Diet for Scottish breed cats and kittens

The best food for adult Scottish cats

As you grow older, your needs change and you have to switch to other foods. Veterinarians recommend paying attention to options of at least super premium class. As a last resort, you can temporarily buy premium food, but it is better to avoid the cheapest brands. Good food should contain at least 26-30% animal protein. Plant-based foods are acceptable, but undesirable - they are less digestible. Among carbohydrates, it is better to give preference to components such as rice and legumes - corn and wheat are not so healthy and sometimes cause allergies. Based on these requirements, we included five quality brands in the food rating for adult Scottish cats.

Selecting your diet

For all cats, including purebred Scots, three types of food are recommended:

1. Homemade food with a variety of natural products.
2. Industrial with ready-made food, dry or jelly-like.
3. Mixed feeding, homemade food divided over time, alternating with ready-made food.

Each type of food is correct, the main thing is to follow the diet, the number of meals depending on the age and physical condition of the animal. It is important that food for Scottish kittens is always fresh, varied, and provides the necessary balance of vitamins and microelements.

When choosing the type of food, they are guided by the pet’s preferences, as well as the owner’s ability to devote a lot of time to preparing homemade food.

Elderly pets

Aging cats and cats need a special diet. The calorie content of the menu should be reduced, since energy expenditure in older animals is much less than in their “youth”. One kilogram of a cat’s body weight should not exceed 65 kcal per day.

It is also worth reviewing the structure of the feed. If a cat previously ate dry food, then with the onset of old age it needs to be switched to wet varieties, since diseases of the teeth and gums do not allow them to fully chew hard snacks.

Aging Scottish cats often suffer from a condition called hyperthyroidism, which is characterized by an increase in thyroid hormones. In this case, it is recommended to increase the calorie intake of your pet.

A common problem for Scottish cats is kidney failure. If a veterinarian has diagnosed your pet with this, then the amount of protein in his diet should be reduced to a minimum. You also need to reduce the amount of salt and phosphorus.

Reducing the amount of salt is also good for the heart, since older cats often suffer from heart failure.

Additional vitamins, trace elements and minerals

Many cat owners wonder whether their pets need special supplements. This will actually depend on the diet you choose. If you feed your cat holistic and super premium products, then additional vitamins will not be required, since everything they need is already contained in them.

Kittens up to six months of age require vitamins A and D for healthy growth and normal development. In addition, in veterinary pharmacies you can find special multivitamin preparations intended for kittens from the first month of life. Their use will not be superfluous, but you should first consult with a veterinarian who will help you choose the best complex.

Supplemental vitamins may be approved by your veterinarian. Typically, special medications are prescribed to cats that have undergone surgery and various diseases. Therefore, if you do not have sufficient knowledge in this area, then it is better not to give your cat any supplements without consulting a specialist.

What products are prohibited?

There are a number of foods that are prohibited from being given to the Scottish breed:

• Sweet. Cats do not have receptors for sweets; they cannot distinguish this taste from others.
• Salty. Such products can negatively affect the kidneys and bladder.
• Onion garlic.
• Chocolate. The substances contained in this product are hazardous to animals.
• Whole milk. Adult cats cannot digest this product. You can use cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, cheese for nutrition.
• Any spices, seasonings. This can damage your cat's sense of smell and pancreas.
• Citrus fruit.

All these products are completely prohibited for Scots.

What not to feed

The health of your pet depends not only on a properly formulated diet, but also on knowing what not to feed your Scottish Fold or Straight-eared cat.

It is strictly forbidden to include the following products and additives in the diet of a fold-eared, straight-eared Scottish kitten:

1. Any types of sweets and confectionery products lead to obesity
2. It is unacceptable to feed Scottish Straight and Scottish Fold kittens chocolate.
3. Lard, fatty meats and fish affect the liver;
4. Adding salt, hot spices, pickles and marinade to food harms the kidneys and stomach;
5. Fried, smoked meat and fish are poorly digested and harm the pancreas;
6. Canned food contains salty, peppered foods with spices that are harmful to digestive and urinary function.

Important! Do not teach your Scottish cat to eat anything from the common table; such food is harmful to the pet’s health and develops bad behavior habits.

Advice from veterinarians

Veterinarians' advice on what to feed Scottish fold and straight-eared cats:

1. Before purchasing a beloved pet, it is useful for owners to:

• get acquainted with the peculiarities of feeding Scottish fold and straight-eared kittens;
• Find out at the cattery what Scottish cats eat at birth and in what quantities.

1. When feeding Scots, it is beneficial to use ready-made, high-quality specialized feed:

• Practically, it is much easier to acquire a solid supply of feed;
• Ease of use, no need to cook food;
• Cost-effective, it is more profitable to purchase balanced feeds than to buy the entire range of products separately.
• Long shelf life, unlike natural products.

Pets, Scottish fold and straight-eared cats, need proper and balanced nutrition. It is important from the first days of a kitten in the house to organize care, to take into account the nuances of nutrition during the growth of the pet at all stages of development, taking into account the characteristics of the breed.

Introduction of complementary foods

At an early age, the basis of the Scottish Straight kitten's diet is milk, cat milk substitutes and various mixtures. When the baby reaches 2.5-3 months, you can gradually introduce new natural products into his menu. An excellent option for first complementary foods are:

• dairy products (milk, cheeses);
• high-quality minced meat;
• fermented milk products (kefir, sour cream, fermented baked milk, yogurt).

