Healthy Food For Cats Natural

Changing From Commercial To Homemade Cat Food

If your cat has been on commercial cat food for most of its life, his digestive enzymes and digestive system has most likely acclimated to this unnatural diet. Slowly transition over to raw food, 1 teaspoon at a time, over the course of a month.

You will want to follow the advice of your veterinary professional, but for many this will look like:

Day 1-5: Mix 1 teaspoon of raw food into whatever your cat normally eats.

Day 5-10: Increase the raw food by double.

Day 10-15: Feed your cat half raw, half what they were eating before.

Day 15 on: You may be able to switch to all raw food as your cat has had time for their digestive system to catch up. If your cat is fussy, continue the slow transition.

Castor & Pollux Organix Grain

Castor & Pollux buy their ingredients directly from American farmers and cook up their recipes in factories in America. This means that they can be sure of the quality of the ingredients and manufacturing processes. However, this does mean that it is more expensive than some other brands.

The primary ingredient is organic meat, which delivers 34% protein that is matched with carbohydrates from grain-free sources such as sweet potatoes and lentils. However, it is relatively high in carbohydrates, which is not something that cats need in their diet.

It is free from nasty additives including preservatives and antibiotics and is packed with additional vitamins, including taurine and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are essential for a healthy coat.

It comes in four different flavors, and special life-stage formulas are also available, so you can easily find the ideal dry food for your cat. In our opinion, it is the best natural dry cat food.

Pros

• Organic superfoods e.g. cranberry, flaxseed, and coconut oil
• No artificial preservatives

Do Life Stages Matter When Youre Choosing Cat Food

Yes and no. Choose foods that meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines for either growth, all life stages, or adult maintenance.

Kittens and pregnant or lactating cats should eat food formulated for growth or all life stages. Adultscats over the age of oneshould eat meals formulated for all life stages or adult maintenance.

Other than these three categories, you dont need to choose your cats food based on life stages. Seniors, for example, dont usually need a senior-specific food. Most of these labeling ploys are in the same league as indoor cat food, hairball food, and breed-specific formulations.

Theyre easy to buy and feel like a little bit of personalization, but they jump straight to the personal details without nailing nutrition basics. How can you address the unique needs of a 7-year-old indoor-outdoor Persian without first acknowledging the fact that shes a carnivore?

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Which Vitamins Do Cats Need

According to AAFCO, cat foods should contain the following vitamins:

• Vitamin A: Important for vision, bone and tooth growth, reproduction, and maintenance of skin and mucous membranes

• Vitamin D: Increases blood calcium and phosphorous levels to support growth and maintenance of bones

• Vitamin E: An important antioxidant

• Vitamin K: Necessary for normal blood clotting

• Thiamin: Plays a role in carbohydrate metabolism

• Riboflavin: Releases energy from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins

• Pantothenic Acid: Needed for metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and some amino acids

• Niacin: Necessary for processing fats, carbohydrates, and protein

• Pyridoxine: Helps metabolize amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids

• Folic Acid: Needed for synthesis of DNA and the amino acid methionine

• Biotin: Helps make fatty acids, some amino acids, and DNA/RNA

• Vitamin B12: Required for fat and carbohydrate metabolism and nerve conduction

• Choline: Essential as a neurotransmitter, as part of cell membranes, and for lipid transport

Natural Balanced And Complete Wet Food For All Cats Based On A Meat Only Diet

3coty® Cat Food is natural and complete wet food for all cats. It provides your cat with everything he or she needs to get and stay healthy. Its optimal nutritional values ensure fully balanced meals containing the right amount of all minerals, vitamins and amino acids that your cat needs.

In our dedicated factory in the heart of Poland, we use ONLY natural meat and animal ingredients from EU certified local producers to make high-quality cat food. Our passion is healthy cat food. So, our factory only produces 3coty® cat food. This means that no traces of any other ingredients can get into the production area.

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What Are The Different Types Of Cat Food

As a cat owner, it is your job to provide for your cats needs, and that includes a healthy and nutritious diet. Before you stroll into the nearest pet store and grab something off the shelf, however, you should take the time to learn about your options this includes familiarizing yourself with the different types of cat food youre likely to encounter.

Here is a quick overview of some of the most popular types of cat food:

• Dry Cat Food
• Fresh Cat Food
• Raw Cat Food

Within each of these categories, there are a variety of other types of cat food as well.

For example, both dry cat food and canned cat food brands offer options for grain-free and limited ingredient cat foods. These options are great for cats with food allergies or sensitivities. Limited ingredient diets are simply cat foods made with a lower number of main ingredients to limit the risk of triggering food allergies.

A quick word about grain-free cat food.

