The most dangerous food for cats. Dry and wet cat food: what is cat food made of and is it harmful? Is dry cat food dangerous?

August 27, 2018

Today we will look at the dangers of dry cat food. How often can you feed it to your animal? What should a little fluffy's diet be like? How to keep your pet healthy?

Many owners of purring pets prefer to feed them dry food. Of course, this is, first of all, convenient, because you don’t need to prepare it separately. In addition, manufacturers' advertisements claim that dry food contains all needed by the cat micro- and macroelements. But is it? Are we harming our pet's health in this way?

The main disadvantage of this food is that it is dry. If you constantly feed your cat with it, you need to give it a lot of water. However, not all animals like to drink a lot. Cats are predatory animals, and they are naturally designed to obtain moisture from the body of their prey.

If you feed a cat natural food or wet food, then her need for liquid will be fully compensated. But with dry food the situation is different. Of course, you can dilute the granules with water, but not every animal will eat such food. There is a way out: make sure your animal drinks enough water. If not, then combine dry food with wet food.

It is also important to choose good, expensive, premium food, as they say. Cheaper foods contain many chemical components that are harmful to cats. They will gradually destroy the pet’s gastrointestinal tract, sometimes reaching serious problems with health.

Attention! There should also be wet food. High Quality. Don't skimp on your pet's health!

In general, veterinarians warn that if you feed a cat only dry granules, then sooner or later its gastrointestinal tract will be affected.

Possible ailments:

• peptic ulcer;
• intestinal obstruction;
• gastritis;
• pancreatitis, etc.

As you can see, in this respect cats are not much different from people. Watch your pet, and if he is cheerful and healthy while eating dry food (and this is confirmed by a veterinarian), then this food is suitable for him. However, it is necessary to supplement the diet with natural food.

And yet there are benefits!

Of course, not everything that is said in advertisements is a lie. Dry food also has health benefits for cats. Let us immediately note that we are talking about premium food. The first advantage of such nutrition is that the content of vitamins and minerals in the granules is perfectly balanced.

Attention! When choosing food for your pet, study not only its composition, but also the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding age category animal. Today, many feeds are divided into age groups, and what is suitable for a small fluffy animal will be useless for an adult animal.

Dry food manufacturers also take care of pregnant and lactating cats. There is a special series of food for them, containing all the components necessary for the health of both mother and crumbs. You can even find food for animals diagnosed with obesity. However, when choosing such food, it is better to consult a veterinarian.

Another useful quality dry food is the taurine content in them. This element provides the animal good vision, acts as a prevention of heart disease and strengthens nervous system. If taurine does not enter the pet’s body in the required amount, it simply will not be able to digest fats in the small intestine.

On a note! Dry food intended for dogs generally does not contain taurine! Therefore, it is not recommended to give this food to a cat.

And another advantage of dry granules is their abrasive properties. Dry food cleans the animal’s teeth from plaque, thereby preventing illnesses oral cavity. However, you still need to brush your furry dog’s teeth additionally.

Feed your pet correctly!

Before you think daily menu fluffy, we need to study the features of his physiology. A healthy animal should eat twice a day and no more! A pregnant or lactating cat needs 4-5 meals a day.

Should Special attention give and drinking regime. A cat needs 20-25 ml of liquid per kilogram of weight when its menu consists of natural food and wet food. But when feeding dry granules, the animal will need three times more liquid.

Choose a bowl for water with wide edges so that the animal’s whiskers do not touch them, as cats do not like this and may refuse to drink. Water should always be available to your pet and should be changed every day.

Cat food is, of course, different from ours. Dishes should not be seasoned with spices, salted, diluted with oil or other ingredients that we are accustomed to adding to our food.

On a note! If you start feeding your cat natural food that is rich in... vitamin complexes, your pet's life expectancy will be increased by thirty percent compared to those who eat only dry food!

Products approved for cats:

• beef pulp;
• bird;
• oatmeal;
• vegetables.

You can cook soup for your pet using low-fat broth. By-products are allowed to be given raw, but first they must be doused with hot water and finely chopped.

It happens that cats become constipated from natural products. To avoid this problem, diversify your pet's menu with cereals and vegetables. But, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to feed cats fish. Especially if your animal suffers from urolithiasis.

As for milk, it is better to dilute it with filtered water, otherwise your cat may develop diarrhea. Do not give your animal foods with seeds, as they can easily hurt the throat. Chicken skin and pork pulp are also harmful to cats. These products are poorly digested and cause gastrointestinal disorders.

What menu will be ideal for your pet? Do not feed him mixed, that is, giving and natural food, and feed different types. This is allowed if you transfer the animal to a different diet. The cat gets used to a certain type nutrition, so do not expose her body to stress. If you feed dry food and wet food at the same time, choose a product from the same brand.

This joyful moment has come - a real kitten has appeared in the house, a small fluffy ball with paws and a tail. We sincerely congratulate you! However, we should not forget about the enormous responsibility that you now bear for this tiny creature. And last but not least, the health and vigor of the cat will depend on what it eats. So, is it “straight” or “crackers”? harmful or not? Let's take a closer look.

