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How to properly feed a cat with homemade food. What to feed a cat so as not to harm health? Feeding cat food

Pregnancy and feeding of kittens is an important and responsible period not only in the life of a cat, but also of its owners. It is from their competent actions and skillful selection of a diet for a nursing mother that the well-being of the entire cat family directly depends. The more diverse and full a lactating cat eats, the healthier her kittens are, their immunity is stronger.

Newborn kittens are applied to their mother almost every two hours.. Together with milk, they “suck out” calcium, vitamins, and a lot of microelements from the nurse. As a result, they grow and develop. But mom, in order not to lose weight and not lose her beauty, all these losses must be constantly replenished. This can be done only through special nutrition - enhanced and balanced. Therefore, the food of a nursing cat should be rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, saturated with calcium, minerals and trace elements.

This is interesting! The cat actively feeds her kittens until about 2 months of age. At this time, she spends 3-4 times more energy than usual.

During lactation, the cat is fed often and in small portions. In fact, her diet becomes similar to kittens. Its main principle at this time is to provide mom with a regular replenishment of energy reserves so that she does not experience hunger. But food should be not only nutritious, but also varied, easily digestible, enriched with vitamins and contain a sufficient amount of liquid.

Healthy eating rules

The rules for a healthy cat diet before and after childbirth are similar. Only minor amendments are needed, taking into account the peculiarities of the new status - a nursing mother.

Nutrition during this period has 3 tasks.

Restore the strength of the animal after childbirth.
Stimulate milk production.
Correspond to the increased energy costs during the feeding period.

Moreover, the nutritional value of the feed should be such that it is enough to replenish the body's reserves for future pregnancies. And although this is achieved not only by increasing the volume of food, but it is the volume that needs to be adjusted in the first place.

Serving size and total daily ration during the feeding period depend on three factors.

Litter quantity.
Animal's own weight.
The age of the animal.

Important! On average, it is believed that a lambing cat needs 2 times more food.

It has been observed that some cats do not eat well immediately after giving birth. They often change their taste preferences. They refuse the usual food and begin to eat raw fish with pleasure and drink milk, which they had resolutely refused before. The owners should be sympathetic to such "zagidons", trying to add more variety to the diet of a nursing mother so that the animal's appetite is always on top.

The first two weeks after childbirth, the nurse's menu is made up of easily digestible foods - milk, cottage cheese, vegetables, cereals and boiled lean meat. The second half of the feeding period is marked by the transition to "familiar" products.

There is more meat and fish in the diet. All the time while active lactation is going on, the cat needs plenty of fluids and increased replenishment of calcium and magnesium. Their deficiency is fraught with problems with teeth, joints, hair in a nursing mother.

As a result, her appearance and weight will tell about the correct nutrition of a nursing cat after this responsible and stressful stage is completed. Ideally, the animal, after the kittens become independent, should weigh as much as it weighed before pregnancy, and look no worse. And nearby will frolic well-fed, healthy offspring.

natural nutrition

The diet of a nursing cat can consist of both special industrial food and dishes prepared by the owner on their own. If in ready-made feeds all proportions have already been verified and balanced by the manufacturer, then, with the natural nutrition of the ward, her owner will have to perform these tasks himself.

There are several rules for the natural nutrition of a nursing cat:

Stimulation of lactation.

The first 25 days after birth, the cat's milk stays intensively. Then its quantity decreases. Sometimes it, even with good nutrition, is not produced enough. Therefore, products that stimulate lactation are needed. These are, as a rule, milk and broths. For greater effect, decoctions of herbs are added to them - anise, lemon balm, oregano - a teaspoon in the morning and evening.
The delicate sense of smell of cats should be taken into account and a decoction of low concentration should be made (1 teaspoon of grass in 3 cups of boiling water). The broth should not be bitter.

Freshness and naturalness.

All products must be fresh and free of chemical additives.

Presence of protein in the diet.

These are sea fish, chicken, turkey, beef, liver, eggs. All this is given in boiled form.

The presence of carbohydrate components.

They are provided with cereals in the form of cereals. Buckwheat, oatmeal, barley groats are good.

Dairy products.

Cottage cheese, goat's or cow's milk - they should make up at least 1/3 of the menu of a nursing mother and be given 3 times a day.

Vegetables.

They are added in a crushed state to porridge-soup that has cooled to room temperature. Suitable for these purposes: pumpkin, lettuce, cucumber, Chinese cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower.
Problems can arise if the animal has not been accustomed to vegetables before. Refusal of vegetables is a reason to chop them in a blender and try to start mixing them with food, a teaspoon at each meal, gradually increasing this amount.

Vitamin supplements.

Specialized vitamin supplements can be given industrial production, or you can add germinated grains of wheat, oats, millet to food or give the cat grass grown from these cereals.

This is interesting! A convenient option is half-porridge-semi-soup. For its preparation, groats are added to meat or fish broth (with pieces of meat / fish) and boiled properly.

To replenish the supply of proteins and fats, the nurse is added to food 1 teaspoon of bone meal per day and a few drops of fish oil once a week.

Dry and/or wet food

If the cat is accustomed to ready-made dry food, then there is no point in “retraining” it and forcing it to eat other food. But, given the peculiarities of the period, more stringent requirements must be imposed on industrial feed.

