Every pet owner wants his pet to live as long as possible. For this, most people prefer to choose only the highest quality food. In the pursuit of the best food you can face a number of problems.
The fact is that today there are many different types of ready-made food for pets on sale. However, there are many different opinions regarding what a pet should eat. Therefore, it is worth considering whether the food is harmful to cats, and what useful properties it differs. Let's start with the pros.
The benefits of dry food
Of course, ready meals are very convenient. The fact is that in connection with the economic features of the Russian Federation, it is extremely difficult to provide a pet with everything necessary, or rather, balanced nutrition. In addition, not everyone can cook natural food for a pet due to the fact that from morning till night a person is forced to spend at work.
If you rely on the opinion of veterinarians about food for cats, then dry nutrition has many advantages. Among them it is worth highlighting:
- affordability;
- balanced diet;
- long shelf life;
- a wide variety of tastes;
- the convenience of use.
If we talk about whether the food for cats is harmful, then it is worth considering that most manufacturers of such food try to include natural components, mineral and vitamin supplements in their product composition. In addition, such feed does not require special storage conditions.
What components are missing in the finished food?
Weighing the pros and cons of dry food for cats, it is worth paying attention to the fact that today there is huge competition among manufacturers of such food. In addition, most companies prefer to use cheaper raw materials, passing it off as the highest quality product. These foods most often include economy class food. For example, Wiskas cat food, unfortunately, is one such “dummy”.
As a rule, on the labels of feeds it is indicated that the composition of the food includes natural meat products of animal origin, offal, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and much more. However, it must be understood that if a high protein content is indicated on the label, this does not mean that this food will be useful for the pet. Why?
The fact is that not all proteins are completely identical. Some of them are very poorly absorbed by animals, while others are simply excreted from the body of carnivorous animals.
In addition, other important components for feeding an animal may be absent in dry foods. Most often they include water. Its content in dry feed is so minimal that the animal will need a large amount of fluid. Otherwise, digestive problems may begin.
Feed manufacturers marked “Premium” and “Super-Premium” use only modern computer technology in the production, according to which it is possible to optimally select the components necessary for proper nutrition of the pet. Such products meet all the requirements and dietary standards for animals.
Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the rating of feed for cats of the "Premium" class:
- Advance
- Belcando;
- Hills;
- Bozita;
- Brit
- Guabi.
Among the ready meals of the “Super-premium” class it is worth highlighting:
- 1st Choice;
- Arden Grange;
- Royal Canin.
Therefore, when choosing finished products, it is worth considering these feed ratings for cats of the “Premium” and “Super-premium” class.
Are there any dangerous ingredients in the finished feed?
A few years ago, a big scandal erupted in the United States when one of the farm workers conducted his own investigation. He drew attention to the fact that during the inspection at the poultry farms, the sick and damaged parts of the chickens were not disposed of, but thrown into special containers for further production. Later, everything that was in them was lost and sent for processing for cat and dog food.
From here it’s quite simple to conclude what kind of natural meat is found in cheap feeds for cats and dogs.
Another story confirms once again that the meat that is part of the finished food is far from the first grade. Events also developed in the United States. One of the journalists managed to find out that animals found along the highways get into pet food.
In addition, the meat of animals sick with rabies, as well as those who died due to infections in various industries, got into this food.
Based on this, talking about whether the food is harmful to cats, it is worth continuing to develop the topic of proteins. The fact is that the tumor tissues of infected animals also belong to this category. In addition, protein is found in large quantities in hooves, wool, feathers, skin and other disgusting fillers, which are most often the very natural meat that manufacturers with such pride write on labels.
Accordingly, there is practically no natural meat in cheap food for a cat. Therefore, it is possible to buy such food for cats ("Whiskas" and other "cheap" analogs), but veterinarians strongly do not recommend constantly feeding them an animal.
What should be the composition of a good dry food?
To determine the best components for a pet, first of all, pay attention to the product class and brand of the manufacturer. Based on this, today there are several types of nutrition:
- Economy class. This type of dry food is most popular due to the low price. However, despite the manufacturer’s belief that the diet of this product is balanced, it is worth considering that there is no meat in this feed. As a rule, the composition contains only soy, corn and a huge number of preservatives, as well as flavorings. This category of feed is highly not recommended by specialists.
- Premium class. The composition of this type of feed contains natural ingredients, but their quantity is limited and rarely exceeds 15%. In this case, meat, fish and corn are used as animal protein. This product is characterized by good digestibility and fairly economical consumption.
- Super premium. The composition of this product includes up to 50% of natural elements. Such feeds really meet all the requirements of a balanced diet for pets, in addition, they include vitamins, mineral supplements and other useful components necessary for the animal's body.
- "Holistic." The feed in this category contains only products of high quality. At the same time, this diet will be as close as possible to the natural diet of tetrapods in the wild. The meat in such feeds can be up to 80%. In addition, they add berries, fruits and various nutritious herbs, the mass fraction of which usually does not exceed 10%.
Speaking about whether the food for cats is harmful, it is worth considering some myths associated with this type of food.
High carbohydrate content
Yes, indeed, cats are carnivores and require components of a slightly different category, so this statement has a very real basis. However, in this matter it all depends on the manufacturer. If he replaces natural meat with offal, such as soy or corn, then the animal will really get the “wrong” carbohydrates.
In order not to worry whether the food for cats is harmful, it is worth purchasing food of a class not lower than “Premium”. It is also necessary to study the composition of the product, if it does not indicate the mass fraction (in percent) of the meat content, then this indicates that the manufacturer is hiding information.
Can cats get fat due to dry food?
As a rule, owners of animals who have undergone sterilization and castration complain of such problems. The fact is that after a rather complicated operation, the animal's body must "come to its senses." During this period of time, a power failure often occurs.
And this happens due to the fact that the body is being rebuilt, the metabolism is changing. Therefore, very often, while continuing to feed the animal in the same mode as before the operation, many people notice that the fluffy lump began to get very thick.
However, this does not mean that everything is due to feed. The thing is the processes that occur in the body of the animal. In this case, many begin to wonder whether it is possible to feed a cat only with wet food. Yes, indeed such a diet will be more dietary, since liquid food has much less fat.
Can dry feed cause urolithiasis?
In this matter, the problem is not in the composition of the feed, but in the care of the owners of the animals. If the drinking regime of the four-legged was disrupted, then this may well provoke the occurrence of a similar problem. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that the cat always has a full bowl of fresh water.
Can dry food cause tartar?
This myth has long been debunked by veterinarians who conducted relevant studies. According to these data, dry food not only can not cause the development of tartar, but on the contrary, they perfectly protect against it.