The unconditional love and affection your pet give you are indeed good enough reasons for you to treat them like your own blood and flesh. While the sentiment is nice and all, you need to understand that if taken too far, you can be harming your precious pet unintentionally. Animals are different from humans and they have different needs and requirements, you can’t expect them to eat the same food as you without suffering some complications. Dogs, for example, aren’t supposed to eat sugar, as it damages their liver and can even kill them.
Cat nutrition is not any less complicated; you’ll want to put them on a wholesome diet that provides more than their minimum nutritional needs. If you are a new cat owner or have been one for a while, it’s time to take your pet’s health seriously and start making some changes. Continue reading to learn how you can effectively make your cat’s food healthier.
Make Sure It Contains All the Important Nutrients
Giving your cat a balanced diet is very important for its growth and wellbeing. Protein is the number one element that your cat needs to maintain a strong immune system and have healthy skin and fur. However, plant-based protein won’t do the trick, your cat needs foods that contain at least 26% animal-source protein to cover their nutritional needs. Essential fats come in next as they help protect your cat’s internal organs and provide it with a reliable source of energy to stay active. Finally, a balanced cat diet should always contain the right minerals and vitamins for your cat’s proper growth. However, it’s all about balance as excessive levels of minerals and vitamins can actually do more harm than good.
Always Choose Natural Ingredients
Whenever possible, you should always choose natural ingredients when purchasing or preparing food for your feline pet. Whole foods have more nutritional value and won’t upset your cat’s digestive system. Canned foods prepared using vegetables and crude animal protein will give your fur baby all the nutrients it needs in a safe, practical, and cost-efficient way. As explained on https://petsumer.com/, dyes, colors and artificial additives are all low-quality filters that manufacturers rely on to reduce their production costs and stay competitive in the market. However, they offer zero value to your pet and it’s best to completely avoid them. If you’re worried about your cat getting bored with the food you give it on a daily basis, try switching it up the healthy way. You can introduce different flavors, or prepare a mixture of wet and dry food to keep your cat interested without the added risk of artificial ingredients.
Learn About the Right Quantity
It’s not always a matter of food quality, sometimes it’s the portion size that is unhealthy. Like humans, every cat has its own caloric needs as per its size, age, and overall health condition. That’s why if you haven’t already done that, you need to schedule an appointment with your vet to learn more about your cat’s breed and current health condition to work out the right food portions. However, it might help you to know that most cat food containers in the market provide details about the recommended portion for cats of different ages and weight goals. It’s a good place to start, but it’s not a reliable source on its own. As your cat grows and becomes more subject to illnesses, you will have to learn how to adapt their meal portions to accommodate their changing health condition.
Understand How Frequently you Should Feed Your Cat
Cats have the notorious reputation of being gluttonous. They will try to steal any food in sight even if they’re not necessarily hungry. Two meals a day are usually enough for an adult cat that doesn’t suffer from underlying health conditions. Kittens on the other hand need to eat more frequently as they need more energy to support their growth.
Figuring out the right feeding frequency for your cat can be quite tricky so it’s best to keep a watchful eye on its energy levels and its overall behavior around feeding times. If you notice that your cat is usually in a pleasant and playful mood after it eats after having been lethargic all day, you might want to consider offering it one more small meal to keep it happy.
Make Sure Your Cat Is Getting Enough Water
Water is extremely important for your cat to stay in good shape. Drinking fresh clean water is not enough, you should consider adding more wet food to your cat’s diet to keep it hydrated throughout the day. Since not all cats like wet food, try to find varieties that your cat would enjoy. Over time, with some trial and error, you will find the brands and flavor that your cat prefers and you won’t have to worry about its water intake.
As a proud fur baby owner, keeping your cat healthy and happy is probably your ultimate goal. If you are new to this, it’s completely normal to feel lost and overwhelmed. However, the above information can help you understand your cat’s dietary needs and learn what you should look for to guarantee it’s eating a wholesome and healthy diet.