Animals

Cat food: what is it and how to choose the most suitable one for your feline?

"Find the perfect food for your cat: essential tips to ensure nutrition, health and happiness. Choose with confidence, your feline deserves the best!

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Anyone who has a cat knows, when it's time to buy your cat's food, you're never quite sure which one to choose. There are wet food, dry food, with meat, with vegetables, to reduce glucose, to maintain weight, for senior cats… They are LOTS OF!

So which one to choose? How to know what your cat needs, what it can eat, which one it will like?

Looking to find out about cat food, we went after some information. So, discover your definitive guide on cat food here!

Neither milk nor mice: what does a (domestic) cat eat?

When we think of a cat eating, two images come to mind: milk and mice. If the first is wrong (surprisingly), the second is true, but it is not recommended.

Why?

First, the milk. Cats are mammals. However, they are mammals only from… Their mothers' milk. Once they enter the weaning phase, their bodies will pull calcium from other foods.

Cow's milk is suitable for the calf. The goat, for the kid. Sheep's, for the little lamb... The milk of these animals, which we consume on a large scale, is extremely fatty, and so much fat can affect your cat's liver and kidneys.

Therefore, do not serve milk to your cat.

Second, the mouse. Cats are animals that evolved from wild felines such as tigers, jaguars and leopards. That is, cats that hunt. Soon, your cat, if it weren't for you feeding it, would probably hunt mice.

That doesn't mean you should leave your cat without food, so he can eat mice!

Rats are very contaminated by diseases and chemical substances, originating from pollution and factories. Mainly urban ones. They are also animals that we fight with poisons, from food poisons to gaseous poisons.

That is, an urban rat can pass diseases to your cat, or it can poison him.

So what do domestic cats eat? The answer is: ration.

Having dinner with my cat: what's on the menu?

Cats can also eat some of the foods that their owners eat. The main one is meat. Preferably one without bone, and without fat.

In the case of fish, prefer fresh and lightly cooked fish.

In the case of fruits and vegetables, prefer those that are not citrus, such as apples, melons, papayas, and vegetables such as carrots, squash, broccoli. Leaves, like lettuce, are also released.

But never make these treats your cat's main meal. Sometimes you may be offering food in the wrong portions.

And before you do that, of course, talk to your vet. Sometimes, cats show signs of illness and allergies to some foods, and only the veterinarian will be able to identify them.

And what does a cat need to be healthy?

Cats are essentially carnivores. This means that what they most need to eat is protein and iron.

On the one hand, you shouldn't just stop buying feed, and only offer meat to your feline. They are “essentially”: that is, most of their diet is made up of proteins, but they also need vitamins and mineral salts.

The correct proportion of protein and other substances, the sources, and the variety are only accurately determined by one person: the veterinarian.

Therefore, before adopting any diet for your cat, talk to a veterinarian. Only he will know how to indicate the most suitable feed for the cat.

Every cat is a unique cat. Literally not just because they are our sources of tufts and love. There are breeds that demand more of a substance than others. Cats of different ages need different nutrients. Cats with different health conditions need different foods.

What is cat food?

So we come to a crucial point. What is cat food? Is it just a little brown cookie-like ball, or is there something else in there?

First, cat food is exclusive to… Cats! Dog food, or other mammals, is very different from cat food. This is because the organism of cats is very different from the organism of a dog, or other mammals.

If your cat eats a dog biscuit every now and then, he won't get sick. However, you will be malnourished.

Think: if you eat onion-flavored snacks for lunch all day, will you be a healthy person?

But what is in the ration that is so different?

Basically, in the ration of cats (and dogs) there is: meat, cereals, and starch or jellies.

What changes from ration to ration are the proportions, and the functions. An overweight cat food will be different from a kitten food. A glycemic control ration is different from a cholesterol control ration.

So, how do you choose which food to buy? Shall we repeat Mr. Cat's mantra?

“OM… SEEK A VETERINARIAN… OM”.

Dry food or wet food?

Now, imagine the situation: you went to the vet, the doctor said your cat is fine. Now, you will buy feed.

Which one to choose? Dry or wet food? And what is a dry food? What is a wet food?

Dry food is basically a biscuit. The wet one, a pâté. Like everything else in life, they have advantages and disadvantages, and it's important that you weigh all the points before choosing one or the other. But veterinarians will almost always recommend you buy both. Let's see.

Dry food: advantages

The advantage of dry food is its cost-effectiveness. As they are “crackers”, they are sold in a larger quantity. Also, they can stay longer in the bowl because they are dry grains.

This makes them easier to store (and discard when they start to go bad).

Also, they stick less to the teeth. So, cat hygiene becomes easier.

Dry food: disadvantages

As they are dry, they are tougher. This can be a problem for very young cats (who are changing their teeth) or very old cats (who have lost their teeth).

Another thing is that its consistency, dry, can displease the palate of some cats, or even give a slight indigestion - but this is not common.

Wet food: advantages

The biggest advantage of wet food is its consistency. As she looks like a pate or cream / meat broth, cats eat them with much more pleasure.

Another good thing is that, because they are moist, they not only feed the cats. It can also be a source of hydration.

Wet food: disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage of wet food is that it spoils very quickly, precisely because it is a food immersed in broth. So if your cat doesn't eat it at that time, you'll probably have to throw it all away.

And that's not just a problem because of food waste. The cost (they usually come canned, to last longer) can weigh a little. And since they don't last long after opening, a pot of wet food is much smaller than one of dry food.

So, as you can see, the most important thing is that you feed your cat. There is no perfect feed and the ideal (besides going to the vet frequently) is for you to balance and vary the feed.


What did you think of our article? Did I miss talking about something? Any questions about cat food? Is there any that you prefer? Any that you used and liked (or didn't like)? Tell us in the comments!

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