Best Cat Food: Feed Your Cat Well
Do we really know if the food we are feeding our cat is adequate? The marketing misleading, coupled with a general lack of knowledge about what needs to metabolism pets to work properly, can lead to a wrong buying cat food.
what exactly do cats eat
Cats are strictly carnivorous animals. Your diet needs a lot of protein and fat which, like people’s food, can be of higher or lower quality.
The diet of an unneutered cat is 30% protein, 20-30% fat and 5% carbohydrate. Naturally, the animal’s needs vary with age. A puppy will need to eat more to develop and an elderly animal will require a diet adapted to its needs.
In the wild, cats are born as predators, feed on small birds and rodents, and invest a considerable amount of energy in hunting their prey. A domestic cat only eats the processed foods provided by its owner, which are available.
The best cat food: composition and types
The cat food we buy for our pussy should have meat as the main ingredient, which is usually incorporated dry or dehydrated. The formats in which they can be presented are as follows:
- Meat suitable for human consumption that has undergone a process of dehydration or desiccation.
- Meat that has gone through the same process but is not suitable for human consumption.
- Fresh meat.
- Flour of various meats.
- Various flours
The least beneficial format would be flours, as they undergo two types of processing and may even contain meat substitutes that can be harmful. In addition, foods may contain products derived from dairy products, cereals, vitamin and mineral supplements.
Regarding the types of cat food, we must keep in mind that the type of brand we buy will influence the quality of the food we are providing our cat. Therefore, we can classify cat food into high, low and medium quality ranges.
The one of inferior quality usually has a smaller nutritional contribution. They also incorporate a very small percentage of “real” meat. What they contain usually comes from guts and other offal and is usually accompanied by cereals, dyes, softeners and other additives that contribute little or nothing from a nutritional point of view.
The food average quality are generally tailored to the needs of neutered cats or do not do many daily exercise. The high quality ones provide the right amount of nutrients without harmful additives and use natural ingredients. The cost-effectiveness is usually better than a cheaper feed, considering the quality.
We shouldn’t forget about hydration.
One of the problems with using exclusively cat food is the low percentage of water they provide. This type of food only gives our pet between 6 and 10% of the water it needs.
The cats do not usually drink water on their own, not as much as the dogs. Therefore, your diet is responsible for incorporating the fluids you are lacking. We can ensure that our cat is properly hydrated using canned food or moist meat.
One measure to ensure your cat stays hydrated is to place bowls of water in places where your pet likes to be. A trick that can also attract them to the drinking fountains is to put some catnip leaves in the bottom.
