picky when it comes to food. They get used to one food and are reluctant to change their diet. To switch them to home-cooked food, the owner needs to be patient and seek advice from experienced veterinarian nutritionists:

• The cat may refuse new food. This behavior is quite normal. You shouldn’t persist; it’s better to remove the rejected food. At the next feeding, you should offer your pet the same dish again. Soon the animal will become interested in the new taste.
• You can add some homemade food to your usual food. This will make the transition to homemade food easier and faster.
• When introducing a new food into the diet, you should pay attention to the cat's behavior. Products may cause digestive upset. Next time you will need to take this into account.

Homemade Cat Food Recipes

In order to make food at home, you need to use both meat and vegetables. Don't forget about porridge and cottage cheese.

To prepare your own food, you will need a blender or food processor. You can experiment and mix recipes.

Chicken liver with vegetables

Not all cats love liver, so offer a new dish in small portions.

For this recipe you need:

• 1.5 cups chicken liver;
• 0.5 cups carrots (can be replaced with celery);
• 0.5 cups rice.

Boil all ingredients separately until fully cooked. Do not throw away the liquid remaining after cooking the liver. Place all products in a blender and grind thoroughly, add a little liver broth.

Cottage cheese with meat

Great recipe with dairy product. Very easy to prepare.

Includes:

• 100 g poultry, beef or other meat;
• 1 tbsp. l. fresh cottage cheese;
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• 1 tbsp. l. carrots.

Boil the meat and carrots, chop well and add cottage cheese and butter.

Chicken breasts with eggs

A recipe that even the most capricious cat will appreciate.

It included:

• Part chicken breasts boiled, palm size (do not use skin);
• 1 tbsp. l. boiled green beans;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tbsp. l. boiled carrots;
• ⅓ cup rice (brown);
• a little olive oil.

All products can be finely chopped or crushed in a blender until pureed.

Liver with oatmeal

Liver is a product that is often not recommended for cats, so it can be safely replaced with kidneys.

The dish contains:

• 1 cup boiled kidneys or liver;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of zucchini or carrots;
• ¾ cup boiled oatmeal;
• 1 tbsp. spoon of butter;
• ⅓ kefir.

Boil the offal, finely chop or grind in a blender and mix with oatmeal and chopped carrots. Add butter and kefir, bring to puree.

Vegetables with chicken

This recipe is based on poultry, so this dish will suit most cats.

To prepare you will need:

• 2 cups chicken;
• 1 tbsp brown rice;
• ¼ tbsp. carrots.

Boil the chicken and chop finely. Boil the rice until fully cooked, grate the boiled carrots on a fine grater. Mix all ingredients. Another option is to grind all the products in a blender.

To do this you need to take 4 elements:

• 1.5 cups of meat (this is any meat - turkey, lamb, horse meat, beef, rabbit);
• ½ cup of vegetables (you can choose zucchini, carrots, wheat germ or pumpkin) - over time, you may notice that the cat eats one with pleasure and dislikes the other;
• ½ tbsp. vegetables or grains ( boiled potatoes, oatmeal or rice);
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.

Cook all ingredients separately and grind in a blender.

Fragrant beef with herbs

In this case, greens effectively replace previous vegetables.

You will need:

• 1 cup beef (boiled and chopped);
• ¼ cup parsley (you can use alfalfa);
• half a glass of cottage cheese with cream.

Finely chop all products and mix.

Shrimp with carrots

An original dish for pet, rich in nutrients.

To prepare food for 1 meal, take:

• 2-3 shrimp (their tail is cut off and the top layer is removed);
• 2 spoons of carrots.

Boiled shrimp are finely chopped and mixed with boiled carrots chopped in a blender.



In order not to have to prepare food for each feeding, food can be prepared for several days at once. The finished mixture is placed in bags and frozen. The smartest thing to do is freeze food in portions. It is worth keeping in mind: depending on the size of the body and the needs of the body, a cat eats about 150-200 g of food at a time.

In fact, switching your pet to homemade food is not difficult. It is enough just to periodically spend 20-30 minutes on this, keeping the prepared food in the refrigerator.

