What food is suitable for British cats?
A pet's diet is an important consideration when it comes to caring for a pet. His health and longevity largely depends on the correct menu, which also applies to cats. The British breed stands out for its popularity, so when purchasing a pet of this suit, you should study the requirements for the most suitable food for such animals.
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Depending on the breed of domestic cats, certain principles of healthy nutrition for the pet have been formed during their breeding. As for the Briton, whose diet will consist of industrially produced food, the breeder should study in detail the available range intended for this breed of animals. British cats are one of the most unusual and attractive individuals of the feline world, which have excellent contact with humans, are distinguished by their exotic appearance and peaceful disposition.
Today, British breeders are offered a wide selection of ready-made feeds, which can be divided into several types.
- Canned products. A good product for animals will consist of vegetable, meat, fish and fruit ingredients, enriched with groups of vitamins and minerals. This option is considered the best among other types of food for cats, as it stands out for its high organoleptic and taste qualities. Canned products are suitable for long-term storage, as they are sold in a sealed container, which eliminates the risk of pathogenic bacteria penetrating inside.In addition, unopened such food for felines can be stored at home for up to two years. Canned food is produced by the manufacturer as a pate or cut into small pieces in jelly or broth.
If you feed your pet with high-quality ready-made canned food, then the animal will not be deficient in any important vitamins and trace elements.
However, when choosing products, it is important to ensure that the composition does not contain dyes, harmful preservatives and wastes of meat or fish instead of high-quality main ingredients.
- Wet food. Such products for animal feeding are sold in convenient small-volume bags. As a rule, the contents of one sachet will be enough for one meal. Premium food is made from natural and high-quality meat and fish products, which will provide the animal with a balanced diet. Unlike canned cat food, it will have less moisture, so the pet should always have fresh water in the bowl. Usually this category is sold in the form of small pieces of meat, vegetables and seafood, drenched in jelly or sauce. The disadvantage of the products is the minimum shelf life, therefore, even in the refrigerator, the contents of the package quickly lose their properties and taste, in addition, there is a possibility that the product will spoil very quickly when opened.
- Dry food. This pet food includes dried meats, offal, grains, or vegetables. As it already became clear from the name, this category is distinguished by the minimum moisture content inside. Unhindered access to clean water is a must for a dry food animal. The positive qualities of such a product are availability, the possibility of long-term storage. However, it is in this case that there is a high probability that low-quality ingredients will be added to it. Some veterinarians believe that pets eating dry food most often suffer from such ailments as urolithiasis, as well as gastrointestinal diseases.
Cat food is divided into classes. There are four main categories, each of which stands out for its individual characteristics.
Economy class
This is the most budget-friendly option in the rating of feed for the British, which are produced in an industrial setting. In addition to the low cost, such products will be of poor quality, which can adversely affect the health of the pet. Studies have shown that only 60% of these foods can be assimilated by cats. The pluses of goods for feeding economy-class cats should be attributed to their availability, since both small kiosks and large hypermarkets are engaged in the sale of such products.
Usually, cheap food contains dangerous additives that are addictive to the animal.... Comparing the benefits of a natural diet and an economy class feed, the preponderance will be on the side of the first pet feeding option. In situations where the option of a balanced menu for a British pet owner is not suitable from the point of view of the family budget, it is worth contacting a veterinarian for advice.
With the help of a specialist, you can correctly select an inexpensive product from the offered assortment in the store, supplementing it with a complex of vitamins for animals.
In this case, under the special supervision of the breeder, the British cat can feel good throughout its life.
Premium class
This product belongs to the middle price segment among cat food. The meat content will be small, but the composition contains cereals, vitamins and vegetables. The digestibility of this product by animals is 80%. A notable feature of premium food is the ability to select food for a pet with specific needs, for example, manufacturers offer special products for castrated or sterilized Britons.
Extra premium
Such food will stand out from the rest of the cat food because of its high cost, but the quality of the ingredients used will be at the same level. As a rule, bona fide manufacturers use natural dehydrated meat as the main component. In addition, the feed contains a variety of cereals, there are products of the grain-free category. Berries, fruits and vegetables are actively used. Animal feed supplements should include balanced and easily digestible supplements.... There is a small risk that such expensive food will not be suitable for British and British women, but, as practice shows, it is this industrial food that will be as close as possible in its chemical composition to the natural diet of pets.
Holistic
This is the latest generation food, which is an improved version of extra food for the feline family. The meat used for such a product comes from animals raised on eco-farms. Similar features of growing cereals and vegetables are provided for this category of ingredients. The composition of the healistik should be free of any flavor enhancers and other chemicals, so some Britons may refuse it when they get acquainted with a new food.
