Cat Nutrition Tips Are you interested in learning more about how to organize the nutrition of your kitten, adult cat, or senior cat? Continue reading for crucial nutrition advice to keep your feline friend healthy.
Nutritional Needs for Cats
An animal uses nutrients, which are compounds derived from food, as a source of energy and as a component of the metabolic system required for upkeep and growth. Your pets should be able to acquire all the nutrients they require from high-quality commercial pet meals, which are made with these unique criteria in mind, barring any special requirements, illness-related deficits, or recommendations from your veterinarian. Here are the six categories of nutrients that are necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
- The most crucial nutrient is water. While part of your pet’s water demands may be met by food, pets must always have access to fresh, clean water. Water deprivation can result in severe disease or even death.
- Proteins are crucial for growth, maintenance, reproduction, and repair since they serve as the fundamental building blocks for all cells, tissues, organs, enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. Proteins can be found in a variety of foods. Complete amino acid profiles can be seen in animal-based proteins. (Please note: Don’t feed uncooked eggs to your pet.) Vegetables, grains, and soy all contain protein, however these are incomplete proteins.
- Proteins are composed of amino acids, which are classified as either essential or non-essential.
- Because an animal cannot synthesis enough essential amino acids, they MUST be provided in the food. Arginine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine, leucine, tryptophan, lysine, valine, and taurine are essential amino acids.
- Your pet can generate non-essential amino acids, thus they are not required in the diet.Companion cats need the amino acid taurine, which is necessary. Taurine is necessary for reproduction, fetal growth, and survival as well as the prevention of eye and heart problems. Foods of animal origin, such as meat, eggs, and fish, are the only sources of this important amino acid.
