A cat in a house is not only a joy to communicate withfour-legged friend, but also a huge responsibility. Miniature predators, despite their independence and the legendary "9 lives", are very fragile creatures susceptible to diseases, so any owner should be attentive to their well-being. In addition to regular check-ups from veterinarians that allow you to monitor health, the host should pay attention to balanced feeding.
Naturalka or industrial fodder?
The choice of food for pets today is verywide. Some owners believe that if you feed cats only with dry food, you can harm their health, so they prefer to treat their pets with natural food. But it is important to understand that eating from the table is harmful to animals, since it contains salt and spices that are dangerous to the pet. Therefore, "naturalka" should be prepared for the pet separately from human food and do not contain various additives, characteristic for human dishes. In addition, in the diet of the animal will need to add vitamins. This requires certain skills and time, and many owners prefer to transfer their furry friends to industrial food, since it is already fully balanced by the producers.
What type of food should I choose - dry or wet?
Today, the industry of industrial feedsis growing rapidly. Brands offer a variety of types of both "drying" and canned food for cats. Owners prefer to buy a damp food, as it more closely resembles a natural one, and "crackers" are not associated with normal food for most consumers. In fact, it is more important to pay attention to the composition of food, because canned food can contain significantly less meat than granules, and do not have any benefit to the pet.
It is also important to consider the state of theanimal. Therefore, whether it is possible to feed cats only with dry food depends on their state of health and physical data. For example, for young healthy individuals, granules are quite an option, but it is better for small kittens to give a soft pate, as well as sick, weakened and old animals.
Myths and truth about industrial feed
Veterinarians and breeders advise to feed petsprepared food, as it contains all the necessary substances for their full life. Manufacturers offer different types of ready-made food for animals. Is it possible to feed cats only dry food? Will it cause harm to health? These questions are asked by many owners of tailed friends.
There are several myths about industrial feed.One of them says that the granules can cause diseases of the genitourinary system in cats. This is partly true, but the development of the ICD is not provoked by the “drying” itself, but by improper nutrition and lack of water. Cheap food, occasional and rare drinks, as well as food "off the table" are the main causes of problems with the urinary system of the pet. If you treat it with quality food, provide constant access to liquids and regularly visit a specialist, then such diseases should not arise.
Another common opinion is thatthat manufacturing food causes pet allergies and makes wool dull and brittle. It also depends on the quality of the feed. Super premium food and holistics, on the contrary, do not contain substances that can provoke such reactions. And the special additives which are a part help an animal to keep health and excellent appearance for many years.
Also, many believe that in the manufacture of granulesand canned foods use a variety of wastes, such as bones, hooves, tumors, animal carcasses. However, the companies that produce high-quality food, super-premium class and higher, care about their reputation and make "drying" and canned food only from meat and do not add aromatic and flavor components.
Rules for the selection of dry food
When choosing industrial food for yourpet can consult a veterinarian. He will tell, given the characteristics of the animal, which food is better to buy. Also not superfluous will be the recommendations of experienced breeders on the relevant sites. They will gladly give advice on choosing the right nutrition.
When buying it is important to pay attention to the compositiondry food. Cats are predatory animals, and their diet should have a lot of meat. In the superpremium lineup and holistics, this ingredient occupies the first line in the list of ingredients.
It is necessary to take into account the preferences of the animal itself. If Murka does not eat turkey, then the “drying” based on it will hardly be chewed with pleasure.
The condition of the animal itself is also important here.Many are interested in whether it is possible to give dry food to a nursing cat. If she ate it earlier, then certainly, yes, you only need to increase the portion or purchase pellets of the same brand, designed for the needs of the “young mommy”.
After castration of the animal, the owner shouldreconsider the pet's diet, because the fact that a pet ate before the operation can cause problems after its implementation. Owners often ask if the sterilized cat can be fed dry food. Of course you can, especially if she had eaten industrial food before. But now you need to buy ready-made food, designed for castrated animals, it is balanced precisely for their needs and contains everything they need for a full life.
