Things You Should Know About Cat And Dog Food

Having a pet like cat or dog is just like having a baby at home. These cute, innocent companions of your deserve all the care and compassion in the world. Their wellbeing is of prime importance just like that of any other member of the family. Apart from following the vaccination and health regime, one has to be very particular about the food they serve these voiceless companions. So, here is everything you ought to know about the pet food.

  • Ingredients of cat and dog food

Cats and dogs are carnivorous by nature. Feeding them with carbohydrates like the ones we eat can trigger in them various kinds of food allergies. Thus, it is essential to have a close look at what you are buying in the name of cat or dog food.

Let’s talk about the cat food first. Having correct composition of cat food is the first requirement for guaranteeing good health of the pet. So, the most essential ingredients of cat food are:

  • Specific proteins: Not something by the general name called ‘meat’ but specific protein along with its source like chicken heart or chicken liver should constitute the major part of cat meal.
  • Very particular carbohydrates: Cats’ bodies are not designed to digest carbohydrates like ours. They still can be given some corn based fillers. The other carbohydrate and protein rich vegan option to give are green peas, or canned varieties of corn starch, potato starch, and others.
  • Particular fats: The most favorable fat for good cat health is chicken fat. Some cooking bases like sunflower oil, or canola oil etc. should also be looked for while buying cat food.
  • Taurine: This is one of the most essential proteins that cats’ bodies are not able to produce internally. It has to be provided to the body from food externally. Since absence or lack of this amino acid can lead to poor vision or heart diseases, it is a must in the cat food.

Unlike cats, dogs are omnivores. They require vegetarian as well as animal-based foods for their good health. Most nutritious diet for dogs is those comprising of:

  1. Animal-based proteins: chicken, beef, lamb and salmon.
  2. Fibrous carbohydrates like fruits, sweet potato, etc
  3. Whole grains: Buckwheat, millet, rice, barley. However, overweight dogs should cut the whole grains intake.

Apart from these, dog food must have other essential nutrients like minerals, vitamins, however, rendered fat, certain dyes, BHT, BHA and corn gluten are not permissible.

Visit here to get the Vets-approved food for dogs and cats. You can find here both the wet and dry foods made using the best quality ingredients, healthy for your canine and feline pets.

Can dogs be given cat food in case of emergency?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. The answer to this lies in understanding the body of cats and dogs. Though pet owners can give their dogs the cat food, but it is not a good thing to make it a habit. The dogs, though will show typical penchant for the cat food, can gather a lot around the waistline and develop obesity due to high protein and fat content. Here is why your dogs need different foods from cats:

  1. Cats require more Vitamin A in their diet as compared to dogs. The latter can make their dose of Vitamin A in their bodies.
  2. Cats get their daily requirement of Taurine (an amino acid) and arachidonic acid from the foods they eat; while dogs get these internally.
  3. The protein levels of cat food are very high. If dogs consume this food on a regular basis, it can cause imbalance in the gut leading to digestion related problems.

Similarly, the dog food is not rich in the nutrients which are required by cats. So, if the cats feed a lot on these foods, they are likely to suffer from heart disease or other nutrient deficiency diseases.

To conclude,

The cat foods and dog foods are prepared keeping their bodily requirements in mind. Many people go for homemade recipes also to feed their pets. But, when you are buying the packed food for them from market, ensure that all these foods are present. Also, feeding them as per the recommended servings is also essential.