In order for a cat to be healthy and live long, it is extremely important to organize it proper nutrition. Owners often give the animal the food that they themselves eat. Veterinary experts categorically do not recommend doing this. Natural food for a cat is not food from the owners’ table. An unbalanced diet can cause serious harm animal health. According to the type of metabolism and physiology, cats are carnivores. Their diet during evolution included animal fats and proteins, so modern domestic cats have certain nutritional needs.

In this article I will tell you what to feed your cat, how to organize its proper nutrition and what is best to choose.

Every cat needs a systematic intake of the following substances into its body:

• Arginine. This amino acid is present in animal proteins.
• Taurina. This is an acid, the lack of which leads to disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, reduces the reproductive capacity of animals. Taurine is present in beef and fish (most of all it is found in cod).
• Arachidonic acid. This substance is found in animal fats.
• Fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated). Fats are a source of energy. Their lack in the diet negatively affects the coat of the pet, which takes on a greasy, unkempt appearance.

Some owners mistakenly believe that cats can only be fed meat or fish. This is not true. It is very important that the animal’s diet is varied. Wild cats eat birds and small rodents, eating their prey along with the contents of its stomach - grass and grains.

The cat's diet should include the following types of foods:

• fish, meat, seafood, liver;
• eggs;
• fermented milk products;
• cereals;
• vegetables, greens;
• oils and fats.

When giving food to your cat, make sure that the food is not too cold or hot. For normal digestion, cat food must be at a neutral temperature.

What to feed your cat

Recommended daily norm for a cat - three meals a day in a certain quantity. Calculation depends on age, physical condition, gender, and also by breed. For example, adult cat weighing about 5 kg, 150-200 g of homemade food, 60 g of dry food or 300 g of wet food will be enough.

If you are worried that your pet is not eating enough, think about what will happen if she starts to overeat. Obesity is very dangerous for cats, so take care of your pet and do not overfeed him.

What to feed your cat - expert advice

Read about the breed here.

Cats do not have enzymes in their bodies to digest fiber. So do not give her foods such as pasta, bread, etc., otherwise in five to seven years she will suffer from gastrointestinal disease. You don't want to doom your pet to this, do you?

List of foods to feed cats:

• fish about once a week. Give boiled, pitted;
• Give meat (except pork) raw in small pieces. You can also scald the meat with boiling water;
• kefir, fermented baked milk, curdled milk, cottage cheese, milk is desirable only for kittens (adult cats do not digest lactose, so milk becomes useless for them and causes digestive upset);
• cereals;
• vegetables (zucchini, corn, carrots, peas, etc.) in any form;
• sprouted grass;
• any soups.

Water is the most important thing for a cat. It should always be clean and constantly accessible to the cat.

Pets need vitamins from time to time. You can find them in any pet store, mostly in tablets.

List of foods that are prohibited for cats:

• fried, spicy, fatty foods;
• sausages, sausages;
• tubular bones (you can give soft bones, for example, chicken ribs);
• canned food (sprats, stewed meat, etc.);
• mayonnaise.

It is also not advisable for a cat to eat ready-made food. Even the best and most expensive ones. Eating ready-made food, she does not receive necessary vitamins, nutrients, no matter how the manufacturers promise.

The most best food- natural. But if it is still not possible to feed your pet homemade food, then try to carefully choose food for your cat. The main thing is that your pet is healthy and happy. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Which artificial food is better?

Cat food can be artificial or natural. It is impossible to feed the animal both natural food and dry food at the same time, otherwise it will develop poor absorption food, pathologies such as chronic disorders of the digestive system, gastroenteritis or hypovitaminosis can develop. This happens due to the difference in the digestion of natural products and dry food.

Feeding pets with dry and canned food is most convenient, which is why it is preferred among modern breeders. These foods do not require cooking. They contain all the minerals and trace elements that pets need.

Which artificial food is better - dry or canned? Both of these options have their own advantages and disadvantages. Wet food eighty-five percent consists of water. They belong to the category of perishable products, so they can be stored in open state just a few days. Dry food is much more convenient to store and use, which is why many breeders prefer them.

