How and what to feed a cat at home?

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

Cats - happiness in a fluffy look. Many people love these pets. It is important to properly maintain them so that the cats please us as long as possible, without knowing any worries. The key to a he althy cat is proper nutrition. Let's find out what to feed the cat and how to do it right. There are nuances that every cat lover should know.

Proper feeding of domestic cats

Whether you're feeding your pet special foods or table food (which we'll cover in a moment), you need to understand that cats need to have a diet too.

If you are thinking about how to properly feed a cat, then the answer to you will be - compliance with the regime. Feed an adult cat twice a day. Morning and evening, exactly at the same time. Avoid underfeeding and overeating your pet. This is easy to understand by evaluating its shape. He doesn't have to be skinny and he doesn't have to be fat. Diet and a balanced diet are the key to a he althy lifestyle for a cat and the absence of he alth problems.

Steiled cats

In urbanapartments is very relevant and even very correct to keep sterilized (castrated) animals. When a cat is deprived of the opportunity to freely move around the street and find a mate for his love needs, the cat (cat) instinctively begins to splash out his feelings in the apartment.

Night screams and screams of your pet - this is just the least of the troubles. Here you can add torn wallpaper, damaged furniture and "tags" of the territory. For many, castration is one of the ways out in this situation.

But you need to know what to feed a castrated cat, because his diet in his piquant position will be different from the diet of an ordinary cat. He will need a low protein diet. After castration, it is advisable to feed the cat with special food marked "For sterilized cats" from trusted manufacturers.

Many brands offer a special line of food to feed a neutered cat. How is this food different from regular food? With the composition, such feeds are specially developed with the participation of the world's leading experts in the field of veterinary medicine.

Food or regular food

So what to feed the cat? Special foods, table food, or store-bought speci alty foods? In general, it is not recommended to feed cats with food from our table. This is wrong, this is an unbalanced diet, in which case your cat will not receive the microelements and vitamins he needs.

Do you feed your cat dry food? The issue of buying special products for the cat is relevant. Many people practice this. If you have the necessary knowledge inveterinarians and you have a successful long experience in feeding cats according to this scheme, then you can try. It is worth agreeing that not all owners can do this. Some people, even for themselves, do not always have time to cook food, and then a special menu for the cat is added.

A little bit about ready-made store-bought food. Many people wonder if it is possible to feed a cat with food from the store. Why not? Only safe products get on the store shelf, this applies to both people and animals. You only need to consider the fact that cheap food sometimes may not be suitable for your cat. You will either need to consult a specialist, or buy premium feed.

Raw meat or cooked meat

Many owners sometimes like to pamper their pets with fresh meat, fish, organ meats. The question arises as to whether it is possible to feed a cat with all of the above in its raw form, or is mandatory heat treatment required (boil, fry, stew).

Honestly, no veterinarian would advise you to feed your cat with raw meat, liver or fish, bought, for example, in the market or in the store. And this makes sense. After all, no one knows exactly about storage, production time and other things about these products. In this case, heat treatment will be a protection against potential troubles.

Another question: if you have your own farm or buy treats from a trusted private farm, then you can treat your pet to them raw, because some cats just don’t feel like themselves at the sight of raw meat or fish. In any case, asto prevent possible troubles, you should periodically give your pet anthelmintics.

Dry cat food

This type of food traditionally raises many questions among cat lovers. Can I feed my cat dry food? Yes, you can, but only with the caveat that it will be a quality food that you purchased on the advice of your veterinarian.

You should also understand that if you feed your pet with natural food, then you can not supplement it with dry food. You need to choose either specialized feed or natural food. There can be only one combination: the first feeding in the morning - dry food, the second feeding in the evening - natural food, or vice versa.

But this type of combination can only be practiced if approved by your veterinarian. And this is only possible if your cat is absolutely he althy and everything is in order with his digestive system.

Purebred cats

It's no secret that thoroughbred animals are more susceptible to many diseases than their counterparts without noble birth. Therefore, if you choose, for example, what to feed a British cat, then, in principle, you should give him the best. There is no point in experimenting with raw food. Buy premium food (or super premium) for your pet, as well as special vitamins, then he will always be he althy and joyful!

And what to feed a Scottish cat? Use all the same recommendations above. The breed of the animal in this case does not matter. All thoroughbred felines have a delicate digestive system. Your task is to always remember this and make your pet's life as comfortable as possible by choosing the best food for him.

Consult your veterinarian if you have questions or if your cat has digestive problems.

If we talk about food manufacturers, then for thoroughbred cats, the Royal Canin brand will be the best choice. Read more about it later in the article.

Cat diseases from food

As already mentioned, good food does not cause he alth problems for the cat. Is it worth it to feed him dry food from the budget segment? Many people ask this question, wanting to save money, because quality food cannot be cheap. As the veterinarians say, it's cheaper to give a cat expensive food than to cure all the sores that cause low-quality cheap food.

Oddly enough, there is truth in this. It is especially important to understand that problems are often inherent in pets. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, are lazier than their free-range counterparts. Therefore, they are more susceptible to various diseases. And the quality of the food is one of the reasons. Therefore, weigh everything and make the right choice. Of course, no one can tell you what to feed your cat at home. You are its owner. But you need to be not only a host, but also a friend, because only the best is given to a friend!

Kitekat

Popular brand of cat food. She is always in the spotlight thanks toactive advertising of the brand on television. The brand is cheap, perhaps the cheapest thing you can buy for your pet. But reviews of the company's products, to put it mildly, are not very flattering. Dry food of this brand is especially scolded for the fact that it leads to serious problems with the liver and kidneys of the cat. What to feed a cat? Obviously not this food. By the way, the reviews of many owners about this brand coincide with the opinion of leading veterinarians.