Feed must be specialized

These are lines designed specifically for lactating cats. The series "for pregnant cats" and "for kittens" are also suitable. All of them contain proteins, have a balanced composition of vitamins, minerals and nutrients needed for successful milk production.

The food must be of good quality.

Specialty series are usually labeled "premium", "super premium" or "holistic". This means that the manufacturer did not use artificial additives, preservatives and dyes and relied on high-quality natural raw materials.

Plentiful drink

Feeding dry food should be accompanied by the constant presence of fresh, clean water within the reach of the animal.

To increase the nutritional value, milk, meat or fish broths, sour-milk drinks can be added to dry food.

Important! Experts advise to transfer a cat from dry food to wet food during lactation. It contains more liquid, it is more nutritious and easier to digest. In dry food, there is a lot of salt and little water - not the best ratio for active lactation.

Milk, broths and other liquids

The need for liquid in a nursing cat increases dramatically. Therefore, in her diet must be: water, broth and.

Water - fresh, clean, filtered or settled for a day. But! Not boiled! Boiled water is of little use. It has a reduced salt content, which is bad for tooth enamel.
A bowl of water should be available to the animal around the clock.
broth - meat or fish, low-fat, preferably warm, with the addition of vegetables for greater vitaminization. Chicken, turkey, beef are suitable for the base of the broth. But! Not pork! The broth is not salted and spices are not added.
Milk- warm, cow or goat. As a source of calcium, milk is especially necessary for a cat during active lactation.

They begin to give it to the cat on the third day after birth, gradually increasing the amount if there is no diarrhea. If the animal willingly drinks milk, and the body accepts it, then after a week this drink should become daily.

Important! Milk and dairy products remain in the cat's diet for another 20-30 days after she completes lactation.

In the company with milk, there should be liquid fermented milk products - kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk. If we are talking about cream, then their fat content should not exceed 10%.

Pedigree feed lines

For different breeds of cats, there are special lines of food. All of them, as a rule, belong to the premium class and are produced by leading manufacturers with a worldwide reputation.

When it comes to special situations in a cat's life - pregnancy and feeding offspring, then the quality factor also works here, first of all.

Experts and cat lovers call Hills, Royal Canin Queen or Royal Canin (manufactured in France), Acana, Iams, Nutra Gold, Bosh among the best cat food during lactation.

Why are they good?

In addition to guaranteed high-quality natural raw materials, vitamins, microelements, these foods often also include anti-inflammatory natural ingredients, such as aloe vera and chamomile, which help the cat to endure the postpartum period more easily.
They have a strong anti-allergic component, which is important for many artificially bred breeds. Dyes, preservatives, chemical flavors are excluded.
These foods are super nutritious and contain at least a third of protein.
They contain a high content of calcium, an essential trace element for a nursing cat in general, and in particular for some breeds. For example, lop-eared kittens need a lot of calcium in their mother's milk in order for their ears to acquire their cute, upturned shape.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands do not know boredom!

Mar 30 2017

Content

If a four-legged friend has appeared in the family, the owners must know how to take care of him so that the animal remains healthy and cheerful. Otherwise, it is better to postpone the replenishment. The appearance of a cat in the house entails a great responsibility, it is important to properly adjust the pet's diet, to eliminate the risk of developing dangerous diseases.

What to feed a cat

It is customary to believe that such a pet already traditionally loves fish, milk, meat. In fact, the cat's diet is somewhat more diverse, it excludes beriberi and the appearance of its unpleasant symptoms. Individual nutritional characteristics depend on the breed of the animal. The question of what to feed a cat will be correctly addressed to a knowledgeable veterinarian, while not violating his prescriptions. Nutrition can be natural, artificial or mixed, and in the latter case we are talking about a combination of healthy food from the human table with elite food from the best manufacturers.

How many times a day

There are certain rules that every breeder must follow to maintain the health, cheerfulness of his four-legged friend. For example, how many times a day to feed a cat correctly so that the animal does not remain hungry, does not overeat. The best option is in the morning and evening, while monitoring the volume of single servings. Cats that lead an active lifestyle may not be full, but for true "couch potatoes" such a feeding schedule is ideal.

What food is best

Feeding canned and dry food is very convenient, so in modern world is preferred by breeders. Such dishes do not need to be pre-cooked, and they contain valuable microelements and minerals necessary for a pet. The question immediately arises, which food is better for cats - dry or still canned. Both options have their advantages and significant disadvantages.

Wet food contains 85% moisture, is a perishable product and, if opened, if stored improperly, can be the main cause of pet poisoning. However, the presence of sealed packaging eliminates damage to the sealed product, the formation of mold, and putrefactive processes. Given all these nuances, breeders choose dry food, which is less troublesome in everyday use and storage.

Dry food

When choosing a healthy diet, the breeder will have to familiarize himself with an extensive range of products and flavors. On the free market there are dry food for cats with the aroma of chicken, beef, fish, turkey, rabbit, pork, liver. Even assorted vegetables are very popular with cats. To improve the digestion of a four-legged friend, cereals are often added to dry food. The idea is not bad, but before buying it will be correct to study the composition for the presence of harmful components, preservatives, synthetic flavors.

natural nutrition

Representatives of the British, Bengal breed, being the heirs of their elite parents, can be accustomed to natural food from the human table. This results in both health benefits for the animal and savings for some breeders. This also applies to representatives of other elite breeds that require special care. Natural food for cats implies such obligatory components of the daily menu:

meat, offal;
seafood, fish of certain varieties;
eggs, dairy products;
cereals and vegetables.