Dry cat food

Ready-made cat food is divided into 3 classes - economy class, middle class, and premium class. Veterinarians claim that widely advertised economy-class food has a number of significant disadvantages. Manufacturers make them from cheap raw materials (offal, bones, feathers, leather) and add many chemical flavorings and dyes to their composition.

Foods in this category differ from each other only in their tastes. Constantly feeding an animal with economy-class food can cause kidney disease or urolithiasis. Middle-class ready-made food contains fewer dyes and flavoring additives.

For their production, higher quality raw materials are used, although they are also based on by-products. Premium and super-premium food are the most beneficial for animals.

The benefits of feeding animals natural products

Natural food is most beneficial for pets, since when using it, the owner can select an individual diet for his pet, taking into account the characteristics of his body. A properly selected ratio of vitamins, fiber and macronutrients allows you to provide your pet with everything it needs for a full life.

Natural food is fresh food that does not contain additives or preservatives found in dry food.

If you decide to feed your cat natural food, keep in mind that such food must be varied. Accustom the animal to various products follows in early age. Never give your pet food from your own table - dishes eaten by people are not suitable for cats, some of them can cause severe indigestion in the animal. In addition, by feeding your cat from the table, you develop the habit of begging in it.

Under no circumstances should you feed your cat spicy or salty food, or give it any smoked foods. You should not give her any bones, especially chicken bones, which can injure the animal’s internal organs as they pass through its digestive tract.

What should you not feed your cat?

1. sweet;
2. fried;
3. pickled and salted;
4. flour and baked;
5. food containing seasonings and spices.

Do not forget that in order to empty the stomach of the accumulated hair in it, the cat needs to eat grass regularly. You can grow it at home in flower pots or purchase it at a pet store. The kitten must have its own dishes and permanent place for food.

If you feed your cat natural products, do not forget about mineral supplements and vitamins that must be periodically added to his food.

The basis of a cat's diet should be meat. Experts recommend feeding cats the following foods:

1. veal and beef;
2. turkey and chicken;
3. rabbit meat;
4. meat puree for children;
5. lean sea fish.

Vegetables are also good for cats, but not all animals like them. Mix chopped vegetables into meat products, which you give to your cat, then the animal will not even notice their presence in its diet. The most beneficial for cats are the following vegetables: beets, carrots, lettuce, cauliflower, pumpkin, zucchini. Eggplants and tomatoes should not be given to cats - they contain substances that are harmful to the cat's body.

Offal is given to cats a couple of times a week, not more often. The liver, for example, contains a lot of vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, but very little calcium. If you give an animal a lot of liver, its body may have an excess of vitamin A and a lack of calcium. This can cause brittle bones in adult cats and improper skeletal formation in kittens.

Dry food or natural products?

Every owner who gets a cat first of all has the question of what to feed it? It’s one thing when a pet is not picky about food and eats literally everything that is given to it, and another thing when you need to monitor the cat’s diet and feed it only what is healthy and necessary for it.

Moreover, some foods from the common table are simply prohibited to be given to cats, because the animals’ bodies are not adapted to some foods that we consider acceptable for us.

When choosing a diet for a cat, there is usually a choice between dry food and natural products. So what should you choose? First of all, I would like to note that you need to specifically choose what is best for your pet to eat.

Cats can eat either only food or natural products. Giving a little of everything is highly discouraged!

If you have enough time and spend most of the day at home, and most importantly, you have a desire to stand at the stove for the sake of your pet, then perhaps you should choose natural food. However, the state of your wallet also affects the choice of natural food.

You need to feed high-quality products: meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream and vegetables. And this, by the way, is not cheap. If you cannot afford to waste a lot of time and money on preparing goodies for your cat, you should opt for food.

But even when choosing food, everything turns out to be not as simple as you might think. Do not choose economy class food for your pet. In any case, you will have to overpay if you want your pet to live happily ever after. In addition, some foods are not recommended to be given at all.

When feeding your cat dry food, you need to make sure that she always has fresh and clean water. Moreover, access to water must be constant, because she will have to drink a lot.

When transitioning your cat to food, make sure you buy the right type of food for him. For sterilized cats, you need special food intended directly for sterilized cats. Neutered cats also need food designed for castrated cats, and so on. This instruction should not be ignored.

