A USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT DOMESTIC CAT NUTRITION:
Cat nutrition is a very controversial topic. Felinologists all over the world have not reached consensus as to what is better: ready-made food or natural food. This question has been studied and discussed for decades. Nevertheless, there are facts that are hard to argue with:
1. No one refutes the fact that cats are predators, which in nature eat their prey, having previously caught it. With their sharp teeth they tear their prey into pieces and swallow it, almost without chewing.
2. Cats distinguish the taste of food poorly, but feel the smell perfectly. They are very sensitive to hot and cold.
3. The gastric juice of a cat eating natural food is similar in composition to hydrochloric acid. It dissolves bacteria, raw small bones, and helminths (but not their eggs).
4. Like other obligate carnivores, cats have short intestines. It takes only 12 hours to digest food fully. Because of this, plant-based food does not have time to digest and comes out almost in its original form.
5. Cats get all useful substances (glucose, essential amino acids, vitamins, etc.) from a caught prey only. Live food is the main source of all nutrients for them.
WHAT AND HOW TO FEED CATS AT HOME?
Natural food for cats:
1. It is scientifically proven that a cat's diet should be close to this ratio: proteins - 52%, fats - 36%, carbohydrates -12%.
A) Meat is the main source of protein for a cat. It can be given raw. The most protein rich are chicken and turkey. However, there is little connective tissue. Meanwhile, beef and mutton have a lot of connective tissue, but such meat is digested worse.
B) Poultry meat has many useful amino acids and such meat is easily broken down in a cat's body.
C) Contrary to the popular belief, today it is known that pork are not harmful for cats. It is perfectly digestible. The main thing is that the product should be lean (not a neck, ribs, lard, etc.). You can feed your cat with lean parts of the carcass, as well as liver and heart. Pork contains thiamine, vitamin B1 and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is also important that the pork is not infected with helminths.
D) Heart, liver and kidneys of many animals are very useful for cats. They are full of vitamins and nutrients of all kinds. But some pets get laxity from liver. If this happens, the liver should be boiled.
E) Rabbit meat is very useful. The main thing here is freshness.
F) Mutton - heavy to digest, but in some cases, necessary. If the pet has a risk of kidney stones - mutton can help him. It reduces the formation of urate stones. I’ll add that if you decide to boil the meat, then broth cannot be used.
G) Poultry and rabbit meat is the most suitable for cats. Liver and heart of animals are necessary as well... But brains and spleen can cause harm.
H) Among other things, cats need calcium. For this purpose, they are given chicken heads and necks (pre-shredded), day-old chickens and quail. The bone part of the diet can take up 10%.
2. The volume of food should be approximately 10% of the animal's body weight.
WHAT DO CATS EAT BESIDES MEAT?
3. Do cats need dairy products?
A) Dairy products are good for kittens, as well as for pregnant and lactating females (if they digest them well).
B) If we talk about cats, cottage cheese 4 - 5%, ryazhenka, natural yogurt suit for them better.
C) It is not necessary to include dairy products in the diet, but if you decide to do so, the proportion of meat/dairy should be 2/1.
D) Meat and dairy should not be given at the same meal.
E) Regular milk (even non-fat milk) is almost impossible for adult cats to digest and can cause severe diarrhea.
4. Should cats be given eggs or egg yolks?
A) Heat-treated eggs can be given to cats. They are highly nutritious.
B) Soft-boiled eggs and a steamed omelet are best digested (an omelet should not be salted).
C) Raw eggs can only be given once a week.
5. Do cats need vegetables?
A) Vegetables are included in a cat's diet when necessary. Most often to avoid constipation.
B) Vegetable products are not absorbed by a cat’s body, but in some cases they aid in digestion.
C) The healthiest vegetable for cats is a pumpkin. Boiled carrots won't hurt either.
D) Many people know the fact that the cat, which got into the Guinness Book of Records as a champion-long-lived, liked to eat broccoli.
E) Zucchini should be given as a source of dietary fiber.
WHICH FOOD IS POSSIBLE FOR CATS AND WHICH IS NOT?
6. Should cats be fed with fish?
A) It used to be believed that fish was harmful to cats because it can cause urolithiasis, as fish contains a lot of phosphorus. But scientists have conducted numerous studies and concluded that there is no correlation between this disease and fish.
B) Sea fish is allowed to be included in the diet of healthy cats without fear.
C) It is important to remove all, even small bones, from cooked fish before feeding.
D) River and lake fish in a raw form is dangerous due to the risk of containing helminths.
7. Do cats need cereal?
A) Cereals (e.g. rice) and bran are good for cats in small quantities to stimulate the intestines.
8. Types of food that are allowed to be mixed in one meal:
A) vegetables and meat, cereals and meat, dairy and egg.
B) cannot be mixed: dairy and vegetables, dairy and meat.
9. What foods are harmful to cats?
A) Cats should not be given: raw potatoes, chocolate bars, alcohol, grapes (including raisins), onions, garlic, nuts, avocados, citrus fruits, smoked meat, sausage, sausages, sweets, salty, fat.
B) It is not recommended to give them porridge and soups.
C) Grinding foodstuff to the condition of minced meat is not advisable.
INFORMATION ON READY-MADE FEEDS:
10. Can cats be fed with ready-made food from a store?
A) The answer to this question is a definite YES!
B) Economy class cat food is balanced in some basic indicators and calories only. It has too much cereal and not enough meat. It may keep a hungry cat alive for a while, but it is not healthy to consume such food all the time.
B) Premium and super-premium food is better balanced. It contains more meat, necessary microelements and vitamins.
D) Holistic food is made of meat and everything necessary for a cat's body ... but you need to keep an eye on the protein level and avoid its excess.
F) When feeding your cat with dry food, make sure the pet drinks enough water.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MIXED FEEDING:
11. Is it possible to give to a cat dry food along with natural food?
A) This way of feeding may not be suitable for some pets. But there are also those who live on a mixed diet for 18-20 years without any problems.
B) A few signs to understand whether this type of feeding is appropriate for your cat: the cat's coat is shiny, it does not shed too much, there are no allergies, everything is fine with the stool, and the pet is cheerful and active.
C) If you choose mixed feeding, then you should not add a bone part in natural products.
D) It is not recommended to mix dry food and fresh meat in one feeding.
All of the above applies only to healthy animals that do not have digestion and metabolism problems. Cats with gastrointestinal diseases need special diets and this information is not suitable for them.