How much feed do you need per day - table

The intake of protein, fats and carbohydrates in the animal body must be balanced, uniform and regulated. Therefore, it is correct to determine in advance the daily portions of food, stick to the chosen option, do not overfeed your beloved pet, but also do not leave him hungry until the evening. The determining factors are diseases, age characteristics, the presence of pregnancy or previous castration. Below is a table that describes how much food a cat needs per day so that the animal eats properly, does not starve, does not overeat.

Age of the cat	Daily portion, grams	Subject to pregnancy	Subject to castration	In the presence of chronic diseases
3-6 months
6-9 months
9-12 months		Double the single dose		Determine individually with the veterinarian, based on the nature of the pathology.
1 year (up to 4 kg)		Double the single dose
1-3 years (4-5 kg)
8 years (5 kg or more)

Dry food per day

It is necessary to determine the allowable doses of cat food per day by the age and weight of the pet. If kittens have enough to eat, 70-100 grams per day, then the norm of dry food for adult cats per day is 250-300 grams. This is not the limit: it all depends on the age, the approximate daily menu, its diversity. Eat healthy healthy foods, so in addition to dry food, give preference to regular food from the table.

How much wet food do you need per day

With a pet weighing 2-3 kg, it is necessary to give 35 grams of dry food and one bag of canned food. When a cat weighs between 3-5 kg, the norms of dry and wet food increase to 50 grams and 1.5 sachets. If you are wondering how much wet food a cat needs per day weighing 5-7 kg, the answer is simple - 60 grams of dry food and 2 bags (pouches) of canned food. If you eat a varied menu, you can feed your four-legged friend to the category of "eat and sleep."

Feeding with natural food - menu

Many breeders give preference only to a natural woman, they try to cook food for their four-legged friend on their own. This is an alternative to expensive premium food that professional breeders use in the cat's diet. Feeding a cat natural food is more tiring and troublesome, but beneficial to the health of the animal. Food should be protein, contain valuable trace elements, minerals for the growth of wool and teeth, strengthen bone structures. Proper nutrition for a cat provides for the following food ingredients in the daily menu:

Protein foods of animal origin: beef, poultry, offal.
Plant foods: cereals, bran, sprouted oats, vegetables.
Dairy products: cream, sour cream, milk, eggs, low-fat cheeses.

What cereals can be given

If the animal is sick, the answer to the question of how to properly feed the cat is better to look for at the veterinarian's appointment. In such a clinical picture, nutrition should differ in medicinal properties, enrich the body with valuable vitamins, regardless of breed. It is much easier to feed a healthy pet, but it is right to find out in advance which cereals can be given to cats, and which it is better to refuse to take immediately.

Approved for use by pets of the Maine Coon, Briton, Scot and not only rice, oatmeal, buckwheat and corn grits. But it is better to refuse barley, peas and wheat porridge right away. It is advisable to cook these cereals in meat or chicken broth, otherwise the cat may simply not like the proposed dish. If possible, for greater appetite, add pieces of meat 1-2 cm in size.

What vegetables can be given

When figuring out whether it is possible to feed a cat only dry food, it is important not to forget that the diet should not only be balanced, but also varied. Therefore, the simultaneous combination of feed and natural food does not harm if you choose the right ingredients and determine the allowable doses. Vegetables can be given to a cat in limited quantities and not all. For example, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, melon, cucumbers, celery are allowed. It is not correct to completely transfer living creatures to such a vegetarian menu, since the allowable dose of vegetables is no more than 10% in the daily diet.

What kind of meat to feed a cat

This is an important component of the daily diet of a four-legged friend. When answering the question of how to properly feed a cat, meat products is the basis, since it enriches the animal body with vital protein, strengthens muscle mass, and provides a full supply of vitamins. The main thing is to correctly determine the variety, prepare the dish.

So, it is forbidden to feed a cat with fatty meat, so it is better to immediately refuse to buy pork and lamb. The best option is beef, chicken and turkey, the use of offal is not prohibited. The method of heat treatment is boiling in order to exclude excessive intake of fat into the animal body. If you feed your pet correctly and in a timely manner, health problems will not arise.

What to feed a kitten

The first weeks of life are very important for a small kitten, because during this period taste preferences are formed, the work of the digestive organs is normalized. Therefore, it is very important with the question of how to properly feed a young cat or cat, it is better to immediately contact a veterinarian. Especially useful are fortified feeds according to the age category of the pet.

If you feed a kitten with such store products, it is important to understand that over time it will hardly be possible to transfer it to food from a common table. In order for the animal to quickly gain weight, while not “earning” chronic kidney diseases, it is better to cook natural, healthy food for the younger generation on your own. It is important to periodically change the diet, thus strengthening the immune system and systemic digestion.

pregnant cat

Proper nutrition of cats when carrying kittens is the key to the impeccable health of future offspring. Since during this period the animal becomes especially picky about food, it is better to transfer it to elite dry food, specially designed for expectant mothers. Such nutrition of a pregnant cat will make up for the deficiency of vitamins, strengthen the body, prepare it for the upcoming labor activity, while preventing the animal from gaining much weight. You can cook food yourself, but give preference to lean meats and fish, steamed, boiled.

sterilized

It does not matter if it is a Scottish Fold or Scottish Straight, or a Siberian, Scottish or Thai breed in general, it is important to treat the daily nutrition of a sterilized cat with special responsibility, especially the first days after the operation. Choose industrial feed with special labeling. However, veterinarians do not exclude natural nutrition, which should be properly composed of boiled fish, lean meat. The presence of cereals and vegetables to feed the cat is appropriate only in minimal doses.

castrated cat

After the operation, nutrition must be balanced in order to restore the animal's resource. There are several options for how to feed a cat after castration, but it is recommended to focus on changing the volume of daily portions. Immediately after the operation, each meal should be halved, while regularly arranging fasting days. If the cat will eat a full portion, do not give supplements, it is better to increase the daily number of meals. The basis of the diet is young boiled beef, sour-milk products.