Delicious and healthy treat can become canned food, which sometimes also act as part of a mixed diet for cats. They have a rich composition that includes vitamins and also come with antioxidants.

Due to the variety of forms of preparation of canned food for cats (cat mousse, cat pate, minced meat, kibble, sausage and frozen food), there are many packaging options that are most suitable for a variety of canned food forms.

Now we will talk about canned food in lamister. A lamister is a metallized container with a soft lid made of a similar material. This packaging is opened in the same way as a pate or curd dessert. In most cases, lamisters sell pates and mousses for cats.

All food, if we take the expanded classification, are divided into 5 categories: human grade, super premium, premium, medium and economy class, it depends on the quality of raw materials and many other aspects.

When buying canned food for cats, you should take into account the age of your pet, that is, for kittens - small granules, for the elderly - low-calorie food, because it is so important to protect the health of the pet in the most demanding conditions. age categories. There are also special veterinary feed, which must be given to your pet when certain diseases so as not to harm the animal.

Foods that should not be given to cats

We often decide that products that are harmless to us will remain equally harmless to our pet. It’s not uncommon for us to treat our pets to food from the common table that, it would seem, cannot cause them any harm. But don’t rush to conclusions, even the most harmless products at first glance can cause irreparable harm to your pet.

Raisin

Never let your cat near grapes or raisins. These are delicious and healthy products for humans can cause enormous harm to your pet. The fact is that in a cat, raisins can cause almost instantaneous kidney failure.

It happens, of course, that they themselves steal some raisins from you or feast on grapes. If you notice this, be sure to watch your cat and, if you notice any strange behavior in its behavior, grab your pet and take it to the veterinarian. Symptoms can usually be noticed within the first 24 hours. This is usually weakness, loss of appetite, and decreased urination.

Onions are one of the most dangerous products, which should not be given to pets. Onion is a slow poison that destroys the red blood cells in the cat's body and causes anemia.

But don’t rush to think that your onion consumption is limited only to rings chopped into salads or stews. No, onions are a very insidious product that is added to semi-finished products, ready-made minced meat, spice bags and even baby food. Before treating your pet to anything from this list, read the ingredients.

Garlic

Garlic is much more dangerous than onions because it contains all the same substances, but in larger quantities. Fortunately, garlic is added to a limited number of foods, but you shouldn’t forget about it.

Alcohol and tobacco smoke

Alcohol and tobacco are inherently harmful not only to animals, but also to people. Many owners watch with affection the cat's reaction when their pet drinks a little beer or wine.

In general, tobacco and alcohol cause the same harm to them as to humans. But take into account their size! For cats, these products are ten times more harmful.

Bones

Never offer your pet chicken, fish or pork bones. During culinary processing Such products can cause internal injuries to the animal, which will have a bad effect on its well-being.

Milk and cream

There is a common belief that cream and milk are cat's favorite foods. Not at all, they can only be considered favorites among kittens, but not among adult animals. Adult animals are often lactose intolerant, which leads to dehydration.

After sterilization, the cat’s lifestyle changes: he is no longer interested in cats, and all his attention switches to food. In many cases, a problem such as obesity arises some time after surgery.

Most owners constantly give something tasty to their pet, feeling sorry for it. At the same time, many simply do not know that their metabolism is slowing down, and their diet also needs to be changed accordingly. As a result, weight increases and various diseases. For the longevity and health of your pet, you need to follow some rules.

The main thing is not to overfeed the animal. It is very important to play with it for much longer. In most cases, the pet will begin to additionally beg food from other people (both family members and guests). Therefore, it is worth warning them and telling them about great harm such snacks.

If these recommendations are followed, but the cat continues to gain weight, it is necessary to give him a weekly fasting day. It is also important to divide the daily diet into 4-5 parts and give them to your pet throughout the day, so he will be less likely to beg for more. Since he sleeps longer after sterilization, choose fun and entertaining games for him.

There should be a sufficient amount of water in the bowl at all times. Although after surgery a cat needs to drink often and a lot, neutered animals may not understand this, drink less and, as a result, go to the toilet less.

