Choosing the proper cat food is a challenging yet essential task in feeding your feline friend. Each cat, like a human being, has individual requirements for sustenance based on their age, health status, and level of activity. Familiarity with the types of feline food allows you to choose wisely for the best result that would make your cat happy, healthy, and well-fed.
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Dry Food (Kibble)
Dry food for cats, often termed kibble, is probably the most accessible and practical food for cats. Normally, this is in pieces or portions that are edible small parts that your cat can just keep munching at his own pace. Probably the advantages it has over wet food is its long shelf life and its affordability. Kibble also helps your cat clean its teeth because of its crunchiness, which prevents tartar buildup.
But there are downsides to dry cat food. The general moisture content is less in dry kibble, which is not ideal for a cat because she would naturally consume only very little amount of water. If the cat diet lacks the adequate amount of moisture, there is a likely prospect that she becomes prone to urinary tract problems or even dehydration. Most owners supplement the cat’s dry food with wet food or provide fresh water to compensate for the lack of moisture.
Wet Food (Canned or Pouched)
Wet cat foods come in various can sizes as well as re-sealable or airtight pouches are the perfect medium for making more water consumed within the pet animal since most cat foods comes containing around 70-80% water. Picky eaters would most probably welcome the moist feeling on their lips since most would love this; moreover, this meal might have larger proportions of fats and proteins within, and any feline with natural tendencies will most assuredly crave just such an existence of rich animals-protein-filled diets.
The main disadvantage of wet cat food is that it is quite expensive. It usually costs more than dry food, depending on how many cats or even a big pet you have. Wet food also has a shorter shelf life after being opened, so its consumer must consume it as soon as possible and store the leftovers properly so that they do not spoil.
Raw Food (Barf or Prey Model Diet)
This raw diet, also termed as the BARF or Prey Model Diet, includes raw meat, organs, and bones. The theory about this kind of diet is based upon the principle to replicate the natural wild diet of wild cats, hence supplying high quality proteins and fats. Strong proponents of a raw food diet believe that such a diet brings about better coat conditions, higher energy levels, and improved digestion.
This raw diet is sensitive sometimes and also requires proper preparation to maintain a nutritionally balanced meal while avoiding any foodborne disease. The raw diet is laden with bacteria harmful like Salmonella or E. coli, which live within the raw meat; hence the ingredients need to come from safe sources, of good quality. Some pet owners prefer to buy commercially prepared raw food, prepared in accordance with nutritional standards that should be present.
Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Cat Food
Freeze-dried and dehydrated cat foods are a pretty new idea, but bring together the best of raw food and convenience.
These foods are processed to remove all the moisture content but retain nutrients, hence staying for a very long time without refrigeration. Freeze-dried foods retain much of the nutritional value of raw food but are more convenient to handle and store.
Both varieties are usually hydrated with water prior to serving. Even though freeze-dried and dehydrated cat food varieties tend to be highly nutritious, they can be pricier than wet or dry commercially available foods. They also require an additional step in the feeding process of hydration, which makes kibble or canned foods the preference for some cat owners for convenience.
