Preface

Proper natural nutrition for a cat is mostly a monotonous, species-specific diet that does not require heat treatment, mainly consisting of fermented milk products of medium fat content, raw meat or raw offal (heart, tripe, kidneys, etc.) and plant foods (vegetables and some unsweetened fruits) in raw form, as well as in the form of bran cereal crops as an addition to the main diet.

Actually, cereals (porridge and other flour products) should not be present in the cat’s diet. Porridges and products made from or with the addition of flour contain easily digestible carbohydrates, which can cause disruption of the intestinal microflora, as well as a decrease in resistance, in all dogs and cats, which are known to be carnivores. The state of the animal’s health directly depends on the state of the intestine, which is a key organ not only in digestion, but also in providing the defense system (resistance and immunity of the body). Thus, the presence of dysbiosis in the intestines, which is facilitated by dietary disturbances, can lead to the development of mass pathological processes, including increases the tendency to allergies, disruption of work internal organs, the emergence of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases and obesity, often associated with each other.

The health and resistance of animals depends very much on nutrition; the state of the gastrointestinal tract and healthy intestinal microflora play a very important role in this. If your cat's diet includes cereal or commercial dry food that contains from 40 to 55% grains, corn or sweet potatoes, then you cannot expect normal, healthy intestinal microflora. However, even with a natural diet, digestive disorders are possible, indicating a painful condition of the cat. When switching to a natural diet, stool passage becomes a little less frequent, and the consistency of the stool changes to darker and denser. This is typical, normal and does not indicate a problem. But if there is a significant decrease in stool passage (less than once every 2 days), it is recommended to consult a doctor and decide on the possibility of switching back to a dry diet or correcting natural ingredients. Most often, the problem of constipation occurs with an exclusively meat diet, without the addition of fermented milk foods and a source of fiber.

Meat in a cat's diet

The main meat in a cat’s diet is lean beef, maybe not the first grade. It is not necessary or even advisable to feed your cats tenderloin and other high-quality meats. It is allowed to feed lamb, horse meat, and rabbit meat to cats of all ages, given the high calorie content of lamb and rabbit meat, which is more affordable. It is not recommended to give pork.

Chicken, turkey and their offal can also be given, but individually, paying attention to the reaction from the digestive system and skin. It is not advisable to feed chicken skin to cats.

Meat, both beef and chicken, is always given raw, pre-frozen; there is no need to pour boiling water over it and heat treat the meat. Meat should not be ground into mince.

It should be noted right away that feeding a cat up to a year only one meat guarantees development, since the kitten will not be satisfied with the amount of calcium. To prevent this from happening, carefully read the recommendations for mineral supplements at the link below.

Meat by-products

Meat feeding for a cat can include not only meat, but also by-products (kidneys, heart, by-products of chickens, turkeys, etc.), which can completely replace meat. By-products must also be raw. It should be taken into account that offal is a less nutritious component of the meat diet compared to meat, but at the same time, for example, the udder is significantly higher in calories than meat due to fat.

It is not recommended to give liver and lung to cats often, since not everyone tolerates raw liver equally well, and there is no point in treating it thermally. However, many people successfully use these components in the diet of dogs and cats. However, not all cats tolerate a particular meat component equally well, so if an ingredient is intolerant, which is manifested by diarrhea or vomiting, it should be removed from the diet, as well as if other components of the cat’s natural diet are not tolerated. And in order to be able to determine which component the reaction occurs to, they need to be introduced into the cat’s diet separately.

Of course, one can become infected with one or another disease from one or another product, but rare cases of infection from raw, untested and not frozen meat do not allow one to be afraid of feeding a cat raw product. It is unlikely that any veterinarian will be able to recall a case of infection from anything from meat. In addition, the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach of carnivores there is more than in humans and is sufficient to perform its disinfecting functions in relation to raw meat and fish. We also do not recommend purchasing meat “from hand” or at the “Poultry Market”, where you can buy products obtained from a known sick animal, and even freezing it will not help, and heat treatment of meat reduces the nutritional value of the product for the cat.

Fish in a cat's diet

Cats can be given raw fillets of sea and ocean frozen fish, not bony, low-fat varieties, replacing meat with seafood in meat feeding 2-3 times a week. However, it is not recommended to constantly feed fish. Small fish can be fed whole raw, in which case the bone along with the soft tissues is completely chewed and does not pose a threat (even recommended), but when feeding boiled fish, which should not be done, the bone easily separates and can be swallowed whole, which is dangerous .