Over time, especially with the transfer to specialized dry food, the pet will begin to drink more. If this does not happen, you may need to consult your veterinarian about diuretics.

The content of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus should be reduced in the composition of pet food. An excess of these substances leads to damage genitourinary system and to the formation of kidney stones. Such substances are found mainly in fish and dairy products - they must be completely excluded from the animal’s diet.

Often, some time after castration, animals may refuse to eat. This happens due to problems with teeth and gums. Therefore, you need to give your cat treats that massage the gums and maintain healthy teeth. Must be given prophylactic drugs against worms and special vitamins.

The most important thing is that due to changes in metabolism and other hormonal processes, the daily portion of food for your pet should be less compared to the preoperative period!

Every owner or mistress wants to make the life of their pet as pleasant as possible and create conditions for his comfortable stay in the house. An integral part of pet care is feeding; cats should have balanced diet and therefore you need to choose food carefully and carefully.

What to feed a cat

Cats living in the wild drink very little or not at all. By eating its prey, the wild animal receives the amount of moisture it needs along with the food. A domestic cat that eats exclusively dry food must have constant access to water - otherwise it may develop kidney problems. The cat should be given boiled or filtered water to drink.

By following the rules of rational feeding of your cat, you can avoid problems with its digestion; prevent the development of diseases caused by poor nutrition; improve your pet's quality of life.

The shelves of pet stores are replete with many types of industrial ready-made professional food for cats. Many of them, especially the line of economy and super-economy class products, can cause irreparable harm to the health of your furry pet.

Owners who sincerely want to see their animal happy throughout many years, often think about preparing food for cats at home. Sometimes this is prompted by an animal’s illness, in which feeding with dry food is prohibited. Not every owner can afford to purchase expensive, high-quality dry or wet premium canned professional food for a cat based on latest technologies. Cheap food, richly flavored with artificial flavors and dyes that enhance the smell and attract the animal, can cause food addiction, similar to a drug addiction. In this article we will look at what you can prepare for your cat from homemade food.

Some owners immediately feed their pets natural food, while others come to this later, having appreciated the benefits of this type of food. Products for this are almost always available in the refrigerator; they are much cheaper than ready-made commercial feed.

Many owners want to independently create a healthy home menu, preferable for the cat’s sensitive stomach, without preservatives, sugar, chemicals, bones, reducing the risk food poisoning, allergies, while you can always control the menu and diet of your pet.

Requirements for natural food

Dishes prepared by the owners of their furry beauties themselves will be healthy and suitable for pets if certain rules are followed. You need to understand that a careless attitude to the issue of feeding can cause harm, lead to illness, and the death of a family friend. It is necessary to observe the nutritional standards that a given individual is capable of eating in nature. It is important to adhere to the following requirements:

• V daily diet cats must contain a sufficient amount of animal components, Omega 3 and 6 fatty amino acids;
• Home-cooked food should be complete, balanced, taking into account physiological natural needs, age, breed characteristics, activity, sensitivity digestive organs, health status, gender, providing the animal required quantity energy. All this requires some experience and analysis. Developing a natural menu should be guided by veterinarian to carefully calculate the nutrients the cat needs, to obtain all the necessary elements in the diet;
• It is necessary to weigh products and strictly record the volume of food. The pet itself does not know how much food it needs. The result of this approach is often obesity, digestive, cardiac, and respiratory problems. The danger comes from both excess and deficiency of nutrients;
• cat food must contain the necessary microelements (necessarily phosphorus, calcium), including vitamins;
• The portion of food must be completely eaten.

Nutritional needs of cats

In nature, cats lead a predatory lifestyle, feeding on birds and small rodents. Their jaws are capable of tearing off and gnawing off pieces of meat, but they swallow them completely, entirely, because... don't have chewing teeth. Animals can eat food in pieces, eat chopped food, dishes in the form of pates, and porridges.

Carbohydrate products are not recommended for the cat family, like all other predatory animals, as they are not broken down in the stomach and are harmful. The preferences of humans and cats are different, although pets can happily enjoy their owner’s favorite dish. There are capricious individuals who are content with a certain type of food and are indifferent to the rest.

