What is the best cat food according to veterinarians?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Man and cat have been friends for over 10,000 years. However, the predator that lives next to people remains one of the most mysterious animals. There are many myths about this pet. Pet nutrition is one of the important issues around which there are many misconceptions. Often the owners do not even think about what food is best for cats. At the same time, the he alth of our pets, their cheerful mood and life expectancy depend on the quality of nutrition.

Don't forget that a cat is a predator

The most common misconception is that it is enough for a cat to pour milk and she will be happy. The other extreme is when the predator feeds exclusively on meat. Both are terrible mistakes.

Indeed, a cat is a predator, but its physiology is very different from our idea. It just seems that with meat the animal gets everything it needs to sustain life. Predators, no less than herbivorous mammals, need many components of the plant world. But their body is not able to independently accept the gifts of nature. Need a food brokerchain.

When killing a mouse or a bird, the first thing a cat pays attention to is the contents of their stomach. It is there, in a semi-digested form, that everything that she needs is located. The rest is just a treat and recharge for energy reserves. Without considering this feature, it is difficult to know which cat food is best.

Varieties of feed

What is the best food to feed a cat? When choosing, you should always take into account your financial capabilities, as well as the preferences of your pet. Like any highly organized animal, a cat has its own character and taste preferences. It is difficult enough to force her to eat food she does not like. It is worth considering that the animal has relatively coarse taste buds, but a subtle sense of smell. Therefore, when choosing food, she first of all focuses on smells.

When deciding what is the best cat food, the main thing is to adhere to the principle of uniformity. The animal, accustomed to eat food cooked at home, should remain on the home menu. It is not worth transferring the same from purchased specialized feeds to homemade food. When choosing a menu from a pet store, you should choose one of the options - dry food or wet canned food.

Home cooking

When choosing a home cooking option, you should know that eating a cat from a common table is unacceptable. For the animal, you need to cook special dishes.

Interestingly, cats living in the countryside can feed themselves quite well. It will be quite natural for them to hunt mice and other small animals. Notevery bird can fly away from their cat's paws. When animals are slaughtered, the contents of the entrails will be given to your pet. The animal will find the missing vitamins or trace elements in the forest or in the garden.

City animals are another matter. They will have to be looked after. According to an established tradition, the constituent elements of cat cuisine will be:

• Boiled meat. You can indulge in a raw product, but only after freezing. Fresh meat, for a city dweller, can be a dangerous product. Giving tubular bones to animals is prohibited. This can cause many he alth problems for the animal, and sometimes lead to its death.
• Offal. Sometimes you can let it be given raw.
• Fish. Only sea views are allowed.
• Porridge. Cereal porridge is good to cook on a light meat broth. Rice and buckwheat on the favorite menu would be desirable ingredients.
• Eggs. Once a week you need to add an egg yolk. Doesn't really matter raw or cooked.
• Milk. It is recommended to give it only to kittens. Fermented milk products are intended for adults.
• Vegetables. Be sure to use vegetables and vegetable oil as an additive.
• Grass. It is useful to keep a box of green grass freely available.

According to the opinions of veterinarians, what kind of food for cats is better, the owner decides. If you don’t want to cook meals for your pet, you can go to ready-made options.

Wet canned food

The industry produces a wide variety ofspecialized feed. Cat food for the global industry plays an important role. Nutritionists, veterinarians, farmers, culinary masters work to make your pet happy. Canned cat food with a moisture content of 10-15%, without a doubt, plays a basic role in the nutrition of many animals. There are even special rating studies - which wet cat food is better.

Holistic-class canned foods are considered ideal feed. Unlike conventional premium feeds, their standard includes the requirements:

• even humans can use;
• no GMO products;
• no dyes or flavor enhancers allowed;
• any dubious additive in terms of its effect on the body lowers the food to a lower category.

In the top three of such feeds, brands can be distinguished:

1. Almo Nature. European quality guaranteed.
2. Innova Evo. This American food is not far behind the leader.
3. Grandorf. Again a product from Europe of excellent quality.

There is only one disadvantage of such nutrition - the astronomical cost.

