Mary Allen
A balanced and species-appropriate diet is the basis for a healthy cat life. Both a deficiency and an excess of nutrients can harm well-being and, in the worst case, trigger illnesses. Find out here what is important when it comes to cat food.
Natural Food As A Model
In order to find out which vital substances an animal needs, a look at the natural feeding behavior is elementary. Cats are initially carnivores and get most of the liquid they need from their prey. Wild cats hunt up to ten mice a day. If they had free access to food, they would prefer to eat several small meals rather than a few large ones. Up to 16 servings are not uncommon. In addition, cats are less sensitive to dehydration and thirst than dogs, for example. Cats that are fed exclusively dry food often do not drink enough liquids, which is important for staying healthy. Your instinct just doesn’t call for constant drinking.
The moisture content in dry food is often less than ten percent. Wet food has significantly higher water content and can prevent a deficiency. Dry food, on the other hand, is less susceptible to germs and can be made available to the cats longer without risking spoilage. Due to the individual advantages and disadvantages, a combination of dry and wet food is advisable. This certainly does not apply to all cats, as each individual requires careful assessment of their dietary requirements. But a mix of 40 percent dry food and 60 percent wet food can serve as a guide. With wet food, the fluid balance is optimized and dry food ensures that the animals can eat many small portions.
Decisive When Buying Feed: Designation As A Complete Feed
Conventional cat food is subject to numerous regulations in order to be able to cover the need for vital substances and to ensure the health of the animals. However, cat owners must keep one thing in mind: whether it is a “complete food” or a “supplementary food”. These two product groups differ significantly in terms of their ingredients.
Complete Feed
Complete feeds are composed in such a way that the daily requirement can be covered without fearing or having to compensate for deficits. Mathematically, the health of the cat is secured with a complete feed. Since monotony does not correspond to natural eating behavior, variety is recommended.
Supplementary Feed
Products declared in this way contain certain substances in increased form. A cat’s nutritional needs cannot be met with this compound feed alone. As the name already explains, it is only designed as a supplement.
According to bild.de, cat food from the brands Applaws, MAC, Catz fine food, AniForte, and Animonda are recommended. The test portal compared various complete feeds and makes it easier for consumers to make a purchase decision depending on their individual needs with a clear comparison. All of the products in the comparison are free of sugar, a component that generally has no place in cat food. The meat content is between 52 and 97 percent.
Essential Components Of A Healthy Diet
The cat’s natural diet includes various small animals such as mice, fish, birds, and insects. These prey animals provide the hunters with a lot of protein and fat. But also water. In addition, the digestive tract of the prey sometimes contains grain, dietary fiber, and crude fiber. The energy requirement of the cat is mainly covered by proteins, i.e. protein. They even need more of it than dogs. A high-quality source of protein in conventional feed is therefore important. Feeding several types of meat makes sense for variety and to cover the nutritional requirements. No protein source can cover everything. The following types of meat and fish are particularly recommended:
- Chicken
- duck
- Calf
- turkey
- beef
- Trout
- Salmon
- coalfish
- tuna
- mackerel
Caution is advised, however, with pork. Under no circumstances should it be fed raw, because pigs carry the virus of Aujetzky’s disease. “In dogs and cats, infection with the AK virus is always fatal,” writes the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety at tierseucheninfo.niedersachsen.de.
Animal protein is generally indispensable in cat food because some essential amino acids such as arginine and taurine are found exclusively in it. A vegetarian diet is not an option for cats. An adequate supply of taurine is essential. This amino acid is an essential component for cats
- healthy eyes,
- a strong immune system,
- proper functioning of the heart muscle and
- a solid nervous system.
How much protein cats need in detail depends on several factors. This includes their activity, age, living conditions, and their individual state of health. A pregnant and lactating cat has different needs than an adult cat.
In addition to protein and fat for the supply of nitrogen, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, carbohydrates can be fed in small amounts. But: Carbohydrates are not essential for cats, too many of them cause diarrhea. Rice, potatoes, and pasta in very limited quantities and always thoroughly cooked are usually tolerated.
Good Food For Seniors, Young Animals, And Co.
As already emphasized, a selected source of protein is crucial. Whether old, sick, fit, or young cats. However, there are of course differences. For example, animals that are allowed to go outside require more energy than purely house cats, while older cats require less than growing animals. Possible diseases also have an influence on the diet. House tigers with kidney problems require different food than young animals in the best of health. The manufacturer’s product descriptions provide information about feeding recommendations and attentive cat owners can use this to make a careful selection. Consultation with a vet brings clarity and is generally advisable.
Source of the images at pixabay.com: meineesterampe; suju; Surprise; congerdesign