Natural cat food: what is harmful and what is beneficial?

Perhaps the voice of the older generation will be heard here, they say, why pamper them? Food costs money, just as we fed cats all their lives with what was left from the table, we will continue to feed them now. And in general, he is a predator, let him catch and eat mice, and the harm of dry cat food, first of all, has been proven for the family’s wallet.

Of course, if you live in a private house and the issue with mice is pressing, then, most likely, additional feeding is really not useful. However, veterinarians today are increasingly saying that the concentration of chemicals used to treat fields in rodents can seriously damage the health of the furry purr, and perhaps it is still worth feeding the cat so that it does not eat the caught mice.

If you want to feed domestic cat natural products, then it is worth considering a number of points:

In general, it is possible to feed a cat natural products, but it is quite labor-intensive. It is much easier to purchase high-quality cat food in which everything is already balanced, for example, the German Sanabelle from Bosch. The main thing is not to forget about a bowl of clean, fresh water for the cat, which should always be freely available.

Almost every caring owner of a mustachioed furry friend sooner or later faces the question of creating a diet for their beloved animal. Most are inclined to believe that natural food is the best option when it comes to feeding your pet. But not everyone will be able to correctly create a diet that is most suitable for a pet; in addition, preparing food for a pet requires daily time investment. Therefore, it makes sense to turn your attention to dry cat food, choosing the most suitable option for your own pet.

Today there are many companies on the market that produce dry cat food. The main criterion for their classification is the price category of the product. As a rule, experts recommend purchasing food for all mustachioed friends that falls into either the premium or superpremium classes. They are the ones who contain everything essential minerals and vitamins in the ratio that is optimal for your beloved pet. In addition, the line of such products is usually divided into several varieties depending on the age of the pet and its breed. In addition, dry cat food in this category includes many different medicinal products nutrition that pets need to cope with any disease or recover from a serious illness. So, the best dry cat food is undoubtedly a premium or super premium product.

Features of feeding your pet dry food

There is an opinion among veterinarians about the harm that dry cat food can cause. Reviews about this product sometimes contain information that this type of nutrition can cause the pet to develop a common urolithiasis. To avoid this, it is recommended to either soak the food in water or add wet canned food to it. When soaking with water, you must ensure that your pet eats its portion at a time. Otherwise, soaked dry cat food can quickly deteriorate and harm the health of the animal. When it comes to adding wet canned food, it is very important to mix products from the same manufacturer. This is primarily due to the fact that each manufacturer has its own unique recipe for the finished product. Therefore, by mixing different brands, you can end up with an excess of one nutrients with a simultaneous lack of others, which can also negatively affect the pet’s health.

Having decided to transfer your beloved purr to ready meals, you should be very careful when choosing a manufacturer ready-made feed. It is also very important to decide in what form the dry food will be served. for a pet. And you should never mix dry food with natural food. Then good health pet will allow him to live a long and happy life.

Very often, both experienced and novice pet owners wonder whether dry food is harmful for cats or dogs. Before answering it unequivocally, it is useful to clarify the composition of a particular food, the effect of its components on the cat’s health, and also read reviews from professional veterinarians.

5 advantages of dry food

If you take a specific dry cat food, whether it is harmful or not, you can answer not only based on an analysis of the composition. You should also take into account what brand you are talking about. Famous manufacturers that produce food under well-known brands (for example, Whiskas) take their reputation with great responsibility. And with regard to lesser-known products, doubts may arise: if the cat eats mainly dry food, it is better to purchase the highest quality of them.

1. Balance of components

These varieties include premium and extra premium food. Their main advantage and, accordingly, the main reason for their popularity is that they contain the optimal amount of:

• nutrients;
• vitamins;
• mineral supplements.

Obviously, feeding a cat fully is due to homemade food It doesn't always work out. Therefore, if you stand on what is most important complete diet cat, it is better to choose high-quality dry food.

2. Compliance with age and body condition

Another undoubted advantage of this type of food is the ability to choose best option based:

• age;
• breeds;
• stages of development (pregnant, lactating cat);
• state of the body (obesity, development of other diseases).

Feeding according to individual characteristics brings the cat greatest benefit: the body receives exactly those substances that it needs at this stage of development.

3. Cleaning teeth from plaque

The cat has to chew through the dense granules, which begin to crumble into pieces different sizes. Therefore, it is believed that in this way it is possible to prevent plaque and the appearance of tartar. On the other side, cat food harmful to cats in cases where it is found among the components a large number of carbohydrates, they can spoil tooth enamel. Substances are converted into sugars, which serve nutrient medium for bacteria. Therefore, there are cases when such a diet is harmful to the animal.

4. The presence of taurine is beneficial for the whole body

Almost all such types of food for cats contain useful substance taurine It has a complex effect on the body:

• Prevention of the development of heart and vascular diseases.
• Ensuring normal heart rate and blood pressure.
• Participation in metabolic processes occurring in the nervous system.
• Activation of digestion (digestion of fats in the intestines without the participation of taurine is almost impossible).

