Pelleted animal diets have become a solution for many owners. There is not always time and opportunity to prepare healthy natural food. Of course, we are interested in whether feeding only dry food to a cat will harm it. Veterinarians say that there is no need to worry about your pet’s health, because industrial feed contains a sufficient amount of useful substances. However, if the cat only eats dry food, clean drinking water should always be available, and this is the most important thing.
Mr. Cat recommends: the pros and cons of different types of nutrition
There are two types of food for feeding pets: natural and industrial. Among breeders and veterinarians there are adherents of each species, and it is difficult to say which diet is healthier and more correct. Of course, we are talking about good super premium or holistic food. If the funds allow you to feed your cat only economy or not very high-quality premium, then it is better to stick to natural food.
Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages and everyone will choose the most acceptable diet for their pet.
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Each owner knows the characteristics of his pet, food preferences, and attitude to water. The most common problem with dry-fed animals is insufficient fluid intake. These cats are usually fed wet foods of the same brand.
Cats don't eat, they feast on food. Make sure you don't get bored with the food
Another common reason why a cat has stopped eating dry food may be that the owners always offer the same taste. Try eating your favorite food three times a day for a month. Will it remain as desired and loved? What if you eat like this for a whole year? Most often, cats don’t eat, but treat themselves little by little. If your pet is tired of dry food, different flavors should be alternated .
Fortunately, now cat food is packaged in hermetically sealed bags; it will not spoil after opening the package.
It is also a good idea to diversify the diet by introducing wet food. After all, owners often accustom their animals to dry food, considering it the only complete source of all necessary substances. But this is a mistaken opinion. Pets always need additional sources of vitamins, as well as fresh grass to remove ingested hair from the body.
Important information about dry food
Many owners are faced with the problem of switching animals from drying to natural products. It is clear that ordinary food does not contain flavorings or aromas, but still, why is a convenient and practical type of food not suitable for animals? Why are cat owners trying to return to natural food? This fact is alarming; perhaps not everything is as good with pelleted food as advertising slogans say.
It turns out that not all animals can digest dry foods well. The fact is that in nature, a cat swallows food in small pieces, almost without chewing it. Then in the stomach the food is softened by juices, and after a few hours it enters the intestines, where it is finally processed and absorbed. Dry diets are close to natural ones, but still some individuals with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract cannot properly absorb the product. This is expressed in weight loss, even with a good appetite, and unhealthy appearance.
In addition, many animals have allergic reactions to dry food. This is due to the large number of preservatives and dyes (in cheap versions), as well as to the characteristics of the cat’s body. There is also a nuance that is relevant for owners choosing premium and economy class food. The diets are inexpensive due to substitutes for natural proteins, such as offal, bone meal, cereals, soy, starch and other components that cause a negative reaction from the cat’s digestive system.
A common mistake that owners make is that they often replace products from different brands without a veterinarian’s prescription. As a result of the experiments, the animal suffers from stool disorders, indigestion and other gastrointestinal problems. Having chosen one from the range of dry food, stick to it. For variety, they buy different flavors and wet goodies, but combining different brands is strictly contraindicated.
How to choose the right wet food
Not all wet food packages are labeled as complete food. If there is no such mark, it means that the product was not balanced with all the necessary nutrients, which can also be noticed by the absence of a vitamin-mineral premix in the composition.
Most often, such products consist of one type of meat or fish, as well as a mixture of them in different proportions. This does not mean that the product is bad, it just cannot be fed to it constantly, but only treated to the cat periodically, in addition to the main diet.
Does moist mean it's healthier?
Many owners believe that wet food is healthier than dry food or vice versa, but this is not true - each of these types of food has its own disadvantages and advantages. With complete wet foods, the latter are quite obvious.
On the one hand, cats certainly like such foods more; in addition, they contain a lot of moisture, and consuming enough liquid is critically important for cats. There is another positive point: such food does not require the addition of preservatives, because in sealed packaging the product does not spoil for a very long time.
True, this is a conditional advantage; high-quality dry food uses tocopherol-based preservatives, which do not have any harmful effects on the cat’s body. But there are still exceptions!
Well, the main disadvantage of wet food is the price; feeding them only will cost the owner much more.
Myths about commercial dry cat food
Any product, be it cat food or cottage cheese from the store, is surrounded by myths and unfounded conclusions. The factory-made diets discussed in breeder and veterinarian circles have also been given some false properties that pet lovers need to be aware of.
Myth 1: drying causes urolithiasis
The mistake is that pelleted feed is considered the cause of diseases. This is not true; the real problem lies in the lack of fluid. If a cat drinks little and eats only dry food, illness cannot be avoided. To eliminate the danger, doctors recommend giving pets water in unlimited quantities and keeping it clean and fresh. It is important to know that some types of diets are preventive and are used in the treatment of urolithiasis.
Myth 2: Industrial feed causes allergies
This cannot be true. Two people sitting at the same table and eating the same food may react differently to it. One will be upset, and the other will not notice anything. It's the same with animals. Each organism is unique, and if you feed your cat natural food, the risk of an allergic reaction is just as great as when feeding dry diets. Knowing the characteristics of your pet, carefully study the composition of the product before purchasing.
It is better to consult a doctor. Possible animal allergens include starch, soy, corn, some grains and grasses. Most of the listed products are used in economy and premium food.
Conclusion: do not skimp on food, including dry food, and carefully check the composition. Some good dry diets include Orijen, Acana, GO!, AATU, Summit Holistic, Applaws. Please note that all this food is holistic or super premium. They cost from 350 rubles. per kg for the cheapest Summit Holistic and up to 800-1000 rubles. for Orijen, Acana.
