Young kittens have small teeth and cannot chew dry food too well, which may lead to not getting enough nutritious elements for a proper growth. Therefore, wet food is very important for them, at least as a part of their daily diet.
We remind you that leftovers from your table are not good for kittens; you can give them one or two small treats now and then, because we all know how adorably insistent they can be, but not more, as treats should not count more than 10% of the total calorie intake.
Also, one must be precautious about certain foods, when it comes to feeding the kittens. Raw meat can infest them with parasites and bacteria, raw eggs and fish decrease the absorption of vitamin B and milk may cause diarrhea. Fruits and vegetables like onions, garlic and grapes as well as chocolate and coffee can be toxic to cats and kittens.
Homemade diets, even when they are especially created for cats and kittens, can be low in calcium, as pet owners often make all-meat diets because cats like them. They can lead to a mineral imbalance and ultimately to hyperparathyroidism.
The best wet food is the canned food, available everywhere, from pet shops to supermarkets; however, cat owners must be aware that not every canned food is also high quality; in order to be sure about it, one must first read the label carefully. The food must be complete and balanced and must meet the nutritional requirements established by an association of feed control - and this information must be on the label. An equilibrated diet does not require supplemental vitamins or minerals; these should be considered only if a veterinarian recommends them. If the label does not certify the food as ?complete and balanced? or ?100% nutritious?, it should only be used as treats for the kittens.
Pet food advertising is designed to attract the pet owners, but a product that seems appetizing to a person does not necessarily provide nutritional quality for a pet. ?Organic? or ?natural? is not a certification which guarantees that all components of a product were produced according to organic standards.
Kittens who eat only canned food must be fed about four times daily; otherwise, two times is sufficient, when wet food is combined with dry food.
Sometimes you may need to change a certain food type with another and the process can be challenging, as cats tend to get a fixed preference for a particular flavor and will refuse new ones. It does not mean that the new food is not good. In order to switch food more easily, specialists recommend feeding kittens with both old and new food, but in separate bowls, decreasing gradually the amount of old food while increasing the amount of the new food. The transition can also cause some stomach upsets, so it must be made progressively, over several days.
Properly fed kittens are always playful and alert, have a steady weight and glossy fur. The lack of these signs may indicate health problems that must be checked with a veterinarian - diet changes may be in order.
Choosing the appropriate cat food for your whiskered pet can turn out to be a true challenge, especially with the large variety of brands and ads available on the market. You wish your cat a long and healthy life by your side so you will spare no effort or money in the attempt of buying her or him the best food available. As with all products however, not all expensive food is not always the best. You can easily find an affordable and healthy meal that will provide all the nutrients necessary for the well-being of your cat.
When you look for a certain cat food, you need to pay attention to the title it features. If it is a sole ingredient, it should amount about 95 percent of the total of the food, without water included. A ?meal? or a ?dinner? will amount somewhere around 25 or 30 percent from the total food, while a ?flavor? will place an amount of 3 percent of that ingredient. If, for example, the cat food is named ?beef with liver?, this combination should amount to 95 percent of the total quantity.
The ingredients and their weight are also paramount. Look at the top 5 ingredients listed on the label and you will realize what that particular type of cat food is made of. Moisture ingredients will usually be listed first, as they weigh more than other ingredients from which the water may have already been removed.
It is also very important that the food for your cat contain a great deal of meat ? cats are by definition carnivores ? they thrive on proteins and fats and they hate plants and vegetables. Therefore, you should feed your cat plenty of beef, chicken, turkey, even fish or other types of meat, in order to ensure that he or she enjoys what they eat.
However, a combination of 75 percent meat and 25 percent vegetables, wrapped around beautifully together, will be okay as well, as it will resemble the cat?s natural diet more ? when they would hunt, they would take the necessary amount of vegetables and water from their prey so feeding them vegetables in a limited amount should not be a problem. Grains and carbohydrates can also be a great source of energy for your lovely cat, provided that they are easily digested and are top quality. The same applies to by-products.
You decide whether to give your cat dry food or canned food. The first is thought to protect the cat?s teeth and have a higher amount of nutrients, while the second contains more moisture and resembles more the cat?s natural diet, being more suitable for cats that don?t drink a lot of water.
Do not forget to choose a food which is suitable for your cat?s age and lifestyle. Active cats have different meal needs than sedentary cats, while kittens? nutrient requirements that are different from an adult?s or a senior?s.
Do not hesitate to ask for help from your veterinarian ? they are the only one who will know the right amount of food your overweight cat should ingest or what types of nutrients your cat needs in order to maintain its health at optimum levels.
