Can I feed my cat dry and wet food at the same time?

It doesn't matter what kind of cat you have, the most popular "ordinary domestic" or some more rare. When choosing food, any owner is faced with a choice: what to feed his pet? There are a few things to consider:

• features of your pet's breed, what is good for his health and what is not;
• what is the age and gender of your kitten or already an adult cat, because in the future it will probably bring offspring, or, conversely, you sterilize your cat;
• what is your family's daily routine, how often you are or are absent from home and which household member will be responsible for the animal;
• how much money you are willing to give for his diet.

In addition, when choosing a diet for an animal, it is imperative to consult with a veterinarian or at least with its previous owners. And always remember that a cat, like any predator, needs meat every day, this is due to the fact that the animal's body cannot separate food into fatty and amino acids.

There is a wide variety of dry and wet cat foods on the market today. They can be economy and premium, and include certain vitamin and mineral supplements. It should be borne in mind that the lower the price of the finished feed, the lower its quality.

Especially for their cats, they buy fish or meat leftovers at the market. There are those who try to diversify their pet's diet as much as possible by mixing different types of food.

It is necessary to clarify the definition of dry, wet and natural food.

• Dry food... Dry food contains meat and vegetable residues if it is cheap food. Dear ones can be made from whole meat and vegetables and contain vitamin and mineral supplements. The main feature of dry food is that in the process of their production, pieces of food are dried and then poured with fat to add shine and aromatic smell.

They contain no more than ten percent of water, so they retain all their taste and properties for a long time. Dry food has two advantages: first - during their consumption, the cat "brushes its teeth", it cleans and strengthens the enamel of the teeth. The second advantage is that they are convenient to use, you can pour a sufficient amount into the bowl in the morning and add more in the evening.

• Wet feed Is a balanced set of meat, vegetables and offal, seasoned with sauce or jelly, but can also be found in the form of pates. Such a set of products is pasteurized and packed in plastic bags or rolled up in canned food. This type of feed is more similar to natural products and after opening it can be stored for one or two days, no more. Another disadvantage is that they can be harmful to the health of pets. When food debris remains between your teeth, it can start to rot, and cats get used to this type of food more often and faster.

• Natural feed means not just food from the table of the owners, but above all a balanced diet. When drawing up the correct daily menu, you need to take into account that the cat's diet consists of 70% protein, 20% fat and 10% carbohydrates. Do not give cats fatty meats, raw river fish, sweets and spices. It is also very important to eat vegetables, various types of cereals and dairy products. As for milk, contrary to the general opinion, it is not worth giving milk to cats, kefir or yogurt is better. And of course, there should always be clean water in the second bowl of the animal.

You can mix dry and wet food from the same manufacturer for your pet - that's okay. When adding natural food, you should be careful and consult with experts first. After all, the body of a cat, like any other animal, reacts differently and digests what it eats. The digestive system gets used to processing certain foods in a certain way, and when the animal eats something unusual, then the body may malfunction.

Mixing different types of food is necessary for those pets who have weak immunity or who are not gaining weight. This diet is especially suitable for kittens at least six months old. With the help of dry food, you can strengthen the jaws and teeth, and wet food will be a source of nutrients and saturate the animal.

To properly combine feed, you need to alternate them two or three times during the day. The number of meals you eat depends on the age and each individual pet. Adults are fed twice a day, kittens and sick animals three or four times a day. You can choose between two feeding options and stick to it at all times.

• First option. Alternate wet and dry food two or three times during the day, depending on the cat. For example, an adult cat can be fed wet food in the morning and dry food in the evening. If you have a kitten, feed wet food in the morning and evening, add dry food during the day and night. In both cases, be sure to place a bowl of clean water next to it.
• Second option. One day - one type of food, the so-called one day rule.For example, yesterday you gave your pet dry food, today you can offer him only wet food, and tomorrow boil fish or prepare dairy products, then dry food again, and so on, in a circle, without disturbing the order.

If the animal refuses one type of food or another, be patient and a little persistent. For example, if you gave wet food in the morning and she refuses dry food in the evening, try offering dry food again the next morning.

Even when you mix different feeds of the same manufacturer and of the same quality, this should be done gradually, observing the well-being of the animal. If you see that he has a pale coat, sluggish behavior, dull eyes and any other signs, then it is better to stop combining feed. These signs are evidence that the animal's body could not adapt to the innovation and it is better to return to the previous diet.

If you still intend to diversify the diet of your pet in this way, then you need to take into account some points:

• control the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates;
• withstand the weight and volume of each portion;
• maintain the time interval between each meal so that the animal does not overeat and is not hungry;
• as noted above, use feed from one manufacturer and not lower than premium;
• do not give two types of food at the same time, even if it is a wet ball and natural food.
• clean the animal's bowl in time, without leaving residues from previous products in it.

There is nothing wrong with a combination diet, if you do it with care and constantly monitor the health of the animal. The most obvious benefits of such a diet can be highlighted.

• The animal's body learns and gets used to process a variety of foods. If any unforeseen moments arise (for example, your usual food has ended, and you and your pet are visiting your parents in the village), your animal will not starve;
• It has a positive effect on the health of the animal and prevents the appearance of various diseases, for example, urolithiasis or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• By following this regimen, you can control the amount of water in the animal's body, as well as the amount of proteins, fats and vitamins.

But you can highlight a number of disadvantages and try to avoid them.

• If you incorrectly calculate the daily ration or the number of meals, do not control portions, the animal may overeat.
• Cats prefer wet food more. If the diet is not followed, there is a high probability that she will not eat dry food, but will only switch to wet food.
• The animal may become allergic to some of the components and it will be difficult to identify what exactly. The more varied the diet, the higher the risk of allergy to one of the food ingredients.

If you decide to transfer your pet to a combination of feeding, then you will need to do it gradually and step by step.

But there is another opinion that it is impossible to combine wet and dry food, as this leads to problems with the digestion of the animal.

For information on whether it is possible to feed a cat with dry and wet food at the same time, see the next video.