Nowadays there are a lot of sources (Internet, scientific articles, books and even periodicals) from which you can get information about balanced and rational feeding of our cats. Often these data are very contradictory. In one article, the author praises the usefulness and benefits of feeding ready-made dry foods. The creator of another setting forbids to do it, frightening loving owners with diseases and even death of the animal.
Without the skills of a nutritionist, it will be difficult to understand what is true, what is not, or only in part. But analyzing and bringing together the accumulated knowledge and experience of veterinarians, breeders, and amateurs - cats, we can derive a few basic rules, so to speak, the base of correct feeding.
It is impossible to combine feeding with "food from the table".
Why is that? There are several reasons for that. But it should be said at once that this type of feeding is really dangerous for the health of pets.
Of course, this option is convenient for those who are skeptical about industrial feed, but because of lack of time is forced to use them. In the morning, a bagged feed, a favorite chicken in the evening, or even a sausage.
As a rule, the first disastrous result is digestive disorders in the cat. So to say, with all the ensuing... Diarrhea, vomiting, just the health of the pet, refusal of food - the owner in a panic. Next, doctors, expensive and painful treatment, strict diets - hundreds of cat owners know about this not by hearsay.
The digestive organs, especially the stomach, suffer from frequent changes in food. Natural products are easier to process and the cat doesn't need to consume a lot of fluids. When eating dry food, the cat will need to drink more to ensure that it is properly absorbed. The stomach tends to adapt to one thing and from frequent changes, it starts to "rebel", which leads to inflammation of its mucous membrane (gastritis). Then the process affects the intestine (gastroenteritis).
Ready-made feed
Ready-to-use dry feeds do not include feed of economy class, which is literally stuffed with various additives to attract. Sometimes cats are literally "planted" on them, begging for them and ignoring other foods. And since the composition of such food makes you want better (low nutrition, preservatives, a lot of components - allergens), the harm to health, they are also often and sometimes difficult to correct.
Let's return to the consequences of mixed feeding. Prepared meals of high quality (premium level and above) are fully balanced. That is, they contain the necessary amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and so on to vitamins and minerals. They already have all this. That is, the body just does not need it and even harmful. It is known, for example, that the excess of vitamins is much more dangerous than the lack of vitamins. Adding natural products to the finished diet, we simply overload the body with substances that it does not actually need in such quantities.
Feeding n...with the use of natural products...
If you are a follower of the natural type of feeding, you do not need to buy ready-made feed, even expensive - it just makes no sense. However, this type of feeding has its nuances. Is the composition balanced? Does your cat get all the vitamins and minerals she needs? Feeding natural products properly is not an easy process, requiring certain knowledge, effort, time and even costs.
Conclusions
On the other hand, if your cat only eats ready-made food, you should not save money on it. Many good quality foods are now made up of natural ingredients and contain natural preservatives (vitamin E, for example). There are also few grain components in them, which are increasingly allergic to. Choosing a dry food from a conscientious breeder will not only save you time and effort but will also keep your cat in good shape for years to come. Long years of friendship and a happy life!