Cat Food

What cat food is there? You can choose from pouches, canned food, and dry food

Generally, we divide cat food into dry food (pellets) and wet food (pockets, canned food, or various patés). If you’re unsure what to choose, know that modern cat food—pockets, canned food, and dry pellets—is all designed to give your pet all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Yet some food is more suitable than other, so read on.

• Dry food is some of the most basic food you can get. It consists of dried meat, filler, and nutritional ingredients. Make sure the pellets contain as much meat as possible.
• Canned food can represent the main part of the diet. Canned cat food is made mainly of meat, sometimes complemented by vegetables or rice. You can also get canned foods containing several kinds of meat at the same time.
• Pouches are mainly meat, which can be supplemented with various ingredients such as vegetables, ham, pasta, and others. Pouches can serve as both an extra treat or the main diet.
• Treats can enrich the daily diet, clean teeth, or serve as a reward for good behaviour. Make sure that your cat doesn’t overeat, however. Treats can be dried meat, meaty sticks, biscuits, and more.
• Kitten food is special because it has very different composition compared to standard cat food—it contains more fat and a higher proportion of added vitamins. The chunks are also smaller to make them chewable even for the tiniest kittens.
• Kitten milk is designed to provide complete nutrition from birth. It can replace the mother’s milk or serve as a food supplement. It contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

How to choose the right cat food—old cats and young cats have different dietary needs

Before you buy anything, ask yourself how large and how old your cat is. This is important because an old cat and a kitten need a different amount of nutrients. You also have to remember that small cats inherently need less food that large cats and feed them accordingly.

• Small cats will appreciate foods made of tiny, easily chewable pieces. They also require less food than large cat breeds.
• Large cats require food with modified nutrient content to keep their joints in good shape. The food can also contain larger chunks and logically, large cats need to be fed more.

Cat food is also differentiated according to the activity level. A less active or neutered cat has different nutritional needs than a highly active individual. If your cat is particularly hyper, we recommend to give it food with extra joint nutrition.

Choose special diet food if your cat is obese or has any chronic illness

Poor diet can over time result in various health issues, such as digestive problems or obesity. Diet food for cats is designed to address this, as it contains less fat, more protein, and plenty of fiber. In addition to improved diet, make sure to give your cat plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

Do you have an allergic cat? Choose grain-free cat food

If your pet cat is intolerant or allergic to grain, get it special grain-free cat food. This type replaces grain by natural, more easily digestible ingredients. In addition, more grain means less meat—the cat stays hungry for longer and needs to eat more to compensate.

When do you need to start buying grain-free food? Watch out for any allergic reactions your cat may have—the symptoms are scratching, hair loss, or poor digestion.

Best cat food - 5 tips how to make the right choice

Looking for the best cat food? Here’s a short overview of what you should know to make an informed choice.

1. The most important factor is the meat content—the more meat the food contains, the better.
2. Check other ingredients to see if the food doesn’t contain too much grain, which cats find difficult to digest.
3. Cat food should contain prebiotics or probiotics for better digestibility.
4. High-quality cat food should not contain chemical preservatives, food dyes, and flavour enhancers.
5. All ingredients should be listed in detail and without any weasel words.

Large or small? A 20kg bag of cat food will last you a while

Not sure how much food to buy? The rule of thumb is that you should buy in bulk if you can. For example, a 15kg or 20kg bag of dry food is not only cost-effective, but it will also free you from having to spend your time shopping for a long time. The same applies to other foods, such as canned food, pouches, and treats.

Do you have a dog at home? Watch out—dog food is not safe for cats

Do you have both a cat and a dog and wonder if your animal friends could maybe share the bowl? The answer is a resounding no for several reasons. Cats and dogs are different species with very different digestive systems, nutrient needs, and food intake frequency. Cats require food with a high protein and fat content, which can cause obesity or health problems in dogs.

While you’re at it, you can also get a food bowl for your cat. You can choose from different themes, shapes, and sizes. In addition, some are sold together with a water bowl.