Friskes

Another relatively cheap brand. Compared to the above, Friskes is preferable. The composition of the feed, to be honest, is not impressive. They are too low in natural meat ingredients and a lot of artificial colors. There are no particularly negative reviews about this brand, but there are also no bright, positive ones that praise the brand. What to feed a domestic cat? This food or something else? If there is an opportunity to buy more expensive food, then it is better to do it immediately!

Whiskas

Objectively, this is the best you can get from a budget food. But it's not premium. What to feed a cat at home? If there is no way to buy more expensive food, you can choose "Whiskas". But if you start feeding him, do not mix him with any other food, as well as with natural food. See your vet in a couple of months. He will tell you if you have chosen the right brand or if you should replace it.

Felix

Food from the top of budget feeds. In Europe, this food is promoted under the name Latz. Vegetables are added to it. Many pet owners try to take this food forpromotions to save money. An inexplicable fact, but for this feed, promotions are almost always.

There are some interesting reviews of this brand's liquid food in sachets that claim that cats love it because it is deliberately overly s alty. As you know, animals subconsciously love s alty, because s alt is absent in the wild. This is a special marketing ploy, nothing more. But! It works.

Gourmet

Many people think that the price of this food is slightly overpriced. The composition is close to brands that are cheaper in price. But it is worth noting that there are no negative reviews about the feed. Almost all cats like it.

Perfect Fit

This one is a little pricey. But it does contain plenty of meat. There is a special series for feeding neutered cats. There is a series for kittens. There is also a line of food for adult and senior cats. In reviews about it, many indicate that there are preservatives in the composition. True, now they are added almost everywhere. They are used for long-term storage of the product. As for the quality, if you can buy such food for your cat, your pet will be immensely grateful to you for taking care of him.

The price of pouches (liquid food in sachets) is acceptable, but dry food is already hitting the family budget.

Purina One

Food in the same price range as Perfect Fit falls between budget and premium. Several lines can be distinguished. There is food for kittens, for sterilized cats, etc. If you cannot decide what to feed the cat from this particularprice category, then you can stop at this brand. Although, of course, the prices bite a little.

Purina Proplan

Another representative of premium cat food. At the same time, it can be called cheap among expensive ones. If your cat is he althy, then none of the veterinarians will say anything bad about this diet. Your cat will love this food too. The only downside is the price. In principle, this drawback is inherent in all foods of the highest segment.

N&D Natural and Delicious

It is impossible to ignore the fairly well-balanced composition of the feed of this company. The composition contains a maximum of meat ingredients, nutrients and vitamins. Unfortunately, the brand is still poorly represented in pet stores in our country. It is worth noting that if you start giving this food to your pet, then he may not eat it well at first, because N&D Natural and Delicious does not contain various flavor enhancers and flavors.

Acana

This food contains 80% natural meat ingredients. It also contains lactobacilli and probiotics. Crops not included. In Russia, it is still difficult to find. The food line is divided by age. But there is no separate group for cats with certain problems.

Innova Cat And Kitten

We can say that this food is almost perfectly balanced and includes all the necessary substances. The protein in the composition is exclusively of animal origin. To saturate the cat will need a small portion. Feedvery expensive and poorly represented in pet stores. Innova Can And Kitten contains a high amount of protein, which means that it is not suitable for neutered cats.

Royal Canin

Expensive and high quality. If you can afford such expenses for the sake of your pet, then feel free to take it. You will not regret it, your cat will always be he althy and will not know any problems in the future. This brand offers food for cats of different breeds. It is very comfortable. The food is developed by highly specialized veterinarians who take into account all the peculiarities of digestion depending on the breed.

Try to buy food produced in Europe. This brand of feed corresponds to the super premium class. Any veterinarian will be happy to recommend this food for your pet.

Hills

One of the most expensive foods in the premium segment. The composition does not raise questions, it is very carefully selected and balanced. You can choose the food for your pet, depending on the amount of incoming protein. So, for animals suffering from kidney disease, you can find food with a low protein content. A whole team of specialists is working on the creation of feeds, who care about making your pet's life as comfortable as possible.

1ST Choice

Food is made in Canada, where quality standards for pet products are very high. The food is balanced. There is a separate line - hypoallergenic food. Although with the classic problems are not fixed. Many reviews indicate thatthe number of batches of food is limited, given the high quality, there could be more.

Eukanuba

The brand offers standard lines of feed, as well as special treatment for certain categories of animals. The entire range corresponds to the super premium class. The composition is perfectly balanced, it has a high content of meat. This should definitely be taken into account, because the pet will need a small amount of food to get enough.

Unfortunately, like many other high-quality, but expensive brands, Eukanuba is poorly represented in pet stores in Russia, finding this brand is a great success.

To sum it all up

Of course, not all of us are ready to allocate serious amounts from the family budget for the proper feeding of our pets. It might be too expensive for some. Someone is trying to save money by trying to find a cheaper replacement.

Don't do this. Think about the he alth of your pet, remember what sad consequences this can lead to.

In any case, show your cat at least once a year to the veterinarian and draw conclusions from the results of the specialist's observations. Don't ignore his advice. Your cat does not deserve to be tortured, try to give him he althy and safe food, for this your pet will be very grateful to you! The duration and quality of his life directly depends on the quality of food. But many people want their pets to live as long as possible.