Standards for feeding cats and kittens with dry and wet food

Pets have long become an integral part of our lives. Of course, what every owner wants most is for their pets to be healthy and happy. The first thing we pay attention to when a furball appears in the house is its litter box and how much food can be given to the cat.

And this is correct, because the physical and mental development of the pet will depend on how correctly the food regime is observed.

• When he was born
• Adult
• Food from a bag or natural food
• Daily norms

When he was born

Feeding a newborn kitten is perhaps the only topic in nutrition that does not concern you at all.

His mother knows the answer to this question. But it happens that people also have to feed babies, for example, foundlings.

So what do you need to know if a baby is dropped at your door, or for some other reason, feeding a kitty falls on your shoulders.

• A newborn cannot drink on his own, so you need to stock up on an ordinary medical syringe.
• Formulas for newborns are sold especially for refuseniks. Just like people. This mixture has a composition as close as possible to the composition of milk from a nursing cat. You can buy it at a pet store
• If you can’t buy the mixture, the food can be prepared at home. Goat and cow's milk are mixed in equal proportions, then egg white is added. The resulting mixture is filtered and heated to 30 degrees
• In order for the baby to be full, he needs to be fed every 2 hours, day and night.

A signal that the baby is completely full will be his quiet sleep. If after feeding the baby squeals, then eating should be continued.

Is it necessary to follow the rules for feeding cats dry food?

On each bag of dry food, the manufacturer clearly indicates how much of the mixture is enough to satisfy cats of different ages and weights. The dosage is conditional, but it is still advisable to comply with it, since rickets develops in underfed animals, especially at a young age. Pets that receive more than the daily allowance suffer from obesity. But everything is individual.

Every second owner doesn’t know how to determine whether a pet is overfed or underfed

Note! If your cat likes the food, smells good, and is tasty, she will ask for it all the time.

In order not to deviate from the amount recommended on the package, it is necessary to set the feeding time and frequency. This will also help to calculate the amount of feed for a specific animal per day. So, if a cat is fed only 1-2 times a day for 1-2 weeks, allowing him to consume no more than the norm for age and weight, then after the specified time it will be possible to experimentally understand how much food he really needs. It is recommended to weigh your pet at the end of each week.

Estimated dose:

• reduce if there is food left in the bowl after each feeding;
• increase if the animal has noticeably lost weight.

Note! The norm indicated on the package allows you to calculate only the approximate amount of food. If the cat is large and weighs a lot due to its breed characteristics, then it will have to be fed more often and more.

Adult

Adult felines, starting at 6 months, eat much less frequently than their small cubs. However, their portions are getting larger.

The amount of food that is enough to keep an adult cat full is selected individually. The volume of food largely depends on the animal itself , on its mobility, its character, weight and many other factors. It also depends on what food you choose. But there are still generally accepted norms from which you can build.

• All cats need amino acids, which is why they prefer meat to other foods as food. When an animal gets the right amount of protein, it looks healthy and playful
• It's time to dispel the myth that cats need milk. Moreover, many adults, on the contrary, refuse milk, moreover, it can negatively affect their digestive system and cause stomach upsets. In general, your animal chooses independently whether to drink milk or not.
• Almost all cats love to eat fish, but this is not a product that is necessarily necessary in their diet. Furry friends need vitamin A, which they can get from both meat and fish.
• Cats should not eat raw meat and fish, as the product may be contaminated with parasites.
• The weekly diet must include several feedings of liver and chicken eggs.
• Despite the fact that meat and fish should predominate in the diet, you should not forget about grains. Along with the cereal, your pet will receive the necessary vitamin B
• It is necessary to feed the cat 2 - 3 times a day, at the same time, with equal portions of food.
• There should always be clean water available throughout the day
• An adult animal weighing 5 kg should receive 150 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrate foods per day
• Sometimes pets ask to try foods that are not natural to them. These can be chocolates, cucumbers, apples, raw potatoes and much more. Don’t be in a hurry to get scared; most likely, he just wanted to try something new. Perhaps after the first test he will beg you for candy more than once, or perhaps he will never ask you again
• Feeding the cat in the morning and evening is a good option for both the owner and the animal itself.

