Is it possible to feed a cat dry and wet food at the same time?

Feeding principles

Good dry food contains all the necessary components to maintain health and replenish your pet's energy reserves. Owners who have chosen this type of feeding must follow several basic rules:

• do not mix “drying”, pates or homemade dishes in one bowl;
• provide the cat with sufficient drinking regime, since the pet must consume at least 20 ml of water for every kilogram of weight;
• do not change the type of feeding and brand of food unless necessary;
• Follow the daily intake of granules indicated on the packaging.

Everyone loves to eat.
A cat should eat according to a schedule, the number of meals per day depends on the age of the pet: kittens aged 3-4 months eat four times, 5-6 - three times a day. After six months, babies should gradually be transferred to an adult, two-times-a-day regimen.

It is optimal because the cat is an obligate (obligate) predator. Her digestive system is designed to digest animal protein. The process takes 10-12 hours. The digestion time of high-quality dry food is as close to natural as possible, so the specified interval between meals must be observed. Pregnant and lactating females should be fed three times a day.

Provided that these rules are followed, “drying” has many advantages. The main ones:

• convenience and ease of use;
• the ability to control caloric intake;
• enrichment with vitamins and microelements;
• long shelf life;
• taste attractive to pets;
• stable functioning of the digestive tract.

The disadvantages of “crackers” are their low water content and the presence of a huge number of poor quality products on the market.

Review of the most popular and popular dry food for kittens

Almost every pet food manufacturer has specialized dry food for kittens. Let's look at some of the most popular and sought-after foods.

Comparative table of the main parameters of kitten food

Photo gallery: the most popular dry food for kittens

Acana Wild Prairie dry food is suitable for cats of all ages

Bozita Feline Funktion Kitten with Scandinavian salmon for kittens and young cats is suitable for cats during the mating period, throughout pregnancy and before feeding

MONGE SUPERPREMIUM KITTEN is a complete, balanced kitten diet that provides high-quality nutrition for the healthy growth of kittens from 1 to 12 months of age.

High-quality dry food Purina Pro Plan Junior Kitten Delicatewith Turkey with turkey flavor is designed taking into account the basic requirements of nutritional content, providing a full supply of energy for the pet.

Royal Canin "Mother & Babycat" dry food is a complete food for pregnant and lactating cats, for kittens in the 1st growth phase (from 1 to 4 months) and during the weaning period

Hill's Science Plan diets provide precisely balanced nutrition to meet your kitten's individual needs, eliminating any nutritional deficiencies or excesses.

Brit Care “Crazy Kitten” balanced food is intended for kittens (from 1 to 12 months), pregnant and lactating cats

Inexpensive economy class food (Friskies, Kitekat, Whiskas, Darling, etc.) is not suitable for feeding small kittens, because it does not contain everything necessary for the full development of the cat’s body, a complex of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Video: review of popular dry food for kittens

Which one is better?

All dry food is divided into four classes:

• economy;
• premium;
• super premium;
• holistic.

This gradation is not officially approved; it is often used by manufacturers to raise the prestige of their products. When choosing “drying”, experienced owners pay attention primarily to the composition of the feed, and not its class.

Kitty cat

Economy

The first group includes products sold in supermarkets:

• Whiskeys;
• Kitekat;
• Friskies;
• Darling;
• Felix;
• Cat Chow;
• Sheba;
• Perfect Fit;
• ProTail;
• Our brand and others like it.

They attract owners with low prices, bright packaging and active television advertising. However, such food is useless for animals, and if consumed continuously for a long time, it is extremely harmful.

Having carefully read the composition of an economy class product, you can find out that meat and offal in their composition account for only about 15%. Moreover, this category includes all waste from the meat industry (horns, hooves, beaks, intestines with their contents, blood, etc.). The bulk of cheap feed comes from cereals, vegetable fats, and processed vegetable products. These components will not add health to your pet. The main harm is caused by various chemical dyes, preservatives, and flavoring additives. The latter explain the high degree of habituation to low-quality food of usually selective cats.

This composition “hits” the internal organs of a small predator. Irreversible consequences occur in the liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and stomach. There are quite a lot of owners who claim that their pet has been eating cheap food for many years and everything is fine with it. Veterinarians say this is a temporary effect. The consequences of constant consumption of such feed are inevitable. They don't always come right away. In animals with strong immunity, they may be delayed, but improper nutrition will definitely affect the life expectancy of your furry pet.

Royal Canin

Premium

These foods differ from the economy version in a better composition, but this is also not an ideal option for adequate nutrition for a cat.

