Cat food: types, how to choose, which one is better, the producers

Cat food It happens in three flavors: dry, wet and canned. Pick up a treat for a pet should be on several counts: the animal weight, breed, age, health and lifestyle.

For neutered and sterilized cats and dogs released separate versions, tailored to the body's metabolism.

Types of cat food

Optimally combined in the diet of several forage species:

• Dry food. The milled mixture of mineral elements and raw meat, baked crackers up state.
• Wet. Cooked mixture of vitamins, nutrients, meat or fish in a liquid gravy.
• Semi-moist. Soft chunks in jelly.
• Canned. The same feed liquid or paste from a mixture of meat or fish material, mineral substances and special additives.

The second criterion of choice - it is the animal's age and gender. Available products:

• food for kittens;
• young;
• food for adult cats;
• food for older cats;
• food for neutered cats;
• food for sterilized cats.

When you select a note on pet hair length and his rock, the options are available for:

• short-haired;
• longhaired.

Manufacturers are developing a series for different dietsWho are appointed with individual characteristics and state of the organism pet:

• lightweight;
• daily;
• healing;
• pregnant women;
• nursing;
• sterilized.

The composition of the food may be included additional itemsWho are struggling with the problems of the body. Such feeds are labeled as follows:

• for digestion;
• skin and coat;
• taking care of your teeth;
• for joints;
• kidney;
• to the immune system;
• to maintain a good physical condition;
• for fastidious;
• hypoallergenic;
• from obesity.

Products vary and three main ingredientsMeat, fish or poultry. The percentage of poultry meat or fish in the diet - the basis of for the classification of the level of:

• stern economy class;
• stern premium class;
• feed super premium;
• Holistic cat food.

An important indicator in the selection of packaging - the weight of a pet. Industrial food is designed for a specific weight group, so when choosing a look for instructions on feeding and serving in grams.

What types exist

Do not feed the cat only one view. Plans power in calories, dilute dry variants wet mixture.

Dry

Sold in various packing:

• bags of 5-10 liters,
• packs of 100-1000 g,
• by weight at the customer request.

Dry mixes are cheaper than other types. It is available for all feeding options, ages three ingredients separately or together. The advantage of dry mixes - a long shelf life even in the clear.

With obesity an animal accustomed to eating anything that puts the owner in a bowl, in which case the food will end before you get home.

When the house live two cats, one has a dominant position, which means that the second remains hungry. Dog eating cat food: if you leave the stock on the day directly into the bowl, the cat food does not get it or get food in insufficient quantities.

semi-moist

Mid of between dry and canned consistency. Cost - average. Advantage - are attracted by the smell of cats, appearance looks neat. Lack - occurrence coloring and flavoring to the composition.

Semi-moist food is not suitable for free-feeding when food is left in the bowl with the calculation of several techniques for the day. He is prone to chapping and drying.

Composed of nutrients that are not found in other species.

With canned food can stimulate the interest of cats to eat, to accustom to a scheduled feeding. It is not recommended to encourage the animal food is only allowed to adjust the meal hours using treats.

Wet

Medium consistency is between dry and canned view, which often takes the form of pieces of a liquid gravy. Tasteless food itself: vitamins, minerals, flavors and flavor additives are gravy.

It sold in packaged form, filling 60-100g. One bag is designed for dose for an adult cat or cats weighing 2-5 kg. For kittens produced a separate series with special vitamins and reduced calorie.

Products premium moist texture contains 60% meat and vegetable ingredients in pieces and gravy comprises natural broth. Pay attention to the calorie content per serving in a bag, it differs from vendor to vendor.

For cats with obesity and digestive problems should not expect a portion of their own, sometimes it is a smaller number of grams, than in a single package.

canned goods

Belong to the premium class, are more expensive than dry options. It is a product with a high concentration of meat or fish, the addition of vegetables, vitamins and mineral elements. Food is used to enrich the diet and feeding.

Suitable for animals that can not chew dry granules.

Advantage - a long storage period (more than one year in the closed position). After opening the cans are stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, if the food sealed cover.

Disadvantage - is rapidly losing the beneficial properties in the clear, since more than 60% of members - natural products.

Manufacturers produce canned weighing 30-60 grams, which are designed for a single meal a cat. And sold in cans 100-250 gram, calculated on two steps to two or three cats per day.

