Today, almost every apartment has a cat. These wonderful animals can not only delight their playful character, but also help their owners in stressful situations. However, getting a kitten in the house, you must definitely think about its nutrition. Of course, everyone wants the animal to grow up healthy and happy.
To date, pet stores offer a huge number of a wide variety of feeds. The most popular of them are precisely dry mixes. It is believed that the higher the class of food, the better it will be for the pet. However, quite often animal owners begin to wonder if it is harmful to feed cats with such difficult to digest food. Perhaps soaking dry food is the best solution?
That is why it is worth considering the opinion of specialists regarding this issue. You need to know that in the first place it is recommended to pay attention to the following important aspects of the choice of dry food.
About dry nutrition
If we talk about whether it is possible to feed a cat with pre-soaked dry food, then first you need to pay attention to some useful tips. Cat food packages usually have a category. The higher it is, the better quality the manufacturer guarantees.
The cheapest feed is not recommended for animals in any form (soaked or dry). The fact is that they have a detrimental effect on the health of the cat. Therefore, it is recommended to refuse such options or give the pet similar food only in the rarest cases.
If the products are of better quality, then they may well constitute the main diet of the pet. In addition, a dry food will not harm a pet if it constantly has clean drinking water nearby. The fact is that in such foods there is practically no moisture. Because of this, the components are very poorly digested, so the animal must drink after or with food.
In addition, do not mix feed. First of all, this applies to various dry products. It is also not recommended to add canned food to granular feed. The fact is that the digestive system must take a certain type of food. If you mix 2 different types of food, this can lead to problems with the stomach.
Is it possible to resort to soaking?
If we talk about whether it is possible to soak dry food for cats, then everything depends on the specific situation. Veterinarians often comment on this issue.
Often, old cats pounce on food and begin to swallow it very quickly, without even chewing. This happens when the animal begins to have problems with his teeth or his fangs completely drop out. In this case, it is also worthwhile to either transfer the pet to a more liquid diet, or to figure out whether it is possible to soak dry cat food.
It must be understood that in the absence of the required amount of fluid, the dry components can stagnate in the body of the animal, and this, in turn, will lead to constipation. To avoid this is not recommended, since in this case intoxication will begin, and poisons will begin to stand out in the gastric tract. It’s better to add some water to the food.
When is food necessarily soaked?
Answering the question Is it possible to soak dry cat food, it is worth considering a situation when it is simply necessary. If the pet vomits some time after eating, then this indicates that the granules harm the walls of the stomach. In this case, it is recommended to study the consistency of vomit. If there are whole chunks of dry food in the vomit, then this indicates that the animal does not receive enough water, or this category of food is not suitable for this pet.
In this case, the answer to the question whether it is possible to soak dry cat food is unequivocal, since food must be liquefied. It is also recommended that you visit a veterinarian. He will help you choose a different type of food.
How to soak dry cat food?
In order for everything to work out in the best way, it is necessary to use exclusively purified boiled water. It must be ensured that it is not very hot, since boiling water will destroy the beneficial substances contained in the feed. The optimum temperature should be 50-60 °. If you use cold water, then in this case, solid food will dissolve for too long.
How to soak, brew dry food and is it necessary to adjust the nutrition? Yes, a portion of the product must be filled with water so that all components are completely covered with the liquid. The mixture must be left in this state for 10-15 minutes. This time is enough for the feed to swell and be ready for use.
Some owners of small kittens prefer to fill the products with warm milk. However, experts strongly discourage this. The fact is that milk contains its own nutrients, which can enter into poor symbiosis with the components of dry food. Also, when feeding an animal, it is necessary to pay attention to some nuances.
Pet age and weight
In order for the feeding system to be set up correctly and bring the animal maximum health, it is necessary to very clearly determine the daily feed rate, regardless of whether it is soaked with water or given in its original form.
If you exceed the recommended dose, the animal will quickly begin to suffer from obesity. Therefore, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian and clarify how much nutrients a pet should receive.
Features of feeding kittens
If a kitten lives in the house from the age of 6 to 12 months, then a day he should be given no more than 100 grams of dry food. Older pets need 2 times more. As a rule, the approximate volume is indicated on food packages and how many times you need to feed the animal.
It is also worth considering that animals do not always understand exactly how many nutrients they require for proper functioning. Fluffy fidgets love to get into the refrigerator or on the table at night and enjoy what people have left. At the same time, it is worthwhile to carefully monitor the animal and try not to pamper it. If you give him what people eat, it will not help the formation of his digestive system.
When a cat looks much larger than its counterparts or suffers from obesity, then you need to feed it no more than 2 times a day, no matter how much it asks for more.
If the apartment has more than two pets, then you need to allocate a bowl for each of them and make sure that both pets receive the necessary amount of food.
What needs to be done so that the pet is healthy afterwards?
In the process of feeding a pet, you need to follow a few simple rules that will help to maintain the health of the animal for a long time. First of all, it should be borne in mind that adult cats should never be fed food intended for kittens. The fact is that, depending on the age of the animal, certain additives, minerals and vitamins are added to the products. Therefore, experts do not recommend buying inappropriate food.
It is also worth considering that dry food should never be mixed with fresh products. This can lead to indigestion. Sometimes pet owners decide to add some natural meat to dry food. This is an absolutely wrong decision. If an animal, for one reason or another, refuses to eat dry food, then it is not necessary to force it. Packages with food must be stored in a tightly closed state, no need to put them in the refrigerator.
Finally
If we talk about whether cats need to soak dry food, then experts have nothing against this method of feeding. The main thing is to stick to just a few recommendations. It is also pre-recommended to visit a veterinarian.