There are many competing cat food products on the supermarket shelf vying for your attention and asking you to buy them. I’m sure you know what I mean, they have their full color pictures of happy looking satisfied cats that are in peak health condition because they eat the XYZ brand of cat food.
What none of those pretty cat food packets tell you is that cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must have the nutrients that are found in animal protein just to survive. By protein I mean meat, chicken and fish. The flesh of these meats, not the by-products. In the wild cats eat the meat of their prey, just as they do when they find a mouse around the house.
Good quality cat food should list the actual meat such as beef, lamb, tuna, turkey, salmon, chicken etc that is in the tin or packet you buy. Chicken meal is actually considered to be the single best source of protein in commercial pet foods. If you only see the words ‘meat and/or meat bone meal’ on the packet, be aware that this can legally include animals that are roadkill, have been euthanized by vets and ground and rendered in factories. Some rendering factories also use diseased, dying and decayed animals to supply to pet food companies. The article on Cat Food Nutrition has some excellent information on just what should be included in your cat’s diet. Older cats need a different type of nutritional cat food.
Dry Cat Food
Cats don’t have the teeth to properly chew their food like we do. Their teeth are designed to bite and swallow so a diet of dry cat food biscuits is going to be a problem for them. Not only can they not chew the biscuits, their bodies lack specific enzymes for carbohydrate digestion and metabolism. Cats lack a salivary enzyme called amylase which is used to digest carbohydrates. And almost all cat food biscuits are primarily carbohydrates. Cats can utilize the carbohydrates but their body and digestive tract is suited for protein and fat.
Cats who are fed dog, rabbit or other types of food are at high risk for blindness and heart disease due to insufficient amounts of taurine in their diet. Taurine is a very important amino acid and will be found in commercial cat foods. Other diseases such as obesity, food allergies, diabetes, and heart disease are just some of the many diet related diseases that appear to becoming an epidemic in our cats all over the world due to poor nutrition.
Are You Saving Money By Feeding Cheap Cat Food?
If you are feeding your cat on a cheap food with low quality ingredients, it will need more of this food to get the nutrients required. As a result, you will end up buying more food, which will either end up costing you the same amount as better quality food, or in many cases, more than if you were feeding your cat a diet with healthy, high quality ingredients.
Another thought to keep in mind is that a cat who eats more food will produce more waste, which means more work for you to clean the litter tray and therefore more money spent on cat litter.
A cheaper but less healthy diet can also contribute to serious health problems that will end up costing you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in veterinary bills and prescription drugs for your cat.
In his very comprehensive ebook Veterinary Secrets, Dr Andrew Jones has devoted *a chapter to cat food (and dog food). This includes diets for specific health concerns such as cancer, arthritis, weight loss, a list of quality natural commercial foods which he recommends, toxic ingredients to steer clear of as well as much more. He also includes a 43 page ebook of home recipes as a bonus. I use Veterinary Secrets Revealed often when checking problems with my own cats.
Remember your cat is a part of your family and is dependent on you for its life. Investing in the best quality cat food you can afford is a better alternative than the heartache and shortened life span that comes with taking shortcuts or buying inferior food. A cat is for life and the joy and love it brings to you and your family cannot be underestimated.
Continue reading about Cat Food Facts You Should Be Aware Of
Children and cats make a wonderful combination.
A new kitten or cat is always a reason for excitement in the home, especially when children are involved. Encourage your child to look after the kitten right from the start and you will have set him or her on a wonderful experience to becoming a responsible adult.
Here are some tips for helping your child look after his or her kitten:
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Encourage your child to feed and water the kitten at the same time each day, preferably before the child has eaten. The rule of ‘kitten eats before you do’ being enforced will soon make sure this isn’t forgotten.
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The same goes for toilet training. Once the kitten has finished eating, take it to the litter tray and once the kitten has finished, it can be time to wash hands ready for your meal.
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Don’t step in and look after the cat just because your child doesn’t want to do it today. This won’t be easy but your child needs to learn that something living is depending upon him for its very existence.
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Make sure your child understands that you need to know when the cat’s food supply is getting low. This will teach youngsters to look ahead and plan in advance.
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Try to encourage your child to groom his kitten regularly. Doing this encourages a different sort of responsibility – it might even extend to keeping a bedroom tidy in later life!
Some of the things your child can learn from looking after his own cat can also include:
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Learning and understanding boundaries. A cat will soon let you know if you have overstepped what it thinks appropriate.
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Realization that pets are for life, not just this week. This can also lead to developing friendships that last as your child will look to find other caring people to play with.
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Accountability in that if something is not done or forgotten, it is his pet that is hurt, not him.
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An understanding of the needs of others and what to do when something is not right.
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The self confidence and self esteem that comes with the knowledge that they are responsible for the welfare of another being.
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Understanding the signals and body language that are being given.
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That love goes two ways. The more he loves and cares for his cat the more the cat will respond in kind.
Why not buy your children *How to Make Your Cat Adore You. This wonderful ebook will teach your children about the other side of owning a kitten, the emotional and two way love side.
Studies have shown that when children are given this responsibility when they are still young, though old enough to actually undertake the care needed, they grow into reliable and trustworthy, caring adults. Studies have also shown that when children are under stress due to an unhappy home or school life, illness or a disability, the stress levels are lowered when a cat is involved. The level of trust shown when a cat curls up on a lap and goes to sleep really does wonders in making a child feel good about himself. *Complete Cat Training is another excellent book that will help your child learn the correct and easiest way to train his new kitten.
Kids, cats and responsibility, they really do go together.
