How and what to feed the cat?

A cat, like any other pet, needs proper and balanced nutrition. The state of health and mood of the animal depends on this. Every owner who has a cat should know how to feed it properly. Only if this condition is met can we talk about the good health and energy of the pet. Today we will analyze in detail all the existing rules for feeding this cute animal.

Cats are popular and widespread pets that many people love. As a rule, these pets are unpretentious and undemanding in matters of nutrition, but this does not mean that they can consume everything as food. Cats need to be fed properly, following a specific regimen. Let's take a look at a few basic rules for feeding these cute animals.

• Try not to mess with your pet's bowl. Some people try to make a real porridge for the cat from individual ingredients. This is a useless exercise - the cat will still choose from the general mass exactly what she needs most. All other ingredients, even if they are tiny, will remain in the cup and may soon go bad.

• Consider the fact that cats are very demanding on the temperature of the food they eat. In this situation, instincts come first. In their natural habitat, wild cats begin to consume food immediately after a successfully completed hunt, while the meat has not yet cooled down. In addition, through certain experiments, it has been proven that cold food is much less absorbed by the feline body.

• Experiments are permissible in feeding cats. Organoleptic properties are very important for these pets. But it must be borne in mind that in this matter, each individual individual has its own specific preferences. For example, one cat will like the new food the owner bought, while the other will be more conservative and prefer the usual diet to new introductions.

• Cat food should contain proteins and vitamins. WITH with such a diet, the animal will be healthy and energetic, the coat will be in perfect condition.

• Don't feed your cats only meat or only fish... Many owners, unfortunately, believe that only such products can be given to animals. This opinion is wrong. Meals must be varied enough. So, wild individuals eat the meat of birds and small rodents, eating prey along with all the contents in its stomach - grasses and seeds.

• You must initially decide on what kind of food you are going to give the cat.... It is allowed to give either only dry or only natural feed. This important rule should not be neglected, otherwise chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can be provoked. It is important to keep in mind that dry food and natural products cannot be digested at the same time. That is why it is necessary to make a choice in advance in favor of a certain type of animal nutrition.

• If you decide to feed your pet with dry foodthen you should only purchase premium or super premium quality products. In addition to the highest quality and richness, such feeds are characterized by the presence of preventive diets. With such a diet, the animal will always be healthy and active.

• The food of the cat must be selected in accordance with its physiological state. During pregnancy and lactation, the diet should be as balanced as possible in calcium and protein. It is very important to pay due attention to the taurine content. Sterilized and neutered animals should be fed in such a way as to consume fewer calories so that the pet does not gain weight and does not become obese.

• Adult cats need to be fed in the same place in the house. The animal must have its own separate bowl with compartments for food and water. Food and ready-made canned food should not be given cold.

• You should also pay attention to the degree of freshness of the food. They must be of high quality.

All of these rules are very important. They should be followed if you care about your cat's health.

As mentioned above, the diet for cats must be selected in advance. You can feed your pet with natural or dry food. Many owners give preference to products of natural origin. The basis of such a pet's diet is usually meat. Veterinarians recommend giving cats the following meat products:

• veal and beef;
• turkey and chicken;
• rabbit meat;
• low fat saltwater fish;
• baby meat puree with vegetables.

It is very important to feed cats only properly cooked meat. It is recommended to boil it and be sure to peel it, especially when it comes to chicken meat. It is permissible to feed such pets with fish not too often - no more than 1 time per week. As for baby purees, which are sold in many stores, their veterinarians advise giving to small kittens or adults with certain problems associated with the gastrointestinal tract.

Chicken heads are a favorite dish of many cats.At first glance, there is nothing useful and necessary for animals in such products, but they contain a large percentage of proteins, collagen, vitamins and calcium. Such a diet suits many owners, since chicken heads are a cheap by-product that is useful even for pregnant individuals.

