Whether you are a new cat owner or an experienced fur parent, what and how you feed your beloved pet is always a matter of concern. With all the cat food available in the market today, choosing the option that’s right for you is never easy. Looking at their nutritional content, main ingredients, serving sizes, and even choosing between wet or dry food can be confusing and frustrating. This article will guide you on how to choose the healthiest cat food that sustains your pet’s dietary needs.
First, what should be in your cat’s food? What are the nutrients and ingredients that you should look for when picking one among a wide variety of cat food brands and products? We’ll talk about these factors in the section below.
What are the major nutrients needed for a balanced diet for cats
Knowing what goes into your cat’s food is the first step to finding the best food products that can help sustain your fur baby’s dietary needs. Here are the nutrients and ingredients that you should pay attention to.
Protein
Protein is important to your cat’s unique nervous system. Aside from fueling their body to stay active and attentive, it can ensure a functioning immune system and protect them from diseases. Lack of protein in their diet can cause weight and muscle loss, poor digestion, and overall weakness. For these reasons, your cat food should contain protein as its primary ingredient.
Experts suggest that at least 25-30% of your cat’s dietary calories should come from this nutrient. To ensure that the cat food product that you’re buying has this ingredient, check the label. Protein should be listed as the first ingredient. Do this to check for the other ingredients necessary for your cat’s nutritional needs every day.
Fats and Oils
The next important nutrient in your cat’s food is fat. Some fur parents buy low-fat content food, thinking that it will prevent their cats from being obese. However, they need to remember that what’s known as a healthy diet for kids isn’t always true for the little felines.
A cat’s balanced diet requires higher fat content. While protein plays a significant role in your cat’s healthy diet, fat contains a rich number of energy-rich components.
Ideally, your cats should have approximately 20-24% of fat in their diet. The lack of fat might cause your pets to overeat in an effort of meeting their nutritional requirement.
Minerals
Calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, to name a few, are essential minerals needed for a healthy cat. Iron deficiency can cause weakness and the development of other illnesses. Calcium is needed for your pet’s bone and muscle growth, nerve impulse transmission, and blood coagulation. Calcium is also an important ingredient for lactating cats. Lastly, Magnesium allows the absorption of these and other vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins
Your cat should receive the right number of vitamins through its diet. Finding the appropriate proportion according to your pet’s needs is crucial. One vital vitamin for an active pet is Vitamin A, which ensures that your cat has a strong immune system. It also promotes healthy vision. Vitamin D, on the other hand, stimulates proper bone function, strengthens the muscles, and ensures healthy nerves.
B-vitamins are key components in metabolism that help break down proteins and fats and convert them into energy. They also help with your cat’s gastrointestinal functions, as well as support functions of the nervous system and immune system.
Water
Dehydration is one of the most common feline health problems. This is because of their low thirst drive, an evolutionary trait that was passed down to them by their desert-thriving ancestors. Having water in their diet can help hydrate your pets, especially during hot seasons. There’s a reason wet food is highly recommended by experts: aside from their high moisture content, they can be beneficial for those suffering from kidney disease, urinary tract problems, and diabetes.
Are you giving your cat the food that’s right for them?
Not all healthy cat food choices are equal. Another fact that you should be aware of, as a cat owner, is that every cat has their own unique dietary needs. These needs depend on their breed, age, weight, activity level, overall condition in terms of health and gut function, and—most importantly—their eating personality.
Sadly, leading cat food brands in the market are not designed and made to address these distinct and specific needs. These same brands also contain carbohydrates, grains, and starches that cats don’t need. As obligate carnivores, cats need a balanced diet that includes meat, organs, bones, green tripe, and other varieties of animal products. This is where raw feeding comes in.
Raw feeding helps you provide your cat’s dietary needs by letting you choose the best food for them, based on their health, lifestyle, and nutritional requirement. Raw diets can be tailormade to answer your pet’s most unique health demands, but this seemingly complex process prevents cat parents from getting started. That’s why it’s important to consult your vet or rely on raw cat food experts.
Raw Essentials Will Help You Get Started on Raw Feeding for Your Precious Feline
Raw Essentials is New Zealand’s raw feeding expert, helping cat owners create tailormade feeding plans better suited for their treasured pets. Our products come with a consultation that will design your cat’s feeding plan based on their age, weight, activity levels, and overall condition. Our raw food is 100% natural, locally sourced, and rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals essential to your cat’s or kitten’s growth.
If you want to know more about our products and services, you can talk to us at [email protected]!