What are the advantages of premium brands

You can feed your cat according to the rules and not too often, but it is the composition of the food that determines its health. You can find dozens of economy-category brands on supermarket shelves. Good and clean dry food that does not contain harmful elements is sold in specialized stores.

© shutterstock

The advantages of premium products include:

• In top dry food, the cat receives many times more nutritional ingredients. The same liquid contains up to 70% moisture, which takes away useful substances.
• The shape of premium dry formulation granules is well thought out. Thanks to this, the cat does not swallow whole porous pieces (which can injure the oral cavity and esophagus), but chews them. This promotes proper digestion.
• Dry food from trusted manufacturers lasts longer when opened. This will not cause an unpleasant odor or make your cat feel disgusted when he eats it again after a few hours.

You can safely feed your cat several times a day. Premium formulations do not get boring, but at the same time do not cause addiction, which becomes one of the main differences from cheap products.

Cat in position

Everyone knows that a pregnant woman should reconsider her menu. What to do with the diet of a pregnant cat?

• Once pregnant, your cat needs more food. However, you should not sharply increase its portions; you need to increase the number of feedings.
• From days 7 to 14 of pregnancy, give your cat 10% more food per day than usual.
• From 21 to 28 days by 50%

Food from a bag or natural food

Many breeders of purebred cats believe that giving dry cat food is the ideal nutrition option. But there are also those who are supporters of natural nutrition. There are also third parties who prefer exclusively preserved and canned food. But what should ordinary amateurs do if even experts cannot come to a common opinion? Should you choose to feed your cats ready-made food, or prepare it yourself?

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Canned food

It is enough to give your cat a couple of bags of food per day, depending on the size of the pack. Manufacturers usually indicate on the packaging how much food is needed per feeding. However, there is a significant disadvantage: such feeding can significantly hit the owner’s wallet.

Natural food

When choosing natural food, this does not mean that you can feed food from your table, bones and sausage. In order for the animal to be healthy and cheerful, it needs to be given stewed meat of low-fat varieties (beef, turkey), sometimes porridge, cottage cheese, and eggs.

Dry food

Of course, dry food is the best option for a cat owner, it is not expensive, it does not create dirt near the plate, it contains everything that is needed for a full life. However, dry food has its disadvantages. Too cheap food contains a lot of salt, which negatively affects the liver and digestive system. It is best to choose premium dry food . Give your cat 40–70 grams of dry food per day. It is also worth considering that if you choose dry food, you need to increase the daily amount of water.

Every person should understand that when a meowing friend appears in his house, he at the same moment bears responsibility for the life and health of the new family member.

But the most important thing that the owner must do is to feed, love, and only then raise his pet correctly.

Features of feeding pregnant cats

The amount of food consumed for pregnant cats is calculated in a special way. During this period, the animal needs additional sources of vitamins and minerals. Not knowing exactly how much a cat should eat and what to feed it, they turn to the veterinarian. But in most cases, she is fed natural food or premium and super premium food (Royal Canin, Perfect, etc.). When choosing food, take into account the presence of products containing:

• proteins;
• vitamins;
• minerals.

Already in the second week of pregnancy, the animal begins to consume approximately 10-15% more feed than usual. There is no need to limit the cat. Starting from the 3rd week of pregnancy, the cat is given 50% more than the usual amount of food. So, if she received 250 g, then during pregnancy she is fed an additional 125 g daily.

Your pet is in dire need of:

• calcium. If there is not enough of it, the kittens will develop poorly, will be born weak, and the cat herself will begin to have problems with her teeth;
• vitamin A. Its lack leads to a decrease in visual acuity, the quality of the coat also deteriorates;
• animal proteins. Without this component, the harmonious development of kittens is impossible;
• vitamin E. Accelerates cell regeneration, is responsible for the condition of the reproductive system, helps to recover after childbirth;
• vitamin K. The lack of this element has a negative effect during childbirth; animals begin bleeding, which cannot be stopped without medication;
• fiber. The cat's intestines begin to work better. This is extremely important during pregnancy.

