Proper Cat Nutrition: Why You Should ONLY Feed Cats Proper Cat Food

Finding the right cat food for your pet can be a challenge for a pet owner, even if you’ve kept pet cats before. There are so many choices that you can choose from, and it can be difficult to choose which ones would actually be beneficial to your pet. Do you order branded wet food for cats online, or do you go for generic dry food from your local pet shop?

Making sure that your pet cat has the right cat food is essential to making sure that they grow and develop properly. It is also essential to your cat’s health throughout their whole life.

What Should I Feed My Cat?

In the wild, cats are known as obligate carnivores, which means that their diet consists primarily of meat. They do not eat any vegetation, as their digestive systems are not equipped to break down and extract nutrients from plant matter.

This means that for domestic cats, you should be feeding them a diet that’s specifically formulated to mimic their natural diet as closely as possible in terms of nutrient and vitamin content, as well as digestibility.

But I Have Seen My Cat Eat Grass?

You might have noticed your cat eating grass in your garden now and again. However, this does not mean that they’re actually eating the grass for nourishment! Vets don’t actually know why cats eat grass in the garden. One theory is that it helps soothe upset stomachs, while another theory is that it helps cats break down furballs in their digestive tracts so that they can pass the furballs more easily.

If you see your cat eating grass in your garden, you should not mistake it as your cat actually eating the grass as part of their regular diet. However, you should still take steps to make sure that the grass that they are eating is safe. Refrain from putting chemicals such as pesticides or fertilizer on your grass as much as possible, as digesting these compounds can be harmful or even toxic to your cat.

 

What Nutrients Does My Cat Need?

While most cat food, whether wet or dry, has the right protein and nutrient content to keep your cat healthy, there is one particular compound that your cat needs to function and develop properly: taurine.

Taurine is an amino acid that is found only in animal protein, which is why cats cannot survive on alternative protein sources. This is the reason why dogs can still thrive and be healthy on a vegetarian diet that’s formulated by a vet, but cats really need to eat protein that’s derived from animal sources.

Wet Food vs. Dry Food

This is the question that many cat owners struggle with: even if they use proper cat food, should they go with wet or dry cat food? There are pros and cons to each kind of cat food.

Dry cat food is the most common and affordable type of cat food, and most cat owners choose to feed their cat dry food because it’s very convenient. You can leave dry cat food out for your cats for a longer time compared to dry cat food without any fear of the cat food going stale, dry, or spoiled. Your cat will be free to eat whenever they feel like it.

 However, the problem with free-feeding your cat is that it can cause your cat to become overweight or even obese, as they will be able to eat as much as they want. Just like any other pet, there are cats that are prone to overeating.

Another problem with dry cat food is dehydration. Since dry cat food average only around 10% moisture, your cats can easily become dehydrated if they do not have free access to fresh and clean water.

Wet cat food, on the other hand, solves the problem of dehydration as most wet cat food brands contain at least 50% water. However, you will not be able to leave out wet cat food as long as you can leave out dry cat food.

Another problem with wet cat food is when you use low-quality brands. These brands often use low-quality cuts of meat or even meat by-products, so your cat might not be receiving good quality protein.

Finally, using pure wet cat food to feed your cats can lead to oral problems such as gingivitis, as there is no way to “clean” food particles from their teeth. Dry cat food is abrasive and can help keep your cat’s mouth clean by scraping food particles from their teeth.

What Should I Use?

If your budget allows for it, use a mix of premium wet and dry cat food for your cat. This allows your cat to have all the nutrients and protein they need, as well as sufficient moisture in their food. However, if you cannot afford premium wet cat food, you can just buy high-quality dry cat food. Just make sure that your cat has access to fresh, clean water at all times.