Today, in almost every second family, a beloved pet lives, which gives its owners a good mood every day. Just to make him feel as comfortable as possible, he needs to create certain conditions. Keeping pets involves a lot of problems. For them to grow beautiful, healthy and cheerful, they need proper care. This is especially true for feeding, because it plays a key role in the life of our four-legged friends.
As practice shows, most owners choose the wrong diet for their pets. Many even contain them on purchased feeds, which, although balanced, and also include in their composition the optimal amount of all necessary nutrients, are far from ideal. The best is considered natural food for cats. The advice of specialists in this matter varies, so people have a lot of problems with him, as a result of which innocent animals suffer. Let's try to understand in more detail which products are worth giving, and which are better to refuse altogether.
general information
Cats are predatory animals that are distant relatives of lions, so if you are thinking about how to transfer a cat to natural food, then this fact should be taken into account. For normal growth and development, a pet should definitely get animal proteins that are found in meat. However, they also require carbohydrates, minerals, and nutrients found in plant foods. Therefore, the daily diet of animals must necessarily be balanced.
In their natural environment, cats prey on mice, lizards and other small mammals. In some cases, with great luck, they manage to feast on fish. However, at home, predators do not have the opportunity to hunt, so the owners should monitor their nutrition. When creating a menu for your pet, it is very important to choose products so that the animal receives the necessary amount of vitamins, minerals and amino acids every day. At the same time, the cat’s nutrition with natural products should not differ much from the nutrition of their cousins living in the wild.
As a rule, the main component of the human table is fried fish, meat, sausages and sausage, fried or boiled potatoes, all kinds of cereals, as well as fruits and vegetables. Consequently, all this goes to our smaller brothers. But what can they be given and what not? It should be borne in mind that, like humans, animals need proteins, fats and carbohydrates for normal life, so the diet should be correct. What products can and should not be given will be discussed later.
Squirrels
These organic substances are the most important building element, since it is involved in the formation of soft and bone tissues, and is also converted into vital energy in the body. Therefore, in any predatory animal, protein should be present in sufficient quantities in the daily diet.
It is found in meat, therefore, when compiling a cat food scheme with natural food, foods should be included in the diet:
- chicken;
- beef;
- turkey;
- rabbit meat;
- any low-fat fish.
It is recommended to give the meat in boiled form, having previously removed all the bones from it. As for seafood, despite the great fondness for her representatives of the cat family, they are allowed to feed them no more than once a week. If animals have any problems with the functioning of the digestive system, then it is better to give ready-made baby purees.
In addition, the following products will be very useful:
- fermented baked milk;
- kefir;
- yogurt;
- homemade cottage cheese;
- hard cheese;
- oat and semolina porridge.
Sour milk is not only easily absorbed, but also has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora, and the curd contains calcium, which is necessary for the growth and strength of bone tissue. If the kitten for some reason refuses cottage cheese, then it can be mixed with one chicken egg.
It is worth noting that there are various recipes for natural nutrition for cats, the main ingredient of which is meat or fish. Therefore, you can use them so that the diet does not bother the pet much.
Carbohydrates
In order to provide the right natural balanced nutrition for cats, it is necessary to include these organic elements of the carbonyl group in their diet. Their main source is herbal products. As practice shows, they should be given raw, because they are much better absorbed in the body. If the raw food diet is not to the liking of a furry friend, you can boil the vegetables and add some sunflower oil to them. If this does not help, you need to prepare a puree consisting of greens and meat.
The following crops are considered most useful:
- broccoli;
- salad;
- carrot;
- pumpkin;
- beet;
- zucchini.
Many owners also give their pets eggplant and tomatoes, but this is forbidden, because they contain dangerous substances that can cause the development of many serious diseases.
Vitamins
Well, what kind of natural nutrition (for cats including) can be without them? The answer is quite obvious. This group of low molecular weight organic compounds is very important, since the resistance of the animal organism to diseases, viruses and external irritants, as well as the functioning of all internal organs and systems, depends on it. Vitamin deficiency can lead to the development of various serious pathologies.