It is recommended to serve chicken heads to cats as follows:

• it is better to take the heads of broiler chickens, and not adult birds, since the thin bones of young individuals are much easier to chew and digest;
• heads should be slightly frozen for several days;
• boiling chicken heads is not recommended;
• in one meal, the cat should not be given more than 1-2 chicken heads;
• you cannot give such a product more than 2 times a week;
• be sure to remove the beak;
• if you feed the kitten, then it is advisable to cut the chicken heads into two halves for him.

Of course, it is possible and even necessary, since they are very useful, but, unfortunately, not every cat agrees to eat such food. Vegetables must be properly introduced into the pet's diet. This should be done in such a way that he does not even realize that his food contains such components that are not interesting to him. The most beneficial vegetables for cats are:

• carrots and beets;
• lettuce and cauliflower;
• pumpkin and zucchini.

Your cat should not eat foods such as eggplant and tomatoes. This is due to the fact that these vegetables contain certain substances that can negatively affect the health of the pet. If the animal does not refuse simple vegetables, then he is allowed to serve them raw or add very little vegetable oil.

If the cat categorically refuses to eat vegetables, then she can be outwitted by adding them to meat products. In this case, the animal will not understand that it is not eating what it wants, and will receive the useful vitamins found in the vegetables.

Often, people are faced with the fact that their cats are actively eating raw potatoes, stealing them from the table, if you leave everything unattended. It is important to keep in mind that untreated tubers can be harmful to your cat because they contain solanine. This chemical compound is a serious toxin that is harmful to both humans and animals. The rind of the tuber contains more solanine. Veterinarians say that cats should never be fed raw potatoes. Better to give them boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes.

It is also better not to give fried potatoes to a cat because of the inappropriate percentage of fats and carbohydrates contained in it. Such products can harm the animal, especially if the pet is still very young.

It is impossible not to mention the fermented milk products that most cats and cats love. The following positions are especially useful for the stomach of these pets:

• fermented baked milk and kefir;
• yogurt;
• low fat cottage cheese;
• hard cheese (this product must be "pure", that is, without any additives and spices);
• oatmeal or semolina porridge with milk.

Cats eat most of the listed products with pleasure, but not all individuals like cottage cheese. If your pet refuses such food, then you can also outwit him - mix cottage cheese with kefir or fermented baked milk, add a little egg yolk.

To ensure a smooth functioning of the cat's body, it also needs to be given other healthy natural products. These include:

• egg yolk;
• porridge - rice, wheat, mixed with boiled or frozen meat / fish;
• greens - dill, oat sprouts, parsley;
• vegetable oil in moderation;
• vitamins and minerals;
• purified or boiled water.

If you are serving an egg yolk to your pet, then you definitely need to consider that it must be boiled. This product can be served both separately and as an additive to porridge or cottage cheese. It is allowed to feed the cat with egg yolk no more than twice a week.

If porridge is being prepared for the cat, then it must be done in a 1: 2 ratio, or, more simply, one share of porridge for two parts of meat. It is permissible to add finely chopped dill or parsley to the same porridge. Wheat and oats can be purchased at the pet store, or you can try growing your own.

It is not recommended to give cats grass collected from the street. Such greens can contain dangerous poisons that can cause very serious harm to the animal's body.

Vegetable oil can be added to food for pets. However, you cannot add a lot of this component - no more than two teaspoons a day.

Cats can also be fed bread. This is a healthy food packed with carbohydrates. It is advisable to feed your pet with wheat or rye bread. Such products will not contribute to the accumulation of fat, but they will saturate the animal's body with useful substances. But we must take into account that too often cats cannot be fed with bread. It is best to treat pets with a stale product, because fresh bread, according to veterinarians, can settle on the walls of the stomach, manifesting itself with bloating and an increase in acidity.