There has always been a great deal of controversy surrounding the inclusion of carbohydrates in cat food. The fact remains that cats are obligate carnivores which means that the majority of their nutrition needs to come from animal sources. Unfortunately, meat-based diets are expensive, and most cat owners dont have the knowledge or ability to create a homemade cat food diet that is nutritionally complete and balanced.

Best Natural & Organic Cat Foods In 2021 Reviews & Top Picks

Part of good cat ownership is providing them a diet that meets all their nutritional needs. Part of being a good cat is to likely reject their owners healthy offerings and choose what tastes good instead.

Can healthy cat food still be appealing to your finicky friend? Cats are carnivores and require protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals to be healthy. These ingredients are important, but theyre often combined in many cat foods with potentially unhealthy fillers. To avoid feeding these fillers to your cat, natural and organic cat foods can offer a solution.

With so many different choices, though, it can be hard to know which one is best for your feline companion that will still please their palates. Our reviews cover eight of the best all-natural cat foods on the market today.

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Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Weight Management Cat Food Best For Weight Loss

Although not a prescription diet, this weight management food from Purina is one of the best wet cat foods on the market. As a veterinarian, I often use this as a less-expensive, non-prescription alternative for cat owners that struggle to afford some of the clinical and prescription diets. It has just 79 calories per can, meaning that it is easy for pet parents to portion.

Cats eating this food will get to have several small meals throughout the day, which is considered ideal for feline behavior as well as satiety . Cats that dont feel full pester for more food, which can be a huge barrier to healthy weight loss. The protein content is also high at 54% , which contributes to satiety and also ensures that cats dont lose condition when they lose weight.

The main problem with this food is its palatability. Like many weight loss foods, palatability can be a concern and there are certain cats that wont eat this food. Still, cats will be cats, and Im the same with Ryvita so we cant blame the food too much! On the whole, it has great reviews so it is definitely worth giving it a go if your kitty is on the porky side!

• Palatability may be an issue

At The End Of The Day

Feline family members have their special nutritional needs you should consider them when choosing the diet. Cats living on all-natural products are less prone to diseases of the intestinal system and kidneys, not to mention that it allows carnivores to truly enjoy the meals. Now when you know how to make wet cat food, maintaining the proper balance of nutrients becomes simpler. But before you decide to switch your feline friend to raw or cooked meals, its important to consult a veterinarian a specialist will help you figure out a perfect formula for your pet.

Featured Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock

Contents

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What Sort Of Cat Bowl Should I Get

Although lions in the zoo are different from your cat in many ways, the fact remains that both need enrichment when they eat. In fact, part of our duties as owners are that we allow our cats to express natural behaviors- like hunting. The wild ancestors of our domestic cats would have spent most of their day hunting our pet cats can eat a bowl of food in minutes, leaving them with hours of the day to fill. For your cats mental and physical health, you should consider feeding them with puzzle feeders that allow them to express some of this natural behavior. Many types of puzzle feeders are available, from the treat ball style all the way through to those designed like mice for your cat to hunt.

There are a lot of cat food bowls on the market to choose from too, so take a look at our top picks and see if there are any your cat would love.

Benefits Of Homemade Cat Food

There are several good reasons why some cat owners choose to feed their furry friends homemade meals and discard any other options. Here are they:

1. The owners can control the ingredients as well as the process of cooking.Bulk cat food on the market is not what it seems and advertises.

Both expensive and cheap cat food can include low-quality components, chemical preservatives, useless or even harmful fillers. So commercial cat food can be regarded as junk food for humans and home made cat food like home cooking. If you start preparing food for your cat at home, you choose the ingredients and control the way of cooking. Thus, you are sure that your furry eats really quality meals.

2. The pet parents can protect their cats from a variety of allergic reactions.A lot of commercial cat food brands say that their kibbles can improve cats skin and coat.

But thats not true. Using low-quality ingredients for making such kinds of cat food, on the contrary, can cause some allergic reactions or sensitivities. Homemade raw food diet for cats lets you notice a great benefit to your four-legged friends skin and coat.

The difference is that raw food provides about 80% moisture when commercial cat food offers just 10%.

4. Making your own cat food fosters increased energy.

5. The cat owners can save money if they choose to cook feline food at home by themselves.

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A Cooked Diet: The Risks And The Rewards

The main risk of a cooked cat diet is that you can choose the wrong quantity and proportion of ingredients when making homemade food for your small favorite. But you can remedy that! Just be very careful because a cooked diet can be so beneficial for your pet. It can help you eliminate harmful commercial food from your cats diet. Homemade food also contains more vitamins, minerals and useful nutrients and that positively affects your cats well-being.