5. Practicality and convenience

Finally, dry food is also convenient in that it significantly saves time and effort: you just need to give the right amount of components (and you can easily measure it by volume or weight). This is especially important for busy people who have little time to prepare food specifically for their cat. In addition, such goods can be stored without a refrigerator. At the same time, it is important to take care that there is no direct sunlight and excessive humidity.

3 disadvantages of dry food

It is important to understand that this type of food can be harmful to the cat, especially if we are talking about little-known brands that do not inspire trust.

Diet monotony

The harm of dry cat food occurs under conditions of a constant, monotonous feeding regimen for a long time. The digestive system begins to suffer first:

• constipation and intestinal obstruction develop;
• gastritis and ulcers are formed;
• disturbances in liver function are observed.

Obviously, such diseases develop over a long period of time, so the owner should carefully monitor the cat’s condition. When the first signs of digestive disorders appear, it is better to consult a veterinarian about how to adjust the diet.

Lack of moisture in the body

Obviously, the main harm of dry food is the lack of moisture, which greatly distinguishes it from other types of food. As a rule, manufacturers recommend moistening the granules, as well as constantly placing a bowl of clean, fresh water. But the pet may not drink it in sufficient quantities, which is why the body will gradually become dehydrated.

The reason for this phenomenon is that the cat is a predator, and it is accustomed to receiving moisture mainly from the body of the prey. It's interesting that even in wildlife Felids (tigers, lions and others) quite rarely go to watering places. Thus, if the animal drinks very little water, the “dry” type of food is harmful and even dangerous. It is best to alternate it with regular food and wet food.

Presence of unsafe chemical components

Finally, food is also harmful because of what it contains. chemical substances, ensuring its long-term storage - preservatives. As a result, the cat constantly receives not only valuable components, but also unsafe “chemicals”, the impact of which in the long term (several years in advance) is assessed negatively. Of course, a premium product is not so harmful, but giving your cat only dry food is highly not recommended.

The basis of a normal diet is always balance, variety of nutrition and relatively strict adherence daily norm intake of calories, vitamins and minerals. Even best food if used incorrectly it will bring to the cat more harm than good. Veterinarians say that it is better to alternate dry and wet regimes. This is especially important for those animals that are already long time eat monotonously.

To date, there are about 500 dog breeds registered! Each of them is not only unique behavior and external data. These are also physiological differences between animals: skeletal structure, gastrointestinal tract, degree of development of intelligence and secondary signs breeds

In this article we will look at the benefits and harms of dry dog ​​food.

No manufacturer is able to provide nutrition for each species! Meanwhile correct menu the main source of animal health. Has anyone seen a well-fed herd of fat sheep or calves destined for dog food in beautiful alpine meadows? That's right, no one ever! Perhaps the skinned carcasses of this herd will be used as feed in the form of offal? Alas, even this is not a fact.

Composition of cheap and expensive dry dog ​​food

Dogs, even the most miniature breeds, first of all, predators. Meat is the main component of their menu. Hence the obvious conclusion is that dry food containing natural meat ingredients in quantities sufficient for dogs cannot be cheap! What most often ends up in dry food instead of meat? What are the dangers of dry dog ​​food?

Even in the USA sanitary requirements for meat in feed are very loyal: residual presence medicines, damaged, diseased, defective areas of carcasses, high percentage of rejected meat products, including those with an unacceptable expiration date, age-related slaughter, here is an incomplete list of the “problem” protein in the product.

Excess of hormonal component - defective batches of meat with detected excess artificial hormones « rapid growth" and "embryonic maturation of the fetus." Such meat causes pathologies, including cancer. Replacing natural fats with artificial or plant origin, the presence of dyes, fixatives, taste stabilizers, oxidizing agents, the use of cheap fillers that cause allergenic reactions in some dog breeds:

• peeling of the skin,
• hair loss, up to.

Increased content sugar, insidious, caries, or salt, causing constant feeling thirst. In addition, dry food is completely absent Vital energy, which the predator receives from natural meat or fish, and heat treatment reduces the vitamin value of the product.

What are the benefits of dry food?

Ralston Purina first introduced dry food for dogs and cats in 1922, and almost immediately it became popular. In our country, its mass consumption began 15-20 years ago and the rating of dry food only grows every year. Why? Let’s admit that the main advantage of dry food is convenience, which has nothing to do with dogs.

Such food does not require long cooking or washing of dishes, it is indispensable on hikes, on walks and as a reward during exercise, therefore, first of all, it is convenient for animal owners. Vitamins. Not every “tailed friend” can be forced to eat them, especially raw. Dry food contains both main and a number of auxiliary foods.

In puppyhood, with specific diseases, they are vital. Minerals. Calcium, iodine, zinc, iron. From a conscientious manufacturer, the minerals included in the food are natural and all are necessary for the dog, regardless of the breed, especially during the molting period.

Try to avoid extremes. You need to imagine the advantages and disadvantages of dry food. With reservations, price can serve as an indicator of quality. In a 20 kg bag, costing $5-10, you won’t find high-quality proteins. Most cynological institutes advise buying food from traditional producers (