Don't despair for canned food fans, there are three more quality grades before the holistic class and they are all highly rated.

Dry food

Dry animal feed is widely used. The debate about which cat food is better - dry or wet, most likely does not make sense. It all depends on the specific situation. Forurban rhythm of life, naturally dry food is very comfortable.

Storing them is easy, pets like them, they are absolutely suitable for a balanced diet. The range offered for consumption is so wide that it will satisfy any need.

Economy feed

It is hard to expect that cheap food can fully satisfy all the requirements of nutritionists. Unfortunately, life often dictates its own terms. When choosing "price-quality" many have to make a choice in favor of cost. At low prices, you don’t have to figure out which dry cat food is best. From several options, choose the most suitable one. Almost everyone is familiar with the three most famous brands:

• Kitekat. The most popular feed of the Russian manufacturer. Suitable for an adult he althy cat.
• "Friskies". A brand well known not only in Russia, but also in Hungary. As for "Doshirak", the statement is true - it won't let you die of hunger.
• Purina One. Another famous brand. Best used only for he althy animals.

Premium food

Quality premium food is widely available in specialized stores. But what are the best dry cat foods? According to reviews, the top three can be distinguished:

1. Hills Science Plan. Not ideal, but it contains everything for a he althy diet.
2. Royal Canin. The most common premium food in Russia. Relatively inexpensive and alsowell balanced composition.
3. Purina ProPlan. Unlike the first two options, there are ingredients in the composition that can cause allergies.

Feeding kittens

Fans of purebred cats who want to get high-quality offspring should take care of food from the holistic class. In this case, it is no longer a question of what food is the best for cats, but what to feed in order to build good he alth from childhood.

Obviously, from the first days of life, kittens eat only mother's milk. In exceptional cases, it can be replaced by artificial feeding, high-quality milk formula. Up to 2 months, kittens gradually begin to accustom themselves to an independent diet. At this time, all food should contain a large amount of liquid.

Only starting from the third month, you can switch to dry food, and then a premium class made especially for babies.

Pregnant cats

Preparing for a new offspring, do not forget about the woman in labor. A pregnant cat eats a special diet. If before mating your baby was on a dry diet, then you should continue to adhere to it. You can seek advice from professionals to find out which cat food is best. According to reviews, we can conclude that food for a pregnant cat must meet the requirements:

• Maximum content of meat products.
• No fillers to reduce the price.
• Proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates corresponding to the requirements for pregnant cats.
• Only from a reputable manufacturer.

Among popular brands are Bosita, Cat Chow, Perfect Fit.

Elderly Pets

Time moves inexorably forward. At some point, you notice that your pet has aged. In flashbacks, he is still a fluffy kitten. It is worth paying tribute to the pet and transfer it to a specialized food. Requirements for this diet:

• Optimal calories.
• Over time, the stomach works worse and, therefore, feed should contain easily digestible components.
• More fiber.
• Less phosphorus and protein.
• Taste buds and smelling reflexes become dull over time. Feeds should become more attractive, with enhanced aroma and taste.
• More vitamins and minerals.

Features of castrati

Neutered cats and neutered cats tend to be overweight. Their diet should contain low-calorie foods. Another side effect of castration is a tendency to cryastallurgy. When choosing food, this must be taken into account.

Specialized brands include:

1. Eukanuba Sterilized Weight Control. Specialized low-calorie food. Contains everything you need to keep your pet he althy. The presence of fermented elements in beets promotes better digestion. It is enriched with vitamins and trace elements.
2. Royal Canin Neutered Young Male. Popular brand. By its qualities it differs little from the leader. Plant extracts added to improve digestion.
3. Purina Pro Plan After Care. In addition to the high content of natural meat products, the product is enriched with vitamins and minerals. It is specially balanced to prevent struvite crystals.

The format does not allow to give a detailed analysis of all the specifics of feeding cats. There is a large group of dietary foods for sick pets. A number of manufacturers take into account the peculiarities of the nutrition of individual breeds. In this variety, it is difficult to understand which food is best for cats. In each case, you can seek advice from specialists. Only then can you choose the best for your pet.