Cat with urolithiasis

It will be right to switch to healthy food, to exclude the presence of preservatives in the diet. Daily nutrition of cats urolithiasis- this is meat and fish of lean varieties, seafood, offal, dairy products. It is right for a sick animal to give more liquid so that the stones come out naturally, without additional surgery.

old cat

At this age, the pet already has its own taste preferences, which are not recommended to be violated. The only advice is to feed the old cat high-end manufacturers or natural food rich in vitamins. The benefits for the animal organism will be obvious. The daily feeding of older cats and the correct diet variety will be further discussed with a specialist.

Nursing

It is desirable to give preference to the Holistic brand, which offers high quality products for affordable price. It is very important to feed a lactating cat with healthy ingredients so that she can feed the next generation. You can cook on your own, but preferably steamed and do not forget about the benefits of dairy products during lactation.

After bowel surgery

After such a surgical intervention, it is correct to put the four-legged patient on a therapeutic diet. The first day will be unloading, since it is desirable to have no bowel movements. In the future, it is recommended to feed the cat after an operation on the intestines with stewed or boiled vegetables, meat or vegetable broth, sea views fish in a steamed way. Be sure to give water, temporarily avoid the presence of dairy products in the diet.

What not to feed

A fat animal is not always a healthy animal. It is very important to know what not to feed cats, so as not to inadvertently harm the health of your four-legged friend. Forbidden foods are semi-finished products and questionable preservatives, pickles and mushrooms, chocolate and spirits, chicken bones and lard, potatoes and bread. It is important to study in detail how to properly feed a domestic cat so as not to risk the health of a pet.

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How to properly feed a cat and a cat

Cat food, prepared industrial way, do not require you to spend a lot of time and effort, they are easy to purchase and give to your pet. This is especially important and convenient with a busy work schedule. However, one cannot ignore the fact that some of these factory-made foods can be harmful to your cat's health. Therefore, an increasing number of pet owners are choosing to switch from commercially available foods to a more natural diet for their pets.

Specially prepared homemade cat food made from fresh and useful products may be, if not the basis, then a pleasant and healthy addition to your pet's diet. In addition, such food is much more natural, it is closer to the natural diet of cats than anything that is offered in pet stores.

However, before you go to the kitchen and prepare food for your pet, there are several factors to consider. There are certain ones, for example, onions, pork, chocolate, mushrooms, salt, they are unhealthy. You should also avoid feeding your cat raw eggs(boiled can be given calmly), raw fish and milk, at least these products should not be fed often.

Most people who own multiple types of pets often feed their pets the same food items. You can't do that. Owners should be aware that cats need a lot of protein (they need 5 times more protein than dogs), which inevitably means that dog food may not be normal food for a cat. For each type of animal (for example, cats, dogs, chinchillas), you need to cook separately. When it comes to feeding your cat, always choose a recipe that is high in protein. There are many simple and available recipes, with which you can provide a complete and balanced diet for the cat.

Of course, as we all know, cats are picky eaters, so there is no guarantee that they will like all the recipes, but some of them are sure to please. The main thing to start with is what your cat loves and what smells good.

In your recipes, try to use various sources meat, the more there are, the better (chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit, duck, etc.). This provides a more complete balance of nutrients and also enriches the feed with a variety of flavors and textures. You can use different sources of meat at the same time.

There are varying opinions about the use of bones in cat food. Personally, I never use them because of the danger of choking, puncturing or blocking the digestive tract.

The heart of various animals should be added to the diet, as it is one of the best sources of taurine, which is an essential amino acid for cats. If you do not give your cat enough hearts (about 10% of the diet), you need to supplement taurine in the form of food supplements.

Also, the menu should include the liver or another secretion organ (for example, the kidneys and spleen). Most animals dislike the taste, but it can be masked by grinding and mixing with meats and vegetables. Among vegetables, you can give pumpkin, spinach, carrots, etc. Onions and garlic are toxic to cats and should not be given.

For cooking, you will also need a blender, food processor or meat grinder.

The basic formula for cat food is simple: half protein (meat) and one quarter each carbohydrates (grains) and vegetables (fiber).

Protein is found in turkey, chicken, rabbit, fish and other meats. The best source of carbohydrates is brown rice. As for vegetables, whatever your cat eats will do.

The meat can be either raw or boiled. Mix it with boiled vegetables and rice.

And now for some homemade cat food recipes. They are collected from various sources on the Internet. Anything you cook for your cat (with a few exceptions, of course) will be better than anything you can buy in the store, because not only are you in complete control of all the ingredients, but also because you are directly involved in the process. Cats, just like people, appreciate homemade food prepared with love especially for them.