Cats need to be fed high content fats and proteins, the latter they need twice as much in volume as dogs. The pet's diet is carefully planned taking into account the feeding received. The nutrition formula for a cat is simple: half of the diet should be protein (meat), 1/4 fiber should be vegetables, 1/4 carbohydrates should be cereals.

Features of permitted natural food:

• The main portion of the diet (more than 85%) should be meat: lean chicken, beef, rabbit, approximately 8% of body weight - up to 6 months of age, after a year - approximately 4%. Chicken requires careful introduction into the diet, as it has recently caused severe allergic reactions. The meat is given scalded with boiling water or boiled with the addition of vegetables and a few drops of vegetable oil. Pork is strictly prohibited;
• fish: sea, low-fat varieties- once a week, in order to avoid urolithiasis, instead of raw meat, uncut or only boiled (hake, pollock, blue whiting, tuna) to prevent severe anemia, without bones. Mackerel, haddock, flounder, salmon, and cod are allowed. Freshwater fish must be boiled to eliminate problems associated with helminths infesting cats and to destroy the harmful enzyme thiaminase. It is not permissible to feed castrated cats and sterilized females with fish products;
• fermented milk products: kefir, cottage cheese, medium fat content, less than 5%. Milk cannot be added to the menu. Lactose is poorly absorbed by adult cats due to the lack of the enzyme lactase, but pets who tolerate the product can be given boiled as a source of calcium into the body. Cheese, cream, sour cream are heavy products for the pancreas;
• offal: liver (in its raw form it relaxes the intestines, in boiled form it has a binding effect), kidneys, lungs, heart (contains a lot of taurine, which cats need) - served raw a couple of times a week. Not all cats are able to digest them. Loose stools and vomiting are a reason to refuse this food;
• eggs - quail and chicken eggs are allowed, as an independent dish and when added to fermented milk products. Contains a lot of biotin, which strengthens the coat;
• vegetables - almost everything is allowed, except potatoes, cabbage, beets, fruits - except citrus fruits, bananas. You can combine several types or settle on one product that your animal prefers. They are given raw, crushed, as a separate dish or mixed with meat. Not digestible, needed for good digestion;
• cereals and bran - useful for peristalsis, help maintain beneficial microflora intestines. You can give porridge: rice, buckwheat, rolled oats;
• oils: olive, pumpkin, flaxseed - envelop the mucous membrane of the digestive organs, normalize their functioning;
• greens collected far from the city limits, sprouted rice or oats are given periodically.

Vegetarian diet, useful to a person, predators, is contraindicated, it negatively affects well-being, causing blindness, cardiac arrest, and death, regardless of the addition of the necessary vitamins to food.

Feeding frequency

Kittens up to 2 weeks are fed every 2 hours, a kitten aged 1 - 2 months - 5-6 feedings, a 3 month old kitten - three to four times a day, six months - twice. For adult cats, food is left untidy; they can be allowed to eat as much as they want or be fed 2-3 times a day. If there are several animals in the same house, you need to make sure that they do not eat other people's food. Spayed and neutered animals are fed once a day.

It is important to feed cat food at the same time to produce correct mode nutrition. Meat food, which takes a long time to digest, is left for evening feeding. Permanent access is not needed with food to avoid overeating and obesity.

After eating, cats usually rest in secluded places; they should not be disturbed. If you refuse to feed, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or fever, you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian.

Remains of food are not left in the bowl for a long time - souring and spoilage of food can cause poisoning of the animal. Product not eaten within an hour is thrown away.

How to accustom a cat to new food

Cats quickly get used to a certain type food, so they may initially refuse innovations. Continue to offer a new diet to your pet, sometimes replacing it with completely familiar food; over time, the animal will become interested in the product.

You can begin to introduce the ingredient, gradually adding it to the usual feeding, replacing it completely after 1-2 weeks.

Self-composition of a menu for cats begins if you are ready to correctly calculate the amount of necessary components and nutrients. If you are a busy person, travel a lot or work, who can provide proper care and food for your little friend?

