Pet owners are interested in the question: is it possible to feed a cat only with dry food and what is the advantage of this type of food? To understand this, you should familiarize yourself with the recommendations of veterinarians.
Why choose this pet food
Dry food is a source of all necessary vitamins and trace elements for a pet: there are proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and other useful elements in the composition. With this feeding, your pet will eat as balanced as possible.
And if you chose this type of food, then you cannot use another food for an animal - only dry food is needed. It is very easy to explain: the cats digestive system is rather difficult to constantly rebuild from one type of food to another, as a result it can cause an imbalance in the animal's body.
Even veterinarians are advised to choose one thing: either dry food, or natural food: meat, cereals, fish, vegetables.
Benefit or harm from feeding?
As noted by veterinarians, feeding only dry food will harm the animal only if you use cheap and low-quality products. Moreover, problems can appear as very quickly, a few months after the start of feeding, and after a few years.
And all because of the poor composition, which contains such harmful components for cats as:
- colorants and flavors;
- preservatives;
- amplifiers of taste and smell.
There are quite a few unscrupulous producers on the market who add spices, salt and offal to feed instead of real meat. True, this can be faced not only with the purchase of feed economy class, but also premium. But professional food (if you choose the right manufacturer) will provide your pet with everything you need, will be the key to a healthy and long life.
They will contain:
- natural meat (rabbit, chicken, beef, etc.);
- vitamins and minerals;
- probiotics.
In high-quality food, all these components will be in the optimum ratio for the pet. Naturally, professional food will cost much more than an economy class option, but if you look at the cost of veterinar services for pet treatment, which may be necessary when using a cheap product, the cost of acquisition does not seem high anymore.
And due to the balance and high energy value of a good feed, it can be enough for a long time.
Recommendations for choosing a dry food
To make the right choice, you must follow a number of simple rules:
- Take into account the features of a pet. For example, if you have a pregnant cat or an old cat, you should select the appropriate food.
- Study the composition of the feed. Everything is simple: before purchasing, you need to carefully examine what the cat food is made of, to find information about the manufacturer. The composition should be alerted by the abundance of additives and unclear decoding (for example, by-products and meat - it is not known what exactly the manufacturer used).
- Read reviews. Despite the fact that not all of them will be real, you can make a general impression about the feed and its producer. You can even consult a veterinarian.
- Watch the cat. After starting to use a new product, monitor the condition of the animal. If there is no allergic reaction, strange behavior, upset stool - everything is in order.
It is also useful to familiarize yourself with a small classification of cat food:
Economy class. refers to the most budget options. Meat in such feed is replaced by offal, vegetable components, cereals, which are absorbed very poorly. Do not use for a long time;- premium class. A product of average quality, where vitamins, minerals, a small percentage of meat may be present, but there are also artificial additives in it;
- super premium class. It is considered the most optimal option, since there are no artificial components, dyes in the feed, for the production of high-quality and natural raw materials. It has a fairly high cost;
- Cholestik (professional version). The most expensive product, but ideal for animals, as it has a positive effect on the health and longevity of the pet.
Economy class. refers to the most budget options. Meat in such feed is replaced by offal, vegetable components, cereals, which are absorbed very poorly. Do not use for a long time;An important point: attention should be paid to feed after operations (sterilized cats and cats, for example), since during this period the animal's body is weakened and can react to additives and dyes with the appearance of serious pathologies and complications.
Feeding tips
To feed the benefit, you also need to follow some rules on the use of this product.
The first is the choice of feed. And here you need to be very careful, given the above recommendations. If your pet's health is expensive, do not skimp on food, it will be cheaper than treatment at a veterinary clinic. Also, do not forget to choose food based on pet requests: there are separate feeds for kittens, adult cats, pregnant cats, etc.
Remember an important point: you can not mix two types of feeding (dry food and regular: boiled meat, fish, etc.), even if you give food to the cat at different times of the day. Do not interfere with the products of different brands, because each type of food has a different impact on the digestive system.
Other useful recommendations:
- If a cat has some problems with his teeth, or he eats food too quickly, without chewing it, does not receive a normal amount of liquid, it is necessary to give soaked dry food. To do this, take boiled water, cool it to +60 degrees, add food. 15 minutes is enough for swelling. Feed twice a day.
- Try not to change the feed manufacturer often. A change is possible, but if the cat responds normally to it.
- Remember about the need to give a large amount of water: for 50 g of dry food 150 ml of liquid.
Moreover, the transition to dry food should be carried out within one to two weeks. And to make an individual diet, you should consult with a veterinarian.
It should be noted that the use of only this type of product will be much cheaper than the purchase of meat and fish.