Chicken with rice and vegetables

2 cups chopped or shredded chicken

1/4 cup grated boiled carrots

Cut the chicken into small pieces. Pass the carrots through a food processor. Mix chicken and carrots with rice. Serve at room temperature.

Diet for a picky cat

1 cup boiled chicken

1/4 cup steamed broccoli

1/4 carrot, steamed

Chicken broth, about half a cup

Mix ingredients and serve.

Salmon with rice

150 gr. steamed salmon

1/2 hard boiled egg

1/3 cup boiled rice

1 calcium carbonate tablet (400 mg calcium)

1 tablet vitamin-mineral complex

Mix and serve.

liver holiday

2 cups chopped beef or chicken liver

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup cooked oatmeal

1/4 cup frozen steamed peas

Boil the liver with vegetable oil, finely chop. Add cooked oatmeal and green pea. Cool and serve at room temperature.

From what is

1.5 cups of meat - beef, chicken, turkey, lamb (finely chopped)

0.5 cup vegetables - carrots, zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin or wheat germ

0.5 cup mashed potatoes, rice or oatmeal

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Pass vegetables through a food processor. Cut the meat finely. Mix meat and vegetables, potatoes, rice or oatmeal. Add vegetable oil and submit.

Tuna for lunch

0.5 kg. tuna, canned in oil

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1/4 cup grated carrots

2 tablespoons wheat germ

Mix and serve at room temperature. Do not give more than once a week as it may lead to vitamin E deficiency.

Liver and kidneys for dinner

1 cup boiled chopped liver or kidneys

3/4 cup boiled oatmeal

3 tablespoons grated carrots or zucchini

1/3 cup yogurt

3 tablespoons butter

Mix minced liver or kidney, oatmeal and vegetables. Melt the butter and pour over the mixture. Add yogurt and serve at room temperature.

Celebration

1 cup minced beef

1/4 cup alfalfa or parsley

1/2 cup cottage cheese with cream

Mix ingredients.

Diet for allergies

2 cups minced lamb

1/2 cup shredded carrots or zucchini

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/4 cup cottage cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Dinner time

100 gr. cooked white chicken meat

1/4 cup cooked mashed potatoes

1-1/2 teaspoons butter

Mix all ingredients in a blender, serve at room temperature.

For breakfast

1 tablespoon green beans (cooked or mashed)

1 tablespoon finely chopped carrots

2 tablespoons minced chicken breasts (skinless)

1/3 cup brown rice (cooked)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. You can also puree the mixture in a blender if needed.

Braised chicken for cats

1 whole chicken

2 cups brown rice

6 celery stalks

6 carrots, grated but not peeled

2 small yellow pumpkins

2 zucchini

1 cup green peas

handful of string beans

Wash the chicken, then cover with water in a large pot and simmer. Cut the vegetables into pieces and add to the pot. Add rice. Simmer until the chicken is almost off the bone and the vegetables are tender. Remove the chicken completely from the bones. This is very important because cooked chicken bones can cause serious intestinal damage. Pour everything into a blender and grind the mixture.

Recipe with chicken liver

1/2 cup boiled broccoli or boiled carrots

1/2 cup boiled rice

1 1/2 cups boiled chicken liver

Chicken liver broth

Put rice, liver, broccoli or carrots in a blender and blend them with a little broth.

Chicken with broccoli

A piece of skinless and boneless chicken breast the size of your hand or smaller, depending on how much you want to cook

Two to three pieces of broccoli

Boil chicken and broccoli, mix in a blender until smooth.

Shrimps with carrots

3-4 raw shrimp. It is necessary to cut off the tail and remove the outer layer, boil.

Carrots will need to be boiled over high heat for 10-15 minutes, then beat them in a blender until smooth.

Once the shrimp have cooled down a bit, cut them into small pieces. Mix with carrots.

Meat with cottage cheese

100 gr. meat, beef or poultry

1 tablespoon carrot

1 tablespoon curd

1 tablespoon of sunflower oil.

Flavorings (kelp powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast) can also be added to food, but only in small amounts.

You can store leftover cat food in the refrigerator, but the same rules apply as for leftover human food - use within a few days or freeze.

As you can see, it's pretty easy to create your own healthy diet for your cat at home alone. This way you don't have to worry about all the harmful additives used in commercial cat food. You can easily make your own homemade cat food that is tasty, healthy and healthy. Take these recipes as a basis and experiment.

Remember that homemade food should provide your cat with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. If you are not sure about this, give additional vitamin-mineral complexes.

Sometimes it can be difficult for a cat to switch from dry food to such a diet, so first you need to switch to wet food (canned and preserves), as they are closer in texture to natural food. And then gradually mix wet food with natural food until you completely move on to the latter.

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Nutrition

Cats are very popular pets that only dogs can compete with. However, even with this, not every owner knows how many times a day to feed the cat. This question very often arises among those people who have already got a fluffy pet or are just about to get one. Often the owners say that there is absolutely no difference how often, what and when you feed the cat. However, in reality this is not the case.

Nutrition for this animal is a very important aspect of life. Its health, activity, ability to reproduce depend on the quality and quantity of food. Therefore, you need to take the process of forming a pet menu very seriously. How many times a day should you feed your cat? This article is dedicated to this issue. After reading it, you will know the basic features of feeding these furry pets.

