Cat care and nutrition go hand in hand. Food and hygiene play vital role in raising a cat. Cats are not fond of exercise and so their diet needs to be given high attention to give them a healthy body. Cats of any and every age group need proper nutrition to combat routine health problems. As the feline grows older, she needs extra support in terms of dietary supplements. Cat’s innate nature of hiding pain makes her vulnerable to further damage due to diseases.
Pet parents must think about preventive nutrition to make sure their pussy ages well. Starting from the kitten years, the cat should be given proper food that suffices nutritional requirements and aids in her natural growth. In addition, one should go for vet advice to gain an insight on which food suits the pet. It is an ideal practice to give dietary supplements to fill up the nutritional gaps of a cat’s diet. Termed as preventive nutrition, this method helps in preventing deficiencies and diseases in the long run.
The need of preventive nutrition:
Nutrition plays a basic role in overall wellbeing of animals. When you give certain vitamins and minerals to avoid various diseases it is called preventive nutrition. This practice is ideal for all age groups of pets. For young kittens, the supplements help in building their bones, muscles and coat tissues. In adult cats, it prevents diseases. In aging animals, it helps reduce the problems faced by aging animals. We can further keep an account of the benefits of cat nutrition as follows:
- When given as a preventive method, the supplements reduce the possibility of diseases.
- It also helps in improving pet’s reflexes.
- Supports proper growth in growing kittens.
- Helps in building their muscles, bones and skin and coat tissues.
- Lends a support system to aging pets
- Fills up the need of wet diet
- Adds healthy years to the pet’s life
- Provides support after surgeries and accidents
- Reduce chances of an underlying condition to develop into a disease
Rules of providing preventive nutrition:
- It is always advisable to follow vet’s advice
- Focus on giving wet food instead of dry kibbles
- Go as per the life stage of the pet
- The transition between kitten food and adult cat food should be slow
- Do not feed dog food to the cat. Be species specific
- Focus on weight management
To sum up, it is always a good practice to add nutrients into your pet’s diet. Cats are indoor animals and so need more of fiber and less of carbs. They do not have thirst pangs and remain less hydrated than dogs. Thus, wet diet is always a good option for the felines. So, just be extra careful about the nutritional needs of the pet. Fill up their diet with vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and see how they remain healthy and live longer lives.