To replenish their balance, it is recommended to give your ward the following:
- freshly cut green grass;
- oats;
- yeast;
- beef liver;
- legumes;
- fresh fruits;
- eggs
- milk;
- fish flour.
If for some reason you cannot fully provide your cat with natural nutrition, then in this case special vitamin complexes for animals come to the rescue. However, you should be quite careful with them, since hypervitaminosis is a very serious pathology that can cause great harm to the health of the animal.
In addition to the diet, it is very important to monitor the water balance of the pet. The liquid also contains a large number of different minerals, so you need to regularly change the water in the cat's bowl so that it is always fresh.
Feeding schedule
Are you planning to switch cats to natural food? The menu for the week (start small, you can gradually expand and improve the diet) should be varied, it is important that it is not only balanced, but also regular.
Veterinarians recommend the following feeding tips:
- Three-month-old kittens should be given food 6 times a day.
- At the age of 3 to 4 months, the number of meals is reduced by 1.
- From 4 to 5 months they feed already 4 times.
- Starting from six months, they are transferred to a three-day feeding regimen.
Natural cats should be fed at the same time. It is preliminarily recommended to warm the food so that it is not cold. If you have several pets, it is best to feed them in different rooms.
What foods should be excluded from the diet?
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Eating a cat with natural products is a very difficult task, since not all of them will do. This is due to the fact that not all food that people eat will be tasty and healthy for animals. Some foods may harm the health of your furry friend.
In the list of banned are:
- fried and too fatty foods;
- excessive seafood;
- salted and pickled lard;
- confectionery;
- potatoes;
- garden cabbage;
- animal bones;
- bakery products;
- onion and garlic;
- food prepared using spices and herbs.
All of the products listed above are strictly forbidden to give to cats, because they are not only poorly absorbed, but also very harmful. Therefore, if you value the health of your wards, then completely exclude them from the daily diet of a four-legged friend.
We make a useful menu
Where to start? When planning to switch cats to natural food, the menu should be designed in such a way that it is healthy, balanced and varied. It is important to take into account the individual gastronomic preferences of the animal, since each of them has a different taste. So that the diet does not bother too much with fluffy, and he gladly consumes the food offered to him, it is recommended to periodically make adjustments to the menu. It’s best to create four different options and alternate them weekly.
If you yourself find it difficult to make a competent and thoughtful menu, then here's a great example:
- Breakfast. The first meal is best to start with light ingredients that are well absorbed, for example, low-fat cottage cheese mixed with chicken egg, yogurt with cereal crops or liquid semolina. Also, any porridge made with milk will be a good option.
- Dinner. Animals don’t need a lot of food during the day, but just need a little refreshment to replenish their strength, so you can give fermented baked milk or balanced dry food rich in vitamins and minerals.
- Dinner. This meal should be the most dense and high-calorie, because cats, as you know, are predators, therefore they lead a nocturnal lifestyle. The best option as food will be meat with vegetables, served in boiled form.
You don't have to cook food for your pets every day. You can do this with a margin, and then send food to the refrigerator, where it will not disappear, and also retain its taste and nutritional qualities. After returning home you only need to warm up the products. Thus, natural nutrition for cats will be not only useful, but also will not cause you too much trouble.
Cooking recommendations
In order for the animal to eat with pleasure everything that you give him, you need to make the food fragrant and mouth-watering. As mentioned earlier, there are various natural food recipes for cats that you can safely use. The most interesting and original among them are the following:
- Meat balls. Take ground beef and mix it with pre-cooked carrot puree, cooked oatmeal and raw egg yolk. Small buns are formed from the finished mixture, placed on a wooden board and sent to the freezer. If necessary, they are thawed and cooked.
- Meat with broccoli. Cut the meat into small pieces and make mashed cabbage, then mix them until smooth and add some sunflower oil.
