Features of natural food for cats

Cat - one of the most beloved pets. Cat-lovers claim: the cats are not loved by those who do not have them. These charming graceful creatures are so positive and attractive that many owners sincerely consider them family members, enjoy spending time in the company of fluffy pets, communicate with them “on an equal footing”. To pet lived happily ever after, had a luxurious shiny wool, was healthy and energetic, we must clearly know how and what to feed him.

Even before the appearance of a new “family member” in the house, it is necessary to determine the choice of the feeding method. In the course of evolution, the basis of their diet was food of animal origin. Cats are carnivores, predators by behavior and feeding habits. There are no definite recommendations as to which food to use - industrial (dry, liquid), natural or mixed, but there is one general rule: the diet should be balanced and beneficial for the pet, take into account the characteristics of the breed, age and physical condition of the animals. Naturally that The diet of an adult cat can not be the same with the diet of kittens.

Need to understand that Natural food from our table and natural cat food is not the same thing. If natural feeding is planned, then food have to cook separately specifically for the pet. Far from all owners will have time to properly prepare balanced dishes for cats.

Under the conditions of modern realities for many owners, an important advantage is that keeping a pet with natural nutrition is cheaper than feeding a cat with high-quality food of super premium and holistic classes.

Trading networks offer a rich assortment of feed of various composition and cost. Of course, industrial feeds are convenient and save a lot of time, but you should not choose them for permanent use if there are financial difficulties that do not allow you to buy expensive cat food. Cheap economy class feeds often not only fail to meet the energy needs of the animal, but can also be detrimental to the health of cats.

It is enough to look at a cat to determine how it is fed. With proper nutrition, animals have a healthy appearance, luxurious wool, vivid shine in their eyes, playfulness and cheerful mood.

With inadequate nutrition in animals, depression, dull appearance, excessive sleepiness, loss of shreds of wool, dandruff, often obesity and diarrhea.

With any method of feeding the cat diet should contain a complete set of components necessary for the normal development of kittens and the full life of adults. Mandatory components of the diet are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, amino acids, mineral salts, trace elements, vitamins.

Cats are natural predators. In the cat's body, “building” protein is not produced by itself. The main supplier of animal protein is meat of various types.In the natural diet of the feline, it is the main part and is the main source of nutritional resources replenishment. Proteins of animal origin are well absorbed by the body of predators. In addition to meat, they are contained in cottage cheese, eggs, kefir and other dairy products.

This is a kind of "fuel" for the cat, a source of energy that supports the constant healthy activity of the cat. Fats improve the taste of food, enrich with vitamins A, D, K, E, affecting the state of vision, skin and coat, reproductive function, the formation of the musculoskeletal system, blood clotting and calcium absorption. The optimal proportion of fat in the diet is about 20%. With an insufficient amount of fat in the diet should be given to cats fish oil.

Important as an additional source of energy for all mammals, including the cat family. Glucose has a positive effect on brain function. Vegetable fiber carbohydrates normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, contribute to the removal of toxins and create a feeling of satiety in cats. The need for carbohydrates is small, but their usefulness in the normal functioning of organs and systems is indisputable.

In the diet of cats, minerals and trace elements should be contained in the full complex and in the correct proportions. In sufficient quantity for bone system and teeth. phosphorus and calcium - the most important minerals. In addition, the body needs trace elements such as iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iodine, sodium and others. All this is necessary for the health of the cardiovascular system and the musculoskeletal system.

Vitamins affect the growth and development of the body, strengthen the nervous system and immunity, are involved in metabolism, accelerate wound healing, maintain vision, maintain healthy skin and hair of cats. With natural feeding is necessary daily give pets complex vitamins containing essential fatty acids (sold in vetaptekah).

Like all living creatures, water for cats is necessary. The ancestors of the cat lived in the desert places, hence the ability of pets to economically spend and retain moisture in the body. But still for the normal functioning of all organs clean drinking water around the clock should be in the cat in the public domain. A bowl of water should be placed near the bowl of food, but away from the tray.

What can be given to cats:

• lean beef meat, calf meat;
• turkey and chicken meat;
• meat baby food;
• rabbit meat;
• meat by-products (liver, lungs, heart 1 - 2 times a week);
• boiled boneless sea fish (1 time per week);
• dishes from cereals (oats, buckwheat, semolina, rice, wheat, pearl barley, rolled oats);
• dishes with vegetables (beets, zucchini, lettuce, pumpkin, dill and parsley);
• dairy products (cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, yogurt, bifidoprodukty);
• vegetable oil (olive, flaxseed, sunflower, corn);
• boiled egg yolk;
• sprouts wheat germ or oats.

These useful products can be safely used for the preparation of natural food. Of course, so that the cat actively eats food, you will have to make an effort and go for some tricks. Most cats are not happy with vegetables, will not eat empty porridge, many do not like cottage cheese. These components should be combined with meat, and kefir and egg should be added to the curd - it will turn out better, and the pickiest pet will gladly eat the food.

Meat baby food is mainly fed by kittens and aging animals, as well as cats with stomach problems.

Diversity - an indispensable condition for natural nutrition. At 2/3 it should be meat or baby meat food, and at 1/3 - the products of the rest of the composition (fermented milk, cereals, vegetables). Qualitatively prepared food should not only be complete in composition, but also tasty, then the cats will be happy to eat it.

According to the recommendations of felinologists (specialists in domestic cats), The daily intake of food for healthy adults is 7.5% of the animal’s body weight. For example, a cat (cat) weighing 4 kg should receive 300 g of food per day. These standards are average and depend on the breed of the animal, its health, the presence of diseases, age, taste preferences.