Characteristics

In some packages on sale

• ≤ 1 kg: Designed for feeding a pet for up to 10-14 days, depending on the diet. Suitable for combining diet with other types of series, purpose or specific characteristics of the animal.

Are available in bundles, packages with ribbon for use, boxes.

• 1.1 - 3 kg: Intended for nutrition of an adult cat for a week or a month with the addition of other elements in the diet of food (wet food or products in their pure form). Produced in packs, containers made of polyethylene.
• 3.1 - 7 kg: produced packaging for feeding two or more animals for one month. Suitable for feeding cats for 2-3 months, subject to the rules governing the storage of open food. Available in bags and packs.
• 7.1 - 10 kg: Options for economical bulk purchasing, intended for animal feed or a cat for more than 3 months.

It is produced in the bags by using part of the granules need to pour the week or month in a separate sealed container.

• > 10 kg: available only in bags, suitable for the purchase of several cats to use for 3-6 months. One cat eats 10 kg of dry granules for 8-10 months.

Feeding need to pour some of the food for a week or a month, the remainder in the bag tightly sealed.

For what ages

When choosing a food industrial production, pay attention to the age of the animal and the types of food that are rated by categories. Do not feed the kittens food for adult animals, but the reverse situation is admissible, to the conversion of grams in a big way.

• kittens: produced a special series for the animals at the age of 0-4 months. Food on the composition of breast milk substitutes, the bait is introduced from the second week of life of the animal (if there is no possibility of natural feeding, then the first day).

According to the chemical composition of the food repeats milk, in which there is a large amount of fat and protein.

• Young: for growing organisms are available food with high protein and glucose necessary for building muscle and normal body development. In the period from 3 to 9 months young cats eat twice as much as the adults.

The average weight of the animal in this period of 1-3 kg.

• Adults: cats eating 150-200 grams of food per day, the rate is calculated on individual 1.5-8 years and weighing 2-6 kg (depending on the breed, and sex). The feed contains more protein and less carbohydrate.
• elderly: for cats aged 8-15 years, producing a series of separate feed, which includes less carbohydrates, more protein and beneficial vitamins and substances for the correction of urination.

Feed for different species

• Long-haired: for cats such rocks produced with special feed complex vitamins and elements for removing wool from the body (adult long-haired cat for seven days wool accumulates in the stomach, which scored on its third).

View assigned short-haired breeds, when there are problems with the breeding of wool from the body.

• shorthair: manufactured food which is not supersaturated with vitamins to increase wool and substances for removing it from the body.

Series feed for cats

• Casual food: Series containing a standard set of nutrients and vitamins. It is based on natural components (poultry, fish, meat), are also produced mixed variants.

Among themselves distinguished not on calorie and by ingredients: rabbit, beef, chicken, salmon.

• Medicated feed: available variants to solve specific problems (kidney stones, loss of teeth and hair, obesity, in diseases of the stomach, gastrointestinal tract, constipation, after operation, after childbirth).

• Lightweight feed: option for cats with obesity, who are used to eating in large quantities.

This low-calorie product: if a normal adult cat a day to 150-200 g of food, the lightweight version with a low energy value weighs 200-350 grams.

• Food for pregnant cats: products, rich in vitamins, proteins and fats, which support the body cats and kittens future. It can not be added to give a pregnant cat vitamins and bait, if it eats a specialized food.
• Feed for nursing cats: produced food with high protein and fat, multivitamins. Diet supports newborn kittens through the milk. Lactation support.
• neutered: in feed limited amount of phosphorus and magnesium, which cause in castrated animals urolithiasis.

appointment

• For the digestion: included in the enzymes that help digest food. Appointed by the pupils who refuse to eat in the normal weight category for their operation.
• To maintain in good condition the skin and hair: It included in the set of minerals and vitamins required to maintain the normal state of the animal.

Appointed pets with allergies, problems with hair loss, skin disorders.

• Caring for your teeth: a series of special fiber foods, which have been further processed. The composition and does not harm the enamel texture and does not promote the formation of tartar. It includes a complex of vitamins against tooth loss.
• For healthy joints: It refers to treatment, prescribed by a veterinarian. It is not recommended to feed the cat food so without prior consultation.

