What and how to feed Abyssinian cats and cats?

“Domestic Puma” - this is what the Abyssinian cat is often called, it is mobile, flexible and very elegant. Like all other thoroughbred animals, she is quite picky in her diet. With proper organization of pet feeding, these "predators" can live up to 20 years.

If you decide to become the owner of an Abyssinian cat, be sure to consult with a veterinarian on issues of its feeding and drawing up a balanced diet. Be sure to monitor the health of the cat, it is very important not to overfeed these little cougars. Despite the fact that this breed is quite miniature, in most cases gluttony is not typical for them. It is not uncommon for an animal to stop near a filled bowl of food.

Nutrition "cougars" should be nutritious and balanced, enriched with useful vitamins and mineral elements. In addition to feed, the animal should be given straight. In general, a cat's diet should include several components.

• Dry food is the basis of the food of the Abyssinians. Nowadays, a wide selection of feeds from different manufacturers is presented in stores, but it is better to give preference to more expensive ones, since nutrition directly affects the health of a pet. Keep in mind that such food does not contain liquid, so the cat must have a bowl of water. The daily norm of drinking an adult animal is 130-140 ml.
• Wet food. It is given to animals from time to time, it is not suitable for everyday nutrition. It is used only as an addition to a dry diet.
• Meat. For a full feeding, the Abyssinian needs proteins, and meat is an excellent source of them. Rabbits, veal, lamb and chicken are suitable for cats and cats, but it is not recommended to give pork, as this product often contains helminths.
• Fish. Only marine fish are suitable for Abyssinians, and you can also occasionally offer shrimps and other seafood to your pet. Enter fish in the diet should be gradual, starting with small portions. If such a cat’s food is to your taste, you can safely include it in the diet in the future.
• Dairy products. Homemade sour cream, low-fat cream, dried cottage cheese, milk, and also yogurt should be present in the animal's menu as a source of calcium. But they need to be offered rarely and in small doses, otherwise the risk of digestive system disturbance is great.
• Vegetables and fruits. Abyssinians often cannot resist various juicy fruits and fresh vegetables. You can include them in your daily diet without fear only if your pet is not allergic to this product.

The following products are strictly forbidden to enter the menu of the cat of the Abyssinian breed:

• sausages, sausages, ham and other sausages;
• both meat and canned fish;
• all types of smoked meats;
• dishes seasoned with spices;
• salted and pickled foods;
• sweets, fancy foods.

When choosing a feed, it is necessary to take into account such fundamental points as:

• cat age - small Abyssinian kittens develop much more slowly than kittens of other breeds;
• veterinarian appointments - usually the doctor gives recommendations, taking into account the physical condition and shape of the cat;
• health features of parents - you need to know exactly what the mother and father of the young Abyssinian were sick with, whether they had allergies and hereditary pathologies;
• chair features - improper nutrition often leads to cat constipation or diarrhea, in case of violations, you should immediately change the feeding regime of the animal.

Let us dwell on the best dry feed for cats of this breed.

This is a Canadian-made product that includes dried meat and sea fish. The meat component is represented by venison, boar, as well as meat and various offal of sheep and lambs. The fish portion includes blue whiting, sardines, cod, as well as Arctic char. These products account for about 85% of the total feed, the remaining 15% are fruits and vegetables: legumes, pumpkin, carrot, lettuce, beet tops and parsnips.

Of the fruits, cranberries, apples and pears are most often used to make food. Chicory root acts as a source of inulin needed for cats, and extracts from cod liver enrich the product with fat-soluble acids Omega-3 and Omega-6.

This is another product from Canada, it consists of 75% hake meat, as well as sardines and wild perch, the remaining 25% – these are peas, red and white beans, lentils, turnips, as well as pumpkins, blueberries, cranberries, rose hips, pears, green apples and carrots. The ratio of protein to fat in the product corresponds to 37% and 20%, the feed is enriched with Omega acids. All vegetables included in the product have a low glycemic status, which is especially important for the prevention of overweight and the development of diabetes.

This is a UK premium product. The protein content is 31%, fat - 18-19%. The product includes the meat component (meat and poultry flour, chicken fat), as well as fish (fish oil with fish meal). The feed is enriched with beet pulp, corn, rice, egg powder, as well as brewer's yeast. To normalize the intestinal microflora, they are introduced into the feed prebiotic, as well as vitamins A, D3 and E. The amino acid taurine is used as a dietary supplement.

This is a balanced feed of an Italian company. It contains 32% protein and 11% fat. The feed includes salmon or tuna, chicken, fish and bird oil, as well as butter, beet tops, milk corn and brewer's yeast. The product is rich in vitamins. B, A, E and D3, does not contain any artificial additives.

