PETS Info Blog

We cat lovers adore our feline friends. As such, it’s important that we feed them the right foods so that they can grow healthy and strong. There’s an array of food for cats on the market, so knowing a bit about his nutritional needs can help you select the best meals. Here’s a basic crash course on all things cat food related. 

Cat Nutrition Basics

It’s most important that your cat gets lot of protein in his diet. Since cats are primarily carnivores, lean meats should make up the bulk of their food. One reason why cats need meat is because their bodies don’t naturally produce taurine, an essential amino acid found therein. Make sure your cat’s food lists lean protein from real meat sources as the very first ingredient.

It’s okay to give your feline food that contains some carbohydrates, but do take care that ingredients such as corn and/or grains aren’t at the top of the ingredients list. Carbohydrates shouldn’t make up more than 20% of your cat’s diet because overindulgence can lead to obesity.

Some fats are also good and necessary for your cat. Many foods that contain healthy fats (like fish) are high in healthy vitamins like K, A, D and E. These ingredients protect your cat’s nails and teeth, keep his fur glossy and contribute to a myriad of other benefits.

1) Wet Food

Wet food contains water, helping to hydrate your cat, and it closely mimics the tender texture of meat, which is what your cat would naturally seek out in the wild. 

Wet food flavors vary greatly, and you can have fun with picking different tastes to see what your cat loves most. Some wet foods come in a pouch, containing real meat in its natural juice. Entrée flavors include Tuna, Sardine & Mackerel, Whitefish, Chicken, Chicken & Beef, Chicken & Duck and more. Other wet foods come in trays, which are easy to serve and simple in terms of portion control. Many of the same flavors are available, in addition to: Filet Mignon, Roasted Turkey and Alaskan King Crab.

2) Dry Cat Food

Dry foods can come in a variety of meat flavors as well. Many of the best dry foods use real, lean meat as the first ingredient, which is important. Some benefits of dry food are cost effectiveness and possible teeth cleaning benefits for your feline friend.

3) Cat Treats

Cat snacks and treats come in a variety of flavors and textures. While treats shouldn’t be the mainstay of your cat’s diet, they can make for a nice snack in between meals or during training. Treats can come in crunchy, soft or combination form, and they are offered in almost as many flavors as wet and dry main course foods.

You, the pet owner might have stumbled upon a really interesting saying ‘Dogs have masters, cats have staff’.

Although this might seem funny at the beginning, there are numerous pet owners out there who will find the saying true, and they might also realize that their life has been overtaken by their cat.

W

hile in case of the dogs it isn’t that difficult to show who the boss is, with cats the situation is totally different. The majority of the felines are really independent, and so you can’t really be their boss.

If you would like to keep harmony in your home then you might want to consider treating the cat as an equal.

The relationship that you have with your cat should be based on mutual respect and there are some boundaries that none of you should cross.

Naturally there are some situations when you will have to cross this thin line for the sake of the cat.

Such situations might include a bath, clipping the nails and taking away those items that might be potentially harmful for the cat in case it is playing with them.

If you have to do something that most probably the cat won’t like, then you might want to do it tactfully and with a sensitive approach. Otherwise you will have to get some supplies of band aid from your medicine cabinet.

Although you shouldn’t force the cat, in case you feel like you pet has taken over your life, for example by always asking for treats and waking you up in the middle of the night just to play with it, then there might be some need to get rid of these habits.

There are numerous ways through which you can change the habits of the cat, but you should never get aggressive with the pet.

Having a pet means having a lot of responsibilities. There are numerous people who get a pet, for example a cat. When they accept to own the pet they are unaware of all the efforts that they will have to make.

Besides the day-to-day care, the animal also needs a lot of other things, like food and litter in order to be happy, and like it or not, all these things have a price.

In case you are on a tight budget, this might not be the perfect moment to think about getting a cat.

The things that a regular cat needs include food, safe environment, neutering or spray, core vaccinations and also emergency vet care.

If you would like to find out the exact numbers, then you should know that the food of a cat costs about $9- $12 a month. The price of the litter box might vary starting with $6, but it might be as high as $200 in case you opt for the ones that are self cleaning.

The litter costs about $19, and it should be enough for two months for one cat.

The neutering of a cat will cost about $45 while the spray is a little more expensive, around $ 70. In the case of a private vet the prices might be higher: $60 per neuter and $115 per spray.

In case of a cat the core vaccinations are extremely important, so that the cat won’t get sick and this might cost about $80 in the first year, naturally the prices might vary.

You should also take the cat to annual examinations, and this might run from $60 to about $125 depending on the facility that you choose.

It might be wise to create a fund for the animal care and to have about $1000-$2000 on a card for the expenses related to the pet.