Your cat’s daily staple diet is an important part of ensuring his health and happiness. It is mainly divided into two categories: cat food and cat snacks, and cat food is divided into two categories: dry cat food and wet cat food. Cat snacks mainly include liquid cat snacks and dried meat cat snacks,etc.
【Dry cat food】
Dry cat food is the main component of cats’ daily diet. It is rich in fiber, which is beneficial to cats’ digestion and defecation. It can also help cats maintain oral hygiene and prevent dental calculus and other problems. Dry cat food is easy to store and use, making it suitable for busy cat parents. When choosing, pay attention to the protein and fat content to ensure balanced nutrition.
When choosing dry cat food for cats, try to choose natural cat food. Natural cat food is high in protein, low in fat and has comprehensive nutrition. Natural cat food is made from pollution-free cereals, high-quality meat and other natural ingredients, without the addition of chemical synthetic products, food additives, etc. Of course, natural grains are more expensive, but they are durable and safe.
The main goal of ordinary commercial grains is palatability. Commercial grains often add various additives and attractants, including spices. This kind of cat food is cheaper in price, but it is less safe, so try not to choose it.
Nutritional principles of cat food
The formulas of cat food will be listed in order according to the weight proportion of the ingredients, with the ingredient with the highest proportion listed first.
Cats are relatively strict carnivores and are more picky about product ingredients. Their main energy sources are animal protein and animal fat. If both are provided in sufficient quantities, cats can survive healthily without carbohydrates at all. Therefore, when choosing cat food, follow the principle of meat > meat powder (minced meat) > eggs > fruits and vegetables > grains. When purchasing cat food, you can consider the cat’s physical condition or consult a veterinarian to confirm the selection of other nutritional ingredients to ensure that the cat receives comprehensive nutrition.
①The protein content in cat food is one of the very important nutritional indicators. The protein proportion of dry cat food is generally 30%-50%, which is used for muscle growth and energy supply. The proportion of protein required in adult cat food should not be less than 21%, and in kitten food should not be less than 33%. The higher the proportion, the more suitable it is for young, active cats. Cats that are carnivores are suitable for more animal-based protein. The lower the plant-based protein content, the better. You can check the ingredient list to confirm whether the cat food is suitable.
② Fat is one of the important sources for cats to obtain energy. The fat in dry cat food generally accounts for 10%-20% and is used for energy storage and provision. Although cats can eat food with high fat content, too high a content can easily lead to folliculitis (black chin is a type of folliculitis), obesity and other unhealthy problems. Therefore, according to the cat’s condition, choose the required fat content. If necessary Cat food with high fat content is recommended to be eaten for a period of time and not to be eaten for a long time.
③ Cats have low digestibility of carbohydrates, so the carbohydrate content in cat food should be kept as low as possible.
④The crude fiber content is generally 1%-5%, and its main function is to promote digestion. For cats, it can also induce vomiting of hair balls.
⑤The taurine content must be at least 0.1%. Taurine is one of the most important nutrients for cats and is essential for their retinal health. Therefore, when choosing cat food, make sure it contains enough taurine, at least 0.1%.
Taurine will maintain and promote the growth of the cat’s retina, and long-term deficiency may easily cause cats to suffer from night blindness.
【Wet cat food】
Wet cat food contains higher moisture and tastes closer to fresh food, so it is loved by many cats. Its moisture content helps cats maintain their body’s water balance and is easy to eat, making it suitable for cats with picky tastes. When choosing wet cat food, pay attention to choosing high-quality products and avoiding undesirable ingredients such as additives and artificial colors.
① Canned cat: The most common and most purchased by cat owners. To determine the quality of a can of cat canned food, you must first check the meat content. Cats are carnivores, and canned food that cats like must have sufficient meat content. If it is minced meat, Or canned meat made from leftovers, cats will not like to eat it. For a good canned cat, the first ingredient in the ingredient list must be meat, the rest is crude protein, the fat is reasonably distributed, and it is composed of trace elements.
Secondly, it depends on the water content. Wet canned food is more conducive to the cat’s gastrointestinal absorption and will not burden the cat. Wet canned food with high meat content can be used as daily main diet or recreational cat snacks. It can also replenish water. One can can be used for multiple purposes. It is more popular with cats than pure cat food or pure cat snacks.
Finally, you should carefully check the additive ingredients. Additives can improve the taste of canned food and extend the shelf life. However, excessive consumption is not good for cats. Do not buy canned food with many additives, especially for cats who eat canned cats as their main daily diet. Try to buy canned cats with few or no additives.
②Miao Xian Bao: low content, rich soup, the best choice when going out and playing, easy to carry, replacing the weight of cat food and water, making travel easy.
[Homemade cat food and cat snacks]
Some cat owners prefer homemade cat food or cat snacks. Homemade cat food should use fresh meat as much as possible, such as whole chicken, beef, pork and other meats plus carrots, potatoes, fish oil and other accessories. When making cat food or cat snacks, you need to understand the cat’s nutritional ratio and add appropriate nutrients to ensure the cat’s nutritional needs. Try to make homemade cat snacks made of pure meat jerky cat snacks, such as chicken breast, beef, duck, etc. This type of jerky can be simply baked, which not only ensures the nutrition of the meat, but also does not cause other health problems.
【raw meat】
Raw meat and bones are a more recommended cat snack food, because cats’ staple food is meat and poultry. The best raw food is fresh whole chickens, ducks, fish, etc., including blood, internal organs and bones. Cat owners can try to freeze them for 24 hours and then defrost them for their cats to eat. Pay attention to supplementing enough taurine, and consult your veterinarian regularly. Pay attention to deworming issues
【Cat Snacks】
There are many types of cat snacks, including liquid cat snacks, dried meat cat snacks, cat biscuits, freeze-dried cat snacks, etc. As a cat’s dietary supplement and daily enjoyment product, which cat snack to choose has become a problem for cat owners, but regardless of Whichever the owner or cat prefers, follow the basic principles and you can choose delicious and healthy cat snacks.
Give priority to natural ingredients: When choosing cat snacks, try to choose products with pure natural meat as the main raw material, and carefully check the ingredient list to avoid artificial additives and chemical ingredients. As a carnivorous cat, fresh and healthy meat is more beneficial to the cat’s health. Reduce the consumption of cat snacks with too many additives.
Low salt and low sugar: Cats have weak intestines and stomach, and improper diet can easily cause gastroenteritis. Therefore, when choosing cat snacks, pay attention to the salt or sugar content in the product. Choose mainly low-salt or no-salt products. The sugar content is low. If you need to supplement For trace elements, you can choose cat snacks composed of meat, vegetables and fruits.
Taste and freshness: Cats have picky tastes, and fresh cat food snacks can arouse their appetite. Therefore, when buying cat snacks, pay attention to check the production date and whether the product is fresh. Choose cat snacks with good taste and high freshness to ensure that your cat Healthy enjoyment
Functional cat snacks: In order to better serve cats, some cat snacks will add some nutrients to make functional cat snacks, such as promoting gastrointestinal function, oral hygiene, promoting excretion of hair balls, etc. Cat owners can according to the specific needs of cats. Choose the right product.
Moderate feeding: Cat snacks should be used as rewards or occasional snacks. Overfeeding is not advisable to avoid affecting the cat’s digestion and nutritional intake of staple food.
In short, when choosing cat food and cat snacks, you must comprehensively consider factors such as the cat’s nutritional needs, individual preferences, and the quality and ingredients of the product to ensure that the cat receives balanced nutrition and enjoys delicious food.
Post time: Mar-21-2024