How to Choose Store-Bought Cat Food

Store-bought commercial pet food is a good alternative to organic food if you choose it wisely. Not all foods are equally beneficial, and some are downright harmful. How do you know what’s right for your cat?

What foods are available in stores

On the shelves of pet stores and supermarkets, you can find dry and wet food, canned food and even cat treats. Many manufacturers also produce specialized products – for animals with special needs, for different ages.

Industrial feeds vary in cost. Naturally, giving your pet the cheapest economy-class food is detrimental to her health. There is practically no meat in budget products, but there are many harmful components. All other foods that can be considered as an alternative to natural nutrition:

• Premium – with natural meat and artificial additives.
• Super premium – a lot of meat, practically no dyes.
• Holistic – almost one meat in the composition, there are no artificial additives.

Feeds from different price categories differ in composition. A quality product will contain meat, not by-products, vegetables and cereals, minerals and vitamins. Be sure to read the label before buying. The higher the class of food, the more expensive it is and the less dyes and flavors there are.

The best foods recommended by veterinarians are from the super-premium and holistic classes. The premium class is only suitable for cats with good health, but requires the introduction of additional vitamins in the animal’s diet. And be sure to choose products only from large manufacturers with a worldwide reputation, who care about its quality and the health of cats.

Dry or wet?

It all depends on your budget and on the preferences of the cat. Dry and wet food is digested differently. In the first case, it is important to provide the pet with free access to water, drinking must be plentiful. In dry feed, the moisture content is not more than 10%, which is not enough for the animal. If the cat eats wet food, then it is not necessary to drink it.

Cats themselves are fonder of wet food, as it is as close as possible to the diet of their large counterparts from the wild. But the choice is yours and your budget. Firstly, such food is a perishable product, it is impossible to leave it open for more than a day. Secondly, it is less economical compared to dry due to its higher cost.

It is convenient to give dry food immediately for the whole day, trusting the animal to organize breakfast, lunch and dinner on its own. It is also good for teeth, can satisfy the chewing instinct. Large packages of dry food are sold at a bargain price and allow you to save money on your cat’s nutrition.

Having made a choice between dry and wet food, do not combine them. The cat’s stomach produces its own enzymes for each type of food.

Food for cats with special needs

When choosing a food, consider the age of the cat. If you have a kitten or, on the contrary, an older animal, then look for products with the appropriate marks on the label. Cats of different ages have different nutritional needs and calorie requirements. Manufacturers take this into account when producing industrial feed for different categories:

small kittens need nutrition that meets the needs of a growing body.

for older animals (over 7-8 years old) a lightweight formula has been developed.

Pregnant and lactating cats also require special nutrition – the food should ensure that more nutrients enter the body during this period.

There are special foods for sterilized cats that take into account changes in hormonal levels and an increased risk of obesity. Such food is less high-calorie, it contains in the right proportions all the substances necessary to maintain the health of the animal.

In some cases, during the course of treatment or consultation with a veterinarian, he prescribes a diet for the cat. In this case, buy strictly recommended food by a specialist and specify how long it should be given.

If you need to change food

Sometimes, having bought high-quality food, the owner sees that it does not suit the cat. The correct action is to choose another brand and again try to offer food to the pet. In case of a negative reaction, try switching to another type of food (dry, wet).

Avoid sudden changes in your cat’s diet, especially if she has a sensitive stomach. Mix the new food into the old food over several days. So you get rid of the problem of pet refusal from food with a new taste. A cat that eats several types of food from different manufacturers equally well will not cause trouble if one runs out. And so that the pet is not capricious in choosing food, initially accustom it to food with different tastes.

There is nothing wrong with high-quality, expensive store-bought food – it will also provide all the needs of a cat for nutrients. You just need to pick it up taking into account the existing features of the animal and your budget. Remember that the health of the cat directly depends on the quality of the feed!

Natural food for malnourished cats

It is impossible to give food from the general table to a weakened animal. It is undesirable to give dry food, since it is necessary to chew and digest it with a large expenditure of energy, which is in short supply in an exhausted cat. Also, dry food causes intense thirst, and the state of exhaustion may be accompanied by refusal to drink. Give natural food or buy ready-made wet food.

A weakened animal needs high-calorie food. Weight should not grow at the expense of fat, but at the expense of muscles, therefore it is very important to consume a lot of protein. At least 50% of a malnourished cat’s diet is meat, but not pork! Fatty foods are prohibited, as the animal’s liver can not cope with the load.

Emaciated cats are given chopped food so as not to waste energy on chewing large pieces. So that the young pet does not refuse food – grind it with a blender. If the cat is an adult, then finely chop the food. Whip up a weak appetite with something sweet-smelling or crunchy, but give a very small bite.

Food should not be hot, warm it up to room temperature. If the cat did not eat the food immediately, then put it in the refrigerator to offer later.