Mary Allen
It is important to avoid these mistakes when feeding your cat. Because in the worst case, some of them end fatally.
You can do a lot wrong when feeding your four-legged friend, which can sometimes have serious consequences. You should avoid these seven mistakes at all costs.
Feeding in bulk rather than in moderation
This is an extremely popular mistake that cat owners find difficult to break. The house tiger looks pitifully at the mistress or master and meows at the same time. Of course, the bowl is then filled. Often even several times a day. But that leads to obesity, which in turn can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and liver and joint diseases.
It is best to introduce two to three fixed feeding times per day. Depending on how you keep your cat, more meals can make sense. Otherwise, ignore your loved one’s begging – even if it’s difficult.
Radical Diet
If the cat is too fat, it should lose weight. However, radical dieting is a serious mistake as it can lead to serious health problems in overweight cats. While you must reduce calorie intake, you should never limit feeding to one meal a day. If the four-legged friend breaks down too much fat too quickly, this can lead to liver failure.
It is best to discuss the optimal diet with your veterinarian. Also, try to encourage your pet to exercise more. Give this one a try: these are the best toys for cats.
Dog food for the cat
If dogs live in the household, many pet owners consider giving everyone the same food. Especially since the dog food is cheaper if you look at the quantity.
In the long run, however, feeding cats dog food is harmful because the composition of the food is different. Cats need more protein than dogs and an extra supply of the nutrients vitamin A, taurine, and arachidonic acid.
Eat what’s on the table
This is a frequently used “educational method”: the cat has to eat whatever is in the bowl. As long as the bowl is not empty, there is no fresh food. But this method can make your four-legged friend seriously ill because wet food in particular that is left open at room temperature for hours is a real paradise for germs and bacteria.
It is also a popular breeding ground for flies, especially in summer. After a while, the food no longer looks very appetizing, so don’t be surprised if the house tiger (rightly) doesn’t eat. Give him fresh food.
Milk instead of water
Many cats love milk and seem to shy away from the water that is offered to them. However, milk is not a thirst quencher, but a foodstuff. Milk can also cause diarrhea because cats cannot metabolize lactose. (We have collected the 4 most common reasons for diarrhea for you here.) An adult cat does not need any milk at all – it should only be offered water.
Please do not put the water right next to the food, because then there is a real risk that none of it will be drunk. The water bowl should always be separate from the food bowl. Place several water bowls around the home or use a drinking fountain, which can increase the amount you drink.
Sausage for the cat
When the mistress or master eats a sausage sandwich, the cat often gets a bite too, because she begs so lovingly. However, sausage is completely unsuitable for cats as it contains far too much salt and other additives. Instead, feed them raw, lean beef, preferably fresh from the butcher.
Raw Pork
Raw pork is absolutely forbidden and has no place in your cat’s bowl!
Feeding raw pork can lead to Aujeszky virus infection, which in the worst case can be fatal. Therefore, you should not make this mistake in cat nutrition lightly.