How to Feed Your Cat: The Expert Guide to a Balanced Diet

Cat food

Diet for a Cat. If you love cats, you want your furry buddy to live long and happy, healthy, and active. To do this, make sure that the cat’s diet is properly balanced with the five most important groups of substances: proteins, fats and oils, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.

Cats are carnivores and have to eat meat, so unlike dogs, cats can’t be meat-free and they can’t be vegetarian or vegan. For cats, protein is the main source of energy, they need it more than dogs, so they need to have more protein in their diet. In addition to protein, meat contains three basic nutrients that cats cannot live without taurine (for heart and vision), arachidonic acid (for healthy skin and fur), and vitamin A (for fur and vision).

For your cat to be healthy, you need to give it a diet that combines all the nutrients that are most important to your cat. The composition of high-quality complete cat food should be carefully matched so that they get the right combination of all nutrients and feel great, and it should also be very tasty to eat.

While you may seem to pamper your cat by adding food or supplements to humans in a nutritionally balanced and wholesome cat diet, you can actually break down a carefully formulated combination of pet food and irritate her stomach!

Stomachs are sensitive and kittens need a special diet high in protein and other nutrients to grow large and strong. By giving your kitten complete food, you will make sure he gets everything he needs – in our kitten feeding guide you will find more useful information on how to make sure your little kitten is fed properly.

From the age of 12 months, a healthy adult cat must receive adequate nutrients and must therefore eat a balanced, complete diet for adult cats. At the age of about seven to ten years, cats should receive food for older cats, adapted to their changing needs.

Importance of water for cat

Diet for a Cat. Water is important to everyone who lives, and your cat is no exception. Although cats were originally desert animals and as a result concentrate their urine very well by nature, if they do not drink enough water, they can develop bladder diseases and cystitis. Make sure your cat always – day and night – has plenty of clean, fresh drinking water from a bowl or water fountain.

You’ve probably noticed that cats are very fond of water from unusual sources, such as a dripping faucet or shower base, but such places should never become the main feeding places, they should not replace an easily accessible source of fresh and clean water at all times. Whenever possible, the water bowl should be placed a little further away from the food bowl and as far away from the litter box as possible. If you notice that your cat has suddenly started feeding in unusual places, perhaps she has fallen ill and the disease is causing too much thirst, so it is worth consulting your veterinarian about this.

Protein based cat food

Diet for a Cat. Cats need protein from amino acids, which are their main source of energy. Cats cannot produce these basic chemical building materials in their own bodies – they have to get them from food that contains certain essential amino acids. Proteins found in a fully balanced cat diet, such as meat and fish, should contain all the essential amino acids needed by a cat to form and maintain healthy muscles, skin and fur, and are vital to the immune system. If your cat doesn’t get enough protein, it can grow poorly, lose muscle mass, shed its coat, and increase the risk of infections due to a weak immune system.

The role of fat

Made up of small particles called fatty acids, fat is like a fuel that allows a cat to stay active, and they also insulate and protect the cat’s internal organs. Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6 are especially important for cat skin and fur, so these acids are an important part of a cat’s diet. Without them, the condition of the cat’s skin and fur would be greatly impaired.

A complete and balanced cat diet should contain all the essential fatty acids your cat needs.

Carbohydrates for cats

Although carbohydrates (starch and fiber) are not an essential part of a cat’s diet, they are actually an easy source of energy. Prebiotics (soluble fiber) also help maintain a healthy gut and stimulate good bacteria, while insoluble fiber promotes normal gut function and helps form good stools.

The importance of minerals

Diet for a Cat. Minerals like calcium and phosphorus are very important for dental and bone health, so cat food needs to be in the right amount and in the right proportions, especially if your cat is cat or raises kittens!

Sodium, chlorine, magnesium and potassium, zinc, copper, and iron are also necessary minerals and should be included in cat food. In a quality full-fledged the minerals in the cat’s food are properly balanced. It is very important that their proportion is right, because if one mineral is too much, another may start to be missing.

A small amount of vitamins is needed for a cat to be able to grow normally, have good eyesight, healthy skin, and fur, heal wounds well, and have a healthy nervous system. They are involved in the metabolic process of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, and vitamins C and E are also important antioxidants. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are stored in the cat’s adipose tissue, but water-soluble vitamins (B complex and vitamin C) are not stored in the body, they are excreted in the cat’s urine.

Do Cats Need Milk?

Contrary to popular belief, weaned cats no longer need milk. The truth is that many cats find it difficult to digest milk because they lack the enzymes needed to break down lactose (the sugar in milk)! As a result, cats often have pustules or stomach irritations from cow’s milk and other dairy products.

Cats are made with special cat milk so that they can enjoy lactose-free cream treats. As with all delicacies, cat milk contains calories, so you should take this into account when giving your usual portion of food to avoid disturbing your cat’s diet. Also, keep in mind that cat milk is not a substitute for water and your cat will still need plenty of fresh water to keep out the fluids.

Wet food

Wet food is sold in cans, foil containers, or bags. Such food should always be served at room temperature so that the cat can truly enjoy the texture and smells of the food.

After opening and taking the food package, cover the rest and store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. Remember that before serving next time, you will need to warm the food to room temperature, so remove it from the refrigerator well before feeding time. Uneaten wet food should not be left for more than an hour as it will no longer be tasty bacteria will appear in it and they will irritate the abdomen.

How to change cat food brands?

If you decide to replace your cat’s food with another type or brand of food, get your cat used to the new food gradually, over seven to ten days. It is best for cats to place two bowls, one with the old food and the other with the new food so that the cat can gradually begin to taste the new food. A sudden change in food can irritate the stomach, especially if the cat is used to always eating the same food.

Whole dry foods

Dry food is a widely used alternative to wet food. Its pieces contain the right proportion of nutrients, and its crunchiness helps keep a cat’s teeth healthy. In addition, the nutrients in it are more concentrated than in wet food, so it should be served in small portions.

Whether you decide to feed wet or dry food, read the label and make sure it’s wholesome food, not a supplement – maybe you’re just buying a snack or a treat instead of a balanced food! Although they look similar, dry cat food and dry dog ​​food are not the same. The nutritional needs of cats and dogs are very different, so dog food is not suitable for cats and cat food is not suitable for dogs.

How to change cat food?

Although it seems that the owner who makes food for his cat at home especially loves it, unfortunately it is not advisable to do so. It is difficult to prepare a well-balanced diet for a cat from home-made or raw foods, as some foods are very high or very low in certain nutrients, which can lead to huge imbalances. Even if you are feeding your cat wholesome food, be very careful not to multiply any extra products. If you are determined to cook for your cat at home, consult with an animal nutritionist to help you choose the products so that your cat receives the right amount of products.

Raw meat can contain parasites and bacteria, such as salmonella, that can cause disease in a cat, so when deciding to feed raw products, the cat owner must take special care in hygiene. Be very careful if you are feeding bones as they can break into small splinters and even get stuck in the cat’s gut.

Do Cats Need Food Supplements?

Healthy cats that are fed a completely balanced diet do not need any supplements. In fact, the supplements used can upset the nutrient balance in the food and cause problems.

However, some cats (such as growing, suffering from certain diseases, or catworms) have special nutritional needs, so there is food specifically designed for cats to meet those needs. If in doubt, consult your veterinarian.

How much to feed a cat

Feeding recommendations

How much food your cat needs depends on the breed, activity level and lifestyle. It is best to start by following the feeding recommendations on the package, but keep in mind that these recommendations are approximate. How much food you really need depends on each cat, such as its size and activity. Monitor your cat’s condition regularly.