Many owners prefer to feed their pets not natural, but ready-made dry food. Experts say that such products make it possible to maintain the required balance of energy and mineral substances needed by the body. Often, people choose just such feeds, since they are beneficial and significantly simplify the very process of feeding animals, because there is no need to prepare different dishes in advance - they are already ready. In addition, dry food does not deteriorate, so you do not have to constantly monitor that such food does not start to emit an unpleasant smell.

When choosing industrial dry food sold in many stores, it is recommended to give preference to options from well-known manufacturers that produce premium or super-premium treats.

If you are feeding your cat dry food, then you definitely need to make sure that there is always clean water in the bowl next to the food. It is necessary to follow this rule, since in most modern dry food there is no more than 12% moisture. If the indicators were different, then such food would not have been stored for so long - dangerous mold would soon appear on it.

Many cats are very fond of canned food. Such food can be not only tasty for such pets, but also quite useful. Often, these components become part of a mixed diet in cats, which includes useful vitamins. There are even quality foods with antioxidants.

There are a lot of canned food options for cats. So, in the store you can find the following types of similar delicacies:

• mousses for cats;
• pates;
• minced meat;
• lumpy meat;
• sausage;
• frozen food.

Canned food is also beneficial and convenient because it does not rot or mold. But if you choose such food for your pet, then it is very important to make sure that the packaging is not wrinkled or damaged in any other way. Depressurization of the product must not be allowed. If you notice traces of rust on the can or it is swollen, then you should not take it.

Veterinarians advise to buy canned food for cats exclusively at trusted retail outlets, in the correct storage of which you are sure. It is important to pay attention to the shelf life of the selected delicacy.

In stores, you can also find special canned food in a lamister. Lamister is a metallized container with a soft lid made of the same material. A similar package is revealed in the same way as pates or cottage cheese desserts. Mousses and pates are most often sold in lamisters.

When choosing canned food for cats, you need to pay attention to their age. For kittens, food should be taken in small granules. The old cat should eat low-calorie canned food. You can also pick up special veterinary food, which are indicated for seals with certain diseases.

As you can see, for cats, you can create very simple and useful menus with a lot of inexpensive and useful components. However, before forming the diet of such a pet, you should familiarize yourself with the list of foods that it is better not to eat.

These products are useful and tasty only for humans, but they can cause considerable harm to cats. The fact is that in these pets, raisins can cause almost instant heart failure. Be sure to consider this feature.

Of course, no one is safe from the theft of such harmful products by a cat. If you notice such a "crime" for your pet, then it must be taken to the veterinarian, especially if the cat began to behave strangely. Symptoms of heart failure in cats are usually noticeable right away. These include:

• loss of appetite;
• general weakness;
• weak urination.

Onions are another very dangerous food that can harm your cat. In general, onions are a slow poison that can destroy blood cells in your pet's body. Eating such a product may cause a cat to suffer from anemia. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the onions that are added to the minced meat and semi-finished products. Even in baby food this component can take place. Before treating your pet to any of the listed delicacies, it is extremely important to first familiarize yourself with the composition of the product.

Garlic is even more dangerous than onions. It contains all the same harmful substances, but in even larger volumes. Fortunately, garlic is included in a very limited number of products, but you should not think about it at all. Be carefull.

Alcohol and tobacco smoke are also harmful to cats. Often, the owners watch the pet's reaction with a smile when he drinks a little beer or a stronger alcoholic beverage. In fact, the animal will not get anything good from such drinks. Alcohol and tobacco are harmful to humans, and if we take into account the size of cats, we can come to the conclusion that they can get more serious damage to their health.

Do not give your cat chicken, pork, or fish bones. Such products can lead to very serious internal injuries, which can lead to not only suffering, but also death of the pet.

Cats should not be given white cabbage, fatty, salted, smoked, or pickled meat. Legumes and pasta can lead to fermentation, flatulence and gastritis. You should not treat your cat to pastries. Sweet fruits and steamed grains can be harmful to your pet's teeth.

Do not give your cat fatty or river fish.

