If this is your first time dealing with your cat’s food, we can understand how challenging it is to choose the right cat food. Every pet owner wants to keep their feline baby healthy and fit, and this can only be done with the right choice of food.
Your right choice can help your cat stay energized, playful, and at a good weight throughout her lifetime. Your picking should also involve your cat’s preferences, and also you feel good while feeding her.
While walking down the aisle of cat’s food, do you also get confused about the minerals and vitamins, thinking which one would be best for your cat? There are so many brands, varieties, flavors, and formulas, it can be difficult to understand which one to consider and which one will best suit your fur baby.
Well, to simplify things, we have got you covered with the guideline for choosing the best cat food. So, let’s begin!
Consider Your Cat’s Age
- If your cat is not a year old, it would be better to consider the vet’s recommendation before giving her any packed food. At this age, you should provide kitten formula for your little kitten until or unless your vet tells you to switch to the formula for adult cats.
- If you have an adult cat between one to seven years old, give her adult cat formula food.
- If you have a senior cat more than seven years old, then she should eat senior formula.
As a cat owner, you know best about your cat’s age, so now let’s move on to the food and consider the following according to her age!
Wet vs. Dry Food, Which One to Consider?
Like humans, cats also like different tastes when it comes to food. There are many types of foods that fall in their diet’s category; among them, two are the most essential: dry and wet food. But which to consider? Let’s read on!
Dry Food
Dry food is the most affordable option that stays fresh longer, and it is like pellet food sold in bags. According to the Veterinarian of Katy Veterinary Clinic, Cullen Dauchy, DVM, if your cat loves to eat dry food, then it’s a better economical choice for her owner. Cat owners need to make sure that their cats drink the maximum amount of water while consuming dry food.
Wet Food
Wet cat food comes in a can and is soft and wet in texture. Cats generally like to eat wet food more than dry food. If your cat loves to eat wet food and drink less water, then you don’t need to worry about her dehydration because wet food already contains a high amount of water content. Wet food also helps in medical health benefits for senior cats prone to kidney issues because wet food offers more liquid to clear out their system.
Choose the Right Nutrients
While feeding your cat, you have to make sure that your cat is consuming all the proper nutrients beneficial for her health. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the following are the best ingredients that should be included in every cat’s diet.
- Water: Water is the most important element for any living creature. Therefore, dehydration can cause severe cat illness, kidney issues, or even death.
- Protein: Protein is best for keeping your cat’s muscles, cells, organs, and tissue healthy. Most cat food contains protein in them.
- Fat: Fats like omega-3, omega-6, and fatty acids are essential energies for cats as they play a crucial role in reducing inflammation and ensuring the health of skin, intestinal, joint, and kidney.
- Amino Acids: One specific essential to look for in your cat is taurine because it contains amino acids. Most high-quality cat food has taurine; a cat’s diet that lacks taurine can most probably cause your cat to develop cardiomyopathy, severe heart disease in cats.
- Carbohydrates: it is an essential energy for feline cats as foods that are high in fiber can help cats with better digestion.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals ensure the proper metabolic function and optimal bone health in cats. Following are the common vitamins and minerals that you need to feed your cat, according to what your vet says.
Common Vitamins
- Vitamin A: This vitamin is typically in beta-carotene for healthy vision, skin, and immune.
- Vitamin B: It is essential for maintaining the muscular, vital organ, and nervous system. At the same time, vitamin B12 supplements help proper cell growth, including blood and nerve cells.
- Vitamin C and E: These vitamins are important for the immune resilience of your cat.
Common Minerals
- Calcium: Keeps cat’s joints, bones, and teeth healthy.
- Phosphorous: Cats obtain this mineral from meat, and it builds healthy teeth and bones alongside calcium.
- Sodium: It maintains normal blood pressure in cats.
- Iron: It is used as a hemoglobin component in red blood cells. The cells are then responsible for carrying the oxygen from the lungs to the body organs.
- Zinc: It is needed for making protein and DNA.
- Magnesium: It is essential for body processes, such as producing energy, strong bones, and regulating blood pressure.
What to Avoid
Most cat foods are specially formulated to be well-balanced and safe for cats. But there are also some ingredients that you should avoid giving your cats, such as chocolate, avocado, xylitol, onions, or grapes. If you are still confused and unsure, it is better to ask your vet about that particular cat food, and they can guide you better and make sure which food doesn’t contain dangerous ingredients.
Wrapping Up
Pet nutrition is a popular topic right now, and pet parents worldwide are doing everything to offer the greatest nutrition for their feline companions. Learning as much as you can about your new cats’ nutritional requirements will help you choose what kind of food they require to stay happy and healthy. Because our cats rely on us for everything, it’s up to us to make sure they have all they need to bloom.
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