The menu for a cat: pluses and minuses of ready forages for cats


    * a Feed

As well as than to feed the four-footed favourite, everyone solves itself. But to make a correct choice in favour of the feed corresponding to needs of nature of a cat, it is necessary to know features of feeding of pupils that or other kind of meal. Today we bring to your attention opinion of the expert on the menu consisting of ready dry feeds.
- Why the majority of veterinary surgeons recommend to feed cats with ready dry feeds? Than their popularity is caused?

- The matter is that ready dry feeds have variety of advantages before other rations of domestic animals. They allow masters not only to save time for preparation of meal for cats, but also to feed the favourites balanced: dry feeds switch on a considerable quantity of animal components necessary for health guaranteed high quality and beneficial prophylactic additives. Thus dry feeds stand in 2-3 times less, than moist or preserved, are well stored and have the moderate expense at the expense of the low content in a water product. In case of need (for example if you know in advance, that will not have time to come back home by the moment of following feeding) dry beads can be filled in a bowl and to abandon, having given to an animal possibility is when it will want to it. Besides, dry feeds - the magnificent decision of so widespread problem of a tooth stone at cats. This indisposition leads to gingivitum, to appearance of an unpleasant odour from a mouth, to diseases околозубных tissues, to allocation of pus from gums and to loss at animal dens. And dry feeds promote purification of dens and are perfect prophylaxis of occurrence of stomatologic diseases, therefore they are so popular both among professional factory owners, and among fans.

- Whether it is required to finish feeding the pupil house meal, to give it vitamins or any other additives if the ration of an animal consists of dry ready forages?

- The dry feeds effected in industrial conditions on the advanced technologies, provide to cats high-grade and a balanced nutrition. All authoritative companies engaging in manufacturing of forages for animals, follow instructions of the American Association of Quality assurance of Foodstuff (AAFCO - American Association of Feed Control Officials). This organisation is specially created for working out of standards of a feed of small domestic animals. But that to a product the characteristics «high-grade and balanced» has been appropriated, the forage also should correspond to recommendations of the National centre about researches (National Research Council) and to requirements of cats and dogs for nutrients (Nutrient Requirements of cats (dogs)). The majority of sires (USA) which concern the basic components of a forage - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, mineral additives and vitamins are guided by requirements of the National centre of researches.

As to feed standards the healthy cats receiving ready dry feeds of high quality, in addition do not require in докорме, vitaminic and inorganic substances. For example, if you feed an animal with biologically conforming forages can be assured that your pupil is provided by all materials necessary for it for excellent state of health and awake life.

Some owners, wishing to diversify a ration of the favourite, try to give to a cat house meal and delicacies. But it, more likely, psychologic requirement of the owner, instead of an animal. The house nutrition is not high-grade and balanced, and the components entering into its structure, have no constant qualitative characteristics. Therefore, feeding up the pupil meal «from a table», it is possible to provoke at it failure in job of alimentiry system as constant change of phylums of a feed is badly accepted by animals. In a case when it is necessary to translate a cat from one phylum of a feed to another to do it it is necessary gradually, within 1-2 weeks.

If quality of a forage doubtful to enrich a ration of the pupil additional components all the same it will not be possible. The matter is that such forages differ not only a low biological value, but also surplus of vitamins and inorganic substances (especially it concerns vitamins A and D, and also calcium and phosphorus). If on any causes the owner of a cat is assured, that certain additives are necessary for its favourite, it is necessary to address for council to the veterinary surgeon. On the basis of inspection of an animal the expert will help to choose the necessary materials and will correct a dosing.

- What lacks of a feed of animals ready dry feeds?

- Dry feeds not such appetizing, as preserved or a natural feed. However it is enough to add water as it becomes more attractive to the pupil (on 425 g a dry feed usually to a dry feed add no more than 230 ml of water; the water temperature should not exceed 40-50°С). But thus it is necessary to remember, that forage wetting brings to nothing its prophylactic action concerning diseases of dens and gums. Besides, if the humidified forage remains in a cup long time, it can turn sour.

Other lack of the majority of dry feeds consists that they contain exclusively dry components. Use at manufacturing of a forage of a meat flour and other components which were already exposed to processing, and also infringement of a mode of drying is essential reduce quantity of nutrients in a forage and worsen it digestisness. But among dry feeds is also such for which effecting various fresh meat components thanks to what beads contain a considerable quantity of proteins and fats of an animal parentage with a high biological value are used.

Basically the forages presented today in the market, the excessive quantity of carbohydrates, and their big part - simple carbohydrates with  index contain. Even in many forages of a super-premium class the content of carbohydrates exceeds 40 % that leads to fluctuations of level of glucose in blood and to other problems with health. But qualitative kinds of dry feeds contain a lot of biologically valuable protein of an animal parentage from not exposed preliminary a frost or processing of fresh meat, the suitable person in nutrition, enough of fats and irreplaceable fat acids, comparable with their content in the tinned and natural products therefore they do not call pupils of problems with health.

And, of course, at feeding of the favourite by a dry feed it is impossible to forget that the animal should have an easy approach to fresh drinking water.

- The dry feed that the ration of a cat was high-grade should respond what requirements?

- Choosing a dry feed, pay attention to its packaging: on a box or a package as much as possible full information on structure of a product and its energy value should be given. On packaging there should be a firm logo, a stroke-code, number of a factory series, working life instructions.

At use of specialised industrial forages it is necessary to consider following moments.

1. The forage should differ the high content of fresh meat proteins from different sources and a minimum quantity of simple carbohydrates, to switch on in the structure animals, instead of the vegetable fats rich with fat acids Омега-3 in easily accessible form. Also as a part of a forage there should be fruit, vegetables and phytocomponents. By these criteria it is easy to estimate quality of a product. So, biologically corresponding to requirements of cats for a forage feed include components of high quality and provide to four-footed pupils an adequate diet.

There are also certain subtleties to which it is necessary to pay attention. For example, if the dry feed is separately enriched taurine, it means, that its structure is initially defective, as a forage prepared from high-quality meat, does not require addition of amino acids.

2. The dry feed should not contain superfluous quantity of minerals.

3. It is better to prefer that firm-manufacturer which forage the animal eats willingly. It is important, that at a feed by this forage the pupil saved perfect physical activity, and its wool looked healthy. And, of course, it is not recommended to admix a forage of different trade marks.

I hope, observance of these simple requirements will help you to provide to your cat a worthy ration. And let your favourite pleases you with the energy and excellent state of health!