Cats are many people’s favorite pets. And the right feed helps keep the cat beautiful and healthy.
There are two types of cat food: dry and wet.
The main difference between them is consistency. The dry food is usually presented in small balls or grains, while the wet food is presented in sachets, pates or cans, in a more pasty form.
In the vast majority of cases, both are made with corn and wheat, and may contain pieces of dried meat, fish or dehydrated vegetables.
Regarding the nutritional value, both are similar, but some characteristics help when choosing the most suitable for the pet.
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How to choose the ration?
With so many options, it is difficult to choose the right food, especially if the pet is young, elderly or overweight.
So here are tips and suggestions for choosing the ideal feed for each stage of the pussy:
Puppy cats
Until the first 30 days, the feline puppy should be breastfed from the mother’s milk. After that time, he can start eating pasty rations, which are easier to chew.
At 4 months, the puppy should eat about 6 small meals throughout the day.
After that time, it is recommended to decrease the number of meals until, when completing 6 months, the kitten is eating at most 3 complete meals per day.
From that age, the pussy begins to develop lactose intolerance, so rations and foods with this substance should be avoided.
Puppies’ diets are different from those for adults, because, at the beginning of life, little ones need more nutrients to grow strong and healthy.
These are the substances that cannot be lacking in the puppies’ feed:
- Arginine: this amino acid is responsible for protecting the cat’s body, helping the immune system;
- Taurine: another important amino acid for the good cardiovascular development of the puppy;
- Vitamin A: helps to develop vision. If the puppy consumes an insufficient amount, it may go blind throughout life.
Prefer animal feeds that tend to have more nutrients.
As the kitten’s digestive system has not yet become accustomed to very solid or dry food, opt for the “wet” rations that contribute to digestion.
Elderly cats
The feed for old cats is usually softer and more aerated, to facilitate chewing and digestion, which may be more limited with the age of the pet.
This can be the choice when the animal is over 8 years old, since the life expectancy of the pussies varies between 10 and 15 years.
Some substances (such as glucosamine and chondroitin) that make up these rations are ideal for easing complications in bones and joints.
At this time of life, pussies are not usually very agitated and, as a result, senior rations do not contain large sources of energy.
Obese cats
Excess weight can decrease the cat’s life expectancy, decrease the quality of life and even cause health problems when he is old.
Therefore, diets that contain less calories are, in general, the most recommended for obese cats.
The pet market already sells light diets, which contain less fat and more fiber and protein .
A veterinarian is the most suitable to recommend the type and the ideal amount of feed that your feline should ingest per day.
What is the best food for neutered cats?
To offer an ideal food for the neutered pet, give preference to those that contain less calories and fats. Some brands manage to reduce up to 20% of the caloric value compared to normal. This is because the amount of fiber is increased while fats are reduced or replaced by proteins.
Neutering cats has some benefits such as preventing illness and unwanted pregnancies.
On the other hand, this practice can facilitate the weight gain of the puppy, since he exercises less and has a greater appetite.
This happens because, with the removal of Organs sexual organs (testicles and ovaries), the amount of hormones decreases and the metabolic slowdown occurs.
To help the pet and avoid obesity , you can stimulate physical activity with balls and shelves, in addition to decreasing the amount of feed that is placed in the pot.
The ideal feed for your cat can make it more active, beautiful and healthy. If in doubt, take the pet to the veterinarian.
