Lots of instant cat food that we can buy in various places both online and offline. If you are already super busy, there is nothing wrong with buying finished food for your cat. But if you still have time and want your cat to be fat that is healthy and free from disease, it’s a good idea to mix your own cat food.
In this article, we will share ways to make food for cats to be healthy, fat and disease free.
As is well known, cat food is sold everywhere. It’s in a cat food store, pet store or supermarket. There is food in dry form (dry or in the US it is often called kibble) and there is wet (wet) in canned form. There are even cat food manufacturers that sell raw frozen food and premix products for catlovers who want to feed their beloved cat raw.
What you need to note is that cat food, which is special food that is given and consumed for domestic or pet cats, must contain the nutrients the cat needs. This nutritious food for cats means food that contains enough vitamins and the amino acid taurine.
The main foods that contain the amino acid taurine, for example, are meat. If your cat consumes less taurine for a long period of time, it can develop retinal degeneration, vision loss and heart damage. Thus in making cat food recipes, both dry and wet cat food recipes, you must pay attention to this. This is why dog food that is clearly made with a small amount of taurine is not suitable for feeding cats.
Well, before we talk about homemade cat food recipes, it’s good to understand the types of cat food first as a general understanding, especially cat hobbyists who are new to the ins and outs of the cat world.
Types of cat food
• Dry cat food
• Wet cat food
• Vegetarian cat food
Dry food for cats
Dry food (containing 8-10% water) is usually made by extruding meat with high pressure and temperature. Dry food can be added to other ingredients such as food fat by spraying it to increase palatability and taste.
Dry breed cat food costs a lot less than other types of cat food. Another advantage of this dry food is that it is good for dental health and this food is also not easily damaged and the taste can last for several days, even if it is left in the cat food bowl. However, dry food that is sprayed with fat can cause the food to go rancid and will undergo oxidation. Dry food is not like canned food which breaks down easily within a few hours. Additionally, some argue that dry food may help cats to prevent tartar deposits.
Wet food for cats
Wet food or canned food (containing 75-78% water) generally comes in a variety of can sizes, namely 3 ounces (85 grams), 5.5 ounces (156 grams), and 13 ounces (369 grams). Wet food is also sold as plastic foil bags and sachets. This food is made from high quality meat. Wet food is made by grinding and mixing and then pounding it to make a pulp. Wet food has been systematically sterilized and pasteurized.
The high water content of these foods contains many health benefits, but these foods are not good for dental health. Owners and veterinarians have recommended a diet consisting of mostly or completely wet food. Wet foods usually contain small amounts of cereals and carbohydrates. These foods contain lots of fish, which contain lots of unsaturated fatty acids, and if consumed they can cause inflammation of the adipose tissue. Compared to dry food, wet food can reduce the chance of urinary problems, diabetes, kidney failure, constipation and obesity in cats.
Vegetarian food for cats
Vegetarian food or vegan food is available for vegetarian cats. A vegetarian diet is enriched with a variety of nutrients, such as taurine and arachidonic acid, which indicates that cats are obligate carnivores, that is, they cannot synthesize food from plants. Several brands of vegetarian cat food have been labeled by the AAFOO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) by their manufacturers, which means the food meets the requirements for the nutritional profile of cat food.