Dry food is an outlet for many owners, as it takes less money and time to feed the animal. It is easy to store, it has a long shelf life, it has various tastes, you can pour it into a bowl and go about your business. But before buying this type of product, it is worthwhile to figure out whether it is safe and whether it will harm the animal.
General information
Most owners have doubts about whether cats can be fed dry food, and whether it is normal if the cat has only him. In fact, this is not just normal, but even useful, since it contains everything you need. But only if the food is purchased super - premium - class or holistic. Only such a product of good quality, which really contains meat, not substitutes. And if the feed has a good composition, then the development of many diseases will be prevented, which will help maintain an excellent condition in animals.
A cat needs to be fed with dry food, also because its body gets used to one food composition, and digestion may be disturbed when other products are added.
Advantages and disadvantages
Each product has its pros and cons, and dry food is no exception. The more different additives, the worse the food affects the cat's health. But problems may not come to light immediately, but after a month or more, when there is nothing to help the animal.
A negative effect on the body is influenced by such factors as:
- dyes;
- flavorings;
- preservatives;
- flavoring additives.
Choice of feed and diet
They are added to the product not only by manufacturers of economy, but also premium. But everything is not as bad as it might seem. Because among all brands there are great options. And basically it is a professional feed.
The following components will have a positive effect:
- nutrients;
- vitamin complex;
- probiotics;
- amino acids necessary for animals;
- complex of minerals.
In order not to make a mistake when choosing food, you need to know some rules. Always remember the features of the animal, such as: pregnancy, castration, age. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the composition of the feed. Examine the manufacturer information and deal with the components in the composition. Go around the feed, where there are many different artificial additives.
Pay particular attention to reviews. Of course, not everyone will be true, but the overall picture will be formed.
You can also discuss this issue with your veterinarian. Watch your pet how it will respond to food. Maybe he will have an allergic reaction, an eating disorder, or his behavior will change. And if everything is in order, then there is a high probability that the feed came up.
Still need to deal with the classification of feed.
- Economy. Cheap feed option. They don’t use meat there, but instead add offal, cereals and plant components there. Such components are very poorly absorbed by the body. Such food should not feed the animal.
- Premium. This is the middle class. Unlike the first option, it contains a small percentage of meat. This also includes vitamins and minerals, but there are also harmful additives. Their price is not very high.
- Super - premium class. A relatively expensive option, and very good. There is a large percentage of meat content, as well as no harmful additives.
- Holistic. The most expensive food. But it contains only natural meat and all the necessary components.
Do not give dry food to animals if they have additional needs.
For example, a cat does not drink the required daily rate of water. Then in this case it would be better to give wet food, paste or natural food. The best deal is if your pet will drink 3 times more water than food. The average volume should be approximately 20-30 ml per day, but it may vary slightly. It is also forbidden to feed dry animals, which have very sensitive digestion, with their feed texture only harm health, and can also cause bleeding.
It is strictly forbidden for pets to give economy and premium class food. Because they contain many different artificial additives that will cause health problems over time. Basically, everything develops for a very long time and imperceptibly. And when they appear, it is usually too late to do something. Also, cats cannot be fed on a regular basis with various treats, and all because they cannot provide the body with everything necessary for its full work.
In no case should you mix dry food with natural products. Since the body gets used to one composition, and if you add another, then there may be an eating disorder. Also, the combination of products violates the daily norm of vitamins and nutrients. And in order to digest a different type of food, you will need different enzymes, and in this regard, problems with the pancreas can occur.
Dry and wet food can also not be mixed, can be given only separately.
And if the animal has weakened for any reason, such as illness or vaccination, then you can add wet sauce to the feed. This will help induce a cat's appetite. But the brand should be the same. This will protect the pet from gastrointestinal problems, and the balance of nutrients will not be disturbed. But if for some reason you cannot provide wet food from the same manufacturer as dry, then they must be of the same class. It is forbidden to give a cat that eats Eukanuba or Royal Canin wet Whiskas or Purina One.
Categorically it is impossible to give vitamins to an animal in addition if they were not appointed by the veterinarian.
Since there are water-soluble substances that without any problems are excreted from the body if there is an excess of them. And there are fat-soluble ones that can accumulate, and because of this, an excess of various elements and vitamins may occur. Permission to take any supplements is accepted only on the basis of examination and analysis. Also, you can not give out medicine for a treat.
The daily rate of the product is selected for each animal, it is necessary to rely on weight, age, activity, size of the pet and calorie content of the feed. Usually, all manufacturers write about the diet, but still do not follow their recommendations, because for one cat it will be small, and for another too much.
Be sure to monitor the physical condition of the animal.
The ribs are not allowed to stick out, but they should be felt. Also, the cat should not be too well-fed or, on the contrary, the hips and chest were sticking out. Therefore, you always need to calculate the norm yourself, and if you transfer your pet to the feed of another manufacturer, then again you will have to recount everything. You can also consult your veterinarian. If you use measuring glasses, then it is worth checking the information that the manufacturer indicated.
Opinion of the veterinarian
Almost all veterinarians nevertheless recommend the use of dry food, because they are already balanced, have the correct vitamin content that animals require. Here the main task is to choose the right brand of the manufacturer, which does not harm the health of the cat. Also, veterinarians are confident that the food that a person consumes is not suitable for a full-fledged diet for cats, and can even lead to violations in the digestive tract.
Therefore, do not pamper your favorites with food from your table.
Perhaps dry food may not seem so attractive, unlike natural. And this can be considered a small minus. But this is easy to fix. It will be enough just to add a little water there, and for the animal the food will seem more interesting. Of course, dry food makes life easier for cat owners, because you don’t have to spend time and money on cooking. But this is only if the product is of proper quality. The main thing is not to interfere with different products and give the animal a sufficient amount of water.
For useful tips on how to properly feed your cat with dry food, see the video below.