Number of meals

The first thing you need to know is how many times a day to feed the cat. On account of this, discussions and disputes often arise, since many believe that this plays absolutely no role. In fact, there are certain recommendations for feeding cats and cats. In accordance with them, the distribution of food to the animal must be divided into two doses - morning and evening. This will ensure the most efficient supply of nutrients to the animal's body.

Please note that two meals a day should not be applied to kittens, as they need to be fed five times a day. By about four months, you should reduce the number of meals to three to four times. Closer to the year, it is necessary to switch to the standard two meals a day for cats.

So, if you were wondering how many times a day to feed a cat, then the simplest and fastest answer is two times. However, in reality, everything is far from being so simple, since a lot may depend on the characteristics of your pet. There are some more detailed standards that you should adhere to.

calories

The question of how many times a day you need to feed a cat directly depends on the calorie content of your food. Food may not contain too many nutrients. And then it will require more than the product, the energy value of which is much higher. And in this case, you can add another meal for your pet so as not to give out too much. large quantities food in the morning and evening. Of course, some owners give cats food only once a day, others break the food into more than five meals. But still, it is better to stick to two feedings, also focusing on the energy value of a particular feed.

As for the directly established norm, then one kilogram of the weight of an adult animal per day should account for no more than 70 kcal. In general, the calorie range for a healthy adult cat per kilogram of weight should be 60-70 kilocalories. So if you are asked about how many times you need to feed a cat a day, you can safely answer: "Two." But at the same time, add that both the animal and the food may have their own characteristics. They can influence the feeding process.

Daily Value Weight

If you are interested in the question of how many times a day to feed an adult cat, then you also need to think about what the total weight should be. daily allowance food for your pet. In this case, again, it all depends on how much the animal weighs. For every kilogram of his body weight should be from thirty to sixty grams of food. Why such a big gap? As you can already understand, each type of food has its own energy value. Therefore, you should take this parameter into account when calculating the total weight of a daily serving of food for a cat.

If the food has a high calorie content, then 30 grams per kilogram of weight is enough. If it has a low nutritional value, then the weight of the feed can be increased to 60 grams per kg of animal body weight. In this case, it is also worth paying attention to the fact that neutered cats have their own characteristics. They are very prone to rapid weight gain. Therefore, you will need to use a low-calorie, low-fat diet. How many times a day to feed a neutered cat? Nothing changes in this matter - two meals are the best option for an animal.

Weight measurements

To determine if your pet is getting enough food, you need to weigh him periodically. You can follow all the rules, know in detail how many times a day to feed a cat with dry food, but at the same time, the pet will either quickly lose weight, or, conversely, begin to suffer from obesity. What is the reason? It lies in the individual characteristics that are characteristic of each cat. Therefore, it is very important not to blindly follow all the instructions, but to approach the feeding process analytically.

Weigh your pet periodically to check if he has gained extra pounds or lost too much weight as a result of the diet. The standard weight for most breeds of domestic cats is from two and a half to four and a half kilograms. If your cat's performance goes beyond these limits, you need to look for a different approach to feeding it. Perhaps you need to change food, increase or decrease the number of meals, and so on. That is why it was said earlier that, unfortunately, there is no universal answer to the question of how many times a day you can feed a cat. Every animal, like every person, is unique. Therefore, the diet for him must be selected individually.

Breed features

Note also that the breed also plays a very important role in feeding. For example, if you want to know how many times a day to feed a British cat, then the answer "two" is hardly suitable here. The fact is that this breed is distinguished by a kind of uncontrolled appetite.

What does it mean? This means that your cat will most likely be asking for food all the time, even if he gets his daily allowance. Naturally, you should not go along with the animal, as this will quickly lead to excessive weight gain. But what to do? After all, if you feed such a cat twice a day, he will suffer very much. You need to consider the characteristics of the breed when drawing up a nutrition plan for a pet in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Water

Do not forget that water is a very important element of nutrition. This is especially true for cats that eat dry food. If they do not have liquid, which the animal can wash down the food consumed, then this can lead to serious problems.

A feature of dry food is that in a humid environment it soaks and swells, filling the cat's stomach, that is, the animal needs less food to get enough. If there is no water, then the process will not start. Therefore, the cat may need more food to satisfy his hunger. But do not think that only those animals that eat dry food need water. It is essential for all cats. Therefore, you should definitely make sure that there is also a container of water next to the bowl of food.

Bowls

Since we are talking about bowls, here it is worth paying attention to the fact that the dishes from which the animal eats should not have high edges. The reason is extremely simple - everyone knows that cats' whiskers serve as a sensor. It determines if she can get through any hole or not. And if the bowl of food is narrow or has high edges, then the cat will constantly trigger this sensor, telling her that it is better not to touch such a container.

Naturally, the animal decides for itself whether it is worth it to try to penetrate this or that hole or not. Therefore, a hungry cat will not remain. But this little thing will cause her serious discomfort. Therefore, it is best to give food to the animal in a flat, wide plate. Please note that dishes for people and animals should be different. If it looks similar, store it in different places and wash it separately.

Dosing

One more useful advice concerns dosing not only food, but also the time it takes the cat to eat. It is best to remove the food from the bowl if it has lain there for more than twenty minutes. If the pet has not eaten it within a given period of time, then he is not very hungry.