The Top 11 Best Cat Foods

With so many different options out there, it is difficult to say what is truly the best cat food. As a cat owner, the best thing you can do is consider your cats nutritional requirements, and individual preferences then choose the highest quality product you can that fits your budget.

If youre not sure where to start looking, here are our top 10 picks for the best cat food in several different categories:

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Taste Of The Wild Rocky Mountain Grain

Our Top Pick for the Most Popular Cat Food: If youre not sure what the healthiest dry cat food might be, you cant go wrong with a popular option like this Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Cat Food recipe. This formula features real roasted venison and smoked salmon along with other whole-food ingredients to ensure balanced nutrition and maximum flavor. This recipe is naturally grain-free, so it doesnt contain any corn or wheat ingredients, and it is free from artificial additives as well. With a minimum of 42% protein and 18% fat, this formula is just what your cat needs and the fact that it is loaded with fresh meat means that it is full of delicious flavor as well. Youll also be glad to know that it is supplemented with chelated minerals and probiotics.

• Pros: Several sources of premium protein, grain-free carbohydrates, high in protein and fat, fresh fruits and vegetables, chelated minerals, supplemented with enzymes and probiotics
• Cons: Contains some plant proteins

Tuna And Catnip Treats

Every good kitty deserves a treat or two especially if it contains catnips! Cats absolutely love catnips, a herb from the mint family Labiatae. It contains an active ingredient known as nepetalactone, which may cause a high in your cat to help your furry friend relax! However, be sure to moderate your cats intake of this homemade cat recipe as too much catnip may cause nauseousness.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Recipe Instructions:

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The Honest Kitchen Grain

If you love the idea of feeding your cat fresh or raw food, but you dont want to deal with the hassle, consider The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dehydrated Cat Food. This brand uses human-grade ingredients and a gentle drying process to preserve the nutritional integrity high-quality ingredients for maximum nutrition and flavor. This recipe is loaded with premium animal protein and fresh fruits and vegetables for optimal nutrition all you have to do is rehydrate it before feeding.

• Pros: Made with human-grade ingredients, loaded with premium protein, grain-free, whole-food ingredients, dehydrated to preserve nutritional integrity
• Cons: Needs to be rehydrated before feeding, some cats dislike the texture

How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat

All cat foods state on the label the calorie content and suggested feeding guidelines in cups or tins so that you can work out how much to feed your cat based on their weight. However, its important to remember that every cat is unique and will metabolize their food differently. Cats also have a huge variation in normal weight, from 5.5 pounds to 18 pounds or more!

First, you should work out your cats weight and body condition score . The body condition score determines whether or not your cat is overweight, and in the case of the 9-point scale, it even approximates how much overweight your cat is. You then need to work out the calorie allowance for your cat. Your local veterinary clinic will usually offer a free consultation to determine this, or you can go to the Pet Nutrition Alliances calculator to get a recommended feeding amount in calories. You can then use the food tab to type in the calorie content of your pets food to get a recommendation for the number of tins or cups you should be feeding your pet each day. If youre mixing wet and dry food, dont forget to split the daily calorie allowance between the two so you dont overfeed your cat.

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Simply Raw: Rabbit Turkey Or Chicken

This blog recommends that you use rabbit, turkey or chicken as the base of your cat food, using a grinder to break down the cuts of meat you have selected. As surface bacteria can develop on ground meats much quicker than a solid cut, it is also advised that the ground meat is then partially baked to kill these potentially harmful bacterias. We should note this is strictly a meat meal and will likely be a favorite of any felines! A quick scroll down this blog, will also give you a recipe if you prefer to cook your felines food!

Health Original Cat Turkey & Salmon

Made with real meat, this 4health wet food has high-quality protein to support joint and muscle strength. It has omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin, coat, and immune system. This wet cat food contains no corn, wheat, or soy in its ingredients.

The first five ingredients of this wet cat food from 4health are turkey, turkey broth, liver, salmon, and dried egg product.

Pros

Tasty meal.This 4health canned wet food is quite popular among kitties. They love the rich, savory taste of real meat, liver, and salmon. This wet cat food is made even tastier with flavorful broth. Some customers have remarked that the can is full of visibly real meat.

Great value. Numerous cat parents give this canned food to their cats because it has high quality ingredients and is quite affordable. Compared to a lot of brands in the same price range, 4health has better ingredients. The can is full of real meat that you can see, cats love the flavor, and it costs less than most grain-free natural cat products.

Cons

Fruits and veggies. Aside from brewers rice, this canned food contains fruits and vegetables in its ingredients. Ingredients such dried potatoes, carrots, dried cranberries and blueberries contain vitamins, minerals, or even antioxidants that are beneficial to cats.

However, some note that these plant-based ingredients are not found in a cats natural diet, and thus have no nutritional value to their health.

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