This group includes products from such brands as:

• Royal Canin;
• Hills;
• Pro Plan;
• Organix, Happy Cat;
• Schesir;
• Night Hunter;
• Nero Gold and others.

In addition to offal, they contain meat, but not much of it. Premium food also contains a lot of grains, but also contains vegetables, eggs, and vitamins (the packaging indicates which ones and in what quantities). The content of harmful synthetic additives and soy is minimal. The downside is the lack of information about what specific preservatives were used in production.

It is worth noting that the composition of premium food varies greatly (even in the lines of the same manufacturer). This allows you to choose a completely acceptable product at an affordable price.

Brit bob

Super premium

This category includes high quality products. Breeders consider super-premium feed to be optimal in terms of price-quality ratio.

The most famous brands in this group:

• 1st Choice;
• Bozita;
• Savarra;
• Brit Care;
• Leonardo;
• Vet Life.

They contain the bulk of the composition of natural meat, vegetables, seeds, oils, and herbs. There are few cereals, the manufacturer chose the most suitable for cats (barley, rice, oats). Natural substances are used as preservatives, without “chemicals”. The feed components are varied.

Akana

Holistic

Products of the highest quality are produced under the following brands:

• Acana;
• Grandorf;
• Orijen;
• Wildcat;
• Applaws;
• Farmina N&D;
• Go Natural;
• Nutram.

The share of natural, dehydrated meat in holistic foods reaches 80%. Also in the composition of different types of food there are: fish, vegetables, oils, fruits, fats, berries, vitamin supplements. There are practically no grains, some have a little rice. Products for such feed are grown in environmentally friendly areas.

Some companies (such as Champion PetFoods) produce products according to the WholePrey principle. The uniqueness of the development lies in the fact that the food is as close as possible to that obtained by a predator in its natural environment. To do this, not only muscle fibers of meat are added to the feed, but also cartilage, entrails, etc.

Holistic formulas are by far the best option for constant feeding of cats, but they are quite expensive.

Medicinal foods should be included in a separate group. They are intended for individuals with various chronic diseases. They can only be given to cats as prescribed by a veterinarian!

Is it possible to mix dry and wet food?

Mixing dry and wet diets when feeding your pet is a very common practice, especially among cat owners. In some cases, this method of feeding may even be recommended by a veterinarian, for example, when it is necessary to increase the amount of fluid consumed by the animal, ease the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract after surgery, or increase the pet’s appetite for various diseases. However, most often, owners feed dry and wet food on their own initiative, wanting to diversify the pet’s diet, to give him pleasure, or simply because they consider mixed feeding more useful. Let's figure out whether it is possible to mix dry and wet food and how to do it correctly.

How to choose canned food in addition to dry food?

There can be no fundamental objections to mixed feeding for the simple reason that there is no difference between dry and wet food of the same quality, except for the water content. Both of them can be complete, that is, they contain all the necessary nutrients in the correct ratio; animals eat and absorb them well.

However, in the modern market there is such a wide variation in the quality of ready-made animal diets that you need to have a very good understanding of their composition in order to be sure that both types of products are equally complete.

A particularly difficult task awaits you if you want to combine Acana and Orijen dry foods with canned diets, because these are unique products on the Russian market, created according to the principle of biological compliance. They contain at least 75% meat in cat diets, and 50%–75% (depending on the line) in dog food.

Accordingly, if you continue to feed the animal in strict accordance with its needs as a carnivore, you must select canned food with an equally high meat content. They should not contain grains or other sources of carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, vegetable protein, synthetic additives and non-natural preservatives.

In addition, the composition of canned food should be as transparent as possible so that you can be convinced of the high quality of the raw materials used. No vague ingredients like “meat and meat products”, “poultry”, “fish”, “hydrolyzed animal protein” and so on, just the exact type of meat, for example “chicken”, “beef”, “salmon” etc., a small amount of fiber and a vitamin-mineral premix - this is the recipe for good wet food.

Fortunately, canning technology allows you to make a product consisting only of meat, so your search may well be crowned with success, but be prepared for the fact that the choice will be limited.

How to organize mixed feeding correctly?

Once you have decided on the brand of wet food, you should understand in what volume to feed dry and canned food. Measuring them by eye is a bad idea, but deciding on the exact quantity is quite a difficult task. The fact is that when the humidity of canned food is 80% by volume, much more of it will be needed than dry food. The daily intake should be looked at on the packaging and the exact portion measured in grams from the proportions you have established.

