Neither over-saving nor wasting food will help you find the best nutrition for your cat. You need to eat wholesome food. Even if the cat herself does not agree with this.
There are two feeding strategies for cats:
Eat what they give!
I’ll buy anything, just eat.
And both are fundamentally wrong. Neither over-saving nor wasting food will help you find the best nutrition for your cat. You need to eat wholesome food. Even if the cat herself does not agree with this.
Why you can’t feed from the table
Sometimes they argue like this: “Nature knows best. If the cat eats, then you can. And here in the cat’s bowl are soup, pasta and the remains of yesterday’s cutlets. You can not do it this way. By nature, cats are predators. They need a lot of protein, some fiber and some more fat. Human food, on the contrary, is rich in carbohydrates and fats. Such food can spoil the cat’s stomach, lead to flatulence, colic and malnutrition.
Let’s see what foods should not be given to a cat:
- Salted, sweet, marinated, fried
- Too oily for cats, there is a risk of infection with parasites.
- Many cats develop lactose intolerance as they age.
- Raw can cause flatulence, boiled can cause constipation.
- Can get stuck in the throat, damage the esophagus and stomach.
- Boiled potatoes. Absolutely useless, the cat’s stomach does not absorb starch.
- Not absorbed by cats, lead to bloating.
- A fish. There is a risk of developing urolithiasis and vitamin K deficiency.
- Tea and coffee. The caffeine in them threatens with hyperactivity and an extra load on the nervous and cardiac systems.
- From vegetables: ovokado, broccoli, onion, garlic, tomatoes.
- Grapes and raisins. Dangerous for cats as well as for dogs. The cause has not yet been established.
- Dangerous due to the large amount of phosphorus. Be careful if the cat decides to play with the nut.
- Dog food. Differs in nutrient content, prolonged use may lead to malnutrition.
- Contains toxins harmful to cats.
The usual shopping list for a person looks about the same. As you can see, you will have to create a separate list for the cat.
Two points are especially surprising here: fish and milk. The opinion that cats love them has become something of an axiom. People seem to be born, confident that it is necessary to treat a cat with milk and fish. But no. Both cats absolutely do not need.
Why should a cat not be given milk?
Like all mammals, kittens feed on milk alone. And, like almost all mammals, they stop assimilating it with age. Milk can provoke an attack of diarrhea in an adult cat. Of course, often cats are fed milk, and no external effects appear on the floor. However, no one knows how the cat feels inside.
Adult cats cannot have milk, but fermented milk products are allowed: kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt and low-fat sour cream, because nothing fatty is allowed at all.
Why should a cat not be given fish?
In nature, cats don’t eat fish at all because they can’t catch it. There are, of course, especially gifted cats who know how to fish, but these are exceptions. Most cats are fed fish, because it is cheaper than meat.
Fish is not the healthiest food for a cat. Too much protein and minerals. If you often feed a cat with fish, urolithiasis and vitamin K deficiency may develop. It is better not to give river fish and fish from freshwater, because the risk of infection with helminths is high.
If we give fish, then sometimes observing a number of rules:
- No more than 1-2 times a week
- It is better to give sea fish
- Remove bones and entrails
Boil five minutes
Cats know how to subjugate people. See how most owners buy more and more food to please their pets. They offer either fatter sour cream, or a redder fish. And the tailed ones only turn up their noses at new delicacies. Cats are difficult. They are finicky and nothing will force them to eat if they don’t like the food. In this they differ from dogs that do not stand in front of a bowl. Whatever lay there?
But you can’t go on about the cats. The diet should be useful first of all.
Why can’t you give milk to cats?
Cats love milk – this stereotype is firmly entrenched in the mass consciousness thanks to cartoons, movies and literature, but has not ceased to be a stereotype. Let’s talk about why cats should not be given milk, and what consequences its use in caudates can entail. Check here for more details about best cat stuff at lovecatstuff
First, consider the nutrition of kittens. Mother’s milk is the basis of their diet for at least the first 2 months of life. It contains all the substances necessary for the growth and development of a kitten.
It is impossible to fully replace cat’s milk with cow’s milk. Although both contain lactose, the “set” of nutrients, vitamins and minerals varies greatly.
If the mother cat does not give enough milk to the cubs, special formulas can be used as a substitute. You can buy them at pet stores and veterinary pharmacies.
When choosing a substitute, it is worth considering:
The breed of the pet.
Some breeds need high-calorie nutrition from childhood, for example, Maine Coons and Pixie Bobs.
The fat content of the mixture. Up to 9% – a universal option suitable for most breeds.
manufacturer’s reputation. Positive feedback from nutritionists and veterinarians will be a good sign.
Remember that feeding with artificial mixtures should not be delayed for a long time. By 3 months, start removing milk from your kitten’s diet, introducing mashed meats and specialized foods instead.
Why milk should not be given to adult cats
Until about the 12th week of life, lactase is produced in the animal’s body – an enzyme that is involved in the breakdown of lactose. In adult cats and cats, lactase production either slows down significantly or stops altogether. The body stops digesting milk. In medical language, this phenomenon is called hypolactasia.
By giving cow’s milk to a cat with hypolactasia, the owner puts the pet’s digestive system at unnecessary risk. Intolerance can manifest itself in the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Increased gas formation
- Bloating
- Indigestion, nausea, vomiting.
Another reason why it is better for cats not to give milk is its calorie content. 100 grams of milk can contain up to 64 kcal. For a sedentary animal, such a “diet” can result in problems with being overweight. In a special risk group – sterilized pets.
In fairness, it should be noted: not all cats should be given milk. Some caudates, even in adulthood, enjoy eating them with pleasure and do not experience problems with either digestion or extra pounds. It all depends on the body’s ability to break down lactose.
