Diet
Feeding is a big question for parentsš¤. First of all, remember that cat is Carnivore, which means they donāt need much vegetables š„¬ and carbohydrates in the diet.
šLetās look at the different types of food and factors to consider about the diet.
ā¬ļøTypes of food:
1. Kibble (dry; cooked)
2. Canned food (wet; cooked)
3. Freeze-dried (dry; raw)
4. Commercial raw (wet; raw)
5. Homemade (wet; cooked/raw)
šFactors:
1. Health conditionšŖ.
Some cats have sensitive digestive system.
2. How you feedš„£.
If you donāt have time to prepare homemade food, then you would likely choose commercial food. And choose the food based on your budget as well.
3. š§Water consumption.
If your cats donāt drink much water, you would likely choose wet food to provide extra moisture.
4. Nutrients.
Cats need a high amount of protein, moderate amount of fat, and a minimum amount of carbohydrates along with other nutrients including vitamins, minerals etc.
Now, letās look at the pros and cons of each typeā
.
Kibble
Pros:
-Good for teeth healthy-Easy to feed-Low cost
-Good for teeth healthy-Easy to feed-Low cost
Cons:
-Not enough moisture-Usually have a high amount of carbohydrates-Health issue such as obesity
-Not enough moisture-Usually have a high amount of carbohydrates-Health issue such as obesity
Brands that we recommend: Instinct, Orijen, Farmina, Fromm
Canned food
Pros:
-Provide extra moisture-Easy to feed-More similar to catās natural diet
-Provide extra moisture-Easy to feed-More similar to catās natural diet
Cons:
-Canned food only diet is not good-More expensive compare to kibbles in terms of the same calorie
-Canned food only diet is not good-More expensive compare to kibbles in terms of the same calorie
Brands that we recommend: Instinct, Rawz, Farmina, Feline Natural, Fromm, Open Farm, Lotus, Tiki Cats, Ziwi Peak
Freeze-dried
Pros:
-Easy to feed-High in natural nutrition
-Easy to feed-High in natural nutrition
Cons:
-Not enough moisture-Most expensive among the others
-Not enough moisture-Most expensive among the others
Brands that we recommend: Feline Natural, Primal, Stella & Chewy's, Vital Essential, Northwest Natural, NZ Natural Pet Food Meow, Ziwi Peak
Commercial raw
Pros:
-More similar to catās natural diet-High in natural nutrition
-More similar to catās natural diet-High in natural nutrition
Cons:
-Risk of pathogens-Need to defrost ahead of time
-Risk of pathogens-Need to defrost ahead of time
Homemade
Pros:
-Complete control over the ingredients-Good for cats with dietary sensitivities
-Complete control over the ingredients-Good for cats with dietary sensitivities
Cons:
-Risk of pathogens for raw-Time consuming-Hard to ensure nutritional balance
-Risk of pathogens for raw-Time consuming-Hard to ensure nutritional balance
ā ļøBefore you do homemade food, please ensure you have checked what kind of food cats can eat and supplements that you need. And please do NOT feed human foodā.
**If homemade food is less than 30% of the diet, you donāt really have to add supplements because commercial food usually contains balanced nutrients. However, if homemade is more than 30%, then you need to add supplement to ensure your cats have all the nutrients that are required. For example, Calcium. šConsidering all the factors we choose a mixed diet of dry and wet, cooked and raw. We choose canned food with additional kibble as our main meal. Homemade cooked food, freeze dried and raw are usually occasionally or specially prepared for cats that need high-quality nutrition.
**If homemade food is less than 30% of the diet, you donāt really have to add supplements because commercial food usually contains balanced nutrients. However, if homemade is more than 30%, then you need to add supplement to ensure your cats have all the nutrients that are required. For example, Calcium. šConsidering all the factors we choose a mixed diet of dry and wet, cooked and raw. We choose canned food with additional kibble as our main meal. Homemade cooked food, freeze dried and raw are usually occasionally or specially prepared for cats that need high-quality nutrition.