What a Cat Eats

For those of you who wonder what a cat eats, the food for a feline can be of three types: prepared at home, wet food and dry food. No matter what type you choose, a difference must be made according to the next factors:

• Age. The animal can be adult, old or little.
• Physiological state (pregnancy or other states).
• Active or passive cat.
• Race.
• Pathological states (obesity, kidney problems, etc.).

1. Food prepared at home

The cat food made at home has some disadvantages:

- all the nutritive elements and the corresponding quantities can be hard to obtain.
- waste of time for the owner.
- rapid altering of the food.

The following ingredients can be used:

Meat (bird, cow, fish): it needs a little preparation before usage, for killing the parasites.

Liver (bird and cow): cats love this ingredient as it contains iron and vitamin A. In too big quantities, the liver can cause a surplus of vitamin A.

Kidney: represents a rich source of iron and vitamins. This organ must have a rich content of uric acid and for this reason it must be kept in cold water before preparation.

Chicken heart: it is a great source of proteins.

Lungs: they are not recommended for cats because of the low nutritive value.

Fish: it is a delicacy, which must not be offered in excess.

Milk: it is a rich source of calcium, phosphor, vitamins and minerals. Milk must not be given to cats that have diarrhea because of this ingredient.

Eggs: one raw yellow content from an egg a week can have extremely beneficial effects on a cat, as it is a rich source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. The rest of the egg must never be provided raw, because it can have a powerful anti-vitamin effect against the B category of vitamins.

Butter: it contains fats, it can feed the skin and the fur and it can stimulate digestion.

Yogurt and Cheese: provided in small quantities, it may be good not to exaggerate with cheese, because it can lead to constipation.

Whipped cream: this cream is a delicacy for cats

Fruits: melon, bananas and pears are just a few of the fruits that many cats love. Too many fruits can cause diarrhea.

2. Dry food (dehydrated)

Dry food is the result of research performed by many nutritionists who deals with animal food and represents the ideal ingredient for cats. The main advantage is the lack of alteration. Dry food must be served with an equal quantity of water. Water should be permanently available. Dehydrated food contains taurine, which is an amino acid that cannot be created by the body and that can prevent the occurrence of various diseases that could affect the eyes, the heart or the reproductive organs of high severity.

3. Wet food

Wet food is preferred by cats but it can become altered quickly. Extremely important in the diet of cats (especially old ones) is the presence in food of vitamins C and E, which can have an anti-oxidant role. It is known that aggressive oxidation can lead to premature aging.
A vet is the only one who can decide what a cat eats. Following the advice of an expert can help you establish the diet of your cat.