Cats are obligate carnivores....
obligate; strict
carnivore; meat eater
- This means they are biologically restricted to consuming animal protein, also known as meat; whereas humans and dogs are omnivores, meaning we can consume both animal and plant based foods.
Cats also do not crave water like most mammals,
they consume most of their water intake when they are eating fresh meat.
A cats normal prey contains 70+% moisture.
With that being said....what do you feed your cat(s)??
Lets go back to the start of this post....cats are carnivores. Have you ever read the ingredients on a bag of cat food? Regardless of the brand Purina, Science Diet or Royal Canin to name a few...I can bet you the first three ingredients ARE NOT an actual meat (by products and meal do not count).
Are you scratching your head yet?
Why in the world would anyone, especially your vet, recommend food that doesn't even include the most VITAL building block to fulfill a cats diet? I don't have an answer for you either, other than they may be uneducated or they're being paid big bucks by these pet food companies to push them on you (much like a doctor will force a prescription medicine onto a human).
In the wild, cats rely soley on consuming animal protein; meat.....NOT grains, cheeses, vegetables, wheat or rice. MEAT MEAT MEAT is the most important part of their diet. Sure vitamins and minerals don't hurt, but why all of these fillers? Why are we feeding our cats things they don't NEED instead of the things they DO.
And since cats do not naturally 'thirst' like other animals - they rely on consuming water when they eat....how much moisture is in your bag of cat food?? I can bet you it's much LESS than 20%.
Please, think about adding wet food to your cats diet..(if you already do GOOD FOR YOU and SHAME ON ME for waiting until my cats were 6 and 7yrs old to actually do something about it).
Pro's to dry cat food
the vitamins & minerals
promotes healthy and strong teeth
Con's to dry cat food
No REAL meat, which is what carnivores need
Loads of carbohydrates that cats DO NOT NEED and per nature, can't even break down properly
It has been known to contribute to: Diabetes, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, urinary tract infections, inflammed bladder, hairballs, obesity, fatty liver disease, asthma and many others
The protein in dry food is plant based - WHY? Cats do not need plants for food!
Dehydration - because there is very little moisure in dry food and the fact that they naturally do not thirst for water
Something to think about....
Have you ever seen an obese animal in the wild??
Until recently, I thought dry food was okay for our feline kids. Both of my cats have eaten nothing, but dry food their entire lives...period. Today I'm taking a step in a better direction, I owe it to my cats to make sure they're living healthy lives and since they aren't out in the wild catching it for themselves, it's my responsibility to make sure I do it for them. I will continue to feed them dry food, but am making a change to integrate a healthy wet food into their diets so they're getting the proper nutrients and moisture they require.
A dear friend of mine had to put her two year old cat down last week due to kidney failure.
Last week, Lexy, one of Flower's brothers had bloodwork showing his BUN (blood urea nitrogen) level was elevated. This doesn't mean he has kidney failure, right now. But, we all know...when the kidneys deteriorate, they don't turn around. The vets immediate course of action was to put him on Hills Prescription Diet K/D formula for renal health. They believe putting him on a low-protein diet will help relieve any stress his kidneys may currently be under. I picked the food up on Saturday for my mom as she was out of town and noticed there was NO MEAT in the food, it was all carbs, plants, by-products and meal. Of course he should be on a low protein diet if all we're feeding him is plant protein, if he had been eating anmial protein (meat) his kidneys would be comfortable.
Lastly, cats are great at masking pain. Generally you will never know your cat is hurting or uncomfortable until its too late or when extensive care is needed for proper recovery.
So while you may say your cat is doing just fine on dry food...are they?
Think about it, do some research....do right by your pet
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