The animal needs not only boiled food, but also raw food or ready-made, supplying the body important substances, amino acids that are destroyed during heat treatment. In this case the best solution will be feeding with industrial feeds that can provide all the vital components.

How to cook food

After studying the cat's needs, you can begin to create a menu for cats. At the same time, it is important to maintain a balance, because if nutrients are used in excess quantities, your pet may develop serious problems with health. This will require a lot of time and financial resources. Feeding natural food requires a competent approach. With such a vital issue, it is better to seek help from a veterinarian.

Homemade cat food should be at room temperature or slightly warmed. Give small pieces: the cat eats quickly, large pieces may not be digested and cause vomiting.

Feeding utensils

Special bowls intended for cats that widen towards the bottom are better suited - they turn over and slide less. Their size accommodates a single serving of food, the food does not crumble or smear on the walls or bottom. It is not recommended to use double containers with water and food at the same time: food often gets into the liquid, and the animal refuses to drink.

Power calculation

Natural food is convenient and allows you to control your pet’s weight, the amount of nutrients, mineral and vitamin supplements. But it requires correct calculation daily value, otherwise the animal will not avoid health problems in the future. For of different ages The amount of food is individual.

How much food is needed

From ten weeks the baby can be separated from its mother. Until he reaches the age of 9 months, he needs no more than 10% of his total body weight. For example, with a weight of 1.5 kg, a kitten needs 150 g of food. It can be meat, dairy products in a 50:50 ratio.

How much food does an adult need?

For a mature animal, the amount of food is prepared at the rate of 5% of the pet’s weight. With a cat weighing 4 kg, food needs 200 g, the composition is the same as for babies: equal parts of meat and fermented milk products. You can mix some vegetables (10-15 grams) and a couple of drops of vegetable oil into your food.

It is not always possible to weigh an adult cat separately. You can apply as follows: stand on bathroom scales together with the animal, after subtracting your weight, the result will be the mass of your furry friend.

Water

Cats should have constant access to clean filtered water; it is important that the liquid is always in sight. Furry pets, like all mammals, need it. Often cats prefer to drink from large, deep dishes: buckets, basins, ignoring small bowls.

A large dog bowl is an ideal container: the water will remain clean for a long time, and it will be difficult to turn the dishes over. The cat regulates the amount of liquid needed on its own by drinking the required amount. You need to monitor older animals, because constipation may indicate an imbalance in water balance. To get rid of intestinal problems and prevent dehydration, cats are switched to feeding semi-liquid food.

Recipes

Cats are even greater food connoisseurs than people. This is facilitated by their origin and habits developed over the years. They quickly get bored with monotonous food; a change in diet is necessary at least a couple of times a week. If it is not possible to cook frequently, long-lasting dishes are prepared.

What do cats eat from homemade food? This can be homemade dry food and minced meat laid out in portions and stored in the refrigerator.

How to prepare dry food

This type of food is convenient to use, you can take it with you on the road, it does not take up much space. But cheap industrial feed contain a lot of dangerous chemicals, capable of killing an animal. Stern high quality Not available to every cat owner. Therefore, dry food prepared with your own hands, created from high-quality natural products, dried to a certain humidity, will become an excellent replacement dear ready-made feed. It is also convenient on the go, has long term storage You can prepare cat food from many products available at home. It all depends on the imagination of the owner and the taste preferences of the pet. The main thing is that it should be beneficial and have good taste. Cats happily eat this tasty, inexpensive food.

Recipe No. 1:

• 500 g beef liver;
• carrots, cottage cheese 500 g each;
• eggs - 2 pcs;
• cottage cheese, zucchini, beets - 100g each.

The products are ground independently in a meat grinder, eggs are driven in, everything is mixed. The resulting minced meat is formed into meatballs or cutlets, distributed on a sheet, and sent to the oven to dry for 40-50 minutes. It is taken out and after cooling it breaks into small pieces.

Recipe No. 2:

• 500 g liver;
• 500 g hearts;
• 1 kg chicken soup set;
• 2 carrots;
• 1 glass of boiled cereals (buckwheat, pearl barley, rice - you can alternate).