A set of products is determined from the norms of consumption of basic nutritional components per 1 kg of live weight of the animal: proteins - 10 g, fat - 2 g, carbohydrates - 2 g. Based on this, rations are compiled. The complexity of developing a menu for a cat at home is a significant drawback of natural feeding, but to get a comprehensive consultation and, if necessary, the practical assistance of a felinologist in our days is not difficult.

Making all cats eat the same food is impossible. Some pets like variety, others prefer 2-3 favorite product. The tip “about tastes do not argue” is relevant for cats as well as for humans. If the cat did not like the dish, she would not eat it and would starve until she was offered her usual food.

Teaching animals to eat at the same time is necessary from an early age. In most cases, kittens get into a new home at three months of age. The mode of feeding such a kitten 4 times a day with a gradual transition to one-year-old on 2 meals a day. It is necessary to feed adult pets in the hours of increased activity in the morning and evening (at 8 - 9 am and at 6 - 7 pm).

Natural behavioral stereotypes of cats determine the main criteria for nutrition:

• cats are fastidious in eating and will not eat stale food;
• the smell of food is of paramount importance, since the sense of smell in cats is more developed than the taste sensations, the cat immediately recognizes the bad smell of food and will not touch it;
• before giving the cat raw meat, prepare the portions and place them in the freezer for 3 days (this will destroy almost all the larvae of the parasites and dangerous microorganisms if they were in the meat), then slowly thaw at room temperature;
• Serve cat food should be warm (not hot and not cold), as the natural habit of eating prey in warm form, as soon as it is caught, entrenched among the representatives of the cat family in the process of centuries of evolution at the subconscious level;
• you can not give the cat milk and meat at the same time, it is fraught with stomach problems;
• food residues after feeding should be removed from the bowl;
• it is better to feed and water the cat from ceramic or glassware; be sure to wash the bowl after each feeding, since harmful microflora develops quickly in food debris;
• clean water and green grass for cats should always be freely available.

Natural products in the cooking process should not be subjected to any processing, except cooking. You can not feed cats fried foods, sausages, canned food, pickles and marinades, sweets, citrus, flour products, dishes with seasonings and spices. Many of them contain flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, dyes, salt and other food additives. What is tasty (but not always beneficial) for humans can be detrimental to the health of cats.

It is not recommended to give cats raw meat brought from the market, it may contain hormones, antibiotics, food chemicals, so this meat is better to boil to destroy harmful impurities. Pork, goose and duck meat are also contraindicated for cats as too fat.

In the wild, cats eat their prey completely. Together with the meat of rodents and birds, internal organs, bones, the contents of the victim's stomach, blood, and some of the wool and feathers enter the stomach. Cute homemade fluffs are also predators, so when drawing up the right menu, you should strive to bring it as close as possible to the “wild” one. The main condition is the predominance of proteins and fats of animal origin, all other components of a much smaller volume.

It is necessary to study well what can be included in the cat's menu in order to get a full balanced diet, with which products you can feed your pets raw, and which ones only after heat treatment.

Here is one of the variants of the approximate natural menu for the week.

• Monday. In the morning - ground beef, grated vegetables; in the evening - kefir (or ryazhenka), an egg.
• Tuesday. In the morning - chicken (pieces), cereal porridge; in the evening - offal, ½ tsp vegetable oil, chopped lettuce.
• Wednesday. In the morning - beef heart, grated zucchini; in the evening - cottage cheese.
• Thursday. In the morning - boiled chicken pieces with porridge; in the evening - chopped beef with a few drops of olive oil, an egg.
• Friday. In the morning - boiled beef with grated vegetables; in the evening - dairy products.
• Saturday. In the morning - boiled beef with porridge on the water; in the evening - offal, greens.
• Sunday. In the morning - boiled turkey, ground vegetables; in the evening - boiled sea fish without bones, crushed sprouts of germinated cereals.

Good meat is not cheap, but it is possible to provide the domestic predator with a full-fledged diet without spending too much. This will help useful proven recipes cat preparations.

• Meat mix. Any non-prohibited meat products will do. All components (chicken breasts, hearts, stomachs) are rinsed with cold water, cleaned of visible fat and films, cut into small pieces, mixed, portionwise folded into cups and placed in a freezer. Thaw at room temperature before use.
• Chicken heads and necks. Many are terrified at the thought that their pet will chew on this unsightly food, but in vain. It is these products that the cat will gladly eat without harm to health and with great benefit if properly prepared. After rinsing, remove the skin from the heads and cut the beaks, remove the skin and fat from the neck parts too. Heads should be cut in half lengthwise, neck cut into pieces of 1.5-2 cm. It is good to knock a bit on the bones with a hammer. You can form portions of heads and necks about 50/50, you can lay out separately in plastic boxes and freeze.
• Cutlets. The main part of the composition - a variety of meat products (rabbit fillet, beef heart, offal of turkey or chicken). Grains and vegetables to add quite a bit, so that the cat did not feel "forgery" and did not refuse such food. Components mince with a large grill, mix well, form cutlets and clean in the cold.

Feeding domestic cats is the most important element in keeping animals. When feeding them home-cooked meals with their own hands, one should carefully monitor the condition of the pet in order to promptly replace in the diet food that for some reason does not suit a particular cat. If a four-legged “family member” permanently lives in the house, you should treat it with all the responsibility, to feed and care properly.

On the proper nutrition of cats, see the following video.