- Chicken liver. Chop the liver, a small piece of hard cheese and half a banana finely. Make mashed carrots and boil oatmeal in milk. Mix all the ingredients well and simmer a little over low heat. At the very end, add a small piece of butter.
- Hercules vegetable stew with cereal. Boil one kilogram of beef or chicken, then remove it to cool. Stew any frozen vegetable mixture in the remaining broth. Pour boiling water over Hercules flakes for ten minutes. Chop finely 300 grams of meat, pour it with a little remaining broth and add some vegetables.
If you use the recipes described above, a cat’s diet based on natural nutrition can be made full, tasty and healthy, so the animal will grow healthy and will certainly thank you with its affection.
When is special nutrition needed?
It is much better to feed domestic animals with natural food than to give them all kinds of canned cat food and dry food. However, when compiling the menu, it is imperative to take into account the health status of pets and other factors.
Veterinarians recommend the following:
- Thoroughbred individuals should receive a large amount of animal fats and vitamin E.
- When feeding pregnant cats, you need to reduce the portion size, but increase their number.
- Older pets are best served with small amounts of light food.
- Of particular note is the nutrition of a sterilized cat with natural food. The thing is that due to hormonal imbalance, they are prone to excessive weight gain, so you should give low-calorie, but at the same time nutritious foods rich in vitamins and nutrients.
- If the animal has any diseases, then for any issues related to proper nutrition, you should consult with qualified veterinarians.
- It is recommended to feed kittens with home-made food, rather than purchased food, as it is more balanced and healthy, but it is better not to give them fish for up to six months.
Once again, it is worth noting that the natural nutrition of a sterilized cat should be dietary so that it does not get too fat. Obesity negatively affects animal health and can cause various serious problems.
A few words about dry feed
If for some reason natural nutrition is not suitable for cats, and you plan to feed your pet with purchased products, then you should know something about them. Among the positive aspects, it can be noted that dry feeds are already balanced, they do not contain harmful synthetic additives and preservatives, and they also have a long shelf life. In addition, the choice of flavors is simply amazing. However, there is one important nuance. As practice shows, it is quite difficult to choose a specific product for the animal. Very often feeds lead to food allergies, therefore, they should be introduced into the pet's diet gradually and in small quantities. In this case, you need to monitor the condition of the cat after eating. If any symptoms of an allergic reaction appear, then the food you have chosen should be discarded.
If you have been feeding your pet with purchased mixtures for a long period of time, then it is not recommended to give them home-made food, as in this case there is a high probability of developing various problems with the digestive system.
As for the choice of specific feeds, it is not even worth considering cheap options. They are made from meat wastes and are not as well balanced as products from well-known manufacturers. Therefore, in this case, saving is not the best option. In this situation, gradually transfer the cat to natural products.
Professionals Recommendations
Earlier, we mentioned that the best natural food is for cats. The advice of veterinarians only confirms this.
But so that no problems arise, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:
- It should not be too often and often given to cats fish, because it contains a substance called thiaminase, which helps to wash out vitamin B1 from the body, which, in turn, will lead to its deficiency over time. In addition, the risk of developing urolithiasis is significantly increased.
- Both fish and meat should be subjected to heat treatment (it is best to cook), since raw foods may contain parasites, which subsequently wound up in the animal.
- Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, are best served raw, as they contain much more vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
- Never mix dry food and canned cat food, and do not add any other products to them.
If you follow these simple tips, your furry four-legged friend will receive the proper and nutritious nutrition necessary for normal growth and development.
How to accustom an animal to homemade food?
Many people are interested in how to transfer a cat to natural nutrition.
The following tips of felinologists will help you with this:
- In order for the animal to quickly get used to ordinary food, a little catnip should be added to it at the first stages.
- At first, you can put several pieces of dry food in the food you cooked.
- To maintain the intestinal microflora, which suffers very much when changing the diet, animals need to be given probiotics. So you reduce the likelihood of developing food allergies.
If you follow these recommendations, the transfer of the pet to natural nutrition will be very easy and fast. Feed your cats correctly and let them grow healthy and cheerful.