Pelleted animal diets have become a solution for many owners. There is not always time and opportunity to prepare healthy natural food. Of course, we are interested in whether feeding only dry food to a cat will harm it. Veterinarians say that there is no need to worry about your pet’s health, because industrial feed contains a sufficient amount of useful substances. However, if the cat only eats dry food, clean drinking water should always be available, and this is the most important thing.
Mr. Cat recommends: the pros and cons of different types of nutrition
There are two types of food for feeding pets: natural and industrial. Among breeders and veterinarians there are adherents of each species, and it is difficult to say which diet is healthier and more correct. Of course, we are talking about good super premium or holistic food. If the funds allow you to feed your cat only economy or not very high-quality premium, then it is better to stick to natural food.
Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages and everyone will choose the most acceptable diet for their pet.
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Each owner knows the characteristics of his pet, food preferences, and attitude to water. The most common problem with dry-fed animals is insufficient fluid intake. These cats are usually fed wet foods of the same brand.
Types of feed: how to make the right choice?
The most expensive and high-quality food does not contain artificial food additives.
There is food for cats from different manufacturers. They are divided into 4 classes:
- Holistic. Developed by professionals of the highest category. Refers to the best type of feed. Does not contain flavor enhancers (digests). High price. Popular companies: Innova;
- Golden Eagle Holistic;
- GO and NOW Natural holistic;
- Orijen;
- Acana et al.
- Nero Gold;
- Belcando;
Important information about dry food
Many owners are faced with the problem of switching animals from drying to natural products. It is clear that ordinary food does not contain flavorings or aromas, but still, why is a convenient and practical type of food not suitable for animals? Why are cat owners trying to return to natural food? This fact is alarming; perhaps not everything is as good with pelleted food as advertising slogans say.
It turns out that not all animals can digest dry foods well. The fact is that in nature, a cat swallows food in small pieces, almost without chewing it. Then in the stomach the food is softened by juices, and after a few hours it enters the intestines, where it is finally processed and absorbed. Dry diets are close to natural ones, but still some individuals with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract cannot properly absorb the product. This is expressed in weight loss, even with a good appetite, and unhealthy appearance.
In addition, many animals have allergic reactions to dry food. This is due to the large number of preservatives and dyes (in cheap versions), as well as to the characteristics of the cat’s body. There is also a nuance that is relevant for owners choosing premium and economy class food. The diets are inexpensive due to substitutes for natural proteins, such as offal, bone meal, cereals, soy, starch and other components that cause a negative reaction from the cat’s digestive system.
A common mistake that owners make is that they often replace products from different brands without a veterinarian’s prescription. As a result of the experiments, the animal suffers from stool disorders, indigestion and other gastrointestinal problems. Having chosen one from the range of dry food, stick to it. For variety, they buy different flavors and wet goodies, but combining different brands is strictly contraindicated.
Rule two - only the best
To properly feed your cat dry food, you need to choose only the super premium category.
Cheap ready-made food has a number of significant disadvantages:
- made from completely useless parts of animals and birds - hooves, feathers, bones are processed for it;
- This food contains a lot of gluten, and this is completely unacceptable, since it is one of the most powerful cat allergens.
So economy-class food poses a direct threat to the cat’s health.
Myths about commercial dry cat food
Any product, be it cat food or cottage cheese from the store, is surrounded by myths and unfounded conclusions. The factory-made diets discussed in breeder and veterinarian circles have also been given some false properties that pet lovers need to be aware of.
Myth 1: drying causes urolithiasis
The mistake is that pelleted feed is considered the cause of diseases. This is not true; the real problem lies in the lack of fluid. If a cat drinks little and eats only dry food, illness cannot be avoided. To eliminate the danger, doctors recommend giving pets water in unlimited quantities and keeping it clean and fresh. It is important to know that some types of diets are preventive and are used in the treatment of urolithiasis.
Myth 2: Industrial feed causes allergies
This cannot be true. Two people sitting at the same table and eating the same food may react differently to it. One will be upset, and the other will not notice anything. It's the same with animals. Each organism is unique, and if you feed your cat natural food, the risk of an allergic reaction is just as great as when feeding dry diets. Knowing the characteristics of your pet, carefully study the composition of the product before purchasing.
It is better to consult a doctor. Possible animal allergens include starch, soy, corn, some grains and grasses. Most of the listed products are used in economy and premium food.
Conclusion: do not skimp on food, including dry food, and carefully check the composition. Some good dry diets include Orijen, Acana, GO!, AATU, Summit Holistic, Applaws. Please note that all this food is holistic or super premium. They cost from 350 rubles. per kg for the cheapest Summit Holistic and up to 800-1000 rubles. for Orijen, Acana.
Myth 3: waste is used in the production of feed
In fact, it is not known what types of meat are used to prepare cat food. Perhaps these are dead animals or food industry waste. However, choosing products from well-known brands approved by veterinary associations eliminates the risk factor. Super premium and holistic food cannot contain dangerous ingredients, they are tested in laboratories and even possibly harmful components are listed on the packaging.
