Feeding in domestic cats
In the wild, cats are carnivores, they feed on small prey that they hunt during the day and at night (birds, rodents, grasshoppers, butterflies …). So, they eat small amounts of food several times a day, we would be talking about 12 to 20 daily intakes.
The ideal prey for a wild cat would be a field mouse, since it is fun to hunt, as well as being a balanced food, rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. For cats eat their entire prey, including entrails, intestines (with seeds and plants), bones and hair. Our domestic cats will rarely devour a mouse, since they are used to a domestic diet, although they will have fun playing with the prey.
What type of food to provide the cat
Currently there are numerous commercial diets for cats, such as feed and wet food, that feed most of our cats. But it should be noted that not all these foods are suitable for our felines, and could cause serious health problems. What real meat content do they have? Why do they contain cereals, if cats barely ingest carbohydrates in their wild diet.
It should be borne in mind that a domesticated hunter lives in our house, who would feed himself entirely on meat. Cats are carnivores by nature, and we should not feed them from a vegetarian diet, or high in cereals, as it will cause serious problems in the animal’s health. The cat’s diet must have certain nutrients that are only found in carnivorous food.
The cheapest foods contain a lower proportion of meat (protein) and a higher amount of carbohydrates (cerals). This would not be a suitable food for a carnivore, since although the cat can digest the enzymes of cereals, not all are equally digestive, and its intestine is not designed for it.
We also have to make sure that the source of the protein is specified on the packaging, and not just the amount. “35% animal protein” (anything but meat) is not the same as “35% turkey protein.”
Cats normally acquire most of the water their bodies need directly from their prey. For this reason, they usually drink little water and it is not advisable to feed them only with dry feed, the ideal is to provide them with freely available feed and wet food daily.
We must provide our cats with a quality diet, as this will ensure good health over the years. Quality food is not sold in supermarkets, but in specialized stores and veterinary clinics. Although the highest quality food has a higher cost, it must be taken into account that a cat does not feed in large quantities, and that the better the food, the less it will need to eat. In addition, we will save expenses from future possible complications that would lead to visits to the veterinary center.
Feeding routine
We advise having high-quality feed at your disposal throughout the day, and offering dosed wet food. We must offer variety in food, so we will vary the composition of the dry feed, we must not give it the same food throughout its life. We can play with the same brand if they have several lines, or combine with other brands.
We can give free access to dry feed, so that the cat can take several feedings during the day, and every day give one or two servings of quality wet food, always at room or warm temperature. We could feed a cat only with wet food, dry food is not essential, but it gives us comfort and tranquility, knowing that our feline companion always has food at its disposal.
Cats are usually delicate and demanding, and they can have very refined tastes. If they have been fed supermarket foods, which are saturated with fat and flavorings, they will probably not immediately accept the switch to a quality feed or wet food. But we must be patient, and let the cat finish eating out of hunger, so it will end up getting used to it. Be careful, always bearing in mind that the animal is healthy, and does not show symptoms of disease. In obese cats, we must be very careful, obesity can occur due to not having had a correct diet, but we must pay attention to their eating, since if they go a day without eating, they could develop a very serious liver crisis, therefore common sense must always be applied in this matter.
Which food brands to choose
As for feed, the most important thing is the general quality of the feed, taking into account the quantity of meat and its origin, that they are free of cereals, their nutritional supplements, etc …
As a very high range, we number several brands of feed, taking into account that within a brand, there are different lines, and not all their lines can have the same quality. This range does not contain any type of cereal, it has a high level of protein of animal origin and low content in carbohydrates. In general, they are very complete feed in terms of vitamins, minerals, plant supplements, medicinal plants, fruits …
We highlight “some” brands that have holistic ranges in their feed, such as: Acana, Alleva, Applaws, Arden Grange, Canagan, Carnilove, Core Wellnes, Grave, Farmina, Feringa, Go !, Granatapet, Natural Greatnerss, Naturea, Nutram, Orijen , Primordial, Purizon, Taste of the wild, True Origin, Wild Feedom, Wolfblut Wildcat, Leonardo … Within these brands, you have to study their ranges, and choose those without cerals, and with a high content of animal protein that specify your origin.
As for wet food, we could choose complete food, or complementary, if we combine it with dry feed. According to its varieties, as a complete food we can find variations in Alpha Spirit, Amanova, Animonda, Animonda, Applaws, Canagan, Carnilove, Catz Finefood, Cosma, Criadores, Edgard & Cooper, Feringa, Fish4Cats, Granatapet, Grau Pate, Leonardo, Little bigpaws , Monge, Natural Greatners, Naturo, Porta21, Pura Natura, Terra Faelis, Vibrisse, Wellness Core … as in each brand there are different qualities, we should study their varieties to make the selection.
Hygiene and utensils
Feeders and drinkers must always be kept clean. The ideal feeders are made of ceramic, glass or aluminum, as flat as possible, and wide, to avoid rubbing the whiskers. A simple kitchen dish would suffice. If we have the feeders outside, we will avoid exposing them to the sun.
In summer, it is likely that the ants invade them in search of food, in this case, we can place a story on a plate with water, which will act as a barrier, preventing the ants from invading the feed.
Supplements and dietary supplements
Cats nibble on the grass, when they have access to the garden, this helps them purge, digest and vomit hairballs that accumulate in the stomach after grooming. If the cat does not have access to the garden, we can plant a pot with natural grass, or we can buy cat grass, or malt.