• Forage for maintaining kidney health: medicinal species that is indicated for detecting a cat's kidney failure.
• For the immune system: A kind of medicated feed that is assigned during and after illness associated with the virus. There are two types of feeding: Course and chronic administration.
• To maintain physical fitness: A series of super-premium or Holistic class. It consists entirely or 60% of natural balanced components. Appointed thoroughbred animals and the elderly.

a great option food for cats, living permanently in the room.

• Food for finicky cats: a series of super-premium, which is 50% composed of natural ingredients. Available for the fastidious and pedigreed cats who need a fortified diet.
• hypoallergenic: series with a balanced system of minerals, and the addition of glucose, suitable for cats with problems and allergic reactions to food additives.
• Cat food with obesity: special series for cats with excess weight (6-10 kg when not palpable ribs, the cat can not clean the area behind the tail on their own). As part of the reduced amount of fat.

The main ingredients

Bird: use duck, chicken entrails. In a series of economy-class recycling used products, higher premium - 50-80% natural poultry.

Meat: used rabbit, beef, lamb. In elite feed is introduced into the natural meat. In middle school, there is only a product of processing.

Fish: salmon, seafood, gobies. In a series of economy class - is fish oil, in the premium - the fish.

classes

Advertising slogans are not relevant to the classification, often it is only the nature of the marketing application. Real class will be written on the back of the package, in the form of information about the food next to the structure.

economy

The products (milled cartilage, viscera, skin) is used as a main ingredient, some cereals, soybeans. low-calorie products. Animal fats prevail over the plant.

May cause allergic reactions because of the flavors and colorings. Feed consumption is higher than other classes because of the low energy value.

Premium

This feed premium designated QC the acronym AAFCO (American Association). In the first place is always the protein, which should not be less than 25%. Also, class differentiates the entry of basic vitamins: C and E.

Pay attention to the portions of the calculation for an adult cat on the back of the pack: the smaller the number, the better pet learns products.

Important: flour, meat products, preservatives, cereals should not be kept in feed premium permissible amount of additional ingredients up to 50%. If they are part of, then before you fake.

Super-premium

Balanced food for cats. Composed of organic vegetables, chicken, turkey and lamb, eggs, and nutritious cereals (rice).

It is a small and medium size granules of a light brown shade. The composition of feed corresponds to the stage of life of the animal, available forage for kittens, pregnant, nursing, and nursing cats neutered.

Holistic

This luxury food that is specially developed for farmed breeds. They are hypoallergenic, suitable for digestion problem and finicky pets.

Unlike the super-premium 100% ecological composition, the addition of useful plants and substances.

Holistic used in nurseries for the removal of species, they are fed winners of exhibitions. Feed components are selected as close as possible to the natural diet of a wild cat, because absorbed best.

Class Index - natural composition, the proportion of meat is more than 50%.

Benefits

Dry

• Convenience: suitable for different diets.
• Long term storage of the opened package.
• Supplemented with multivitamins and minerals.
• The pellets Premium feed and higher added bacteria that improve digestion.
• Balanced, less is enough for a long time.

semi-moist

• Suitable for pets with sensitive digestion.
• It does not harm the teeth, easily masticated elderly individuals.
• It is causing appetite fastidious cats.
• Suitable for feeding kittens 0-3 months.

Wet

• Allowed to be used as a fortified feeding.
• It stimulates interest in the normal feed at discerning individuals.
• Easily chewed elderly cats.
• It facilitates the process of digestion and defecation in animals with problems.
• Suitable for cats with dehydration.
• Packaging already calculated by weight of one or two meals.

canned goods

• Produced the Spider (not tin cans), which are designed for one meal.
• In a sealed state are stored 6-12 months and more.
• Contain natural pieces of meat, poultry, fish and vegetables, not milled into mincemeat.
• Feline well absorbed by the body.
• Suitable cats who do not want to drink water.
• Contain large amounts of protein.

economy

• Low cost and calories.
• It is used as a bait to a natural diet, so as not to harm the health of your pet.

Premium

• Supplemented basic nutrients that are necessary for maintaining pet health.
• Consisting of meat products, which increase the calorie and highly digestible.

Super-premium

• It contains 30-50% of animal protein with protein, high nutritional value.
• Adjusted for lifestyle, age and characteristics of the body of the cat.

Holistic

• Environmentally friendly, balanced nutrients.
• Made from fresh beef fillet.
• Do not cause allergies.
• Eating only one food, the animal receives all the necessary material, as if lived and fed in the wild.