Important! Shortly before giving birth, a cat may even refuse its favorite food, this is normal. Trying to force feed an animal beyond the norm (plan) is not worth it. It is impossible to change a cat’s diet while bearing kittens, for example, by switching from Kanin to Kitekat food. If this needs to be done, consult a veterinarian.

How to tell if your pet is not hungry

How much wet food does a cat need per day?

Many cat owners (of various breeds) are interested in the possibilities of feeding their pets wet food. In accordance with the general classification, canned cat food is classified as wet food. This type of food has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. Initially, it is important to note that mixing types of food (dry and wet or wet and natural) is strongly not recommended. Switch the animal to one type of feeding and then stick to it if the cat is active, mobile, and does not have obvious signs of food intolerance (diarrhea, vomiting, allergic reactions, etc.).

On the website www.zootovary.com you can find a wide range of inexpensive wet cat food. Below are the main recommendations regarding regular feeding. It is highly recommended that you adhere to them to ensure your pet's health.

Is it really worth switching to wet food?

Dry food contains significantly more nutrients and vitamins. Dry food is easier to store and by definition lasts longer. So why switch to wet food then?

• dry food – 90% useful nutrients, microelements, vitamins + 10% moisture;
• wet food – 80% moisture + 20 useful nutrients, trace elements, vitamins.

It would seem that the owner’s choice is obvious. However, cats do not always tolerate dry food perfectly. In addition, the owners of these graceful pets are well aware that it is almost impossible to force a cat to drink from a saucer.

To maintain a high level of health, it is extremely important that your cat consumes enough moisture. It is for this reason that the transition to wet food is prescribed.

Thanks to the cat eating wet canned food, the owner is confident that the animal’s water-alkaline balance is normal.

How to tell if your cat doesn't have enough food

If a pet does not have enough food, it behaves restlessly, regularly checks the bowl, and changes in appearance. Thus, malnourished cats, especially those who are nursing kittens, change their appearance dramatically and very quickly. Their ribs begin to protrude, their spine becomes visible, and even a significant amount of fur does not hide their thinness. In an emaciated cat whose nutrition is not organized correctly:

• there is lethargy in all movements;
• signs of vitamin deficiency appear - watery eyes, inflammation of the mucous membranes, dandruff, hair loss;
• the figure takes on an hourglass shape;
• The fat layer on the ribs disappears.

For your information! A 10% loss of previous body weight is already considered critical. A pet that does not receive the amount of food it needs may get sick.

If the owner cannot decide on his own whether the cat is skinny or not, it is better to take the animal to the veterinarian and consult with a specialist about its further diet.

It is useful to create a menu for the day, and if the cat eats exclusively dry food, then you need to weigh it before each feeding. This will help resolve the issue of how many spiders to give a cat per day, and gain confidence that the pet is really getting enough nutrition and has enough of everything.

When an animal is hungry, it constantly begs for food.

How often should I feed my cat wet food?

It is advisable to divide the daily dose of wet food into two (morning and evening). The time interval between them should not exceed 9 hours. Veterinarians say that the ideal dose of wet food is 5% of the animal’s total body weight.

In other words, if a cat weighs 5 kg, then the animal should consume 250 g of food per day. Those. – 125 g/morning + 125 g/evening.

Please note that wet food is more expensive. Primarily due to additional storage requirements. However, experience shows that wet food is more in demand by cats.

This video explains how to properly feed cats:

How many meat pouches should a cat eat per day?

My cat does not eat anything except meat bags (like Whiskas, Kiteket, Friskas, etc.). What is the daily intake? The cat is outbred, small in size, 3 years old. Just no matter how much you give her, she will eat everything and therefore it is impossible to understand whether she is feeling hungry or is just being capricious.