It is also worth noting that not every pet store sells this category of goods.
Feed selection rules
As a rule, cats of the British breed are not too picky about food, so they gladly eat middle class food.
However, experienced breeders of such animals still recommend that you carefully approach the choice of industrial feed, taking into account the following recommendations:
- it is important to study the composition indicated on the package, be it dry, wet or canned product; the purchase should be discarded if the list of ingredients contains one or more unknown ingredients;
- expiration dates also remain relevant, since expired goods can become hazardous to the cat's health;
- after the optimal type and class of food has been selected, you should take care of choosing the most suitable package in terms of weight - you should not buy large bags of food or the smallest portions so that the food does not deteriorate before the cat eats the entire volume; if you buy small portions, then you should be prepared for frequent trips to the store.
Important! Today, manufacturers of all types and classes of food offer breeders of British cats specialized products specifically for this breed, which meet the needs of these animals.
The fundamental point for the British is the presence of protein in food, since pets are still predators, therefore, they need animal food. An adult requires from 120 to 250 grams of food per day, but in some periods, for example, during pregnancy, the daily rate can be doubled. For kittens, you will need a separate type and portion of food. British breeders are advised to adhere to the following guidelines when choosing pet food:
- in addition to the brand of the product, it is worth paying attention to how much the cat enjoys the daily use of such food; in some cases, you will have to give preference to middle-class food instead of elite products that belong to expensive commodity items;
- it is important to pay attention to the reaction of the animal's body, to its condition and behavior, for this it is recommended to buy several small packages of different products;
- it is worth giving preference to feeds, which will always be on sale in the nearest store;
- if one brand of feed was chosen, then you should not purchase products from another manufacturer, since this is fraught with serious disorders of the digestive system in the animal, which is associated with large changes and restructuring related to the intake of another type of food into the body;
- for the British, it is worth choosing food without a large amount of vegetable carbohydrates;
- dry food is recommended to alternate with wet food, which will be useful for the digestive tract of the animal.
Norms and rules of feeding
For cat owners who cannot control the amount of food eaten per day due to their absence from home, you should not resort to options when the animal is left with a full bowl of food for the whole day. Since food is bound to wind up, especially wet or canned food, it is also possible that your pet eats too much.
For the British breed, uncontrolled eating will be highly undesirable.
This is due to the tendency of cats to be overweight, hence health problems and longevity.
If the cat appeared in the house as a kitten, then from that time on, it should be accustomed to the diet. The option with two feedings a day is considered correct - in the morning and in the evening, in some cases the animal can be fed once a day... It can take a while to get used to it, but a clear schedule will help you avoid begging by the animal every time the owner is in the kitchen.
Breeders, during the period of accustoming the cat to the meal schedule, recommend removing the food to places that the pet cannot reach.
This is due to the well-developed intelligence of the representatives of the feline family, who are able to remember where their food is and simply steal it.
Two meals a day is the norm that applies only to adult and healthy cats. For pregnant, elderly and sick pets, the procedure and frequency of feeding should be slightly different. This also applies to kittens, as soon as they begin to eat on their own and until they reach 10 months of age. The food should be designed specifically for kittens. Almost every pet product manufacturer has a special line for small pets. A separate series of foods is available for both neutered and neutered Britons, as these animals have a high likelihood of kidney and urinary tract diseases. The main distinguishing feature of this group of industrial feeds is the low content of ash, phosphorus and magnesium.
Veterinarian advice
For breeders of British cats, veterinarians are advised to familiarize themselves with the basic recommendations regarding the nutrition of industrial feed. The following basic rules can be distinguished:
- it is forbidden to feed the cat with dry food and natural food at the same time, it is such a diet that can provoke the development of serious ailments in the animal;
- among all classes of feed for the British, experts still advise choosing the premium category;
- you should not purchase feed by weight, because over time, some of the useful components in them simply disintegrate; food packaging must be hermetically sealed;
- very often it is expensive elite food that causes allergic reactions in the British, therefore, when using this product, you should carefully monitor your pet; if the cat begins to itch very often, it is worth replacing the selected food with another option;
- the pet must have its own dishes, and it is also forbidden to leave the animal without food for 2-3 days; such fasting days will not be good for the pet at all;
- animals that eat industrially produced feed, especially dry varieties, must always have fresh water available;
- the British are forbidden to give sweets, fried, spicy and fatty.
For a video on how to feed British cats, see below.