It is wrongly assumed that a domestic cat should eat leftovers or hunt for vermin in proximity of the household, because, if not well fed by its owner, it may easily consider hunting something other than mice, such as chicken or small birds. And, most importantly, an improper diet can damage your pet's health. For example, cats that are exclusively fed raw fish may suffer from vitamin B1 deficiency, while those who constantly eat liver may develop vitamin A toxicity.
Useful tips on cat diets:
Like humans, cats need to eat nourishing food in order to be healthy. A good diet is rich in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, all in adequate doses. There are twelve essential minerals a cats body needs for proper development, among which the most important are:
- phosphorus and calcium, for strong bones and teeth
- magnesium, potassium, sodium, for good nerve impulse transmission and reflexes
- selenium, copper, molybdenum, helpful in various enzymatic reactions
Food should also contain Taurine, good for the heart and the eyesight, Omega 3 and 6 acids, for fur and skin, vitamin E for the immune system, controlled minerals for the urinary tract etc. Cheap cat food and home cooked meals do not always contain these ingredients, which are essential for a cats health.
Dry cat food comes in different categories: junior, adult, senior, sterilized (to prevent excessive fat gain after sterilization) or for sensitive stomach, teeth, fur - according to necessities.
It is very important that, in case of illness, the cats diet be adjusted according to the veterinarians advice. It is also a fact that, if one feeds very cheap food to his or her pet, there is a risk of jeopardizing its health and shortening its life span. The cases in which, after being fed soup or other cooked meals, felines live up to 15 years (the average lifespan for a well-taken care of cat) are extremely rare.
Even though most dry cat food brands are completely safe and healthy, there are cases when cats are allergic to certain ingredients. Such allergies usually occur either at the skin level or as gastrointestinal disorders.
If you suspect your pet has a food allergy, you should pay a visit to the veterinarian immediately, to get a proper diagnosis and find out exactly which are the substances that trigger the condition. And of course, you need to carefully analyze the label on the dry cat food you get for your cat to make sure it does not contain any allergens.
So, constant visits to the veterinarian may prove to be very useful in determining a suitable diet for your pet. Picking the right dry cat food is extremely important if you want your feline friend to have a long, healthy and happy life (well, nine lives actually).