Author of the publication

Anastasia

Achievement received 10/08/2018

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The selection of food, including meat bags, must be approached individually, and it all depends on the animal’s taste preferences, energy expenditure, and individual metabolism. Typically, on the food packaging, the dosage is indicated depending on the cat’s weight and activity level, and you can use it as a guide. And so, each cat is characterized by a “buffet”, that is, it can approach the cup up to 16 times a day, and it will always have an increased appetite. So that this does not become expensive for the owner, then you need to meat bags, or divide the food into 4 feeding times, and give it out strictly according to the norm. In case the cat's fur is dull and he looks thin despite the food, this means that he does not have enough nutrition and will need to increase its amount. In general, in order to know for sure how much food an animal needs, for this you need to give it a large portion of food, and then weigh the uneaten food, so you will know how much it needs at a time. Cats rarely overeat, but if the animal is neutered, it eats twice as much.

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My cat and I had the same problem. But the veterinarians told us that this is due to the fact that we feed the cat fish. Although we have another cat who eats the same thing and he hasn't had the same problem.

I have the exact same cat, only a little older. And he also doesn’t eat anything other than wet food. We'll soon go broke feeding him. We give him according to his gluttony. And everything is fine, we don’t complain about anything, he goes to the toilet regularly. Previously they gave it 4 times a day. Now, he started eating more. Whatever he asks for, we give it to him.

I usually don’t give my cat the whole bag at once, but only half, and put the remaining half in the refrigerator. After a while I give half the bag again. Two sachets or one and a half per day. If he really asks, then I’ll give him three, if he’s particularly gluttonous. Her appetite is not constant, sometimes she does not eat at all. At the same time, dry food is a must, and plenty of fresh water. Moreover, tastes change - sometimes she loves pate, sometimes she refuses, the same goes for jelly and cream soup. She also has to change companies - either she likes Whiskas or Felix. Or she just eats fried fish and doesn’t need any bags. But as much as you give, you eat as much - I haven’t noticed that. If she’s full, the food on the saucer will simply dry out, and she won’t touch it. I have to throw it away. Although it is greedy, and I tell her that transferring money to her is empty, and we are not millionaires. Only the cat doesn’t understand my complaints about money. And fresh food should be available on demand, at the first meow. But more often she is patient, she just stays nearby and watches. Waiting for me to guess.

On these meat bags with cat food, I don’t remember exactly what brand, but they are all about the same, it says that they are designed for two feedings. As the veterinarian told us, the healthiest food for a cat is food from his own table. That's why cats now eat the same things we eat. Soups, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese: a complete and varied diet. You can also give them porridge; in the wild, they receive a certain amount of grains in the gastrointestinal tract of the rodents they catch. I also buy these bags, but I don’t feed them all the time. They are kept as a reserve when there is no time to cook, so the cat receives a semi-finished product. In general, it is not advisable to feed a cat only commercially produced food. Monosodium glutanate is added to these foods, which is a flavor enhancer, so the cat eats the food with such appetite. But in terms of impact on health, it is not very useful. As correctly written above, it can provoke urolithiasis.

I feel sorry for the bird - in this case the cat - how dependent he is on the homo sapiens who tamed him. A stingy man's tear flows in an incessant stream from my bright eyes:

When should you increase/decrease the rate?

Adjustment of the norm is necessary for obvious signs of obesity or underweight. A number of physiological characteristics (most of them were mentioned when calculating the coefficient for determining caloric content) and external factors should also be taken into account.

Physical activity

Active pets with constant access to the outdoors expend much more energy than their furry counterparts lounging on the couch. For this reason, they need to eat more than usual in order not to lose their muscle mass and stay healthy. Often 15% of the total portion is added to the daily intake of active pets.

Age

Growing kittens can boast of fast metabolism. The food they eat is spent on building the skeleton, muscles and other equally important tissues. Because of this, they rarely gain weight and constantly want to eat.

It's different for older animals. With age, all internal processes slow down. The quality of teeth and gums deteriorates. Food becomes more difficult to chew, and the usual volumes increasingly remain untouched. The activity of such cats is very low, so less and less calories are required to maintain the body.

Restructuring the body after castration or sterilization

After surgery, the animal's hormonal background undergoes a number of changes. Despite the slowdown in metabolism and loss of usual activity, appetite remains the same or even increases.