There are several questions that are often asked regarding feeding fish to cats:

The problem with thiaminase is relevant for animal farms, where there is mainly a mono-diet and if you feed only raw fish, there will be hypovitaminosis B1, and therefore this is not relevant for a home mixed diet.

Feeding fish does not have any effect on the development of urolithiasis. This assumption has long existed among veterinarians, based on the fact that fish contains a lot of phosphorus, which, when released, creates conditions for the development of sand in the bladder (struvite). But studies conducted with experience on adding additional amounts of phosphorus to the diet of cats did not lead to the development of this pathology.

Dairy products

Can be given to cats dairy products fat content up to 9%, but not everyone tolerates such fat content well. But low-fat dairy products should not be given either. In some cases, full-fat dairy products loosen stools. Also, loose stool may be associated with the brand of kefir, which must be selected individually for sensitive cats. Fermented baked milk, cream, sour cream should not be given to cats, as well as yoghurt with fruit or sugar, but milk is not forbidden, if tolerated normally.

The most optimal fermented milk products are cottage cheese with a fat content of up to 5-9%, kefir with a fat content of 3.5%, and yogurt, with a short shelf life of up to 7 days.

Using Evitalia and Narine starter cultures based on pasteurized milk, you can make a healthy fermented milk product that is useful not only for cats, but also for humans, and feed it either separately or together with cottage cheese.

Dividing cat nutrition into fermented milk and meat

The main components of the diet are fermented milk products in one feeding and raw vegetables, and raw meat with a little butter in another. As mentioned above, vegetables can, if possible, be fed to the cat separately.

This means that fermented milk feeding can include either kefir alone, cottage cheese alone, or kefir with cottage cheese, curdled milk, yogurt, etc. It is advisable to give fermented milk products with a short shelf life, up to 7 days. Only bran and part of a raw egg can be added to dairy products no more than 2-3 times a week.

Meat feeding may include raw meat, offal or fish. You cannot mix the components of meat and fermented milk feeding with each other.

Vegetables and fiber in a cat's diet

Most vegetables can be fed to cats: carrots, White cabbage, bell pepper, pumpkin, zucchini, beets, cucumbers. It is useful to give greens: parsley, dill, lettuce. The choice is up to the cat. Some cats happily eat grass sprouted at home, this option is also suitable.

Vegetables may be present in the diet as a single option, or there may be several types of vegetables, but one type of vegetable is quite sufficient.

Greens and vegetables should always be given raw, finely chopped or grated on a fine grater.

Vegetables and greens should always be given only with meat feeding or separately. No need to mix raw plant foods with components of the fermented milk diet, with the exception of bran, which goes well with meat and dairy foods.

Bran (about bran, see below) in a cat’s diet can complement or even replace raw vegetables, especially in cases where the addition of vegetables leads to various types of indigestion (flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea) or if the cat refuses all types of vegetables completely , which happens more often.

Consistency of cat food

Cats should not be given food in the form of mince. The meat should be cut into pieces, hard vegetables grated on a fine grater, greens and lettuce finely chopped. Bran can be added to wet foods, both dairy and meat. Cats and dogs do not chew food, but swallow it if the piece corresponds to the size of the animal or bites off a piece accessible for swallowing - this is physiological for them and does not cause harm. In addition, ready-bought chopped meat contains too much fat. Even if the cat has few or no teeth, food can be given in chunks.

Eggs in a cat's diet

Eggs can be given raw, both chicken and quail, by adding 14 whole eggs to milk feeding 2-3 times a week. Both kittens and adult cats can and should be given both the yolk and the white, without separating.

Bran

Bran in a cat's diet, like vegetables, is a source of fiber and therefore it is recommended to add them to the cat's diet along with vegetables or, replacing them, as already mentioned, when refusing vegetables. Bran, unlike vegetables, easily sticks to meat and mixes with dairy foods, which deprives the animal of the opportunity to choose what it wants from a bowl.

The main advantage of bran is its high content of dietary fiber (fiber), which enhances peristalsis, regulates and improves the condition of intestinal microflora.

Bran can be purchased in bulk at health stores, pharmacies or grocery stores and added in this form to both fermented milk and meat feeding.

But fermented milk is preferable, since bran shows its maximum effect when it absorbs liquid and swells. Then, once in the stomach, the bran does not undergo any changes and, retaining water, enters the intestines, accelerating intestinal motility, which is especially recommended for cats with a tendency to constipation.