Myth 3: waste is used in the production of feed
In fact, it is not known what types of meat are used to prepare cat food. Perhaps these are dead animals or food industry waste. However, choosing products from well-known brands approved by veterinary associations eliminates the risk factor. Super premium and holistic food cannot contain dangerous ingredients, they are tested in laboratories and even possibly harmful components are listed on the packaging.
Physiological reasons for refusing dry food
Older animals, and this sometimes happens to young ones, may refuse dry food due to problems in the oral cavity. They experience pain when chewing granules and, in order to avoid it, do not approach the bowl, but at the same time they feel hungry and ask to eat. You can examine your pet’s mouth and, if you notice reddening of the gums (normally they are pale pink), loose teeth with signs of rotting, consult a veterinarian.
Cats may not eat dry food if it has gone bad. A person is not able to smell rancid fat, but cats smell it perfectly, and instinct tells them to refuse food that can cause poisoning. Store dry food in a cool, dark place in an airtight container or tightly wrapped bag, and never use expired food.
A short-term refusal of dry food and, which is very important, from any food in general, can also happen for other reasons related to external factors. For example, in very hot weather, many animals lose their appetite, it can also decrease for several days during estrus, and during severe stress it almost always disappears. In the latter case, the period of refusal to eat can last several days. Stress in cats is caused by any changes in the environment - moving to another place, the arrival of a new family member or pet, renovations in the apartment, etc.
Although loss of appetite due to stress is a natural phenomenon, this does not mean that it should not be addressed, as long-term stress is detrimental to a cat’s health. Therefore, try to provide your pet with a sense of security; cats get used to changes more easily if you temporarily limit their living space to one room, where “strangers” will not have access and where the animal, in a calm environment, will gradually become convinced that there is no danger.
Rules for feeding cats dry food
Regardless of the type of diet, you should adhere to certain rules in nutrition. It is advisable to give the animal food at the same time, in portions that correspond to the recommendations on the packaging and the weight of the pet.
Read about the right diet and its choice for cats.
Dry food requires plenty of fluids, and care must be taken to ensure that the cat has access to it. The liquid should be fresh and clean, preferably bottled. If tap water is used, it should be settled or boiled.
It is not advisable to change diets without a doctor’s prescription, and you should not mix products from different brands. It is strictly contraindicated to mix granules with natural food.
Once every six months, animals are taken for examination and have their blood tested. Thus, they rule out serious illnesses and see if this type of diet is suitable.
Each pet is individual; when choosing a diet, the characteristics of the body are taken into account. For example, fatty foods are contraindicated for sterilized animals, while a cat walking in the yard on a low-fat diet may die from malnutrition. Read about food for sterilized cats.
Wet and dry food can be combined, but at different times. For example, granules in the morning, canned food in the evening. During the day, food will be digested and absorbed. You should not give your cat dry and wet diets of different brands, this is dangerous to health and can cause digestive problems.
Vitamin supplements are allowed only as prescribed by a doctor. Pelleted feed contains everything you need; additional substances can lead to oversaturation with a certain component and lead to a number of diseases.
Lack of habit
Most often, a situation where a cat ignores dry food occurs if the animal was not accustomed to this product initially. At the same time, one should not conclude that the cat “considers” it to be unsuitable food; it’s just that, unlike wet foods, dry food smells different and has an unusual consistency.
All you need to do is get your pet used to a dry diet, starting with feeding food that the cat will eat with pleasure (this can be either canned pet food or a natural diet), and gradually adding dry food pellets to it.
At first, they should make up no more than 15-20% of the total serving volume, and then their number is gradually increased until complete replacement. On average, such a smooth transition takes one to two weeks.
If the cat is capricious and leaves dry food granules in the bowl, eating everything else, then you can act harshly by simply depriving the pet of any other food. A hungry animal will sooner or later start eating what is given.
The importance of water
When feeding pelleted diets, it is important to give your pet enough water. Lack of fluid leads to diseases of the genitourinary system.
If a cat refuses to drink water, dry food is contraindicated. You should consult your doctor for advice and choosing the right nutrition system.
Some pets do not want to drink water from a bowl and require tap water or drink from a can. You should not prohibit your animal from using such methods of obtaining liquid. The only contraindication is water from the bathroom, where you can pick up germs and be poisoned by detergents.
For restless pets, it is recommended to purchase a drinking fountain. Animals like running water, some like to play with the stream of liquid. In any case, the desire for clean drinking water should be encouraged, especially in animals that eat dry food.
What to do if the kitten does not eat dry food
What to do if a kitten refuses to eat food from different brands? To begin with, take your time, perhaps the kitten needs to be accustomed to eating dry food, and the problem will be eliminated. If your pet looks sick or lethargic, or reacts poorly to food that is familiar to him, it is better to contact a veterinarian.
You can determine what exactly the kitten does not like is the food itself or its consistency. Instead of drying, you need to buy semi-moist or wet food of the same brand. If the kitten eats it, the problem is only in the unusual form of food (pellets).
Kitten rakes its paw next to a bowl
Many owners complain that the kitten tries to eat food, but quickly loses the initiative. At the same time, the pet paws next to the bowl, sniffs the granules, licks itself and meows questioningly, looking at the owner. What is the reason?
Most likely, the reason for your pet's insecurity is the pain he experiences when chewing or in a bowl that is too small. Pay attention to the length of your pet's whiskers.
The whiskers serve as an indicator by which the cat determines the width of the hole through which it can crawl. Instincts work here - if a cat's whiskers rest against the bowl, it automatically feels uncomfortable.
The second reason is weathering. Undoubtedly, dry food is stored longer, but under the influence of oxygen it oxidizes. Maybe you have noticed that the kitten only eats the top of the pile of food? If the answer is yes, the cause is food oxidation. Try to put in less food (exactly one serving), and always clean and wash the bowl.