For example, the combination could be 50% to 50%, determine how many grams that is based on the recommended amount on the label. For example, for your cat the daily intake of dry food is 60 g, and then 50% is 30 g, the daily intake of wet food is 300 g, and accordingly half of it is 150 g.

The dose of both foods should be weighed on a kitchen scale and given strictly according to the norm, and not by eye. Failure to comply with the norm can result in both excess weight gain and exhaustion in your pet.

Together or separately?

This is the main dilemma that faces owners who decide to feed their pets dry and wet food. Let us say right away that the scientific community has not developed a single recommendation on this matter. Some believe that mixing in one bowl is possible, others insist that time should pass between the intake of dry and wet food. There have been no studies on this matter, so it has not yet been possible to put an end to this issue.

We would still recommend that you feed these types of foods at different feeding times for several reasons. Firstly, it is easier to determine how much you are giving of each, and how much your pet ultimately eats at each meal. Secondly, with separate feeding, you will be able to determine which of the feeds gave an undesirable reaction, if this suddenly happens.

Finally, thirdly, and this is especially true for cats, mixed dry and wet food quickly deteriorates, loses its taste, and since these animals eat little and often, this will lead to the fact that they simply refuse to eat, and everything will have to be thrown away .

Individual reactions cannot be discounted, so we recommend that you first try one method and carefully monitor your pet’s well-being, and if problems arise, change the diet. We would also like to note that Acana and Orijen dry foods are created in full accordance with the needs of cats and dogs, and we are fully responsible for their quality. With mixed feeding, you take on part of the responsibility for this.

Main mistakes when mixed feeding

If you follow our recommendations, then you can mix dry and wet food without harm to your pet, although, of course, constant monitoring of its health is not canceled. However, not all owners, unfortunately, are inclined to take a competent approach to this type of feeding for their animals, and therefore we will list the most common mistakes that they make.

It happens that dry food is still measured according to the norms, but wet food is given by eye - no matter how much you mind or, as they say, on demand. This is completely wrong, because it is impossible to accurately determine the amount eaten per day, which threatens overeating. The second common mistake is selecting wet food not according to the quality of the ingredients and without converting to dry matter, but according to the pet’s taste preferences or one’s own impulse. Roughly speaking, I went into the store, saw a beautiful bag / liked it / heard the seller’s recommendation / found out about a good price - bought it. With this approach, there can be no talk of any balanced diet. Constantly changing brands of wet food without regard to the quality of the products. If you have chosen a complete wet food from one brand that is suitable for your animal, then there is no need to change it to another for reasons of variety. Cats and dogs can eat the same diet every day as long as it meets their needs. When changing food, you will never be able to say with certainty what substances and in what quantities entered the animal’s body. If you decide to feed your pet mixed food, stick to one brand of high-quality wet food and do not change it in the future. On a note

When introducing wet food into an animal’s diet, you need to remember that even high-quality, but unusual food can cause digestive upset. Therefore, you need to switch to mixed feeding gradually, adding wet food while simultaneously reducing the portion of dry food over several days, or vice versa, if your pet previously ate only canned food.

Owners of picky animals should not get carried away with wet food. More often this applies to owners of cats, as well as dogs of decorative and dwarf breeds. If you offer your pet dry and wet food at the same time, your pet will almost certainly prefer canned food, since its texture and aroma are more attractive.

If the animal does not eat dry food well, daily consumption of wet food will lead to the fact that the pet may eventually give up pellets altogether. You will have to spend time and effort on re-training him to dry food. True, this rarely happens with Acana and Orijen food; the high meat content is attractive to any pet, and both cats and dogs readily eat our diets.

Nutritional standards by weight, table

Overfeeding and not enough food are equally harmful to cats. Feed dosages are indicated on the packaging; they differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. If the owner combines “drying” with wet food, you need to ensure that spiders account for no more than 25% of the total diet. They are quickly digested, cats love them and eat much more than they need. This can quickly lead to obesity and related problems.

We present the average normative data in the table:

These standards are average. Various factors influence the amount of feed consumed. The main ones:

• age of the cat;
• pet's activity level;
• breed;
• health status;
• gender

Most manufacturers produce lines of food for different individuals (for example, for active or couch potatoes, for kittens, adults or elderly, for sterilized individuals, and others). Even for hairless breeds there are specialized foods. So if you have a Sphynx, Elf, Bambino, Dwelf, Minskin or Ukrainian Levkoy, there will be no problems. In addition to following the instructions on the package, it is advisable to consult with a veterinarian, who will give the necessary recommendations on the rate of food consumption and the type of feeding of a particular individual.

