Mary Allen
Nutrition is an important cornerstone for a long and healthy cat life. For a healthy diet and so that your cat feels good at her feeding place, you should definitely pay attention to these 10 things.
Cat nutrition could be a science in itself. Many cats are particularly sensitive or fussy. Every cat has its own food requirements. Every cat owner should know certain rules. We have put together ten of the biggest mistakes when it comes to feeding cats at a glance.
Food and Water: Bowls Must Be Separated
Since time immemorial, cats have not been drinking where they eat their prey. The bowls should therefore be at a large distance from each other, also to keep the drinking water clean.
Cat Food Away From the Litter Box
Cats are extremely clean and want to be fed in a hygienic place. So near the toilet or right next to it is a no-go.
Rest at the Feeding Ground
Cats like to eat in a quiet place. Because where there is peace, there is usually no one who can steal something from the bowl. This makes the menu easier to enjoy.
Often the Best Diet: Fixed Mealtimes
People know this problem too: Eating out of boredom. If the food bowl is full all day, cats are quickly tempted to overeat. Indoor cats in particular can quickly develop obesity. Therefore, fixed feeding times are important. A constantly filled dry food bowl is not a good idea.
High Bowl Edges Can Interfere With Eating
Small bowls or high edges disturb some cats when eating. This is due to the so-called “whisker stress” or “whisker stress”: It bothers the cat when its whiskers bump against the edge of the bowl while eating. The whiskers are very sensitive and constant irritation will quickly make some animals lose their hunger.
You can recognize “whisker stress” when your catfishes the food out of the bowl and then eats off the floor. It can help to offer the food on a flat, large plate or even on a baking sheet.
The Right Temperature of the Cat Food
Ice-cold food can upset cats’ stomachs. But if it’s too hot, they can burn their mouths. Please always serve food at room temperature or lukewarm.
Feeding in Multi-Cat Households
To avoid arguments, each cat in a multi-cat household must be the master of its own bowl. If that’s not enough, it helps to feed them in separate rooms.
Don’t Offer Dog Food
Do not feed cats dog food! Ready-made dog food contains mainly carbohydrates. Ready food for cats, on the other hand, contains a lot of vital protein. If there is a lack of it in the diet, serious deficiency symptoms develop.
Encourage the Cat to Drink
Cats often need to be reminded to drink. Set up several water bowls or a drinking fountain. Milk is not a suitable drink. Cats usually don’t tolerate them.
Fingers Over Human-Eating
Caution, poisonous! Not everything that we like is also good for our cats! It can even be deadly. Pork salami, for example, can carry a deadly virus. Many other foods are also toxic to cats. Read here what they are.