Feed, but know when to stop
Dry food is a diet made up of many different ingredients, balanced together to ensure your pet gets all the nutrients it needs. High-quality dry food for cats should consist primarily of ingredients of animal origin, because these pets continue to be obligate carnivores, adapted to eat only meat. Foods consisting of 75–85% meat ingredients are better digestible and satiate cats, so their feeding standards are lower than those of products containing a lot of grain and vegetable protein.
The daily consumption rate of dry food is indicated on its packaging and depends on the weight and age of the animal. Determining it is quite simple, just carefully study the table, but if you have any difficulties, read our article “How much dry food does a cat need per day,” which contains detailed instructions.
It is not recommended to exceed the recommended amount of dry food, but each animal has its own individual needs, so if it seems to you that the pet is losing weight or, conversely, gaining weight, you can slightly, by no more than 10%, adjust it, carefully monitoring how it feels. and the physical form of the cat.
Rules for feeding cats dry food
Regardless of the type of diet, you should adhere to certain rules in nutrition. It is advisable to give the animal food at the same time, in portions that correspond to the recommendations on the packaging and the weight of the pet.
Read about the right diet and its choice for cats.
Dry food requires plenty of fluids, and care must be taken to ensure that the cat has access to it. The liquid should be fresh and clean, preferably bottled. If tap water is used, it should be settled or boiled.
It is not advisable to change diets without a doctor’s prescription, and you should not mix products from different brands. It is strictly contraindicated to mix granules with natural food.
Once every six months, animals are taken for examination and have their blood tested. Thus, they rule out serious illnesses and see if this type of diet is suitable.
Each pet is individual; when choosing a diet, the characteristics of the body are taken into account. For example, fatty foods are contraindicated for sterilized animals, while a cat walking in the yard on a low-fat diet may die from malnutrition. Read about food for sterilized cats.
Wet and dry food can be combined, but at different times. For example, granules in the morning, canned food in the evening. During the day, food will be digested and absorbed. You should not give your cat dry and wet diets of different brands, this is dangerous to health and can cause digestive problems.
Vitamin supplements are allowed only as prescribed by a doctor. Pelleted feed contains everything you need; additional substances can lead to oversaturation with a certain component and lead to a number of diseases.
What is a complete food?
A complete, or balanced, diet is a diet that contains all the essential elements, namely proteins, fats, vitamins and microelements in the correct ratio. As a rule, all dry foods on the market are complete, but when choosing, you should pay attention to the sources of the main components. Cat food should be based on animal proteins, not plant proteins, in other words, meat, and grains should not occupy the first place in the list of ingredients. For more information on how to choose the right dry food, read the article “What dry food should I feed my kitten?”
The importance of water
When feeding pelleted diets, it is important to give your pet enough water. Lack of fluid leads to diseases of the genitourinary system.
If a cat refuses to drink water, dry food is contraindicated. You should consult your doctor for advice and choosing the right nutrition system.
Some pets do not want to drink water from a bowl and require tap water or drink from a can. You should not prohibit your animal from using such methods of obtaining liquid. The only contraindication is water from the bathroom, where you can pick up germs and be poisoned by detergents.
For restless pets, it is recommended to purchase a drinking fountain. Animals like running water, some like to play with the stream of liquid. In any case, the desire for clean drinking water should be encouraged, especially in animals that eat dry food.
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Veterinarian's opinion
Almost all veterinarians speak well of a one-component nutrition system using dry cat food, since the latter have a balanced composition and contain all the vitamins that animals need. The only thing that experts focus on is the importance of choosing the right manufacturer, whose product will not harm the cat’s health. Many veterinarians say that ordinary human food cannot be used to fully nourish an animal. This can disrupt the cat's gastrointestinal tract.
Veterinarians also advise against free access to food. Since the satiety system of representatives of the cat breed is poorly developed, most cats immediately eat all the food that is placed in the bowl. Because of this, the stomach stretches and the animal’s body requires more and more food to be full. This diet ultimately leads to obesity in your pet. In our hotel for cats, you yourself regulate your pet’s nutrition.
How many times a day should you feed your cat?
There is an opinion that your favorite “murka” needs to be fed at its first request, which it will communicate with an inviting look and a plaintive meow.
However, in reality, uncontrolled consumption of food by your pet will provoke excess weight gain, and can lead to heart pathologies, respiratory diseases, as well as problems with the gastrointestinal tract (constipation, volvulus and other dangerous conditions).
Feeding your little “beggar” from the table is no less dangerous. An extra piece of sausage or chicken is more likely to harm your pet than make it healthier. For this reason, a wise and caring owner should not follow the cat’s lead, but establish his own diet.
It has been experimentally proven that it is enough to feed your furry pet twice a day. It is two meals a day that are most beneficial for a cat’s digestion. At the same time, it is better to feed her in the morning and evening, about 30 minutes after the animal wakes up, and 1-2 hours before bedtime. And it is not so important whether it is dry food, canned food or natural food.
Important! Feeding your pet once, or more than twice a day, is not recommended. More frequent feeding of the cat (4-6 times) is allowed only in special cases, for example, during pregnancy, feeding kittens and certain diseases.