It is not recommended to give cats such a treat as ice cream. Of course, if the animal licks such a product once, nothing will happen to it, but it should never be used as a permanent treat. This also applies to those ice cream options that do not use regular sugar.

It is believed that most cats are avid lovers of fresh milk and cream. In fact, small kittens like these products more than advanced cats. Often, adult baleen pets are lactose intolerant. In this case, milk or cream should not be given under any circumstances, otherwise the animal will suffer from dehydration.

If a cat is naturally healthy and has good immunity, then all the flaws in her diet will make themselves felt when she reaches old age. Usually at 7-9 years old, this animal can eat almost anything, but after this age mark, various serious ailments can make themselves felt, for example, urolithiasis, kidney failure, gastritis, liver problems and even diabetes. A cat that eats properly will remain active for up to 10 years or more.

Many people keep cats at home. These pets are insanely popular and look very cute. Like any other animal, they need proper care. It is necessary to feed the cat according to all the rules so that it is vigorous and healthy. You should rely not only on the features and nuances listed above, but also take into account the advice and recommendations of experienced veterinarians.

• It is very important to consider the fact that after spaying the cat's lifestyle changes significantly. After such procedures, all the attention of pets is turned towards food. Often, some time after the operation, a problem arises in the form of obesity of the animal. This is why it is so important to have a gentle diet for your cat. She should not consume too much food per day, especially fatty ones.

• Mostly the owners give the cats different goodies, not sparing them at all. At the same time, many people simply do not realize that because of this, the metabolic processes in the body in pets noticeably slow down. As a result, the weight of the animal increases, and all sorts of health problems arise.

• Try not to overfeed your pet, even if you really like chubby cats. Play more and longer with your pet. As a rule, the pet begins to actively beg for treats from other people.

• If your pet is steadily getting better, even if you are doing everything right, it is recommended that he arrange fasting days once a week. In addition, it is advisable to divide the daily diet into several parts (4-5 parts is enough) and serve them to the cat during the day. Due to such actions, the fluffy will beg for treats less.

• It must be remembered that clean and fresh water must always be present in the pet's bowl.... It is especially important to take this nuance into account if the animal has recently undergone surgery or eats mainly dry food. Under these circumstances, cats drink a lot more and need liquid especially.

• Don't overfeed your cat with fish... These treats are especially loved by these pets, but overeating them can eventually lead to the development of serious urolithiasis.

• If a pet is sick, then its nutrition must be treated especially thoughtfully and carefully. Do not be unauthorized - be sure to consult with a veterinarian, how you can feed a fluffy, and what it is better to refuse.

• Cats don't taste sweet, but that doesn't stop them from eating all kinds of sweets. Do not feed these pets such foods unless you want to seriously harm them.

• Always make sure that your pet does not have spoiled or foul-smelling food in the bowl (if you feed your cat with natural food). Such food will definitely not benefit the animal, so you should immediately remove everything that has deteriorated in the dishes. In addition, the bowl itself must be kept clean.

• Not all cats love cereal. You can mix it with meat or heart / chicken stomach pieces. Many mustachioed pets like these treats.

• It is not recommended to give yeast bread to cats. Of course, it is most often found in stores, but it is better to take a wheat product for your pet.

• Do not neglect feeding your cat high-quality fermented milk products (unless, of course, she has an intolerance). You can give both store-bought groceries and homemade treats.

• Egg white should not be given to cats too often. If you do not follow this rule, you can seriously harm the kidneys of the animal. Better give the yolk (preferably no more than 1 time per week).

• It is not recommended to give your cat lamb meat. Pork should be given less often. Such foods are too fatty and can negatively affect the functioning of the animal's gastrointestinal tract.

• Don't try to force fruit on your cat. It is very rare for these pets to eat such food. In addition, many of the existing fruits can harm your pet.

For a list of foods that are good for cats and diet tips, see the following video.