More and more people are thinking about their diet, counting calories, vitamins and minerals consumed from foods. What about furry pets? A balanced diet is no less important for animals. Let's, together with the Murkoshi team, find out which cat foods veterinarians recommend purchasing and which ones they advise you to avoid.
1) What should be a good cat food according to veterinarians 2) Classes of cat food 3) What foods should be excluded from the diet 4) What foods do veterinarians recommend
Positive and negative sides
Usually, having brought home a small miracle, the owner gives preference to food prepared independently, thinking that the pet will receive more benefit from it.
But what is the advantage of ready-made food:
- Saving your time. Imagine how many hours you waste by constantly cooking at the stove;
- Balance and nutrients. It doesn’t matter how old your pet is, he will receive all the necessary substances from ready-made food, and in the right proportions and dosages. Due to vitamins and healthy supplements, animals normalize digestion and are less at risk of getting sick;
- Benefit from the purchase. It's a double-edged question. If the food is premium, then self-prepared food will be cheaper;
- Taking care of your teeth. Many foods help in the fight against caries and do not harm the teeth in any way.
There are always negative points:
- If the food is of low quality or budget, the pet will quickly get used to it.
- Such food is very moist, which is detrimental to health.
Some foods do not fight caries, but form it and tartar.
Features of feeding kittens
A kitten's diet is radically different from that of adults. He needs the whole complex of vitamins and microelements. As it grows, all vital organs and systems are formed, and a lack of the necessary components will negatively affect health.
A kitten's diet is radically different from that of adults.
For up to 2 weeks, it is recommended to take purely breast milk substitutes, which are sold in pet stores. If they are not available, you can prepare the mixture yourself by combining 4 parts goat or cow milk with 1 part egg white.
As you grow, this nutrition will not be enough. In the 3rd week you need to introduce additional ingredients into the diet. As a supplement, you need to use canned food and dry mixtures for kittens of the premium and super-premium categories.
Meals should be chosen depending on age; this information should be checked with the seller or found on the packaging. It is recommended to combine them with dairy nutrition: 30% is feed, 70% is dairy nutrition.
Advice! You should not purchase cheap products, as they provoke the development of diseases.
Age when you can switch to regular food
It is recommended to completely switch to regular food for the younger age category at 1 month. Formula milk should also continue to be given, but in a smaller dosage. And by 2 months the kitten should be switched to the main type of food. This transition will help avoid stress for your pet.
It is worth changing the product line only as a last resort.
What classes are feed divided into?
Economy Most often these foods are purchased, the reason for this is the low price and great advertising promotion. You shouldn’t expect any benefits or vitamins from them, the products are unnatural, waste, soy proteins.
But the smell, flavors and harmful additives win the love of pets. Also, when reading the ingredients, avoid allergens.
Do not ruin the health of your pets and buy food from these brands:
- Whiskas,
- Darling,
- Felix,
- Purina One,
- Perfect Fit
- Kitikat,
- Sheba.
Almo Nature
Italian canned food belongs to the super-premium class. It is very popular among owners of small kittens of different breeds. The majority (up to 75%) of this food consists of poultry or fish. They are usually found in solid pieces. Also on sale are spiders with liver and vegetables, cheese. These components are part of the basic composition of a growing animal and a developing organism. The balanced composition and energy content allow the kitten to grow up healthy, active, with a strong immune system. Minerals and vitamins from the composition ensure healthy skin and beautiful, thick, shiny coat. The food undergoes a 3-stage test. First, the composition is checked for compliance with standards. The second stage is checking the thoroughness of feed processing. Third, an assessment of safety and taste is given.
ADVANTAGES: The composition does not contain preservatives, dyes, by-products or thickeners with flavors. Large assortment with different tastes and compositions. Packaging of different types and volumes.
DISADVANTAGES: Sold only in specialized stores. Suitable for food only for kittens. For adult cats it serves as an additive to the main diet.
Premium and super-premium
The content of meat, grains, and proteins is much higher than in economy class feed. And the amount of soy, grains, and by-products is kept to a minimum.
Of course, super-premium cat food is better in composition, and if possible, you should give preference to them and you won’t have to worry about your pet’s health.
- Premium foods: Brit Premium, Probalance, Ontario, Nero Gold, 4 Paws Club, Hill's, Happy Cat.
- Super premium food: Brit Care, Monge BWild, Summit, Brooksfield, Optimeal, Leonardo, Applaws, Bozita, Bosch, Organix, Pronature Original, Gina, Arden Grange, 1st Choice.
