Prepared Cat Food and Water I

While the advancement of technology and digitisation is upon us, the cat science behind cat feeding has also evolved to new heights. The sources of food have increased and we have seen a dramatic restructure in food line’s that support all stages of cat life. This is most encouraging for newcomers and serves as an added convenience when juggling what to feed our feline friends. Beyond this, even frozen foods have been endorsed as suitable ways to feed pets as this is as close as it gets when comes to fresh meats/fish.

As with anything, it’s important to know what we are putting in our bodies when ingesting food. The same principal applies to feeding cats. In most countries, it is required by law that the contents of the food be accurately displayed on the wrapper. This is a further step to help carers quantify what they are purchasing and giving their pets. It may even reveal some not so obvious nastiness hidden in there. Additives in particular are to be kept an eye out for and nutritional information should be scanned through.

There may be a stigma attached to luxury brands but in most cases, better quality foods will be more expensive. Most companies marketing their products have invested in scientific research to specifically target the life stages of cats. The engineered formula is by no means a secret formula to cat wellness but attention should be focused on the quality of the product regardless of the brand. Most formulas will be aimed at either the kitten, adult or senior old age cat.

Nowadays cat food comes in various prepared forms, most commonly canned, dry, and semi wet. The main differences between the three lie within water content. Dry food contains very little moisture and can be much easier to handle and store. The lack of moisture also leads to a longer shelf life and will be fine to leave out in bowls for a prolonged period. As with any dry diet, it’s important to keep fresh water out throughout the day and should include at least one change in the daily regime.

Semi wet food has around half the hydration and allow an ease of digestion sometimes for cats. This will also require less maintenance over water supplementation on a day-to-day schedule. Finally, canned wet food will contain around 80% moisture and give cats much needed hydration on a daily basis. It’s worth noting that the softer foods will remove some of the much needed exercise required to strengthen a jaw. Having discussed this in previous posts, a strong cat will be a healthy cat and attention should be taken to supplement this gap. The use of cat biscuits is a great way to fill this void and give some mobility in the area, especially within the growing and developing stage.

Regardless of whether one is feeding an exclusively dry or mixture, water should always be available to your cat for drinking.