The class of food has a great influence on the amount of food required. The higher it is, the fewer granules are required to saturate the cat. Accordingly, the consumption of economy class feed with low nutritional value will be much higher than that of super-premium or holistic products.

Dry food for kittens

...and how to do it

Cats are naturally endowed with self-esteem and tact. Therefore, if you accustom her to the correct feeding regimen, then your pet will not have to fight for “survival.” Satisfied and well-fed, she will never beg for food or, even worse, “steal” food or “inspect” trash cans. To ensure normal, nutritious nutrition for your handsome tailed cat, consider three rules.

1. Daily norm. The weight of the required feed depends on the body weight of the animal. For 1 kg of live weight take 30-60 g of food. If the daily norm is calculated taking into account the energy value, then the following ratio is used: per 1 kg - 60-70 kcal. The dosage of the food is written on the packaging. Therefore, do not forget to compare the results obtained with the recommended norm.
2. Water mode. Your pet should always have access to clean water. Don't forget to change it periodically. And be sure to watch the amount you drink. Low water consumption is a strong signal to visit the veterinarian.
3. End of the meal. After serving a bowl of food, wait 15-20 minutes. This time is enough for the cat to be completely satisfied. Remove the bowl even if the animal has not eaten everything. Further eating, regarded as “lazy”, is no longer satisfying hunger, but overeating, leading to obesity.

How to translate correctly, at what age is it better

You can replace your cat's natural diet with dry food at any age. Moreover, doing this is much easier than the other way around (transferring your pet from “drying” to homemade food).

A complete change of feed with the right approach takes from 7 to 14 days.

Small kittens get used to innovations much faster, but they should be offered hard granules no earlier than three months, after the formation of baby teeth is complete. And especially not for kittens aged one month, they have a special diet.

From the fourth week, babies can be supplemented with special holistic products (such as Orijen, Felidae) in combination with cat milk substitutes. This diet stabilizes the intestinal microflora.

Kittens older than three months can be gradually introduced to the new food. To make the process painless, it is better to give him his usual food in the morning and the chosen “drying” in the evening. Be sure to leave a bowl of clean water. After a few days, most kittens begin to prefer dry food.

When it is necessary to change the diet of an adult cat, you need to act more carefully. Cats are conservative and have difficulty accepting anything new. First, you should make sure that the pet is completely healthy and has no problems with stool or urination.

If the digestive and excretory systems of the pet are functioning normally, you can begin to introduce “drying”. First, you need to introduce several soaked granules into your usual food, each time increasing the percentage of the new food in relation to the previous one. It is necessary to soak the granules until they completely switch to a dry product in order to facilitate the digestion of components that differ in structure.

Some owners practice the method of fasting until the cat begins to eat new food. This method can only be used if the pet is young and completely healthy. In addition, prolonged absence of food negatively affects the cat's condition. Hunger for more than two days can provoke irreversible changes in the liver of a pet. It is better to carry out the replacement without stress for the pet’s body. A hunger strike is justified only when switching from economy-class products to higher quality ones.

“Drying” should not be administered to sick, older individuals, pregnant or lactating females, or cats with kidney or genitourinary diseases.

During the food change and a couple of weeks after the complete transfer, the cat must be closely monitored. If he develops a rash, itching, or digestive disorders, he should return to his previous diet and try a different brand of food after about a month. Some cats naturally drink very little water. Feeding dry granules is contraindicated for such individuals.

Refused to eat

Is it possible to feed a cat only dry food?

On a high-quality option, selected taking into account gender, breed, age, lifestyle, and special needs, a cat can live a long life. The animal should have the opportunity to eat often, but little by little. This method is physiological for the animal. They can feed themselves up to 15-20 times per day.

Smell will be the cat's priority when choosing food; taste comes second. Animals' sense of smell is more developed than the sensitivity of their receptors.

Cats have well-developed associative memory. It is impossible to combine the introduction of a new food with a stressful moment. When moving, when a child or a new pet appears in the house, or during illness, food is left unchanged.

Dry food provides the necessary stress for predators on the jaw muscles and gums, removes plaque, and helps prevent diseases (allergies, urolithiasis). Only in some periods of life will drying have to be replaced with a wet option. For example, older animals and kittens find it difficult to chew pellets.

What to do if you stop eating

If your pet suddenly refuses to eat its usual food, you must first find out the reason for this behavior. First of all, you need to check whether the product has deteriorated.

This may occur due to violation of storage rules or expiration date. In this case, you should immediately throw away the food and buy a new bag.