Oil in a cat's diet

Can be added to cats' vegetable diet different types olive oils, unrefined sunflower oils, pumpkin oils, flaxseed oils, etc., but exotic ones should be avoided. The main oils are unrefined sunflower and olive. Vegetable oils are added to the bowl where there are plant components of food (vegetables), regardless of the presence of meat, in a dose of 2-5 drops.

Bones in a cat's diet

Since in the diet of cats, which are classified as small felines, bones are present exclusively in the form of small rodents and birds, at home it is possible to feed cats whole small fish, chicken neck, but always in raw form and together with soft tissues, in which case the animal bites off the bone and meat in sections, but if you chop the bone, the cat can swallow them whole. If in doubt, you can not give the bone at all. It is not recommended to give boiled bones to cats; they are poorly digested and can cause intestinal obstruction.

Prebiotic and probiotic environment in the intestines. Carbohydrates in a cat's diet

Probiotics are preparations based on living “good” microorganisms: lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which remain viable when passing through the gastrointestinal tract, multiply in it and suppress the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Prebiotics are completely indigestible food ingredients that act as a substrate, a nutrient medium for the growth and life of beneficial microorganisms in the intestine, and also stimulate its functioning.

In the absence of a prebiotic environment (indigestible fiber), the number of beneficial bacteria sharply decreases, since they lack the prebiotic environment they need for nutrition and their share in the intestinal microenvironment will be occupied by pathogenic strains of E. coli, yeast, etc., which, in essence, is a dysbacteriosis.

Cereals, bread, pasta are easily digestible carbohydrates (starch); cats need complex carbohydrates of another type, which are found in raw vegetables or bran and which cats cannot digest. Carnivores cannot extract energy from complex carbohydrates and raw fiber; ruminants and herbivores “specialize” in this. It is raw vegetables and bran, or rather the indigestible fiber they contain, that create a prebiotic environment in the cat’s intestines, which is the basis and substrate for creating a probiotic environment and the formation of healthy intestinal microflora.

Moreover, if the cat has proper natural nutrition, then the cat, even without the use of probiotics, will eventually develop the correct intestinal microflora, but only if the animal is healthy and free from congenital and acquired diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that require treatment and are not dependent on correct diet. It is for this reason that introducing probiotics (lactobifadol, Vetom 1.1) into the diet of a cat that receives porridge or dry food does not bring the desired long-term result.

The role of the prebiotic environment in a cat’s diet is played by raw vegetables, which are best (but not necessarily) given to animals as a separate feeding, and also, when adding bran to a dairy or meat diet, these components are compatible.

It is better to give cats veterinary probiotics, only if they are not available, then try using human ones. It is possible to take probiotics prophylactically every 3-4 months. But prebiotics (vegetables and bran) must be constantly supplied to the digestive system, especially since this is not a medicine, but a regular component of the diet.

At the same time, you need to understand that if a cat has proper nutrition and the cat is healthy, then without the use of probiotics in the intestines, over time, a healthy intestinal microflora is formed on its own.

Is it possible to mix dry food and wet natural or canned food?

Mixing different types feeding does not have any advantages over the strict principles of feeding a cat, moreover, dry food is designed for feeding it exclusively. If you add other components throughout the day, then an imbalance is guaranteed. In addition, combining diets does not make any sense: either convenience or a natural diet.

Vitamins and mineral supplements

An adult cat that receives proper natural nutrition with a certain, even small, dose of raw bone does not necessarily need to be supplemented with any vitamin-mineral supplements at all times. IN spring period and in early summer, you can add dry yeast to your food, which is a natural complex of vitamins. However, if under some circumstances there are doubts about the possibility of using raw bone in the diet of adult cats due to various circumstances, you can use and even recommend the same mineral and vitamin supplement regimens as listed in the link below.

At the same time, kittens and adult cat During pregnancy and lactation, vitamins and minerals are absolutely necessary. You can read more details in further publications on the site.

The problem of obesity in cats

Obesity occurs when an animal consumes more energy than it expends. This leads to positive energy balance and obesity. However, the factors that cause positive energy balance are very complex, they include physiological and genetic predisposition, the influence environment. In other words, obesity is not simply the result of overeating. If this were so, then all individuals consuming high-calorie foods would develop obesity. The main factors causing obesity are:

1. Overeating;
2. Social environment (food competition);
3. Dietary factors;
4. Sterilization;
5. Reduced energy consumption.

The feeling of hunger is reduced by stimuli such as stomach distension, the presence of nutrients in the blood and liver, and the sight, taste and smell of food. All this creates a negative feedback with the hypothalamus, which controls energy consumption. To stop eating, one factor is not enough; all are needed at the same time.