If a cat, after a rapid saturation, suddenly begins to lazily gnaw its food, this is the first sign that it has eaten. She continues to chew only because she has access to food. That is why you should remove the food from the bowl after twenty minutes. Naturally, this is not always applicable. Some cats may experience stress because of this. When they realize that the food will be taken away, they forcefully begin to eat everything, and then ask for even more. So this approach should be used with caution.

Uniqueness

In conclusion, I would like to say that with all the rules regarding the number of meals for cats, the amount of food and the presence of calories, each animal is unique. Therefore, you need to be very careful and carefully approach the organization of food for your pet. Otherwise, it can lead to even more serious complications than with a chaotic unorganized diet.

Only practicing veterinarians really know how many animals have suffered from the genuine care of their owners. Sometimes the owner wants to please the pet so much that he forgets that the cat is a predator, and the diet of the predator is very monotonous. Of course, the pet should receive a rich and balanced diet, but you need to know the measure in everything. Let's see what you can not feed cats and for what reason some prohibitions have been introduced.

Obviously, the basis of a cat's diet is meat. In the wild, quadrupeds do not receive feed, dairy products, fish, vitamin supplements and other unnatural products. The wild cat eats small prey, most often rodents. Domestic cats, on the other hand, must adapt to food prepared for consumption.

In order to preserve the naturalness of the diet, the pet must be fed with meat, observing several conditions. Raw meat can be a source of viruses and helminth eggs, but at the same time, this product is recognized as the richest source of protein. For the safety of the cat, raw meat must be kept in freezer 3-4 days, then defrost, chop and pour boiling water over.

Note! Cats swallow their food in chunks, so the meat doesn't need to be minced too much. Mince or very small pieces are only suitable for feeding kittens or older cats with dental problems.

Choosing from meat products, in the diet of a cat you can include:

Beef, veal.
Rabbit.
home. Many chicken producers raise poultry using hormones, antibiotics, and salted feed. When a bird consumes a lot of salt, it drinks a lot, which increases its mass at slaughter. Salt is bad for a cat ... hormones and antibiotics too.
Turkey meat - precautions are similar to chicken meat.

Meat is fed to the cat after cleaning, that is, without bones, skin and fat. If you are making broth, the meat must be lean. After cooking, the broth must be filtered to prevent bone fragments from falling into the pet's bowl.

The cat can be fed (not often) lean, subject to a number of conditions. Pigs are carriers of the false rabies virus (resistant to low temperatures), so it is not enough to freeze pork, it must be boiled. Please note that the meat should be lean, not fat-free. The false rabies virus is not dangerous to humans, and laboratories do not test meat for its presence, so buying in a supermarket (after veterinary control) does not provide any guarantees.

Cats must include in their diet organ meats. It is important to understand that offal should be 10-15% of the mass fraction of meat, but not completely replace it. There are also some restrictions on the use of such products, which depend on the type of meat.

Beef:

Liver up to 2 times a week, crushed, treated with boiling water. Frequent use may cause diarrhea.
Kidneys - undesirable, but if the cat loves them, no more than 1 time per week.
Lung - cleaned of fat and only boiled.
Stomach - well washed, very finely chopped, treated with boiling water or after deep freezing. You can also boil the stomach, but keep in mind that the smell that will be on the whole house is indescribable.
Heart - it is better to give raw after treatment with boiling water. Can be 4-5 times a week.

Chicken:

- raw no more than once a week and in a very limited amount, boiled more often. For some cats, if eaten regularly, raw liver can cause diarrhea and boiled liver can lead to constipation.
Heart - if desired, cats can be given regularly and raw (after deep freezing), chopped before serving.
Stomachs - in crushed and boiled form, you can give 3-4 times a week.
Necks - after deep freezing, you need to carefully beat off or grind in an electric meat grinder. Chicken neck (if the bird is a factory one) consists of fairly soft bones, serves as a source of calcium and prevents plaque.

Turkey:

Heart - can be 1-2 times a week, frozen, chopped.
Stomach - only for cats with an insensitive digestive system in a boiled and crushed form.

Above, we have already found out that cats should not be given raw (steam) meat, the rest of the prohibitions relate to:

Store minced meat - often contains salt, fat, skin (even if it is not indicated in the composition). Please note that sterilized cats are strongly discouraged from feeding foods containing salt.
Lamb, fatty pork and lard - contain too much fat.
Turkey liver - raw is guaranteed to lead to diarrhea, and boiled to constipation.
Ducks and geese (meat, offal) are too fatty.
Necks of domestic chicken - if the bird was slaughtered at the age of over a year, the cervical vertebrae are very strong.

Note! Goose and duck meat is often used as the basis of high-quality feed, here the ban on consumption is not relevant, since the products are fat-free.

Fish, shellfish, seafood

Many owners stubbornly feed their cats and ignore the dozens of arguments given by experts. There is no categorical ban on the use of seafood, but there are a lot of nuances and prohibitions. So, a cat can only noble varieties of ocean fish. Against the background of the first condition, the fish should be lean, high-quality, deboned and fresh. Subject to all these conditions, you can pamper your cat with fish, but not more than once a week!

So, a cat can:

Low fat cod.
Hake carefully cleaned.
The sardine is lean and fresh.
Trout only back, provided that the fish is not oily.
Boiled shrimp, peeled.
Chopped boiled squids.