Perhaps the granules stopped attracting the cat because they lay in the bowl for too long and “fizzled out.” Cats have few taste buds on their tongues; the main thing for them is the smell; if some of it is lost, the fuzzy fussy cat will lose interest in the dish. To correct the situation, just add a little fresh food and your appetite will be restored.

Another reason for refusing to eat may be the pet receiving excess treats or snacks during the day. Seals sometimes become capricious when fed a mixed type of feeding, thus begging for pouches or pates. To return to the established diet, you should temporarily exclude all “goodies” and offer only “drying” (twice a day) and water.

Cats eat less after suffering stress (for example, moving), in extreme heat. Females lose their appetite during estrus, males - during the period of sexual heat. These disorders go away on their own over time. To prevent eating disorders, your pet needs to be calmed, cuddled, and given access to fresh water. It is advisable to castrate individuals not participating in breeding. This will help avoid many pet health problems and most behavioral disorders. You also need to keep your cat's dishes clean; squeamish cats won't eat from a dirty bowl.

The situations listed above are not a cause for concern. But, a decrease (or loss) of interest in food is accompanied by most serious diseases of domestic animals. You need to be especially careful when food refusal is accompanied by:

• increased temperature;
• vomiting;
• lethargy;
• desire to hide;
• diarrhea;
• discharge from the nose or eyes;
• constipation;
• skin rashes;
• deterioration in wool quality.

If your cat exhibits at least one of the listed symptoms, you need to visit a veterinary clinic as soon as possible. In most cases, the success of treatment depends on how quickly it is started.

These are not crackers, this is a complete food

Misconceptions

There are many myths about dry food among ordinary people. Most of them are not true. Let's take a closer look at the most popular judgments:

1. There is an opinion that cats develop urolithiasis from drying out. In fact, pathology occurs against the background of excess carbohydrates in the diet and insufficient fluid intake. This is associated with the consumption of food only if the pet drinks little water.
2. Some believe that commercial diets for cats have the same nutritional value as crackers for humans. In fact, the technology for their manufacture is completely different. Natural products needed by predators are crushed, dehydrated, and mixed. After this, the food is enriched with vitamins and minerals.
3. “Drying” contains ash, which, according to some owners, causes urinary tract diseases. Research suggests that this element does not affect urination in any way. The problem can be caused by grain components of cheap feeds, which increase the alkaline reaction of urine.
4. Unfortunately, nutritional granules do not help clean teeth because they do not contain abrasives.
5. The statement that high-protein diets are harmful for cats is based on the inability to distinguish between plant and animal proteins. An excess of the former really has a bad effect on the health of small predators. While animal proteins are most consistent with the nutrition of cats in their natural environment, and therefore are necessary for them.

When choosing food, it is worth considering that manufacturers of economy class products actively advertise their products on television. Companies that produce premium food often participate in cat exhibitions and place branded booklets in veterinary clinics. While high-quality super-premium and holistic products are practically not promoted to the market. It is important to remember that advertising is not a recommendation for use. Before purchasing food, you should carefully read its composition.

When do you need to change the type or diet of feeding?

When the food suits your pet and does not cause allergies, there is no need to change it. It happens that a cat refuses to eat for a day or two, this is normal if there are no signs of illness: vomiting, fever, diarrhea. This is how the animal cleans itself.

During this period, you can offer him a different diet option; perhaps pate or pieces in jelly instead of the usual dry food will stimulate his appetite. You can change the type of food during the rehabilitation period after an illness, when a cat is feeding kittens, injuries, diseases that prevent you from chewing hard lumps.

Pets that constantly consume soft food may suffer from tartar, periodontal disease, insufficient load on the chewing muscles; predators are supposed to chew and tear. It is still advisable to alternate between foods of different consistency. The food should be changed in case of hair loss, redness of the ears and other manifestations of intolerance or allergies.

Is it worth it at all?

The debate about what to feed a cat, dry food or natural food, has been going on for decades. When choosing the option that suits you, you need to consider:

• cat's food preferences;
• pet's health status;
• the degree of employment of the owners.

If your cat categorically refuses to eat crackers, but loves home-cooked food, you should meet her halfway.

There are few such individuals. Most cats are happy to switch to drying. This feeding option is primarily convenient for owners who are busy at work. The finished product does not require time to prepare and does not spoil for a long time.

“Drying” is ideal for novice owners, since it does not require skills in preparing a complete cat diet. It contains all the vitamins and microelements the pet needs (with the exception of economy class food). The cat is not picky about eating vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

Eating “crackers” cats lose interest in natural food. They most likely will not pick up pieces on the street or eat mice or birds. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of poisoning.