Industrial food is introduced into the diet of a Scottish Straight kitten at the age of 3 months.

Initially, it is recommended that children be offered high-quality mousses, pates, and jellies. Before the baby reaches six months of age, it is best to pre-soak dry food in kefir or milk.

Feeding rules

We will try to answer what care and feeding the Scottish Fold cat requires, formulating feeding rules in the following points:

Cats need a lot of water to digest, especially dry food. Therefore, do not let your pet feel its lack. Fresh water in a clean bowl should be visible.

How to feed properly is a question that causes a lot of controversy. But, perhaps, there is no one who disagrees with the fact that cheap food does not contain a composition suitable for food and health. The animal's interest in them is caused by taste enhancers and special additives that are addictive.

The Scottish Straight cat requires exactly the same nutrition as the Fold cat. The shape of the ears does not depend on nutrition.

The food must be either natural food or special food. Because industrial feed contains calculated nutrients for 1 serving. And for digestion, the body produces 2 different types of enzyme. Such food mixed in 1 meal will harm your cat’s gastrointestinal tract.

As a treat, you shouldn’t change the food manufacturer all the time.

Natural food

The option is not the simplest, and also requires some costs. To create a natural menu in accordance with the requirements of the Scottish cat, you will have to come up with several healthy recipes.

Food from the table is harmful to the cat!

Let's look at what foods you should give your cat:

• Meat . It must be either frozen or heat-treated. Regular raw meat should not be given to cats. Of the varieties, preference should be given to low-fat varieties, for example, beef.
• Bird . The best option would be chicken meat. It must be boiled before use.
• By-products , such as liver. You should treat your pet with it no more than once a week. Be sure to boil before serving.
• Fish . Only marine and low-fat. The ubiquitous myth that any fish is good for cats is high time to debunk. River fish is dangerous for cats' health! Therefore, you can treat your cat to seafood no more than once a week.
• Dairy products . Offer your Scottish cat cheese, sour cream or kefir several times a week. It is unlikely that your pet will refuse such a tasty treat.
• Eggs , namely boiled chicken yolk.
• Milk and milk porridges are beneficial for young animals. They are necessary in the diet only until the age of 6 months. After this period, dairy products can cause distress in the cat.
• Cereals. Optimal source of slow carbohydrates. The cat gets energy from them, so it is necessary to treat your pet with rice, buckwheat and oatmeal. If the cat thinks otherwise, convince him otherwise by mixing porridge with meat.
• Vegetables. Source of vitamins. Most likely, boiled carrots will also have to be mixed with meat, but it’s worth it. After all, the health of your pet depends on the presence of vitamins.

Someone's hungry

Cats are carnivores by nature, so the main ingredient in a Scottish cat's diet should be meat. Protein is essential for muscle building, visual acuity and reproductive function.

Remember about product compatibility. When feeding Scottish and other breeds, it is important not to mix incompatible foods: dairy treats should be a separate meal. The same goes for vegetables.

What cats can't do

When creating a diet, it is important not only to provide your cat with healthy foods, but also to protect them from harmful ones. Cats should not be given:

• Food from the table. You cannot treat cats to food with seasonings, as well as salty, smoked and sweet foods;
• Fatty meat is prohibited not only for Scots, but also for other breeds;
• Baked goods, baked goods and sweets.

I want to, but I can’t

Vitamins

Even the highest quality natural food is not able to provide a cat’s body with the necessary vitamins. To give your pet a burst of strength, buy a vitamin and mineral complex for cats at a veterinary pharmacy.

The tablets are usually “equipped” with a pleasant smell, so giving the pill to your cat will not be difficult.

In some pharmacies you can find special complexes for the Scottish breed. The composition of such tablets takes into account the breed’s love of hunting and meat products, and also adds the required amount of plant elements.

It wouldn’t hurt to grow a pot of “cat” grass on the windowsill. Seeds of such a delicacy can be bought at the same pet store. The sprouts will hatch in just a few days, and the cat will have the opportunity to eat a fresh, vitamin-rich salad.

Personal lawn

In addition to food, the cat should have drinking water in a separate bowl. The drink needs to be changed daily. Some pets prefer to drink tap water, which does not cause any harm.

You cannot bring grass from the street for your cat! The stems of outdoor plants may contain parasite larvae that can infect your pet.

Examples of natural dishes

To avoid wondering what to cook for your Scottish cat for lunch, use one of the tips below:

1. Pour boiling water over fresh beef (75 grams) and add 20 grams to it. lungs. Mix all this with oatmeal steamed in boiling water. Add half a teaspoon of vegetable oil and dry yeast (on the tip of a knife) to the finished porridge.
2. Mix boiled buckwheat with chopped liver. Add lean, boneless fish. If necessary, add a small amount of water and grind the mixture using a blender.

To give or not to give kittens raw meat?

Is raw meat allowed for kittens? These debates have been going on between veterinarians and breeders for a long time - there is no common opinion. Some people claim that raw meat is more natural for cats, because in nature cats do not cook meat. Others are categorically against it, because meat sometimes contains parasites and infections, which are not always killed by cold (meat can only be given to cats after three days of freezing). At the same time, cooking kills many beneficial substances - and the diet becomes poorer, sometimes to critical levels. In fact, this discussion is meaningless, since more than a hundred years ago a large-scale experiment was conducted that gave a clear answer to this question.

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