Problems

• Not all series of the industrial production of food go well with natural bait (vegetables, eggs, cereals, fish and meat). Often pets overeat, leading to obesity.

This is especially noticeable in cats who live all the time indoors, are inactive lifestyle.

• Incorrectly selected lot may lead to kidney disease, urolithiasis, adiposity. When choosing a look for the animal data: age, weight, health condition, sex and breed.
• Opened canned food should not be stored for more than two days, you need to wrap with cling film and put in the fridge. Dry embodiment unencrypted stored up to one week, preferably tightly occlude pour forage box or in an airtight container.

The problems also include specific feeding sterilized animals, especially cats.

The first obvious change - cat shows less activity, accumulates fat mass. In castrated cats are missing some elements that affect the rate of metabolism, the appetite of the animal increases significantly. The problem is solved:

• Only the transition to a specialized series for neutered cats;
• control magnesium and phosphorus level in foods (minimized);
• feeding strictly by the hour, limiting free access to food.

Stand and common issues for each class of food.

economy

• made from raw materials of low quality;
• composed of no essential amino acids and vitamins;
• on this diet the cat develops beriberi and may have more serious consequences, including kidney stones.

Premium

• not used fillets, mainly chicken or turkey, other types of meat are included in the minimum amount.

Super-premium

• It is in the high price range;
• not produced for certain breeds of cats.

Holistic

• It is very expensive;
• after a brief use of the animal refuses to eat food of a lower class.

How to choose a food for cats

• When choosing pay attention not only to the classification of products, but also the composition. Check basic position, based on the individual characteristics of the pet.

Before the first purchase enough to consult a veterinarian and further developed to adhere to the diet.

• The basis of the diet - proteins of animal origin. Carbohydrates are not required to cats in a pure form, because they receive energy from glucose recycling protein. Source - by-products, meat, poultry and fish.

• Pay attention to the written on the packaging, it should be transferred to animal proteins (meat rabbit, chicken, etc.). Pay close attention to the wording: choose "chicken fillets" rather than "poultry".

The term "meat and offal" - an indicator of food economy class, which lacks the protein, instead it is composed of milled cartilage, skin and tendons that are not saturated fats. Cats do not learn such products.

• Do not buy a product if animal fats are replaced with vegetable. They are missing amino acids needed by the body feline predators. Vegetable fats are digested cats only 30%.
• Cost. Pay attention to the food class and price category. Do not rely on the composition of feed and meat labels super-premium, if the price category corresponds to the "premium".

Most often the main ingredient acts as chicken and turkey. Salmon, duck and other rare ingredients are often only referred to in the title.

What cat food is better

Dry

• The ideal product - a super-premium.
• It consists of 30-50% meat or fish fillets, vegetables, vitamins and herbs.
• Set on the package class on the American scale (super premium).
• As part of the right is written the word "loin" instead of the phrase "chicken", indicates the number of proteins and fats.
• Packing hermetically closed, the material repels water and light.
• Universal series - daily, for neutered cats or therapeutic (for veterinary use).

Wet

• Ideal feed - in portion packs, premium, super premium and Holistic.
• It consists of 50% natural ingredient and vegetables, cereals absent except rice.
• Shelf life unopened - up to 1 month.
• Universal series - casual, treat.

canned goods

• Optimal canned - in portion packaging, not damaged by the banks perimeter.
• The consistency of a homogeneous and soft, no bones. Class - super premium.
• As part of 50-60% - a fillet of fish, meat or poultry, innards. Includes vegetables: potatoes, carrots, tomatoes.
• Shelf life unopened cans - not more than 6 months.
• Universal series - daily, for neutered cats, special purpose (therapeutic).

How to feed the cat

The choice of food and diet is based on the types of feeding cats:

• free - the food is in abundance in the bowl for 24 hours;
• a la carte - a limited number of food per serving;
• limited by the number of meals and the time of day.

free feeding suitable for dry species that do not deteriorate in the open air for 24 hours. The bottom line: the number of servings for the day immediately poured into a bowl of cat, the animal decide when you should eat.

Batch feeding designed for pets that move a little or neutered. Calculated diet of grams of wet and dry food for a day, divided into three to five meals. The main rule - do not exceed the weight of food per day.

Feeding time - a reception scheduled meals. Suitable for people who are tied to the schedule of work and whose animals are not suitable free option.

