Dry food is an option for many owners, as it takes less money and time to feed an animal. It is easy to store, has a long shelf life, there are different tastes, you can pour it into a bowl and go about your business. But before you buy this type of product, you should understand whether it is safe and it does not harm the animal.
General information
Most owners have doubts whether cats can be fed dry food, and is it normal if the cat only has one. In fact, this is not something that is normal, but even useful, since it contains everything you need. But only if super - premium - class or holistic food is purchased. Only such a product of good quality, which really contains meat, and not substitutes. And if the feed has a good composition, then the development of many diseases will be prevented, which will help maintain excellent condition in animals.
A cat needs to be fed dry food even because its body gets used to one composition of the feed, and by adding other products, digestion can be disturbed.
Advantages and disadvantages
Each product has its pros and cons, and dry food is no exception. The more different additives, the worse the feed affects the health of the cat. But problems may not come to light immediately, but in a month or even more, when the animal cannot be helped.
The negative impact on the body is influenced by such factors as:
- colorants;
- flavors;
- preservatives;
- flavoring additives.
Choice of food and nutritional standards
They are added to the product not only manufacturers of economy, but also premium. But everything is not as bad as it may seem. Because among all the brands there are excellent options. And basically this is professional food.
The following components will have a positive impact:
- nutritional elements;
- vitamin complex;
- probiotics;
- amino acids necessary for animals;
- complex of minerals.
In order not to make a mistake when choosing food, you need to know some rules. Always remember about the features of the animal, such as: pregnancy, castration, age. Be sure to read the composition of the feed. Examine the manufacturer information and understand the components in the composition. Bypassing the side of the feed, where many different artificial additives.
Pay special attention to reviews. Of course, not everyone will be true, but the overall picture will take shape.
You can also discuss this issue with a veterinarian. Watch your pet as it will respond to feed. Maybe he will have an allergic reaction, an eating disorder, or change in behavior. And if everything is in order, then a high probability that the food came up.
Still need to deal with the classification of feed.
- Economy. Cheap feed option. Meat is not used there, and instead of it there are added offal, cereals and vegetable components. Such components are very poorly absorbed by the body. This food should not feed the animal.
- Premium. This is the middle class. In contrast to the first option, there is a small percentage of meat. This includes vitamins and minerals, but there are also harmful additives. The price is not particularly high.
- Super - premium class. Relatively expensive option, and very good. There is a large percentage of meat content, and there are no harmful additives.
- Holistic. The most expensive feed. But it contains only natural meat and all the necessary components.
You should not give dry food to animals if they have additional needs.
For example, a cat does not drink the necessary daily intake of water. Then in this case it will be better to give wet food, pate or natural food. The most good deal, if your pet will consume water 3 times more than food. The average volume should be approximately 20-30 ml per day, but it may differ slightly. It is also forbidden to feed dry food to animals that have very sensitive digestion, their food texture will only harm health and may also cause bleeding.
It is strictly forbidden for pets to give economy and premium fodder. Because they include a lot of different artificial additives, which over time will cause health problems. Basically, everything develops very long and unnoticed. And when they appear, it is usually too late to do something. Also on an ongoing basis you can not feed the cats with various treats, and all because they can not provide the body with everything necessary for its full-fledged work.
In no case can not mix dry food with natural products. Since the body gets used to one composition, and if you add another, there may be an eating disorder. Also, the combination of products violates the daily rate of vitamins and nutrients. And in order to digest a different type of food, different enzymes will be needed, and in this regard, problems with the pancreas can arise.
Dry and wet food should also not be mixed, can only be given separately.
And if the animal has weakened for any reasons, such as illness or vaccination, then you can add wet food sauce to the feed. This will help trigger the cat's appetite. But the brand should be the same. This will save the pet from problems with the digestive tract, and the balance of nutrients will not be disturbed. But if for some reason you cannot provide wet food of the same manufacturer as the dry one, then they should be of the same class. It is forbidden to give a cat that eats feed Eukanuba or Royal Canin wet food Whiskas or Purina One.
Categorically it is impossible to additionally give vitamins to an animal, unless they are prescribed by a veterinarian.
Since there are water-soluble substances that are removed from the body without any problems, if their surplus appears. And there are fat-soluble, which can accumulate, and because of this, there may be an excess of various elements and vitamins. Permission to take any supplements is taken only on the basis of examination and analysis. Also, you can not give out medicines for delicacy.
The daily rate of the product is selected for each animal its own, it is necessary to rely on weight, age, activity, pet size and calorie feed. Usually, all manufacturers write about the nutritional rate, but still they should not follow their recommendations, because for one cat it will be small, but for the other too much.
Be sure to monitor the physical condition of the animal.
It is not allowed to stick up the ribs, but must be palpable. Also, the cat should not be too well-fed or, conversely, protruding the hips and chest. Therefore, you should always count the rate yourself, and if you translate your pet into feed from another manufacturer, you will have to recount everything again. You can also consult a veterinarian. If you are using measuring glasses, then you should check the information that the manufacturer indicated.
Vet opinion
Almost all veterinarians still recommend the use of dry food, because they are already balanced, have the correct vitamin content required by animals.. Here the main task is to choose the right brand of manufacturer, which does not harm the health of the cat. Also, veterinarians are confident that the food that a person consumes is not suitable for nutritional nutrition of cats, and may even lead to violations in the digestive tract.
Therefore, do not indulge your pets with food from your table.
Perhaps dry food may not seem so attractive, unlike natural.And this can be considered a small minus. But it is easy to fix. It will be enough just to add some water there, and the feed for the animal will seem more interesting. Of course, dry food makes life easier for cat owners, because they don’t have to spend time and money on cooking. But this is only if the product is of good quality. The main thing is not to interfere with different products and give the animal enough water.
Useful tips on how to properly feed your cat dry food, see the video below.