The meat is beaten, finely chopped, and ground together with hearts, liver, and carrots using a food processor. The resulting pate is evenly laid out on a baking sheet or silicone sheet, baked, and dried in the oven for 40 minutes. It is cut and broken into small pieces. Stored in the refrigerator for a long time.

Homemade natural dishes

These recipes will take a little effort and time, which is important for busy modern people. With the help of such dishes, your pets will always be full and happy.

Liver with oatmeal:

• chicken, beef liver;
• half a glass of oatmeal;
• frozen green peas;
• a little sunflower oil.

The liver is boiled or stewed. Oatmeal is boiled. Chopped liver is mixed with peas and oatmeal.

Chicken breast with vegetables and rice:

• carrot;
• half a glass of rice;
• 1 breast;
• 2 glasses of water.

The breast and rice are boiled. The meat is chopped, mixed with rice and grated carrots.

Diet for allergies:

• 2 cups minced lamb meat;
• half a cup of zucchini or carrots;
• a glass of boiled dark rice;
• 50 g cottage cheese;
• a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder.

Beat the ingredients in a blender and feed them warm.

Examples of a cat's daily menu

The cat's diet consists of home-cooked food (based on the animal's weight of 4.5 kg).

• breakfast: 30 g cottage cheese, 1 chicken egg, water;
• lunch: 40 g cottage cheese, 30 g chicken hearts, water;
• dinner: 70 g rabbit meat, 40 g cottage cheese, water.

• breakfast: 15 g of vegetables, 50 g of boiled fish;
• lunch: 20 g kefir, 45 g cottage cheese;
• dinner: 20 g kefir, 70 g lean meat.

No. 3 (write for all techniques):

• 500 g beef;
• 2 hard-boiled eggs;
• 1.5 - 2 cups rye crackers;
• chopped parsley.

The meat is boiled, ground in a meat grinder along with the eggs, the ingredients are mixed with breadcrumbs and herbs, and immersed in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Give it to the cat half-baked.

Which products are dangerous?

Before you go into the kitchen to prepare food for your pet, there are several factors to consider. You should understand: foods you like may be harmful to cats.

Cats are prohibited:

• chocolate, products with cocoa beans - contain theobromine, toxic to animals;
• onions, garlic, grapes, raisins;
• tomatoes, eggplants;
• sugar, salt, soda, baking powder;
• sweets (sweets, cakes) cause diabetes, allergies;
• herbs, spices;
• alcohol;
• artificial sweeteners;
• tea, coffee, products, medications from a human pharmacy containing caffeine;
• dog food (dry, wet), because has a different composition:
• pork, lamb;
• bones, heads, tails, paws can cause intestinal obstruction, injury digestive tract;
• semolina, millet, corn porridge - useless food;
• pasta, flour - cause obesity, constipation, colitis;
• leftover human food (fried, smoked, baked);
• sausages;
• raw eggs;
• veterinarians do not recommend feeding cats raw meat purchased at markets or stores - it often contains dangerous hormones, antibiotics;
• pickled vegetables, fruits;
• freshwater fish- risk of helminth infection;
• seafood;
• mushrooms - the cat’s body does not digest them, does not produce enzymes capable of breaking them down, the cat can even be poisoned by edible ones;
• nuts - are not digested and can cause severe allergic reaction, until breathing stops.

Feeding a pet natural menu requires a competent, careful approach. You need to spend a lot of time, often a lot of financial resources, to provide the animal with a variety of balanced menu. A cat, just like us, cannot always eat the same product.

It is especially important to monitor the diet of those who have recovered from surgery, pregnant, young and suffering chronic diseases animals. In such cases, it is better to listen to a veterinarian or feline health specialist to rule out dangerous products. Sometimes even healthy food Causes harm if used in excessive quantities.

Before you sit down at the table, you should feed the animal. A hungry cat is especially sensitive to the smell of human food, begins to intensively beg for food, then eats with increased appetite, which causes obesity over time.

Be attentive to your pet’s behavior: an unsuitable product must be immediately eliminated and replaced with another. If your home friend has a good appearance, it is cheerful, healthy, playful, which means the diet is correct. This means that food prepared with your own hands will give your pet wellness, long, happy life, excellent health.