You’ve probably heard doctors say countless times that we are what we eat. Well, this is also true when it comes to our feline friends, and even more so when it comes to choosing the healthiest cat food. Just like humans, the quality of food you give to your cat will go a long way in determining their overall health.
You should, therefore, make sure to feed your feline friend the healthiest food possible so that they remain healthy and happy. In fact, feeding your cat with a healthy diet can also help eliminate the need to buy costly medications for your feline friend.
So what food is the healthiest for your cat? What should you be on the lookout when choosing cat food? Read on to learn more about choosing the healthiest cat food.
What are the Dietary Requirements for Your Cat?
When it comes to choosing the healthiest cat food, a balanced diet is essential for your cat’s growth. In fact, compared to other domesticated animals, cats have unique nutritional needs.
While cats are carnivores, you can feed your feline friend small amounts of vegetables and carbohydrates. Even so, the health and wellbeing of your cat depend on specific nutrients, including:
Protein is Critical When Choosing the Healthiest Cat Food
Protein is arguably the most critical ingredient in your cat’s diet. As a rule of thumb, make sure to buy cat food with more than 25 percent protein. Also, check the name of the protein ingredient available in the cat food.
Cat-Man-Doo Salmon Cubes for cats is an excellent protein source for your feline friend. Cat-Man-Doo Cubes for cats is a natural way to reward your cat. Aside from being obtained from a single protein source, it’s also an excellent alternative for cats that crave fish.
Cat food derived from chicken, fish, salmon, lamb, turkey, etc., are all protein sources for your feline friend. However, whichever diet you choose for your cat, ensure that the food is free from fillers.
Fats
Another essential ingredient to look out for when choosing the healthiest cat food is fat. Ideally, you should ensure that at least 20 percent of your cat’s food contains fat. This should not, however, exceed 24 percent. Both protein and fat are among the most critical components in cat food.
Cats are likely to be attracted to foods with a high concentration of both protein and fat. Among other things, this could be the reason why your cats are attracted to a mouse.
While every cat parent would want to prevent their feline friend from gaining more weight, you should not make the mistake of choosing cat food with low fat. On the contrary, if you feed your cat with a diet low in nutrients, it is likely to overeat in an attempt to meet its fat requirements. This may, in turn, lead to obesity.
When choosing the healthiest cat food, be sure to check the nutritional content to determine the amount of fat in the food.
Carbohydrates
Another thing to consider when choosing the healthiest cat food is the amount and type of carbohydrates in the food. Since cats are carnivores, they can experience challenges when digesting carbohydrates. In fact, some cats will have allergies when they take food with carbohydrate content. Even so, this doesn’t mean that you should avoid carbs altogether.
Instead of feeding your cat grains that could lead to allergies and other health complications, consider feeding your cat with other carbohydrate sources such as green peas or potatoes.
What to Avoid When Choosing the Healthiest Cat Food
Before you buy any food for your cat, always read the label to determine what is and what is not included in the cat food. To that end, you should avoid cat food if it has:
High Carb Content
While cat saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that helps in the digestion of carbohydrates, vets don’t recommend cat food with a lot of carbs.
As such, when buying food for your cat, avoid grain ingredients such as corn, wheat, rice, soy, etc.
Grains
You should also avoid feeding your cat with grains if he is allergic.
Low Protein Content
As stated earlier, cats are meat-eaters. As such, they need to feed on animal protein to get all the proteins and nutrients they need to live optimally. You should, therefore, avoid buying cat food with less protein content.
Inadequate Moisture Content
When choosing the healthiest cat food, it would help if you also looked for moisture content when sopping food for your canine friend. When buying canned food, check the moisture content under “Guaranteed Analysis” This way, you can know the amount of water contained in a given food.
Ideally, you should choose a cat food with high moisture content. This is important because cats aren’t fond of taking water to hydrate themselves. You should make sure that the food you choose has at least 80 percent moisture content.
Final Thoughts on Choosing the Healthiest Cat Food
For most cat-owners, their furry felines are much more than a pet; they are family. Ensure your cat lives a healthy and happy life by providing love, exercise, and a nutritious diet. Using the above tips will go a long way towards helping when you’re choosing the healthiest cat food.