You want to have a healthy and happy kitty. For this, you need to ensure that your beloved feline pet enjoys a proper diet. This can only be achieved with the right cat food. With so many options available, you will certainly benefit from some essential advice which will help you with making the best choice.
Get both wet and dry food for your pet.
In general, wet cat food is recommended since it is in the nature of felines to get water with what they eat rather than drink it separately. It is essential for the product to have moisture content of over 70%. Most canned products have moisture content of over 75% or 78%, but you have to check just to be on the safe side. It is best if canned products make up three quarters of the diet of your pet. In this way, it will have lower risk of urinary tract infections and diabetes. The remainder should be made up of dry food, which is good for the teeth. Of course, you have to ensure that your kitty has access to drinkable water as well.
Watch out with the terms on the label.
You will discover that not all products are labeled as "food". The ones which contain a different name such as "formula" or "dinner" usually contain a much lower concentration of the main ingredient. Similarly, if the label says that the product comes with a specific type of ingredient, then this ingredient is found in a smaller amount even though it is in a big print.
Ensure that the nutritional needs of the cat are met.
Protein should take up some 40% of the diet of the cat. Fat should take up around a third of it. That is why you have to ensure that the cat food which you get has a high concentration of protein and sufficient amount of fat. The lower the concentration of carbohydrates is the better. It must not exceed 50%. It is best if it comes from healthy sources such as rice and vegetables and not from corn meal. Felines require vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and taurine which should come from their food as well.
Opt for a good source of protein.
Good sources of protein include chicken, fish and beef. You should watch out with the products which contain more than one source of protein. You need to check what amount of each type of meat is included. Often, manufacturers use proprietary amounts. Hence, if you want to ensure that your pet gets enough fish, you should consider going for a product which contains it as the main ingredient.
Consider food with natural preservatives.
The natural preservatives used in cat food are vitamin C and vitamin E. They are good for felines when they are in optimal concentration in the body. There is no solid scientific evidence that the artificial preservatives are dangerous, but the natural ingredients are always better.
If your feline pet has any medical condition, you should definitely consult your vet before buying any type of cat food.
Get the best advice on pet nutrition and care from the experts of Ultra Pet Food. Learn how to take perfect care of your beloved pet to make it even happier.
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A lot of domesticated cats are overweight because of inactivity and the kinds of food they eat. Many indoor cats are fed dry cat food because it is very convenient for cat owners. Others feed their cat whatever food is on sale that week in order to save some money. These scenarios are understandable, however do not be surprised if this is you and your cat is overweight.
This is because dry food and cheaper brands are loaded with grains and wheat sources. Many manufacturers use these sources because they are cheaper to produce and the profits will be higher. Cats are not built to digest carbohydrates from these sources.
The best cat foods for overweight cats have a real meat source as the number one ingredient. This means the first listed ingredient is chicken, turkey, or beef. Many of the middle-tier and top-tier brands ensure that their food comes from mainly a meat source. These brands make sure that no-or minimal-grain sources are present in their foods.
Prescription Diets
When people have cats with overweight issues, it is common to take a trip to the veterinarian and get prescribed cat food with the goal of weight loss. A lot of the time the brand prescribed is Science Diet. This cat food is twice as expensive as normal cat food, because you are getting it prescribed to you.
What many cat owners do not know is that this special diet food is worse than something you can get at your local pet store. If you actually look closely at the ingredients listed, this vet food is full of the wheat and grain sources that I mentioned above. A lot of these foods do not have a meat source as the main source. Actually, a lot of these foods do not have a meat source period.
It is important to not get caught up in the hype of prescription diets. If you do your research and look at the ingredients in any cat food, you should be able to determine what cat food will be healthy enough for your cat to eat and lose weight from it.
In order to see weight loss in a cat, it is important to look at the ingredients. Once you find a brand that you trust, make sure you regulate the eating habits of your cat. If you maintain adequate eating levels of a healthy cat food, weight loss can certainly be achieved without having to spend a lot of money at the veterinarian.
If you wish to learn more about feline food and nutrition, please visit catfoodandnutrition.com for a variety of information regarding many topics.
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Even with their busy schedules at work and at home, many cat owners would like to create their own homemade cat food recipes. Many reasons may be responsible why they do this. For some, they simply want to create food that they think is healthier than the usual cat food that can be found at the local pet store.
It must be kept in mind though that it is important to prepare the right homemade cat diet that contains all the proper vitamins and minerals to be able to give the cat its needed nutrition. Here are some important tips that a responsible cat owner must have in mind in creating its own cat food.
Tip Number 1 - It is important to know that there are some ingredients that must be avoided when creating a cat food at home. Some of the food stuffs that must never find its way into a cat's food recipe because of their known harmful effects on cats are the following: chocolates, onions, pork such as bacon, uncooked fish, uncooked eggs, milk and bones. Although a cat may find any of these foods to be tempting, they should never be given to the cats to keep it safe.
Tip Number 2 - Considering that a cat needs five times more protein than dogs do, NEVER give a cat dog food because it will never meet the cat's nutritional needs. For the same reason, a vegetarian diet will not work for a cat.
Tip Number 3 - Keeping in mind the danger that is associated between eating tuna and mercury poisoning, it is important to limit the amount of tuna that is feed to the cat. It is best to consult the proper guidelines that give information on how much lbs. of tuna can be given to a cat in a week. As they say, it is better safe than sorry.
Tip Number 4 - It is important to be on the lookout for ingredients that contain vitamin A especially if the cat is already receiving supplements of this vitamin. It is known that overdoses of this vitamin are very common. Therefore, it is important to know that liver which is high in vitamin A should be feed in moderation. And it should not be given to a cat if it is already receiving supplements of the vitamin.
Tip Number 5 - As stated in the second tip, it is important to look for ingredients that are high in protein. Meaning, it is important to give the cat a diet that is rich in meat but not in pork. This can be very easy to feed the cat because it is a carnivorous animal.
Tip Number 6 - Many vets highly recommend a cat diet that includes wet food. Also, they suggest that a cat is given food that is high in protein, high in fat, and low in carbohydrates. This type of food will help manage its blood sugar levels and keep it away from diabetes, a serious illness in animals.
Tip Number 7 - A homemade cat food recipe can actually combine dry, commercial cat food with meat, cooked eggs, milk that has no lactose, and some flavorings. This way, the cat is going to get used to the idea of eating a diet that is prepared at home.
Melinda Smith loves animals and is concerned that the commercial pet food conglomerates have convinced the majority of pet owners to feed their pets commercial pet food that is made up of very questionable ingredients, and cooked in a way that strips out practically all the nutrients that may have been there. Melinda believes that all cats deserve to be fed a homemade cat diet For some great homemade cat food recipes that will seriously make your cat's mouth water, click on either of the hyperlinks above.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2261995