Cat owners, now-a-days, have a variety of options when it comes to food for their pet. Wide array of foods types, flavors and nutrition rich foods have put cat-owners in dilemma regarding what is the best for their cat. Nutrition requirement, age, health history and your budget are factors which influence your choice of cat food. People hardly find time to make extensive research on the cat’s food. To save your precious time, we have listed major factors which you should keep in mind while buying cat food. Have a look:
Variety is a must: Most veterinarians suggest a mixture of canned and dry food for cats. Canned food is a good source of water as cats don’t drink water regularly. However, canned food should be consumed within a day if not refrigerated as it may cause bacterial contamination.
Rotating the food choices will prevent boredom for your cat. Offering cat different types of food will also provide the cat a complete balanced diet.
Select age appropriate diet: Cats progress through their tender age, adulthood and senior years in their lifetime. Age of a cat is one of the most prominent factors that decide the diet of the cat.
As kittens are more active than their old counterparts, they need more protein rich food for growth. When cats are in their maintenance years, they need a diet with low calories in order to maintain weight. Gaining weight in adulthood can lead to various diseases. Old cats need a diet with low fat and high digestible proteins. Choose a food which is suitable for the current life-stage of your cat.
Consider cat’s preferences: Just like humans, these creatures have their individual favorites. Some cats have a liking for canned food while others have a soft corner for dry food, and some love to have a variety of both. Get the fact straight that one food will not work for all cats. So, it is very important to understand what your cat loves to eat. There is no meaning of feeding your cat something which it doesn’t like to eat at all. You can make the healthy meal delicious by adding flavors etc.
Have a close look at ingredients: When you are looking for healthy food for your cat, never forget to go through the ingredients. Ingredients with a good level of protein, amino acids and fatty acids should be on the top of ingredient list. Cats also require a good amount of vitamin A which can be found in food of animal origin. Vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus are some of the other nutrients you should check for while buying food for your cat.
Check animal protein: Animal protein is something which you can’t ignore while selecting the best food for the cat. These proteins are fast digesting proteins which help kitten grow. Ingredients such as beef, poultry, chicken and fish have great amount of moisture, and are a good source of animal protein. Nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid are also required by cats which are found in animal sources.
Grains should be considered: A brilliant source of carbohydrates, grains offer calories and energy to the cats. However, some pet owners recommend giving low carb diet to cats. Cats can easily metabolize these carbs from grains rather from other sources such as potato.
Consult your vet: It is very important. You should consult your vet for a complete body analysis of your cat. Based on that body analysis, your vet will issue some guidelines for your cat. This will also help your cat stay fit and maintain a healthy weight. If possible, get regular body check-ups of your cat so that you can adjust cat’s feeding protocols accordingly.
What to avoid?
Try not giving these foods to your cat.
- Canned tuna
- Onion garlic
- Milk
- Alcohol
- Grapes and raisins
- Coffee and tea
- Yeast dough
- Raw egg