Due to lack of saturation, a neutered cat quickly gains excess weight. Without owner intervention, it may suffer from obesity and other pathologies associated with this disorder.

In addition to reducing calories, it is recommended to switch to a special ready-made diet for sterilized animals. It has a moderate amount of fat and carbohydrates, and also helps speed up metabolism and maintain muscle mass.

Pregnancy and lactation

From the table above you can see that pregnant and lactating cats require the most calories. At 2 weeks of pregnancy, the volume of food should be increased by 10-15%, and at 3 – by 50%.

After the kittens are born, the caloric content of the diet is again increased so that the mother has enough nutrients for both herself and the cubs. It is better to consult a veterinarian about the exact numbers, since the number of babies and the volume of milk play a big role.

External factors

The need for food is directly related to weather conditions. In winter, a lot of energy is used to heat the body, so to replenish it you have to eat more than usual. In summer, the situation is reversed, so don’t be surprised if your pet once again ignores his favorite treat, but drinks cool water with pleasure.

Complete refusal of food is one of the symptoms of infections, parasitic infestations and systemic pathologies. Due to intoxication, inflammatory processes and dysfunction of internal organs, the need for food is significantly reduced. You can suspect something is wrong by the accompanying symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, itching, fever, cough, strange discharge from the nose or eyes.

Bagged food for cats: what is it made from and how much to give per day?

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Pets are an integral part of our lives. Their health and emotional state directly depend on what they eat. What is the currently popular cat food pouch made from? How to properly feed it to your furry friends? We will answer these questions in detail.

The importance of proper nutrition

It happens that owners realize the importance of proper nutrition for their pet only when its health begins to deteriorate. In such cases, it is necessary to urgently change her diet, even if it is a little late.

Especially if this happens during a period of intensive growth and development of the cat’s body. A caring and loving owner should know what and how much to feed a cat as soon as he decides to take it into his home.

A properly selected diet and nutrition regimen, organized for a pet from an early age, ensures the animal a long and healthy existence.

Eating improperly leads to problems in the functioning of many organs and systems. The most common complications occur with the following organs:

• Kidneys;
• Gastrointestinal tract;
• Teeth;
• Joints.

Urolithiasis and allergies may also develop.

A little history

The production of pet food dates back to 1860. Then a simple American electrician named Spratt came up with a dog pie, which included wheat, vegetables and beef blood.

Probably, from these times the myth began that all food for cats and dogs is made from waste: horns and hooves, as well as sawdust or soybeans (at best).

Nowadays, a variety of multi-colored bags allows you to choose pate, jelly, and pieces in sauce for your pet.

Ready food

At the moment, there are many different ready-made foods; most owners choose this particular feeding option.

• Since not everyone has time to prepare healthy food from natural products.
• In ready-made food, all ingredients are balanced and provide everything necessary for the pet’s body.

What is a cat's natural diet?

Affectionate domestic cats are predators by nature. Borscht and cucumbers are not suitable for them as food. The digestive system of tailed pets practically does not digest such food.

In order for a cat to please its owners with health and a playful disposition, it needs to receive high-quality protein every day. Meat, fish, and offal should form the basis of the diet of any normal cat. In addition, sources of vitamins are also important for them. And these are vegetables, grains and vegetable oils.

All this is quite difficult to give to your pet in a day. When feeding regular food, you will have to cook not only for your family, but also for your cat.

To make the work of loving owners easier, wet cat food was invented, which provides the animal with all the necessary substances.

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What and how are they made from?

For the production of wet food for cats, mainly by-products are used: liver, kidneys, lungs. But meat is also necessarily present in the composition of not the cheapest feeds. Cheaper options add soy to replace expensive meat ingredients.

In order to know the composition for sure, you should first read it on the packaging. However, many manufacturers hide the real facts of the presence of certain ingredients in cat food.

Many wet foods are believed to have an addictive psychoactive substance added to them. Whether this information is true or just a “duck” launched by competitors, no one knows for sure.

A huge advantage of wet food is that various vitamins and minerals are added to them. Lack of them in a cat's diet can cause illness. When eating natural food, it is almost impossible to choose a balanced diet so that it meets all the needs of the animal.