Benefit or harm?

It will come as no surprise to anyone that food can be harmful. Meanwhile, the more various additives it contains and the weaker the composition is disclosed, the more problems it causes for the cat. Despite the fact that this is a ticking time bomb. The harm may appear several months or years later, when the cat can no longer be saved.

Veterinarians note that the statistics of cat diseases, since the production of food became more a matter of profit rather than caring for pets, has been steadily growing.

Harm for cats is primarily caused by synthetic components of food:

• dyes;
• flavorings;
• preservatives;
• flavor enhancers.

Economy class and partly premium are completely guilty of them.

The opaque composition, the use of cheap raw materials and surrogates, spices, salt and sugar, which are added by careless businessmen, poison the cat from the inside. The situation is no better when the manufacturer tries to minimize additives, but instead creates a diet of animal waste, carbohydrates, starch, which are not able to compensate for energy costs and become building material for the body.

True, not everything is so bad. Among dry food there are excellent options for cats. Feeding a professionally balanced diet will be the key to health and excellent well-being for many years.

The benefits of such foods are obvious, because they contain:

• necessary nutrients, in the correct “cat” proportion;
• vitamins;
• probiotics;
• amino acids essential for cats;
• complex of minerals and many other benefits.

Is drying only allowed?

High-quality dry food is developed in such a way that it is a source of all the substances a cat needs. Therefore, it is even good to feed your pet exclusively with this product, provided that the food is of high quality.

You should not give only “drying” to cats that drink little water. This can lead to diseases of the urinary system!

To ensure that the product you are purchasing is complete, you need to carefully examine the packaging. Such feeds are marked “complete feed”. If it exists, adding anything to the cat’s food is even harmful. The introduction of other types of food can upset the balance of components in the pet’s body, provoke disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and exacerbation of chronic pathologies.

Dog food

Is it possible for dogs

Dog food is absolutely not suitable for cats. The physiology of these animals varies greatly; nutrition is selected in accordance with the needs of each species. Dog food contains an insufficient amount of proteins and fatty acids for cats, the amino acid taurine (the dog’s body synthesizes it independently), and eggs. But there are grains that are harmful to cats.

Proper feeding of a dog is significantly different from feeding a cat!

The consequences of eating dog food in cats are:

• joint diseases;
• urolithiasis disease;
• blurred vision;
• cystitis;
• digestive disorders.

If animals of different species live in the same house, cat feeders should be placed on elevated areas where “neighbors” cannot reach. Cats will have to be monitored to ensure they do not eat from dog bowls.

What does a cat eat

A cat is an animal that receives all the nutrients in nature from one food source. Depending on their habitat, wild cats mainly catch small rodents, birds and sometimes have the opportunity to catch fish. They do not decorate their lunch with a scattering of steamed vegetables and do not fill the meat with a tasty side dish. Nature has provided another chain: potential prey consumes cereals, fruits and vegetables, and then the cat receives a ready-made stuffed dish.

Domestic cats are not much different from wild cats in terms of nutrition. But selection and the emphasis on breeding beautiful individuals have made them vulnerable and capricious in matters of food. A rare cat can be persuaded to eat a balanced porridge of meat, cereals and vegetables, strictly observing the boundaries of the norm. As a rule, taste preferences take over and some of what is offered is eaten, which makes such food not particularly healthy.

Is it possible different

You cannot mix food from different manufacturers. They may have a different balance of nutritional components, which can cause digestive disorders. It is permissible to combine products of different brands only when transferring a cat from one type of “drying” to another.

Wet food and dry food from the same manufacturer are quite compatible. Veterinarians advise this way to diversify the diet of cats with poor appetite, when the pet is in a weakened condition (after illness, surgery, etc.), or with dental problems. You can combine feed in several ways:

• give wet pieces in the morning, after 4 hours put a bowl with granules, at night - only water and special grass; • one day - wet food 4 times, the next - dry food 2 times. This option is especially good for cats with dental problems. If the cat cannot chew hard granules, they can be soaked in water to a pasty consistency and fed through a syringe without a needle in small portions every 3 hours.

Mixing dry and wet food in one meal is prohibited!

It is not recommended to feed a cat only spiders, since they are digested very quickly, the pet experiences hunger and begins to overeat. In addition, wet, soft pieces get stuck between the teeth, rot, and provoke inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.

