Cat Healthy Diet
How much should a cat eat? Cats are carnivores in nature and eat only certain types of foods. Cats love to eat meat based foods that are rich in proteins. Proteins for cat can be derived from homemade food as well as commercially available cat foods that ensure your cat receives all the required nutrients for a healthy body.
Commercial cat food helps achieve a nutritional and balanced diet. Unlike dogs, cats do not require any treats, but only food they love to eat, though occasional treats are welcome. Now that you have a cat at home and are not aware as to how much should a cat eat, then you should visit a good vet and take advice from him.
A vet will diagnose your cat and check his weight, age and breed and decide a diet plan that is ideal for your cat. Before deciding a diet for your cat, you should also consider the activity of your cat, if it is pregnant or feeding to better understand the nutritional requirements.
How much should i be feeding my cat each day?
Adult cats require a balanced and healthy diet that meets all the nutritional requirements. Since they are carnivores they need certain kinds of food that provide the required nutrients. This is usually found in commercial cat foods or raw or cooked meat. Sometimes homemade diet may not have the required balance of nutrients; hence it becomes necessary to feed your cat both home made as well as commercial food to attain a balance.
Commercial foods have a variety of foods catering to the different life stages. Follow the feeding guidelines behind the packet and weigh the correct amount of food on a daily basis. Each cat is different and his eating habits and preferences may vary just like us humans. Before setting aside the food, it is necessary to know the weight of your cat to rule out if he is suffering from obesity.
Obese cats need less nutrition and fewer amounts of carbohydrates and fat to prevent diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. Rule out any health problems before deciding any kind of diet by visiting a Vet. The weighed food can be fed as several small meals or can be divided into two meals once in the morning and once in the evening.
Take into consideration your cat’s preference before deciding the number of meals per day. You can even consider leaving some dry food between two large meals. All of this depends on the age and weight of the cat. It is important to read the instructions behind the food packet to maintain a healthy and lean body.
The main aim should be keep your cat active, energetic and healthy without turning them obese. Obese cats are very attractive and look cute, but suffer from various health problems. Food and nutritional requirements will change according to the weather, and environment. If your cat prefers staying indoors instead of venturing out, then his nutritional requirements will also be less. You may need to change his diet according to his daily activity.
An indoor cat will require fewer calories while an outdoor cat requires more calories due to its energy intensive activities like climbing tree, and chasing animals.
Food for Kittens
Kittens require milk until they are three weeks and are fully weaned by eight weeks. After three weeks you can start feeding kitten solid food. Kittens need to be fed several small meals per day until they are of six months old. After six months you can feed two meals a day. They require more energy because they are more active than adult cats. The number of meals can change according to your cats liking.
Treating your Cat
Treats can be fed occasionally between two large meals as a way to build a bond between your cat and you. Avoid giving human treats as they are not ideal for your feline health. They are rich in calories and lacks nutrients that are ideal for the health of your cat. There is always a risk of spoiling the balanced diet of your cat.
If you are giving treats to your cat, then it is better to reduce his daily food by a small amount to prevent overfeeding. Every few weeks reassess your cats overall body condition and adjust the food accordingly. You may need to make a few changes in your cats dietary chart every few weeks to arrive at a suitable diet that will benefit his health.