Social environment, i.e. competition between animals can increase the amount of food eaten. Additional "snacks" and begging are other important external factors. Some owners encourage their pets to do this, and the “snack” can be high in calories and often doubles overall energy intake.

Neutered individuals are more susceptible to obesity than their normal counterparts. This is partly due to lower energy expenditure due to their condition, as well as impaired estrogen and testosterone production, which influence the satiety effect of food.

60-70% of energy is spent on maintaining body functions (homeostasis), 10% on heat production (specific dynamic effect), and the remaining 20-30% on physical activity. As physical activity increases, appetite increases. If physical activity decreases, then appetite worsens. Thus, in the latter situation, the animal can easily develop a positive energy balance.

The total volume of food from all feedings per day is calculated using the formula: up to 9 months. 10% and older than 9 months. 5% of body weight (body weight is calculated without taking into account body fat, of course, approximately).

The resulting daily volume of food is divided in half between 50% fermented milk products, 50% raw meat and everything related to meat (beef by-products, poultry, fish), raw plant foods are given ad libitum, but approximately 5-10% on the volume of meat portion. For example, for an average cat weighing 4 kg, you can give 1-2 teaspoons of grated carrots or other vegetables and 12 teaspoons of bran per day. Please note that vegetables and bran are supplements to the protein diet and are not included in the calculated percentages (10% and 5%).

An example of calculating the volume of food for a cat weighing 4 kg, age 9 months. and older:

4kg x 0.05 * =0.2 kg. or 200 gr. Of these, 100 gr. this is cottage cheese and kefir, which will make up fermented milk feeding and meat feeding will consist of 100 grams. raw meat, to which about 10 grams are added. raw grated vegetables and 2-5 drops. unrefined vegetable oil.

An example of calculating the amount of food for a cat weighing 2.2 kg, less than 9 months old:

2.2kg x 0.10 * =0.22 kg. or 220 gr. Of these, 110 gr. This is cottage cheese and kefir, which will make up fermented milk feeding and meat feeding will consist of 110 grams. raw meat, to which about 10-15 grams are added. raw grated vegetables and 2-5 drops. unrefined vegetable oil.

* — Coefficient obtained by dividing 5 and 10% by 100

This formula is not absolute and mandatory, the cat’s feeding regimen, and the amount of food can also vary depending on the physiological state (pregnancy, breed tendency to be overweight, the presence of hormonal disorders, sterilization, etc.); age: for old and aging animals, the amount of food is reduced, as well as for other individual characteristics. Also welcome fasting days no meat at all, but also without increasing the dose of dairy food. Cats in apartment conditions most often lead a sedentary lifestyle, so if they have food whims, pickiness, or loss of appetite, the diet can be reduced even without fear.

For example, the calculations of the amount of food given above are valid for active cats, which allow themselves active games, etc., even in an apartment. But for a cat leading a sedentary lifestyle, which prefers to sleep most of the day, the calculated amount will be exceeded, and the diet of such an animal requires a reduction in the amount of food eaten by 20-30% (see section The problem of obesity).

Are there breed specific features of a cat's diet?

There are no fundamental features for a healthy cat of any breed. A sick animal may need correction, but this requires individual work with a pet.

The cat is accustomed to dry food and refuses natural food.

Solving this problem with cats is much more difficult than with dogs. Cats are more picky, capricious and capricious. Prolonged feeding of dry or wet food to a cat, or other food ingredients not typical for cats, leads to a change in the food instinct, that is, it disorients the animal in choosing the possible food provided by nature. In such cases, fasting for 1-2 days, which would solve all the problems with the dog, may not help. It is recommended to feed the same food, but reduce it significantly so that the cat does not gorge on it for a long time (2-4 weeks or even more). During this period, the cat will lose some weight, its appetite will increase, and its feeding instincts will begin to return. And it is then that you can offer one or another component of natural food, gradually stopping the previous diet. However, the transfer may not be possible, and you will have to feed more familiar food.

Afterword

As you can see, among the indicated food components there are no dry and wet commercial foods, cereals in the form of porridges, breads and other carbohydrate foods; they are not recommended for cats, just as feeding sweet sugary fruits and everything else is not recommended. It is necessary to take into account that in relation to feeding dogs and cats, the concepts of “likes to eat this” or “does not like to eat that”, a strict diet, regardless of whether it is dry food or natural food, do not apply.

