Dietary Health Tips For Feeding Your Feline
We always want the best nutrition for our kids so that they have healthy development and lead a long life free from diseases. The same thing is true for pets too. As a pet owner it is your duty to ensure that your furry pal is taken for routine checkups and shots for their well-being. But the most important thing that should not be ignored is the dietary needs of your kitty.
There are wide array of options available in cat food to choose from – wet or dry, indoor or outdoor, shiny coat, kitten or adult, or hairball control, amongst others. There are also different ingredients in cat foods with equal benefits that can make your cat live longer and blissful. To ease of this problem, we have mentioned certain dietary health tips that will assist in keeping your feline healthy and fit:
Dietary And Nutrition Tips For Healthy Cats
Understand The Food Label
If you are not aware of the criteria for selecting high-quality pet food, remember that they need to be in the following order of importance:
- Meat and protein listed by name e.g., chicken, lamb, turkey and salmon
- Meal source and meal e.g., turkey meal, lamb meal etc.
- Vegetable or fruit
- Grain/filler
- By-products
Never use corn or soy products as they have allergy inducing properties and “filler” qualities. Also ensure that there is no presence of sweeteners, artificial flavors, artificial colors and known carcinogens.
Food For Kittens
Kittens require additional nutrition due to their growing age. Hence, it is recommended to feed all kittens high quality kitten food. During the initial period, feed wet food to the kitten. The reason for that is tiny kittens have tiny teeth which makes it very difficult for them to chew dry food. Dry food also runs the peril of stomach irritation and nutritional deficits in kittens.
How To Feed New Kitten And When To Switch
During the 4th and 5th week mix wet or dampened dry food and formula into water. Supplement with the mother’s milk or with formula. During 5th and 6th week, mix kibble with small amount of water. By the end of the 7th week, you can give the kitten completely solid food.
While selecting the solid food for your kitten select food that is especially for kittens. Remember, kitten formulas have more proteins, calcium and calories. High quality key ingredients are simple to digest for kittens. Try to get kitten food comprising of fish (encompassing trout, sardines, whitefish, catfish or salmon), eggs, taurine and poultry. You may not see taurine on any of the product labels, but it can be found in the meats mentioned in the primary ingredients. Also, if you are caring for the mother and her litter, give the same food to the mother as the kittens while nursing.
Adult Cat Dietary Health
For adult cats you can go with the following tips:
Look For High-Quality Ingredients
All cats require taurine in their diet. It can be found in poultry, fish and other meats. This ingredient is significant for both reproduction and visual sense. Arginine aids in supporting the liver function of the feline.
Proper Fat To Protein Ratio
It has been researched and found out that adult cat food should contain roughly 12% fat and 30% proteins for dry food and 4% fat and 8% proteins for wet food. Meat should be the primary and largest ingredient in the cat’s food. Remember, cats thrive on meat-based diet and have no requirements for carbohydrates. Meat sources can be found in chicken, salmon, lamb, beef and turkey.
Follow A Feeding Schedule
Feed the adult cat twice a day at the same time. But do check the feeding guidelines given on the product label or consult with your veterinarian.
Limit Treats
Treats should not be more than 5% of your cat’s daily food intake. They do not contain nutritional completeness to keep the feline healthy and balanced. Overeating the treats can result in obesity.
Senior Cats
A healthy senior cat should have the same healthy eating schedule as a normal adult cat with no medical issues. Aging cats have the same nutritional requirements unless there is a medical issue. Sometimes senior cats might show signs of weight loss or lack of interest in consuming food. If that is the case, then you need to make certain changes in the diet. You can switch to wet food altogether, heat wet or damp food in the microwave before serving and ensure that the cat’s environment is completely stress-free.
If your senior cat is healthy, pay attention to the food intake and any irregularities to manage oral health and avert obesity.
Unique Lifestyles
There are times when felines need to be kept on a special diet. Let us look at some of these factors:
Obesity
Obesity is one of the most common problems found in adult cats in our country. It can result in arthritis, diabetes or heart disease if left unchecked. To ensure that your cat does not put extra weight, reduce calorie food and portion control.
Urinary Tract Condition
There are certain foods that can aid the feline by reducing urinary pH, thereby minimizing bladder stones. There are certain wet foods that not only keep your adult cat hydrated, but also minimize urinary tract infections and provide requisite nutrients.
Hairball Control
Hairballs are one of the biggest problems for cat owners and they are even uncomfortable for kitties. To curb this disorder, feed fiber-rich nutritious diet that aids in removing the existing hairballs and ensures that there are no new hairballs formed.
Dental Health
A healthy mouth is of paramount importance for cats. The reason for that is dental problems can have a major effect on the kidney and liver of the feline. Special oral care cat food can aid in reducing tartar accrual and keep your kitty’s teeth healthy and strong.
The last pieces of advice include:
- Never feed dog food to cats because it does not meet the nutritional requirements of felines.
- Avoid feeding bones to the cat since bones can get stuck in the tongue, or pierce the stomach walls and intestine.
- Never give milk to the kitty as it can cause upset stomach. Also, never give chocolate, alcohol, liver, grapes, chives and candies to her.