Types of dry food
Pet shops offer a wide rangeindustrial food in different price categories. Many buyers prefer to take inexpensive brands, hoping to save in this way. However, this is not entirely true. The fact is that the budgetary granules contain less meat ingredients, and in order to eat, the cat needs a portion more than the super premium grade feed. Calculations of experienced owners show that, despite the higher cost, such “drying” is spent more economically, and thus costs less than inexpensive food.
All food presented in specialized stores is divided into 4 classes:
Economy is a well-known brand thatYou can buy not only in pet stores, but also in ordinary supermarkets, such as Wiskas, Kitikat and others. Their composition is rather poor, such food practically does not contain useful things, and whether it is possible to feed cats only with dry food of such level is a big question.
Premium feed - already have in their compositionsmall amounts of meat and nutrients. Today they include the Royal Canine and the Hills. Is it possible to feed the cat only dry food from these manufacturers? After the production was transferred to Russia, many complain that the quality of food has fallen, because before these brands were attributed to the super premium class. Therefore, if the animal is completely healthy, then such granules can be given, but it is better to consider options of a higher level.
Super Premium - contain many naturalingredients, they are almost completely absent chemistry and flavorings. However, animals do not eat them very willingly, as there are no aromatic constituents in the composition. These include ProNature Holistic, Profine Adult Cat. However, veterinarians and breeders to the question whether it is possible to feed the cat with dry food all the time, give a positive answer.
Holistic - mostly known only amongbreeders. This brand Orijnen, Acana. Such granules are made only from natural ingredients without the addition of preservatives and enhancers. The cost of food is very high, but they are completely harmless to pets and help them maintain health and beauty for many years.
Transfer to dry food
The transfer to dry food should be smooth and notcause stress in the animal. Professionals recommend adding pellets to the cat's usual diet, gradually increasing their number. On average, this procedure will take from 10 to 15 days.
For example, on the first day add 15 granules to the food.If the cat refuses to eat them, then the "drying" can be crushed and mixed with regular food. Some owners recommend soaking the pellets, this advice is more suitable for small kittens.
Особые привереды могут отказаться от еды, если в It is mixed with a little industrial. In this case, you need to show firmness, remove food and try to offer it in a few hours when the animal is hungry.
It is important to understand that when a cat is completely transferred to dry food, it should not be given something off the table, as this may cause irreparable harm to its digestive system.
How to feed dry food?
Selected food is better not to change.In animals, taste buds are not as developed as in humans, so they do not need much variety. Therefore, many professionals give a negative answer to the question whether a cat can be fed with different dry food.
Animals sitting on pellets should have constant and unlimited access to fresh water. If the animal drinks little liquid, then there is a risk of developing urolithiasis.
Some of the owners feel sorry for their pet,forced to use some "crackers" and pamper them with canned food. Is it possible to feed the cat only with premium premium dry food or any other kind and sometimes treat them with spiders? There is no single opinion here. Someone from the experts believes that it is absolutely impossible, since the cat's stomach does not have time to restructure. Some do not see anything wrong with that, but they advise giving canned foods of the same brand as dry food.
It is necessary to respect the dosage indicated on the package. However, it is important to understand that the amount of food depends on the condition of the animal.
Very often the owners, having several pets,ask whether you can feed the cat dry dog food. Veterinarians and manufacturers strongly oppose such nutrition. Murka and Balls - completely different types, and their needs are different. Of course, if a cat eats several pellets from its four-legged comrade, nothing terrible will happen to it. But if you constantly feed it with food intended for dogs, the health effects can be unpredictable.
Owner feedback
Однако есть и противники «сушки».In their opinion, it causes addiction in pets, and also provokes various diseases. This is possible, since some granules contain strong flavoring and aromatic components that cause the cat to absorb only them. To prevent the animal from becoming a “drug addict”, experts recommend purchasing super-premium and holistic feeds, as they are completely natural.
The main disease that occurs in catsprefer "crackers" - ICD. The risk of its occurrence is higher in castrated animals. However, in order for the cat to be healthy, he needs to drink a lot, so the owner should provide him with this opportunity.
The result
When choosing the type of feeding, it is important to consider yourpet capabilities and desires. If you want to cook Murka separately, then good. If the creation of masterpieces of cat cooking is not the time and effort, it is better to get ready-made food, but always of good quality.