The main mistake that owners make in feeding cats is overfeeding. Even if the recommended components are kept, but their volume is greater than the norm, then this is as harmful as feeding the cat unacceptable products.

Should be adhered to simple rule, which works in most cases - if after eating food, the cat left any amount of it in the bowl, then this means that the animal is already overfed. The bowl should not be constantly filled, as is often the case. Only an animal with a moderate feeding instinct will not overeat in conditions of unlimited access to food. By the time of feeding, the cat should show a keen interest in food and eat the entire calculated amount, otherwise if some of the food remains in the bowl, then perhaps the animal is overeating, someone other than you is feeding the pet, or there is a disease leading to decreased appetite. This situation requires a reduction in food volume.

An animal that experiences health problems (diarrhea, regular vomiting) while eating natural food is sick and requires treatment. Switching to dry food will only adapt the animal to the disease, and will not relieve it. This is like a diet that makes life easier, which has the right to be used in the practice of a veterinarian, especially in cases where the animal’s health condition is irreparable or the doctor is not able to cope with the pathology with a natural diet. Owners need to understand this.

Therefore, the answer to the question: “What to feed a cat?” can be answered - natural food, which contains everything necessary for the body of a carnivorous animal. It is also necessary to know that the recommendations of breeders or felinologists, as well as the popular literature written by them on keeping and feeding cats, have nothing to do with objective in the right ways feeding, because the reason for such recommendations is partly due to ignorance and lack of understanding of the biological nature of the cat, and, partly, to reduce the cost or simplify the maintenance of the animal.

If you follow all the above feeding rules, your pet will live a long and healthy life.

Many of the questions that you still have after reading this article have already been asked in. However, if something remains unclear, ask there.

Also, questions and answers on most issues related to feeding dogs and cats can be read in.

There are three options for feeding your cat: natural food that you prepare yourself, industrial food, and mixed food, which includes both natural food and food. Which method to choose is up to you.

Ready-made feed

Feeding dry and canned food is very convenient. It contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals and does not require cooking.

However, such food should be High Quality. Always remember that good food does not come cheap. Choose super-premium and holistic food.

Don't buy food industrial production by weight. It quickly deteriorates in stores, as it is constantly in open bags. When choosing food for your cat, take into account its individuality: age, lifestyle, physical condition.

You cannot mix dry food and natural food on the same day, since neither food will be digested normally. If you feed the animal in combination, then alternate days, do not feed food and natural food at the same time.

Your cat should always have a bowl of clean, fresh water. You must give her the opportunity to quench her thirst when she wants it. Should not be given to a cat tap water. Water must be either bottled or boiled.

Natural feeding

If you have the opportunity to prepare complete natural food for your cat, then this will be the best option for her. The basis of a cat's diet is protein food of animal origin. In addition to meat, the cat's diet should include plant foods (vegetables, cereals, bran, vegetable oil, sprouted oats) in small quantities, as well as fermented milk products.

In nature, wild cats feed on small rodents and birds, and eat them along with the skin and stomach contents - grains and herbs. Sometimes small birds appear on their menu, but they practically do not get fish.

At home, beef, chicken, liver, cottage cheese, cheese, and chicken eggs (boiled) are good sources of protein for cat food.

There is an opinion that meat and fish are much healthier when eaten raw, as it is more reminiscent of the food of a wild cat. It’s really better to give meat and liver raw, but with fish it’s more difficult.

River fish are very often infected with worms. The tissues of some marine fish contain harmful substances, destroying B vitamins, the so-called antivitamins. Any fish should be boiled before feeding it to your cat and given no more than once a week. A cat's diet may not include fish at all.

Meat products are cut into small pieces, approximately 1–2 cm, so that the animal chews them for a while and does not swallow them whole. The bones and fat are removed, and the tendons and membranes are cut. Boiled bones are of no value. Tubular bones are simply dangerous for the animal. During the cooking process, bones lose all of their essential nutrients. Tubular bones are very fragile, especially poultry bones, and they crumble easily, forming fragments that a cat can swallow. In this case, urgent veterinary intervention is required.

Despite the ingrained belief that cats love milk and dairy products, you should not give your animal whole milk, as it contains a lot of lactose. Not all cats can digest lactose; milk causes diarrhea in many animals. Instead of milk, cats are given fermented milk products such as kefir and sour cream.

Cats, especially young and growing ones, need vegetable fats. They have a beneficial effect on the condition of the coat. Vegetable oil 5-10 g should be added to food 2-3 times a week, mixed with the main food.