When choosing food, you should consult with your veterinarian; some foods containing large amounts of meat may have a bad effect on your pet’s gastrointestinal tract.
Composition analysis
When choosing, you need to carefully study the composition of the product. It should contain useful components to the maximum, and harmful ones - in minimal quantities.
Substances indicated in the composition, the presence of which is undesirable:
- sugar, its analogues:
- dye E12, which increases the likelihood of the formation of malignant tumors;
- high content of harmful by-products (skin, feathers, beaks);
- meat without indicating its source;
- antioxidants that damage the liver: E320, 324, 321;
- flavorings;
- flavor enhancers.
The quality of nutrient mixtures of wet and dry consistency can be recognized if the ratio of healthy products in their composition does not differ significantly from the following indicators:
- meat, with exact indication of name - 35%;
- protein - 20%;
- high quality by-products - 10%;
- plant matter - 25%.
A whole complex of vitamins and mineral components should also be present.
Holistics
The best, healthiest, high-quality food is in this section. Manufacturers do not skimp on them, you can safely feed your pet. The only thing is, due to its beneficial properties, such food is very expensive.
Popular holistic food brands:
- Acana,
- Superpet,
- Jaguar
- Carnilove,
- Farmina N&D,
- Almo Nature,
- Innova Evo
- Grandorf,
- Pronature Holistic,
- Gina Elite.
Your choice
We have just talked about the different classes of food, and you can safely answer the question: “What food is best to give to a cat?”
- Any super-premium or holistic class is ideal for your pet’s health.
- Hunger will be satisfied for a long time, and the body will be saturated with useful substances.
- If, due to your budget, you can only afford economy-class food, it is better to prepare food for your pet yourself.
Don’t be fooled by flashy packaging and advertising, trust the ingredients and our advice.
Some useful tips
It's no secret that cats are quite finicky animals, and everyone has different tastes. A pet can happily eat cheap dry food and turn up its nose at elite food.
- If the kitten was purchased from a nursery, the owner should ask the breeder what food he used to feed it.
- When buying new food for your pet, you should not buy a large pack at once, because you are not sure that your cat will like it.
- When purchasing a bag of dry granules for snow-white cats, the owner should make sure that it does not contain carrots and beets, which can stain the animal’s coat for a while.
- It is not advisable to frequently change the brand of dry food, as your cat may develop an allergy or stomach upset with the new one.
- There should always be a bowl of fresh, clean water next to the bowl of dry kibble so your pet can drink whenever he wants.
Food for different breeds
You can often hear the following questions: “Which food is better for British, Scottish or Maine Coon cats?”
- The breed also plays a big role; the individual characteristics of the pet can affect nutrition.
- If a cat, due to its breed, is prone to obesity, special food will prevent obesity and various diseases from occurring.
- This happens thanks to the correct calculation of the proportions and dosages of products when creating food.
Dry
The most popular and easy to use food. Due to the small amount of moisture in the food, you should constantly monitor your pet's water balance throughout the day.
- Dry food has a positive effect on teeth, cleaning them from plaque.
- It is necessary to pay attention to the pet’s age and needs when choosing.
What dry food is best for cats? Acana, Orijen, Grandorf. These are the three best dry foods from the holistic class.
Wet food
This type of food is pieces in sauce, its moisture content is medium. One small bag is enough for one time.
- If your pet doesn't finish eating, throw away the leftovers; they will no longer be able to satisfy and benefit the animal.
- What is the best wet food for cats? The greatest demand is for Grandorf, Solid Natura Selection, Royal Canin Digest Sensitive.
Is it possible to feed cats food from the table?
Many owners habitually reason that if the food they eat is good for them, then it will be good for their pets, and they believe that the main rule in the diet is variety. Nutritionists do not agree with this position and explain that if you additionally give animals some other food, then the cats will not finish eating their own, which is why they will not receive the daily requirement of the necessary elements. Of course, if you feed your cat from the table infrequently and a little, then nothing bad will happen to it. 5–10 grams of meat (preferably cooked) or other food is most likely not dangerous for a healthy cat.
Instructions
Remember that the food may not be suitable for your pet, despite its class, even holistic people do not always win the love of animals.
- Each of them is individual, you may not suspect what your pet is allergic to.
- Only by trying a variety of foods will you find the right one.
The food is affected by the breed, sterilization, and disorders in the body. It is worth consulting your veterinarian once again.
