By adopting your cat, you have made a commitment to ensure its well-being and health for the rest of its life. The well-being and health of a cat depends on a number of things, but the most important is its diet. If you feed your pet well, you prevent disease while meeting its nutritional needs. However, on a daily basis, it is often difficult to establish a balanced diet. To help you, here are the 5 things you absolutely need to know to properly feed your cat.
Every owner must know how to feed his cat and is obliged to know the importance of splitting his animal's meals. If you are one of the masters who, at the end of the day, provide a large piece of mash to your cat on your way home from work, quickly abandon this practice. Giving your cat all at once its daily ration promotes obesity. The animal will not stop eating what is in its bowl and will not experience satiety. It is up to you to split his ration into several meals a day. Instead, use the kibble dispensers that will allow him to spend himself before getting his little treat.
To properly feed your cat, it is important to know that it is a strict carnivore. Which means he has a high need for protein, which you are going to provide for him. To do this, give him a meal composed of at least 40% meat and very few carbohydrates. If you opt for industrial food, do not take a product at random. Check the protein and carbohydrate content of foods. It's always best to offer your cat a home-cooked meal if you have the time. This will allow you to properly balance the rations.
If for any reason you have to change kibble or pâté, do not suddenly change his meals. Indeed, too abrupt a change is likely to cause digestive disturbances and diarrhea. Get your cat used to the new product by mixing it with the old brand at first, then increasing the quality as you go. This transition must take place for at least one week.
While it is true that cats drink little water, your pet should be provided with a bowl designed specifically for fresh water. Keep the bowl clean and change the water regularly. Note that the cat can find the water it needs in its food. So do not hesitate to prepare moist meals such as soup or broth.
Even if you are tempted to give your leftovers to your feline, it is strongly discouraged to do so. As mentioned above, the cat has a very special nutritional need. Human food therefore represents a risk to his health, because it is not balanced. Remember that it needs a high amount of protein and few carbohydrates. In addition, it will also require vitamins and minerals.