This is a Brazilian feed with an increased dosage of protein components (34%). Product made from chicken meat, chicken liver and offal, also pork plasma, eggs, beet pulp, sugarcane squeeze are introduced into the composition, All this is diluted with vegetable oil and seasoned with yeast. Additionally, extracts of apple, rosemary and green tea, as well as taurine, are added.

The diet of an Abyssinian cat must include a natural cow.

• The need for proteins is covered by chicken, veal, turkey meat, white fish, chicken eggs, ducks and quails, dairy products. The body of the Abyssinians covers the lack of carbohydrates due to cereal cereals, and all vitamins and fiber are obtained from ripe fruits, juicy vegetables and young herbs.
• Beef animals are given pre-frozen for 2-3 days. The meat is cut into small cubes, it is better to choose with veins, then the cat can not only eat, but also clean its teeth. Meat is included in the pet's menu daily.
• Offal often contain helminths, so before serving "cooked" they are boiled. The liver, heart and lungs are introduced into the animal’s menu 2-3 times a week in small portions.
• Fish must be present in the animal’s diet. It serves as a source of essential omega acids, as well as calcium and phosphorus. Keep in mind that with frequent use of the product, a gallstone disease can develop in a “home cougar”, so one fish day of 7-10 days is enough for an animal.
• Eggs are given in boiled form, mixed with vegetables and cereals. As a rule, the weekly consumption of the product does not exceed 1 chicken or 2 quail eggs.
• Sour milk. Feeding with kefir, yogurt, cream and unsweetened yogurt is allowed up to 4 times a week. The product promotes the production of digestive enzymes and improves the digestive tract.
• Porridge for cats is prepared on meat broth, and can be done on water without adding sugar and seasonings. They are usually mixed with meat and fish. You can include them in the menu daily.
• Abyssinians are very eager to consume fruits, vegetables and herbs. Products are crushed and added to meat or fish in a ratio of 1: 2.
• To cleanse the intestines from accumulated lumps of wool, cats are given germinated cereals. To shine the wool, brewer's yeast is introduced into the food.

The body of a young cat of the Abyssinian breed develops much more slowly than the body of kittens of other varieties. Therefore, up to six months they are given exclusively specialized food for small animals. In 1.5–2 months, they begin to introduce complementary foods into the diet — these may be milk porridges, minced meat or chicken yolk. Many breeders feed their wards with baby food, for example, "Theme" or "Agusha", in small portions they introduce crumbly cottage cheese and chopped cheese.

At 3 months, teeth are replaced, at which point dense lumpy foods must prevail on the menu, so vegetables and meat products must be cut into larger pieces so that the animal is gradually accustomed to chewing. Up to 4 months, kittens are fed 6 times a day, from 4 to 12 months - four times. Adult food is allowed only after a year. It should be introduced gradually, since the cats of this breed have a rather sensitive digestive system.Usually, the proportion of baby food is reduced, and the adult is gradually increased - it takes about 1 month to completely replace the diet.

Pregnant and lactating cats require a reverent attitude to feeding, at that time, their menu should be rich in essential vitamins, micro and macro elements, namely:

• for the correct formation of the skeleton of the fetus, the animal requires calcium and fluorine; if these elements in the feed are not enough, it begins to be washed out of the mother's body;
• deficiency of vitamins and mineral elements entails a malfunction in the laying of the internal organs of the fetus;
• lack of amino acids can often trigger a miscarriage;
• a lack of taurine causes a fading pregnancy;
• the absence of fatty acids leads to pathologies of the neural tube of the animal.

Sterilization often leads to pathologies of the genitourinary system of animals, so their nutrition should be special. Food for castrates must necessarily contain low concentrations of magnesium, phosphorus and calcium, fish is also contraindicated - these foods can lead to the appearance of kidney stones.

For such animals it is better to use special feed. At least half of the diet should be a natural feed consisting of meat, offal, vegetables and cereals. It is very important to monitor the body weight of your pet. Usually, after castration, cats become less mobile, lose interest in cats and gain it in food, so animals should be fed in small portions.

If your pet begins to recover rapidly, it is necessary to start the fight against obesity as early as possible, otherwise the risk of developing serious diseases and even death of the pet is high. First of all, they reduce the calorie content of food, which can be done either by reducing the volume of servings, or by changing the diet itself. With obesity, delicacies and delicacies are completely removed from the menu, unfortunately, you will have to completely abandon dry food.

However, this is not a reason to be upset - You can always choose the optimal low-calorie product from a specialized line of a regular manufacturer. It is best if you are overweight to prepare food for your pet yourself, for example, from liver, rice, sunflower oil, calcium carbonate and vitamin supplements. Boiled rice, cut the liver, combine with butter and grind to a pasty state. The daily feed rate should not exceed 200 g, the products are divided into 2-3 doses.

See more about the Abyssinian cat in the next video.