What is cat food?

These days the most percentage of people in the world live with pet. One of the interesting pets is cat and it’s necessary to know about them well. Because of this issue, most articles focus on pet’s food, pet’s hobbies and how to keep them healthy more.

Cat food is really important to consider because except of pet’s health, it effects on your life directly, so we want to introduce what is cat food, what food does cat like and what feature does it have? also you can find the best cat food, cat litter, cat accessories and other requirement of pet with high quality and great price in bastetandanubis.

What is cat food:

Cat food is food specifically formulated and designed for consumption by cats. As obligate carnivores, cats have specific requirements for their dietary nutrients, namely nutrients found only in meat or synthesized, such as taurine and Vitamin A.

Certain nutrients, including many vitamins and amino acids, are degraded by the temperatures, pressures and chemical treatments used during manufacture, and hence must be added after manufacture to avoid nutritional deficiency. Cat food is typically sold as dry kibble, or as wet food in cans and pouches. Maybe, it’s interesting for you to know about the history of cat food and how did it make, we will explain its history in rest of this article.

History of cat food:

During the 19th century and early 20th centuries, meat for cats and dogs in London, frequently horse meat, was sold from barrows (hand–carts) by traders known as Cat’s Meat Men or Women. Henry Mayhew estimated in London Labour and the London Poor (1851) that the total number of cats in London might be 300,000. Each cat’s meat seller had a particular route and served a few hundred households, their approach marked by mewing cats.

The idea of preparing specialized food for cats came later than dog food and dog biscuits. This was likely due to the idea that cats could readily fend for themselves. In 1837, a French writer Mauny de Mornay critiqued this idea.

It thought wrongly that the cat, ill-fed, hunts better and takes more mice, this too is a grave error. The cat who is not given food is feeble and sickly, as soon as he has bitten into a mouse, he lies down to rest and sleep. While well fed, he is wide awake and satisfies his natural taste in chasing all that belongs to the rat family.

Read more: Types of cat litter

What is the best cat food:

The best cat food needs to have these features:

• Complete: provides adequate amounts of all the required nutrients
• Balanced: the nutrients are present in the correct proportions
• Digestible:  your cat is able to digest the food and absorb the nutrients
• Palatable: appealing enough to be eaten
• Safe: free of toxins or anything which could harm a pet

Should I feed my cat dry food or wet food:

Whether to feed wet or dry food will be entirely down to your cat’s own preference. Cats are very particular about what they like and what they don’t. Wet and dry cat food have very different textures and smells, so if you’re unsure which they prefer offer them both and see which they are eating and which they are leaving.

If your cat prefers dry food, remember that a surprisingly small amount will provide them with a square meal. In order not to overfeed, you’ll likely need to weigh this out to make sure they’re getting the right amount. As it contains less water, you may notice them drinking a little more than if they were on wet food. Remember to provide fresh water every day.

Is there difference between food of kitten and adult cat:

Once fully weaned, kittens have different needs to adult cats. They’re still growing so need a different balance of nutrients to keep them healthy.

When you look for kitten food, make sure to pick a food specifically for their age. Generally, most kitten food will be suitable for your kitten up to 12 months old, but always double check the age on the packet.

Cat diet:

Cats need meat. you shouldn’t feed them a vegetarian diet. They also need a good balance of fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids, which are building blocks for protein. Cats’ dietary needs change with age and health.

• Kitten diet: Kittens need their mother’s milk from birth until they are 6-8 weeks old. Once weaning starts, they need high amounts of protein. As kittens grow, the amount of protein they need will steadily drop. Kittens also need calcium as well as fats for energy and fat-soluble vitamins. You can start weaning kittens onto wet food at 3-4 weeks. You can start to introduce dry food at 6 weeks, but the main food should be wet food that is high in protein.
• Adult cat diet: Adult cats need a balanced diet for healthy tissues and body systems. A diet of 50-60% protein and 30-50% fat is usually a good balance. If your cat isn’t very active, your vet might suggest different amounts. One of the most important parts of a cat diet is access to plenty of fresh, clean water. Most cats don’t just eat one meal a day. Plenty of cats can be “free-fed” or have multiple meals. The most important things are the amounts of calories consumed, not the number of times they eat. It is important for senior cats 7 and older to maintain a balanced diet. Sometimes cats have health conditions like diabetes or hyperthyroidism, which involves the overproduction of thyroid hormones, that can cause undereating or overeating. This condition can be treated so that your cat will return to eating normally.
• Senior cat diet: There are no specific nutrition guidelines for senior cats. A senior diet usually starts around age 7, but it’s best to talk to your vet and set up a diet that suits your cat’s health.

Read more: Introducing some popular cat breeds

What factors are important in cat food:

There are lots of types of cat food. The most important factor in choosing the best food is reading the labels and making sure the type of food is balanced with the right amount of nutrients. The Association of Feed Control Officials sets standards for the nutrient profiles of pet foods that pets need at particular life stages.

Types of cat food:

-Dry food: dry food is made of a mixture of meat and meat byproducts, grain, vitamins, minerals, poultry, poultry byproducts and fish meal. This mixture is dried into small bite sizes and is often coated in fat, which helps with taste. Sometimes, though, cats don’t like dry food and don’t digest it very well.

-Semi-moist food: Semi-moist food is made mostly of meat and meat byproducts with some fillers and preservatives added. This type of food has more moisture and might be tastier for cats. Once the package is opened, though, the food can dry out, harden, and spoil.

-Canned food: Canned cat food contains a variety of meats, meat by-products, vegetables or grains. It has high moisture and is a good food source of water for your cat. It’s much tastier for your cat, but some brands may not have all the nutrition your cat needs. Canned cat food should be kept in the fridge once it’s opened.

-Homemade food: You may want to make your own cat food, but this is generally not recommended unless your vet tells you this is the best option. Homemade food often doesn’t have the right balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

-Treats: It’s OK to give your cat occasional treats. Raw meat and canned fish for humans are not recommended because cats can get sick from eating these foods. It’s also best not to feed your cat milk because cats can be lactose-intolerant.

What Do Cats Love to Eat? 

Cats love interesting flavors and textures. They’re naturally adventurous eaters, which can mean they may try to eat things they shouldn’t. Raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs are tempting to cats, but they pose a risk of foodborne illnesses or parasites and should be avoided.

Keep meat and fish with bones out of reach. The bones can cause serious injury to a cat’s mouth, throat or intestines.

What to do if your cat doesn’t eat:

Sometimes cats can be picky about where they eat and the type of food they enjoy, and they may not eat what you’re feeding them. This can be normal behavior and a few simple changes can help. These might include:

• Moving food dishes away from litter boxes or dirty food containers
• Moving food dishes out of busy areas
• Feeding your cat away from other animals