Cat Nutrition

If you have a cuddly cat at your home, then you need to take an extra care of its heath and nutrition. The health of a cat depends upon what you feed it. Your cat will be healthy, if it eats healthy. Hence, you should never be careless about the cat nutrition.

Generally, cats are carnivorous and hence, the cat’s diet must contain the animal tissue for its long-term well-being. They are hunters and if left on their own, they survive on small animals such as rats. A cat gets proteins from the muscles of its prey, and vitamins and minerals from the viscera and bones of the prey. For adequate cat nutrition, you must provide proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water through its diet. These nutrients are essential for the healthy growth, reproduction and adult stages of the cat’s life cycle. Cats need two essential amino acids such as arginine and taurine. Arginine deficiency develops toxicosis in cats, while taurine deficiency leads to heart disease, reproductive system problems and blindness in cats.

Essential Nutritional Supplements for Cats

There are certain nutritional supplements that are crucial for good health of cats. Vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C and Niacin, amino acids such as taurine and arginine, dietary proteins and arachidonic acid are essential to ensure a good health. Usually, cats need a protein and fat-rich, carbohydrate-poor diet. Cats require a large amount of proteins as a source of energy, and for optimal growth and repairing the muscle tissues. A healthy adult cat’s diet should contain about 30-45% of proteins on a dry-matter basis. However, kittens need more protein-rich diet. A need for proteins is reduced in adult cats. The adult cat’s diet should consist of about 10-30% of fats. Water is the most important nutrient needed for normal functioning of all living cells. It helps regulate the body temperature, digest food, cushion the joints and internal organs, lubricate tissue, eliminate waste as well as allows salt and other electrolytes to transfer throughout the body.

Types of Cat Foods

There are three basic types of cat foods such as dry diets, soft-moist diets and canned products. These foods are formulated to provide a balanced and complete nutrition to your cat. Dry diets contain crunchy kibbles, which help decrease an accumulation of tarter and plaque on the cat’s teeth. Another advantage of dry food is that it stays fresh for a longer time. Soft-moist diets offer more palatability to the cat. They are easy to store and serve. The canned diet offers the highest palatability to cats and hence, it can be a good choice for your cat. A home-cooked diet is also a good option for your cat. While making the cat food at your own, keep in mind, it should contain all the essential nutrients.

Special Dietary Needs of Diseased Cats

If your cat is suffering from any kind of disease, then you need to make some dietary changes. Cats suffering from colitis, diabetes mellitus, anal gland diseases or constipation can get the benefits from high-fiber diets. Cats with colitis and inflammatory bowel disease can benefit from the diets containing highly digestible sources of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. There are special diets that contain reduced amounts of sodium and increased quantity of amino acid, taurine. Cats with chronic kidney failure should be given the foods containing highly digestible proteins. Cats suffering from dental and oral diseases experience pain while eating the hard food. Hence, they should be fed with the canned food. Cats having cancer need some special diets, which are rich in beta-carotene and omega-3 fatty acids.

Proper nutrition is a key factor to maintain your cat’s health. It is a unique way to ensure your cat’s healthy growth and reproduction.