Many cats eat fresh vegetables and fruits, depending on individual preferences. You can also boil carrots, beets, cauliflower, grate or finely chop, and then mix with meat. You should not give your cat beans, peas, or corn.

Food should always be fresh and at room temperature. Frozen and hot foods are harmful to the animal.

It is recommended to include fresh grass in their diet. Pet stores sell wheat and oat seeds. They are sprouted at home. The animal happily eats young shoots that contain a large number of vitamins

Since cats have rather small stomachs, they should be fed 2-3 times a day, keeping the portions small and the food fairly nutritious. On average, in order for a cat to feel comfortable, about 30 g of food is required per 1 kg of its body weight; the daily energy requirement is 250 kcal for females, 300 kcal for males. However, there are cats that, due to their metabolic characteristics, need less or, conversely, more food. Pick up daily norm food should be taken individually in each case, but do not forget to take into account the average norm, so as not to overfeed the pet or leave it hungry every time.

Castrated and sterilized animals differ from those capable of bearing offspring not only in their physiology, but also in their way of life. The first rule of feeding a neutered pet is not to overfeed it. Otherwise, the cat may become obese. A castrated animal (both male and spayed female) requires less food than breeding and fertile cats.

How can you determine how well-fed a cat is without a scale and whether it is overweight? You need to run your hand over her back and hips and feel the bones: at a normal weight, they should be clearly palpable, but not visible.

After eating, the cat definitely needs rest. If you carelessly handle the animal immediately after eating, it may vomit.

Cats are the most common pets all over the world, but not everyone knows how to feed them properly. But these furry creatures bring not only joy into our lives, but also additional worries. This is especially true when it comes to feeding cats, which raises a lot of questions among owners. On the most popular of them: what to feed a cat at home? We will talk about this today.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of a balanced diet for maintaining a cat’s vital functions. optimal level. After all, the health, life expectancy and normal functioning of the cat’s reproductive system will depend on the balance and good quality of the food that the owner offers his pet. A diet that can compensate for the need for proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and microelements can be considered acceptable for a cat. Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing pathologies caused by metabolic disorders.

Many cat owners believe that since their pet is a predator by nature, then the ideal diet for it should consist only of animal products. Indeed, wild cats obtain their food exclusively by hunting, tracking and attacking mice and birds. However, meat alone will not be enough. It turns out that products of plant origin contain essential components, without which normal development cats are simply unthinkable. You've probably seen your pet happily eating vegetables or simply nibbling grass. Don't worry, because such actions are completely understandable. It’s just that the cat thus compensates for the deficiency of minerals in its body.

A few rules for proper feeding

Cats are very picky when it comes to food. They start their meal slowly. Cats will never eat something they don't like and a good owner should understand this when choosing what to feed their cat.

Don't make a mess in the bowl. In vain, some try to make a homogeneous mash from individual components. The cat will still choose only what she likes. All the rest, even the tiniest pieces, will remain in the cup after dinner is over.

This circumstance does not allow cat food manufacturers to treat their products with disdain. Cats will appreciate only properly selected food, made from high-quality raw materials with the addition of ingredients that enhance smell and taste.

Cats are very attentive to the temperature of their food. Instincts play a big role here. Indeed, in the wild, cats begin to eat prey immediately after have a good hunting until it cools down. In addition, it has been experimentally proven that cold food is absorbed much worse by the cat’s body.

Experiment. The organoleptic properties of cat food are also extremely important. However, in this matter, each individual has individual preferences. One, for example, loves experiments and is happy to try new food offered by the owner, while the other, on the contrary, is more conservative, is skeptical about everything new and prefers a regular diet.

As mentioned, cat food manufacturers add flavor enhancing ingredients to their products. However, choosing the right supplement is very difficult. After all, if, for example, dogs are very fond of sweets, and there is no need to think long about this, then cats treat such additives with coolness. In addition, even food that is tasty, from a cat’s point of view, must have a certain size and consistency.

How to properly feed a cat with ready-made food?

So, in order to understand what to feed a cat at home, you need to understand what choice we have. There are several types of industrial cat food - dry and wet, as well as several product classes, such as economy, premium and super-premium. Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of each type and understand how to feed a cat with ready-made food.

Dry food

Feeding your cats ready-made dry food relieves the owner of many worries. This is especially convenient when moving or traveling, when there is no time or opportunity to prepare something for your pet yourself. Just open the package and add required quantity granules in a bowl, put clean water nearby and that’s it, your cat is full and happy. When feeding dry food pure water next to the bowl is very important. After all, the moisture content in such food does not exceed 12%, since otherwise there is a high probability of mold appearing during storage. However, this fact does not at all affect the composition of the feed, which is not inferior in nutritional value to wet food.