Note! Boiled fish can hardly be called healthy for cats, since almost all the so-called enzymes are destroyed at high temperatures, and without them, the degree of assimilation of trace elements decreases sharply.

The next nuance is that the fish must be of high quality, which means grown in a clean environment. Almost the entire range of seafood presented on the shelves of supermarkets has nothing to do with the ocean ... except for the origin. Shrimp, squid and noble fish are grown on farms in cramped "aquariums" generously flavored with pesticides, antibiotics and other (harmful) substances. Keep in mind that the fish literally absorbs environment(water), and when a lot of fish are placed in one small tank ... Simply put, one fish defecates, and the other eats it, and the water in which the future product is located is far from the first freshness.

Note! More and more experts do not recommend giving pollock cats, even fillets. The ban is associated with total violations of the rules of factory farming of fish.

Let's get back to restrictions. For cats not all types of carp fish, since its use leads to the destruction of vitamin B1 in the body. Then a chain reaction starts: the liver suffers, the process of blood purification is disturbed, microelements are no longer absorbed. Visually, you will observe the pet's depression, its poor appetite and neurological disorders: tremors, seizures, convulsions, walking in circles, loss of coordination, etc.

Cats categorically it is forbidden river fish and shellfish. It can not be either raw or boiled. Even after heat treatment (boiling water), fish can become a source of infection dangerous species worms. All are dangerous, but some of them can settle in the liver, brain, muscles. If river fish is cooked for a long time or canned food is prepared from it, then the product will be safe, but also useless.

Fish, even permitted and noble varieties, do not give to a cat often. It so happened that almost harmless to humans, trimethylamine oxide (found in fish) quickly leads to the destruction of iron in the body of a cat. As a result, the animal develops and rapidly progresses iron deficiency anemia.

It is recommended to completely exclude fish from the diet of cats prone to. Regular feeding of seafood to a neutered cat will lead to the development of the disease in a few months. If a cat that is genetically prone to fish receives fish, the disease may develop longer. Fish is not recommended for cats of popular breeds, such as Scottish Fold or British. The fact is that these breeds have a lot of inherited ailments, but diseases may not develop until metabolism is disturbed.

Industrial fish based food are made in several stages and are safe for cats. Firstly, the fish undergoes a long heat treatment, becomes safe and, as mentioned earlier, is practically useless. Secondly, the fish is not cleaned, but ground to a state of homogeneous minced meat and then dried ... a powder is obtained. Next, this powder is processed again high temperature, fortified and mixed with supplements.

After all the manipulations, the fish powder contains only protein and fatty acids ... and here there is a nuance. Fatty acids shorten the shelf life of feed, and preservatives such as ethoxyquin are used to reduce their rate of oxidation. The effect of this preservative on the body of cats has not yet been fully studied, but even preliminary conclusions are very alarming.

The conclusion is simple: read the composition of the feed and refrain from buying products with impressive shelf life.

Milk, dairy products, eggs

Dairy products are very important and must be present in the pet's diet. A kitten, a pregnant and lactating cat should be regularly treated with cottage cheese, yogurt, fermented baked milk, but there are nuances here. Many experts recommend eliminating whole milk from a cat's diet, as there is a risk that the pet has lactose intolerance. If your cat drinks milk without consequences (constipation, diarrhea), then you do not need to exclude it from the diet.

Cats should be given:

Cottage cheese homemade calcined.
Yogurt without additives, prepared at home.
Ryazhenka.
Yogurt.
Serum.

Why homemade and not store-bought? The answer is obvious - most store products are made on the basis of dry milk powder and starch. Conclusions about the ratio of benefit and harm can even be drawn intuitively.

Note! It is very useful for cats to consume calcined cottage cheese with grated carrots, in such a treat an almost perfect balance is observed for the assimilation of all useful substances.

Many cats love hard cheese but should be given with caution. Almost all hard cheeses contain salt, and, as you remember, it leads to the development of ailments. genitourinary system and urolithiasis.

The following are under the ban:

Cream homemade and store.
Any sour cream, although some cats love it very much.
Butter.

Eggs are considered allergenic and very controversial product. According to the recommendations of experts, a cat can eat no more than 1 egg at a time and no more than 1-2 times a week. Raw protein is recommended to be completely excluded, but the yolk can be raw and boiled. Cats with sensitive digestive systems are advised to give quail eggs rather than chicken eggs.

Cereals, vegetables and fruits

Since fruits and vegetables are not the main diet of a cat, we will not consider them in detail. Vegetables serve as an additive and a source of coarse fiber. They need to be fed in crushed, raw or heat-treated form. Usually vegetables are mixed with meat or cottage cheese.

The following are considered harmful to cats:

and juicy fruits (can be given rarely if the cat likes).
All citrus.
Grapes and raisins.
Apricot and dried apricots.
Persimmon, kiwi and most berries.
Beans, soybeans, corn, alfalfa, semolina.
Potato, raw cabbage and broccoli.
Tomatoes and other red vegetables.
Onion garlic.
Spinach.
Mushrooms, especially wild ones.

Controversial and toxic products

Any food from your table falls into the number of harmful products, especially fatty, fried, cooked with spices. Cats can not sausage products and any smoked products. Any canned food (fish, meat) prepared for people is prohibited. A categorical taboo is sweets.

Perhaps you didn't know that Cats are strictly prohibited from: