Can a kitten be fed only dry food or only wet food?
When you get a little four-legged purr, you should be aware that it is not just a pet. From now on, this tailed friend is a full member of the family. He needs attention and needs proper care. How you treat an animal directly depends on its health.
In the first days of independent life, a kitten needs proper and balanced nutrition. This item of care is one of the most common among cat lovers. Whether it is worth giving the kitten only dry or wet food and how to do it correctly, we will consider in the article below.
What is dry food?
A complete product with a balanced composition in accordance with all norms - this is how dry food can be characterized. Its second name is "industrial". This way of feeding is convenient, since you do not need to cook and monitor the amount of nutrients. Any package always contains information about the composition and rules.
Remember! Dry dog food should never be given to felines. The point is that dog food does not contain all the substances necessary for proper development.
Speaking about whether it is possible to feed a kitten only dry food, we can conclude that yes. But this is possible only if this food is complete and can provide the future handsome man with all the necessary nutrients.
Such a product must necessarily contain:
- proteins;
- fats;
- vitamins;
- trace elements.
In the main composition of the complete feed, not vegetable, but animal proteins.
Right choice
The choice of food should be those in which meat is in the first place.
In order for your kitten to have a beautiful coat, healthy skin, a properly developed brain, the food must contain omega-3 fatty acids.
The following information must be indicated on the package:
- meat - 35%;
- pure protein - up to 40%;
- fats - 20%;
- carbohydrates - the minimum amount.
Views
If your four-legged baby eats one dry food, study all of it carefully. views.
- Economy - a cheap kind made from meat waste. Contains various types of dyes, aromas and flavor enhancers.
- Premium - the composition contains a little meat, vegetables, cereals and vitamins. The composition does not include harmful additives.
- Super premium - an excellent food, which contains a lot of meat, vegetables, fruits, berries, cereals and other useful additives. Does not contain dyes and harmful food elements.
- Holistic - the best dry food. The main component is meat obtained from ecologically clean places. Has absolutely no harmful chemical additives.
If we talk about their natural habitat, then cats feed primarily on meat. They use water much less than their four-legged friends - dogs. But pets are slightly different from wild relatives, in this regard, you need to provide the cat with water or wet food.
Wet food
This type of food is as close as possible to natural nutrition. Of course, you need to give the kitten wet food, but again - you should only choose a species from the super premium line. The composition of such feed contains all the necessary elements for proper growth and development.
It should be borne in mind that wet food is more expensive than dry food.
Advantages and disadvantages
To the pluses of dry food relate:
- low price;
- balanced food;
- lack of a strict regime;
- does not require additional vitamin supplements.
Minuses:
- unappetizing look, sometimes repulsive to animals;
- there is no way to check the composition;
- additional load on the teeth;
- dry food.
Now you should find out what is good and bad about wet food.
pros:
- identity with natural nutrition;
- appetizing appearance, aroma;
- externally, you can determine the composition;
- correct load on the teeth.
Minuses:
- high price;
- requires additional vitamin preparations;
- clear mode;
- consumption of time for cooking.
Can I combine?
Dry food is a complete, balanced diet that does not require any additives or feedings.
Dry and wet feeding are combined, but at the same time all the value of nutrients is lost, disturbances occur in the animal's body.
Mixed meals are prohibited even by veterinarians, let alone breeders.
Scientists have conducted a series of experiments in which they found that a 50/50 diet can cause at least three diseases.
- Failure of the balance of substances. Due to the fact that in dry food everything is harmonious, and in wet food there is no single system, an imbalance of nutrients occurs. Due to this, various types of pathology develop.
- Stones in the urinary system. The most common disease is due to an excess of phosphorus and calcium. Due to this, the formation of stones occurs. If the disease is not identified in time, the animal may die.
- Gastrointestinal tract problems. In the process of digesting different types of food, enzymes of a different nature are produced, which overload the body, as a result, the gastrointestinal tract malfunctions. This leads to serious illness.
You don't need to be afraid. If you once or twice a month please your pet with a piece of meat or, conversely, a piece of food, nothing will happen to him. Rarely - not scary. If you increase the rate, the consequences will not be very pleasant.
Feeding rates
The amount of food eaten by the cat must be monitored.
Due to malnutrition, many functions of the body are inhibited, and an excess will cause, in addition to obesity, a lot of ailments.
For dry food, just follow the directions on the package. Growing up cat needs less food... Monitor your pet's weight. Knowing its weight, it is easier to calculate the required amount of feed for proper development.
A cat up to 6 months old needs to eat 3 times a day. From 6 to 9 months, the rate is reduced to 2 times a day.
For one feeding, the dose is calculated according to the following algorithm: per 1 kg of the pet's weight - 60 g of dry food... Be aware of the availability of drinking water. It must be clean and fresh.
Attention! If your pet doesn't drink much, consider this as a signal to go to the vet.
If the cat is hungry, then he will eat his portion within 20 minutes. After that, you should wash the bowl before your next meal. All other approaches to food are regarded as lazy eating.
Recommendations
Dry or wet food is always designed for a healthy animal. If your tailed friend is sick, they will be assigned a special meal after a full examination by your veterinarian.
A small organism may have an allergic reaction to a new product. Monitor your pet's behavior closely after eating a new meal.
In order not to completely spoil the kitten's bite, it is better to soak the food a little. To check the correct development, visit your veterinarian on time and take the necessary tests.
So that you do not worry about the correct growth and development, give the cat food of the same type and from the same manufacturer... Do not forget that it should only be of the super premium class. Pay attention to the diet for the early maturation of your pet.
You will learn more about feeding kittens with wet and dry food by watching the following video.