Seven nutrients that cats need
For cats, they need enough nutrients to meet their own developmental needs during their growth. The most important ones are the following seven nutrients .
Protein. As an important nutrient element that regulates the cat’s physiological function and body hormones, and participates in the development of the cat’s own material metabolism tissue, protein is composed of more than 20 kinds of amino acids. The amino acids required for cat development can only be taken in from food.
Fat. This is an important source of energy for cats, helping cats to play the role of heat preservation and buffering, resisting cold, reducing external vibration to it, and reducing damage to its own body. Of course, more importantly, fat can provide cats with essential fatty acids that are not synthesized and play a very important role in the structure and function of cells.
Vitamin. Vitamins are important nutrients to meet the growth needs of cats. Most vitamins can be synthesized in the body, but in addition to vitamin K and vitamin C, they also need to be obtained from food.
Minerals. Cats with insufficient mineral intake can lead to stunted growth and even death.
Taurine. This plays a very important role in the heart health and physical health of cats, and insufficient taurine intake can cause cardiomyopathy, retinopathy, infertility, and even deformities in the next generation.
Carbohydrates. This is an important energy source for the cat’s body, and it is also one of the nutrients that need to be ingested in the daily diet. Although not required every day, it is essential.
Moisture. Cats are natural animals that do not like to drink water, so pay attention to the problem of drinking water for cats, drink more water, and do not produce stones.
Two basic components of cat food
Generally, cat food is divided into animal food and plant food.
Animal food. Cats need taurine, calcium and vitamins from animal foods. Therefore, in daily feeding, we should give cats more animal muscle, liver, kidney, fish eggs, etc. Not only are they rich in protein, they also contain a lot of vitamin A. They can help cats get a lot of calcium and phosphorus, make their bones stronger, and provide them with enough nutrients for their physical development, so animal foods should make up 45% of a cat’s overall diet~ 50% or so.
Plant food. General plant foods provide cats with dietary fiber and carbohydrates, which can stimulate cat gastrointestinal motility, prevent cat constipation, and expel hairballs in the stomach, which is beneficial to cat health.
Ten basic needs for raising cats
Meet the habit of cats like to crawl. Cats are born to like to crawl, so put a cat climbing frame at home to ensure that the quality of the cat climbing frame is stable and has the opportunity to climb safely. Otherwise, the cat’s paws may climb the curtains and the curtains may be torn.
Provides a wide field of view. Many people find that cats always like to jump into the balcony to see the outside world, so there should be an open area in the home for the cat to see the outside world. Put a small blanket on the window of the home, or place a comfortable cushion, the cat owner can lie on it and watch the scene during the day and night, effectively exercise the development of vision, but the window of the home should be locked, so that the cat does not accidentally fall down .
Meet the scratching needs of cats. Cats like to stretch and scratch, so it’s a good idea to have a large scratching board at home, so that the cats in the house can sharpen their claws.
Prepare a comfortable cat litter. The cat litter should be clean and placed in a quiet area, taking care not to carry any scents, which may use scent to distinguish territorial cats that are uncomfortable.
Satisfy your cat’s desire to play. Kittens are greedy animals, so we should play with cats in our free time, play with them with cat sticks or interesting toys, and get enough exercise.
Fill life with plenty of toys. It’s inevitable for cats to be bored when they’re home alone during the day, so owners can keep interesting toys at home when they’re out for work. For example, a mouse that makes noise, a ball of yarn that can be caught, and a cat that is not bored at home during the day and can play freely.
Satisfy the cat’s search for food. If it is just simple and monotonous to put cat food in a bowl for cats to eat, there is no charm and entertainment for them, so owners can hide cat food in hidden corners to satisfy the idea of finding food and let cats explore freely .
Give your cat a quiet and private place. Cats are solitary animals and like quiet corners, so cats should be provided with a quiet and undisturbed activity area at home, allowing them to hide in it, so that they have a sense of security and comfort.
Growing cat grass
. Cats are carnivores and actually like vegetables and plants. The ancestors of cats ate whole animals when they preyed, some herbivores tasted like grass, and they also ate plants when they ate meat. Therefore, sometimes the cats in the house like to nibble on the things we grow, and the best way is to grow cat grass to safely satisfy the instinct to eat plants.
Provide clean water. Cats like to drink running and clean water, if you just put their drinking water in a bowl, they will be less motivated and won’t even need to drink for a day, and the water won’t move much when it gets dirty. Therefore, it is possible to provide drinking fountains at home to allow cats to drink running water, keep the water source clean, and give cats a sense of freshness.
In addition to the above “7+2+10” rule, when taking care of cats in daily life, you should pet cats more. Cats like the stimulation of petting, and such actions can make them feel comfortable.
Now that winter is here, don’t forget that cats are also warm-blooded animals. The temperature in the home must be well controlled. Giving them a warm space to enjoy the sun is also a good way to make cats happy.
Of course, if you want your cat to grow up healthily, it is recommended to take it for sterilization at about 6 months of age, which will greatly reduce reproductive system diseases, reduce desire, and live a long and healthy life.
Having a cat is something that requires patience and love. I hope you think carefully before adopting a cat. Don’t just buy cats. After raising it for a period of time, it was cruelly abandoned. This is grossly irresponsible for life.