Your veterinarian wants to know 6 things about cat feeding
Your cat is like any other member of your family. You want to make sure you are making the best decisions for your health, including the food you buy. But with so many pet food brands and ingredients on store shelves, pet parents can easily get confused.
A nutritious diet for your cat is not as difficult to serve as it seems. Some advice from professionals can help you avoid some common mistakes.
1. There is no better type of protein.
Cats need animal protein, fat and other vitamins and minerals, and can get these nutrients from many different sources. The protein in commercial cat food can come from "byproducts" of chicken, poultry, veal, lamb, fish, liver or meat or chicken, also called "food".
For a healthy cat without food allergies, any of these ingredients (either wet or dry) are good choices, says Joseph Wakshlag, DVM, associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University.
Instead of worrying about specific ingredients, look for the nutritional guarantee of a food. Your label should say that tests by the Association of Food Control Officers of the United States (AAFCO) have shown that the product "provides a complete and balanced nutrition" or that it is "formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the Profiles. of Food Nutrients for AAFCO Cats ". "Foods (or treats) that do not have one of these statements should not be your cat's main meal.
2. The byproducts are not bad.
Some brands claim that their food is better because it has no animal by-products or by-product foods. These ingredients are crushed parts of animal carcasses, and may include necks, feet, intestines and bones.
"But I'm actually a big fan of using byproducts," says Wakshlag. "They have a lot more nutrients than beef, and in the chicken by-product, for example, you'll get things like vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, and copper, instead of just the protein in a chicken breast."
3. Even carnivores need carbohydrates.
Grains and other carbohydrates in cat food have a bad reputation.
"But the fact that cats are true carnivores does not mean that carbohydrates are bad for them," says Sherry Sanderson, DVM, veterinary nutritionist at the University of Georgia. She has seen a trend towards low carb diets for felines in the last 10 years, but cautions against them. Low carb usually means high fat content, he says, which can increase the odds that pets will be obese and have diabetes.
Another popular myth of pet food: grains are just "stuffed" ingredients without real nutrients. "Cereals provide many essential nutrients that both dogs and cats (and people) require," says Sanderson.
And if you're worried that your kitten is allergic to grains, you're not totally out of the base, some cats are, but most do not. In fact, it is more common for them to be allergic to animal proteins.
4. Different ages have different needs.
Kittens need docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a type of healthy fat that is important for the growth of the brain and eyes. "If a product says it contains omega-3 fatty acids, look more closely to find out what type it contains," says Sanderson. Plant-based omega-3s, such as those from flaxseed, are not good sources of DHA.
For adult cats, Sanderson recommends foods that have fish oil, which gives them DHA and also reduces inflammation, and probiotics, which feed healthy bacteria from the intestine. Cats also need different nutrients, like more fat, as they get older. When your cat turns 7, ask your veterinarian if you should change to a formula for seniors.
5. A higher price does not always mean better quality.
Instead of buying food based on the price, Sanderson likes to investigate the ethical and manufacturing practices of pet food companies. She likes brands that have their own production plants and that research their diets to support the claims they make.
"If a company is making a lot of money but puts everything in advertising and nothing in research, or they tell consumers things like it's bad to feed by-products or grains, in general, I do not recommend those diets." she says.
The FDA regulates all pet foods and requires brands to meet certain standards to be sold in the US. UU However, she says: "I would generally stay away from really cheap foods, because the ingredients p