Wet food is made on an industrial scale. To do this, meat and soy mass are ground together in huge meat grinders. The minced meat is then passed through the holes to form sausages. They are cut into small pieces and then mixed with the sauce. After packaging, the food is sterilized and packaged.

Water in the diet

Water should be present in the bowl at all times, and it should be clean, especially if the pet eats dry food.

• With a natural diet, the cat requires less fluid, but still needs it.
• You can determine whether your pet has enough fluid by looking at its fur and the frequency of urination.

If the coat is silky and shiny, and its owner is active and empties at least twice a day, then this means that the diet contains enough fluid.

Rating

All wet canned food for cats can be divided into four classes: economy, premium, super-premium and holistic. It is clear that the meat content in them increases in ascending order. But not all cat lovers can afford anything other than economy class.

Popular brands of economy-class canned food: “Kiteket”, “Whiskas”, “Night Hunter”, “Felix”.

If we talk about the best wet food among the most budget options, then in terms of protein content, the leader, unsurprisingly, is Night Hunter. Felix is ​​in second place.

In the premium segment, popular brands include Sheba, Proplan, Gourmet, Royal Canin, and Brit. Sheba, Proplan and Brit have approximately the same protein content - 30–34%.

Super-premium class includes foods such as Pronature Original, Gina, Bozita and others. If you choose them for your pet, then you don’t have to worry about making a mistake - they are all approximately the same in composition and the presence of nutrients.

The best foods in the holistic segment are Innova, Acana, Almo Nature, Farmina N&D, Pronature Holistic, Orijen. They are very expensive and contain a large percentage of meat.

Normal for a neutered cat

Neutered cats consume less food and need fewer calories. Castration affects hormonal levels, which affects the character of the animal. It becomes calmer and less active, accordingly, it sleeps more and eats more. Often, pets who are decided to be sterilized are diagnosed with obesity. To prevent this, and also to protect the pet from the development of urolithiasis, cats are fed premium and super premium food at the rate recommended by the manufacturer and the veterinarian, who knows exactly how much a cat should eat.

To saturate an adult animal, 150–200 g of feed per day is sufficient. If the animal shows signs of obesity, the portion is reduced by 50-70 g, excluding additional feeding and distribution of goodies.

Note! After castration, cats are not recommended to be given foods rich in phosphorus and magnesium, which means they are prohibited from consuming fish and other foods containing these elements. This also applies to dry food, the packaging of which contains an indication of the presence of fish.

How much food to give a purebred cat

How much to give per day?

Firstly, it is better to choose one brand of food for your cat and not experiment further.

A pet does not need a constant change of food, since its stomach and intestines may react negatively to such an experiment.

Secondly, to choose the daily amount of such food for your cat, you need to check the directions on the pack. For example, for an average-sized cat weighing 3-4 kg, 3-4 80 gram bags of food are needed. And a pregnant furry pet already needs 5 sachets.

A newly born pet should be given special food for kittens. It is higher in calories, and its pieces are smaller than regular ones. Each pack also contains the recommended daily dose.

Wet food should not be placed all in a bowl at once. It should be heated in small portions to room temperature, and the opened jar or bag should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Unfinished food should be immediately put into the refrigerator, as pathogenic bacteria multiply very quickly in it.

Constant access to food - is it possible or not?

Having the unhindered opportunity to approach a plate of food at any time, it can be tempting to eat constantly until the dishes are empty, rather than as needed.

• If Murka has an adequate appetite, you can pour in the entire daily portion of food at once in the morning and calmly leave the house.
• If you still have a tendency to overeat, take half the portion in the morning and the second half in the evening.
• If the owner leaves in the morning and does not know exactly when he will return, then 2/3 of the daily portion of food is immediately poured, and the remaining 1/3 is added in the evening.

This method of feeding is absolutely not suitable for kittens ! Kids are completely unaware of moderation and will eat as much as there is food on their plate. This is fraught with overeating with all the ensuing consequences (indigestion, constipation, flatulence).