You can’t combine “drying” with natural products either. The processes of digestion of these two types of food are very different: both in the time of absorption and in the composition of the necessary enzymes. With constant feeding in this way, a cat may develop gastrointestinal diseases, but sometimes it is permissible to treat a pet “on drying” to beef or turkey. Some breeders develop proprietary mixed diets. It is better not for a person without sufficient experience and knowledge to conduct such experiments on cats.

Is it necessary?

We don't know why you decided to mix dry and wet food because, except for special physiological conditions where wet food is recommended, there is no reason to stick to this type of feeding. On the contrary, it causes some difficulties and risks associated with an insufficiently balanced diet, receiving excess or insufficient amounts of nutrients.

At the same time, feeding one dry food, provided the selected diet is of high quality, allows you to reduce them to a minimum. In any case, we respect your choice and hope that with our advice we have helped you establish mixed feeding without harm to your pet.

The need for vitamins

Any vitamin and mineral complexes can be given to cats only as prescribed by a doctor. An excess of active substances is no less harmful than their lack.

When feeding your pet a complete diet, supplements are usually not required as it contains everything needed. Owners do not even have to separately provide a special paste for removing lint; it is present in types of food for long-haired breeds (the packaging should be marked “hairball”).

Absolutely forbidden

General deterioration of the cat's condition

If your pet has diarrhea, flatulence, or nausea, then you should take a closer look at its diet. First, check the expiration dates on food packages. If everything is in order, then you should change the food.

It happens that the animal does not have enough strength to play, the fur has become more faded and falls out. This is the first sign of vitamin deficiency. In this case, you should contact your veterinarian. He will conduct examinations and do blood tests. This way, the pet’s missing substances in the body will be identified and the correct treatment and special nutrition will be prescribed.

It is very important to distinguish a serious illness from malnutrition. At the first signs of illness in your pet, go to the vet immediately; do not delay the trip, this can save his life.

Can I eat from my own table?

Food from the human table is absolutely not suitable for a cat, regardless of the type of feeding chosen. Not only is it not beneficial, but it can also be poisonous to your pet.

Particularly dangerous for predators:

• fried, fatty foods;
• chocolate;
• spices;
• pickles;
• cakes and pastries with butter cream;
• marinades;
• sauces;
• mushrooms;
• nuts.

Even a small amount of such food can provoke irreversible changes in the cat’s liver, kidneys, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. Combining junk food with dry food will create even more stress on your pet's digestive tract.

What not to do

Inexperienced owners of furry predators, even when purchasing the highest quality “drying” for their pets, make serious mistakes that negatively affect the cat’s health.

When feeding a cat with dry food, the following is prohibited:

• replace water with milk. The body of an adult animal does not digest lactose;
• overfeed;
• add “crackers” to natural food (or pouches to granules) to improve appetite;
• offer expired products;
• strive to diversify your diet. Cats are conservative animals. They do not need a variety of dishes, and constant changes cause them digestive disorders;
• give kitten food to adults and vice versa.

You can't suddenly change your diet. Even one-time, deciding to please your pet with an expensive product after receiving a bonus. All changes should occur smoothly, gradually, as comfortably as possible for the cat.

You must follow a diet

Is it possible to soak dry food?

Soaking food helps to feed an animal accustomed to wet spiders, preferring a certain type of “crackers”, but not having the opportunity to eat them in their original form (trauma to the gums, jaw, loss of teeth, etc.). Warm water is added to the granules; in 15-20 minutes the food will soften, absorbing moisture.

It will not reach the state of puree; to force-feed the cat with a syringe, you will have to grind it with a blender. Fresh food with the addition of water does not lose its nutritional qualities, animals like it, and it is not worth storing it in the refrigerator for more than 12 hours. Such food is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Be sure to read:
Can cats have sweets: when is it necessary, in what form is it allowed, benefits and harms, why not

What are the consequences of violations?

Proper nutrition is the basis for the health and longevity of a domestic cat. Eating disorders can cause serious illnesses.

Among them:

• diabetes;
• allergy;
• gastritis;
• pathologies of the liver, kidneys, pancreas;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• stomach ulcer;
• urolithiasis disease;
• tartar, caries.

With an incorrect diet or constant consumption of economy class food, cats develop vitamin deficiency. Lack of vitamins is especially dangerous:

1. E (tocopherol) – leads to deterioration of hair, pathological changes in muscles, infertility;
2. C – weakens the immune system, provokes dental problems;
3. D – leads to developmental delay, musculoskeletal disorders, rickets;
4. A – is fraught with deterioration of vision, disturbances in the functioning of the reproductive and respiratory systems;
5. B – causes weakness, alopecia, loss of functionality of the musculoskeletal system.