Tips for use:

1. It is important to monitor the ratio of water and eating a cat: if the animal is drinking poorly, to be administered in the diet of wet food.
2. It is not recommended to combine food homemade industrial feed, a different opinion - it is impossible to feed the cat only dry food, it is better to give it as a supplement. If in doubt, it is best to contact your veterinarian.
3. If an animal has problems with digestion or teeth, dry species must be up to 25% of the diet. The remaining 75% - moist and canned.
4. Menu structure - proteins and nutrients present in the feed of the premium in a balanced way. You can not enter additional fortified feeding without checks.

calculation of food

Exact figures are displayed only for purebred animals, the parameters of which can be calculated on the periods of life, including a healthy weight.

In the first embodiment, the calculation takes into account:

• body mass;
• appetite;
• age;
• pregnancy;
• height;
• castration;
• wool length;
• the individual characteristics of the cat;
• Typical features of the breed.

Standard general recommendations:

1. The adult female weighing 3-4 kg eaten per day 150-300 grams of food a premium. It is 40-60 grams, which account for one kilogram of body weight.
2. The adult male with a weight of 3-5 kg ​​eaten per day 200-350 grams of food. 65-100 grams per kilogram of weight of the cat.

Alternative formula:

1. Kitten age from 0 to 9 months received daily 10-13% of its own weight. Example: 1.5 kg 195 g cat need food.
2. Cat over the age of 9 months of eating a day to 7-8% of its own weight. Example: cat should eat 3 kg 240 g food dry or wet.

Important: The calculation is based on the animal's body weight without fat, help to determine caloric intake can seasoned vet.

How stored cat food

1. The shelf life of the dry variety - six months in a cool place, and one month after opening the package, at 18-20⁰ in a dry place away from sunlight (suitable closed cupboard).
2. Shelf life moist and semi-moist form individually written on the packaging in cleartext packet is stored in the refrigerator for up to two days, with the proviso that packed in plastic wrap.
3. canned food shelf life of 6-12 months unopened. Open cans stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days, wrapped in plastic wrap.

Manufacturers cat food

Super-premium: balance of amino acids, the entry of more than 30% protein. Available dry products, focused on thoroughbred animals. Produced three series: for kittens, adults and the elderly.

Sold specially designed vitaminized bait. Made in Russia, spreading around the world.

Super-premium class: the lack of grain in the composition of complete formula, balance of amino acids and minerals. More than 70% - a natural animal protein in the form of meat.

Produced of complete and balanced series: for kittens, elderly and adults. Developed wet and dry line. The difference - the production of own fresh ingredients from Canada.

The company is based in Germany, specializes in the production of forages super-premium: dry, wet. Produced nutritious treats for adult cats.

Opposed - canned and Spider, which are designed for a few meals. Available products for the big cats for kittens, elderly and adults. The composition does not include preservatives and antioxidants.

The company from Germany, the food is sold in Europe and the CIS. It refers to the premium class. The difference - the release of the series for certain age groups (up to one year, 1-8 years, over 8 years old).

Joining meat products - at least 30% in each form. Produced dry and wet series, delicacy and fertilizing.

Food super premium series are designed for all ages, especially digestion, health and lifestyle. Available products in wet form, in cans.

Production is concentrated in the United States, products are sold in Europe, America, Asia, the CIS countries. The composition comprises a balanced amino acids and more than 50% meat.

Production lines for different cats with disabilities, people with allergies. Produced food in wet and dry consistency.

Attention is given to saturation in amino acids and vitamin B complex that the cat is not no free movement in nature.

Another American company and a pioneer, which since 1968 enters vegetables in the diet of pet, produces a balanced series.

The difference - the use of the original complex of minerals, vitamins and minerals, a combination of meat and vegetables. Production refers to the super-premium class.

American food production in the CIS countries. Pro-Plan Series super-premium, includes 50% of the organic animal and vegetable protein, with addition of the complex vitamins.

Are produced series for kittens, adult cats and neutered. Sold dry pellets and canned food.

The company super-premium, which develops food for cats based on individual characteristics of the organism. Produced daily and medical series for kittens, adults, the elderly and the sick. Occurrence of natural components and lean - 50%.

The Italian firm super-premium. Products are 60% content of natural ingredients: meat, poultry and fish, a balanced set of amino acids and vitamins. Produced daily and medical series.