The main thing is that the cat has free access to clean drinking water, and also the food you give your cat is complete. That's all. If your mustache likes food, feels good, and looks healthy, then dry food is the best convenient option for the owner.

Wet food

In addition to dry food, of course, wet food is also available on sale. They can be sold as canned food for cats or simply packaged in pouches. In any case, wet food is no worse or better than dry food - they also have their advantages and negative properties.

In canned food, the acceptable moisture level is considered to be 85%. Before going on sale, such food is sterilized and hermetically packaged. You should not buy bulk cat food sold from open containers. Wet food is a perishable product and can cause severe poisoning in your pet.

Canned products are not susceptible to mold and putrefactive processes. However, when purchasing wet food, you should make sure that the packaging is not deformed or depressurized. The jar should not have any signs of corrosion or swelling. Also, you should only buy from trusted places, because in this case you can be sure that the canned food was stored correctly and you will not buy an expired product.

Features of the composition of ready-made feeds

The composition of cat food can be considered balanced. This includes ingredients such as meat, fish, meat by-products and herbal ingredients. Next, manufacturers enrich the resulting mixture with vitamins and minerals. The feed is given the required consistency. Of course, wet food for cats is the most preferable because it looks very appetizing, is nutritious, and is easily digestible. Moreover, it is not difficult for the owner to feed his pet with such products.

When purchasing canned food for cats, you can be guided by the same considerations as when purchasing regular canned food produced for people, since in appearance they are almost identical. The jar must contain the manufacturer's information, including address and contact information. Storage periods and conditions must also be indicated.

Medicinal food for cats and kittens

Having visited a modern pet store, a cat owner may be confused by the range of finished products for his pet. In addition to the usual ones, medicinal foods are widely available on the shelves, designed to help your pet in the fight against various pathologies. However, it is worth warning compassionate owners against uncontrolled use of such products, since otherwise they can only harm their health. You can feed your cat medicated food only as prescribed by a veterinarian and under his supervision, since an accurate diagnosis must first be made.

Sometimes you can hear from a cat owner that he feeds his pet food against urolithiasis for preventive purposes. This approach cannot be considered correct, since, on the one hand, the composition of such feeds can vary greatly, and on the other hand, such prevention can have a serious impact on family budget, because food against ICD is much more expensive. Remember, self-treatment of a cat can cause irreparable harm to its health.

Economy class food. Are there savings?

When choosing commercial food, it is important to understand the differences between classes of cat food. Sometimes cat owners go to the other extreme and, wanting to save money, purchase economy-class food, forgetting that their production uses ingredients of questionable nutritional value, for example, waste from meat and fish processing. Moreover, in low-quality cat food you can find potentially dangerous additives for the animal, designed to somehow improve the eating of food.

Savings when feeding your cat economy-grade food are deceiving, since your pet will eat large quantities of it and still remain hungry. But premium food made from natural meat and fish are eaten in much smaller quantities and cause a feeling of fullness in the cat for a long time.

In our age of high speeds, ready-made food has become not a luxury for cat owners, but a necessary necessity. Manufacturers make sure that using cat food is convenient and easy. For this purpose, on the shelves of pet stores you can find all sorts of forms of packaging, which, importantly, are disposable. In other words, food packaging is designed for one serving. This prevents food spoilage when stored outdoors.

To keep your cat active and healthy, you must follow the recommendations indicated on the container. Moreover, when consuming premium feed, there is no need for supplementary feeding with vitamin and mineral premixes. We can say that combined feeding, when natural products such as meat, fish, milk are used along with ready-made food, has a detrimental effect on the health of cats, causes metabolic disorders, and also leads to excess weight.

If the owner wishes, he can pamper his pet with natural products. In private grocery store You can buy meat and fish, as well as offal, milk, eggs and vegetables. However, before serving, such food is additionally enriched with vitamin and mineral premixes.

What food is good for cats: video

Natural feeding for cats

What to feed a cat if ready-made food is not suitable? Then it makes sense to turn your attention to natural nutrition - in other words, “from the table”. Sometimes cat owners mistakenly believe that their pet will be completely satisfied with eating leftovers. dining table. AND we're talking about not at all about the quality of the feed, but about its composition. Here, first of all, it is important to feed your pet not everything in a row, but with an understanding of the issue - after all, if you systematically feed food that does not contain the entire necessary set of microelements, you can easily ruin your pet’s health. How to properly feed a cat natural food?