Most diseases in cats are accompanied by a deterioration in appetite, so there is no need to immediately change food. First, you should consult a veterinarian and begin treatment in a timely manner.

The desire to improve low-quality food at the expense of more expensive food

A popular motive that encourages owners to mix two or more types of ready-made food. In order to save money, cheap food, usually based on cereals, is supplemented with more expensive food with a high meat content. It is assumed that the disadvantages of the first will be compensated by the advantages of the second. Unfortunately, in practice this scheme hardly works.

Firstly, each complete food has its own balanced formula, with a unique composition and ratio of components. Two ingredients that are individually beneficial and recommended for cats may be less digestible in the presence of each other. The consequences are unpredictable - from mild gastrointestinal disorders to serious deficiencies and malfunctions of the body.

Secondly, a diet high in grains itself provokes various diseases in cats: diabetes, urolithiasis (KD), individual food intolerance and other problems.

Finally, there is little point in such a practice. An animal needs more food with a high content of grains to get enough food than a diet based on meat components. We wrote more about this in the article: “How much food does a cat need per month?”

Thus, savings are often illusory. Moreover, when mixed, the beneficial components of expensive food may be less absorbed due to the fact that the “empty” food passes through the gastrointestinal tract at an accelerated rate. As a result, the owner remains even in the red, since he spent in vain on a premium product. Not to mention the high veterinary bills that can come with improper feeding.

Expert advice

It is important not only what to feed the cat, but also how to do it. Breeders do not recommend free access to food. Dry food is suitable for this. It doesn’t spoil, you can pour a large bowl and go to work without worrying that the cat is hungry. However, cats have a poorly developed satiety system. Most pets immediately destroy their daily supply. The stomach stretches, the cat begins to overeat, which leads to obesity.

The daily nutritional intake must be calculated taking into account the treats provided.

It is better to use a system of limiting the amount of feed and feeding regimen. With this approach, the cat receives an amount of food that it eats immediately, strictly at a certain time. Even if she didn’t finish the portion, the leftovers should be removed and given at the next feeding. The digestive system will “get used” to the schedule and work better. To achieve the desired result, electronic or automatic feeders are suitable. They can be set to a specific time and number of pellets.

The main task of the owner is to provide the cat with enough water. If your pet doesn’t drink much, it’s good to experiment with the size of the containers, placing them in different rooms. Breeders note that most indoor predators prefer wide containers, when using which the whiskers do not touch the edges of the dishes and do not get wet. Some individuals prefer to drink from special fountains or from a tap. But you should not allow your pet to get water from the toilet. This habit is fraught with infection by pathogenic microorganisms or poisoning from detergent residues.

Ragdoll cat breed, description of colors and photos, as well as their character, standards and sizes

Cats need grass to maintain their intestinal microflora. Sprouted greens or their seeds can be purchased at a pet store.

When feeding your pet dry food, you need to carefully monitor the frequency of his urination. When the tray remains dry for 24 hours, the cat should be immediately given water from a syringe and consult a doctor.

How to choose food

To avoid making a mistake with your choice, you should follow a few simple recommendations:

1. Consider the characteristics of your pet.
   If you are the owner of an elderly, neutered cat, or, for example, a pregnant cat, you need to select the appropriate diet.
2. Study the composition.
   This is all clear - before purchasing, read the information about the manufacturer and the breakdown of components. The abundance of artificial additives and the lack of specificity in the list of ingredients (for example, “meat and offal” - it is not clear what exactly the manufacturer means) should alert you.
3. Read the reviews.
   It is worth noting that not all of them are true, but you can get a general impression. You can also talk to your veterinarian about this or that food.
4. Watch your pet.
   After switching to a new food, carefully monitor the cat's condition. If he has no allergies, digestive system disorders or strange behavior, everything is fine and the food is most likely suitable.

It is also worth familiarizing yourself with the brief classification of feed according to their quality:

1. Economy class.
   The most budget option for a cat menu. Instead of meat, manufacturers use offal, grains, and plant components that are poorly absorbed by the cat’s body. It is strictly not recommended for long-term nutrition.
2. Premium class.
   These are feeds of average quality, which contain a certain percentage of meat, as well as vitamins and minerals, but at the same time there are also artificial additives. They are relatively inexpensive and available in most stores.
3. Super premium class.
   Perhaps the most optimal option: the relatively high price is justified by high-quality raw materials and the absence of artificial components. They contain a large percentage of natural meat and all the necessary vitamin supplements.
4. Holistic.
   These are really expensive foods that are positioned as the best of the best.