Mary Allen
Can I always give my cat the same food? Should I ignore her begging for more? Here are 10 exciting food facts!
Cats know when they’ve had enough
Like humans, your velvet paw’s appetite and feeling of satiety are not infallible. If you provide a bowl, your house cat will help itself even when it has long since been full – it is not for nothing that every second cat in Germany is now overweight.
In addition, especially with purely house cats, they move much less than outdoor cats. You still don’t have to set any fixed feeding times, but you should only refill your pet’s bowl until a certain daily ratio has been reached. If your cat already has too many pounds on its ribs, we have collected some tips here: 10 tips – How to make your cat slim again.
Cats are strict carnivores
Of course, our little cats love meat, but you shouldn’t rely on it exclusively. Just as we can hardly enjoy our steak without side dishes, Miezi is also happy about a little variety. A diet based only on meat can even lead to deficiency symptoms since important nutrients such as protein or fat are often missing. You can hardly do anything wrong with ready-made food, as attention is paid to a balanced composition.
Cats bond through food
The way to the heart is known to be the way to the stomach, and like many cat owners, you see yourself as a human can opener.
But it’s not quite that extreme, because cats don’t define their social relationships by food at all. So don’t feed your darling all the time if you want to show him that you like him, but use cuddles and joint activities. Even if our velvet paws purr around our legs, this is unfortunately often misunderstood as begging for food and your cat will only get used to it this way.
Cat food must be varied
Fish today, meat tomorrow? You don’t have to worry if your cat isn’t served a different menu every day. Even in nature, a cat eats whatever it can get its claws on. Therefore, just make sure to buy a high-quality general feed that has all the important nutrients.
Too much variety can even become a problem: constantly change the food, raise your house tiger into a veritable whiner that constantly needs something new. In addition, frequent food changes can lead to diarrhea or stomach problems because your darling cannot adjust so quickly.
Homemade is best
That’s not true in this case. Of course, it’s nice if you prepare a meal for your darling every day. But above all, it is a real challenge.
You have to deal in detail with which nutrients your cat needs every day and in what quantity. Unfortunately, a piece of meat is not enough to cover the need for protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. With ready-made food, you have the advantage that the packaged food has already been perfectly tailored to our furry companions.
Leftovers from the table are okay
If something is left over from the roast or a piece of fish fillet, Miezi can look forward to a little treat in many households. But is that really healthy?
There’s nothing wrong with a little bit, but you shouldn’t feed your velvet paw just that. This is because there are not enough nutrients for your cat, which can lead to malnutrition. In addition, the leftovers are often seasoned way too much. In our article on the subject, we clarify which foods are even toxic to cats.
Raw is always better
Of course, cats also eat raw meat in nature. Nevertheless, you should not always feed it without further ado: untreated meat can quickly contain parasites, bacteria, or dangerous salmonella. You should therefore check it carefully beforehand and refrain from doing so, especially in the case of sick animals and animals with a weak immune system. However, raw pork should always be taboo. Here we reveal why.
Raw offal is also often a special treat for our darlings. But the same applies here: only in moderation. The liver in particular can quickly lead to an excess of vitamin A, which can cause paralysis, and joint or bone deformation.
Ready food is addictive
Many people wonder if the industry doesn’t use a trick or two with cat food to “tie” the animals to a particular brand. In Germany, however, this is strictly forbidden and will be punished accordingly.
So you can continue to buy ready-made food without having to worry about potentially harmful addictive substances. Our velvet paws simply have food preferences by nature and therefore automatically declare a certain product to be their favorite dish.
Cats need milk
It is a misconception propagated in numerous films and books that cats prefer to drink milk. In fact, our house tigers only need milk as kittens, later they lack the enzyme to digest the white liquid. So you are lactose intolerant and in the worst case, you get diarrhea from the milk. You can find out more about this here: Can cats drink milk?
That’s why you should only give your darling lactose-free cat milk. Also, make sure that it is not used as a water substitute, otherwise, your cat will quickly have a few extra pounds on its ribs.
Cat food is meat waste
There is a persistent rumor that cat or dog food is made from the leftovers of the meat industry. This also raises the suspicion that only inferior or even spoiled meat gets into the feed.
That’s not true: With cat food, there are strict regulations that the meat used must also be edible for humans. The feed is therefore by no means made from waste. Instead, special parts and innards are processed that we don’t like to eat, but our four-legged friends do all the more.