Fish and meat

Therefore, you can’t do with half measures when preparing a cat’s dinner. Food will have to be prepared separately, using meat as the leading ingredient, which is rich in essential amino acids, fats, vitamins and iron. Cats enjoy eating meat. Just be careful not to overuse pork, as it is too fatty. In addition, a meat-based menu contains little calcium, which must be replenished separately.

Fish is also a fairly valuable food product for cats, but is not so attractive in its taste. Fish fillet, like meat, is quite poor in calcium content.

The cat is capable of quite dashingly dealing with any fish. However, giving the cat this product with bones is undesirable, since large fragments can seriously injure the animal’s intestines, including perforation, which can result in peritonitis and death. Especially it concerns purebred cats, which in the process of their development moved quite far from their relatives from wildlife and lost many behavioral skills.

Milk for cats

Many cat owners consider milk an ideal product for their pet. This is partly true, since milk is unlikely to be comparable in nutritional balance to any other food product. But this statement does not apply to various powder substitutes.

Individuals, due to individual characteristics their body is unable to digest lactose, also called milk sugar. Drinking even a small amount of milk results in severe diarrhea. In this case, you can advise feeding your pet fresh milk or, if this is not possible, using dairy products, which rarely cause problems in cats when consumed.

Eggs

Cats love eggs, although owners often use this food product to feed kittens. Eggs are rich in protein, iron, folic acid and vitamins. However, you should know that a raw egg, in addition to useful substances contains avidin, which is a biotin antagonist. Therefore, it is better to feed boiled eggs to cats.

Sprouted grains are an excellent source of proteins, thiamine and all kinds of vitamins. If it is not possible to germinate the seeds of cereal plants, then you should not try to treat your pet to whole grains. Cats won't eat this.

Vegetables

The beauty of using vegetables in cat food is that it enriches the food with B vitamins. However, this makes no sense when feeding boiled vegetables, since all the necessary vitamins will be destroyed. Despite this, there are still benefits from vegetables, since they are rich in fiber, which normalizes intestinal motility. An adult and healthy cat eats about 200 grams of food per day. With a well-designed diet, 70% of this mass will be allocated to meat, and the rest to other additives, for example, milk, vegetables or eggs. How to feed a cat correctly so that the pet is well-fed and healthy?

The daily portion should be divided into 3 parts and given to the cat at equal intervals throughout the day. For particularly picky individuals, food can be homogenized in a blender. In this case, it will be very similar to industrial.

Differences between natural and prepared foods

A veterinarian’s opinion on feeding natural and ready-made food on video:

Features of feeding cats at different ages

Depending on the age, the choice of what to feed a cat at home should shift towards the age characteristics of the animal. A kitten, an adult cat or an older cat will need a different approach to their diet.

Kitten diet

An extraordinary task may be the question of what to feed a kitten if the mother cat has abandoned them for some reason. As you know, feeding kittens with milk usually lasts up to 5 weeks. An alternative to breast milk may be goat milk with addition chicken egg. If goat milk is not available, you can purchase ready-made substitutes at a veterinary pharmacy.

As soon as the kittens begin to try to feed themselves, they can be offered a mash of rolled oats porridge, eggs, cream and meat puree. Gradually they are accustomed to thermally processed meat and fish.

Of course, when feeding kittens ideal option will use ready-made foods, since they maximally satisfy all the babies’ needs for nutrients. The daily portion should be divided into 6 parts and given at equal time intervals throughout the day.

Feeding an old cat

Older cats also cause feeding problems to their owners. How to properly feed an older cat? Just like kittens, they should be fed in small portions and offered high quality food.

An aging cat requires more attention, since quite often it completely refuses to eat. At the first signs of anorexia, you should immediately show it to a veterinarian, since liver pathologies may occur in the future. The consistency of the food also deserves attention, since a cat with dental problems is unlikely to be able to eat rough and hard food.

Nutrition for a pregnant cat

During pregnancy, a cat needs nutritious food. The developing fetus makes its own adjustments to the diet of the mother cat. During this period, the cat’s body requires 2 times more energy for normal functioning than before. However, after a week of pregnancy, the diet should be reduced. The same applies to water, to which the cat should have free access around the clock.

Foods that can cause bloating are completely excluded from a pregnant cat’s diet. But the dose of vitamin and mineral supplements, on the contrary, is increased. Also, to normalize the weight of future kittens, fat-rich foods should be included in the diet. This measure can significantly improve the viability of babies after birth.