Page 28 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

A balanced diet

To stay healthy, cats need a regular intake of certain nutrients. You
should provide your pet with a diet that not only satisfies hunger
but also provides all the essential food elements.

The right nutrients have to hunt for their meals, and imaginable. So which ones
Meat is the natural diet for cats. they are not natural scavengers, should you choose?
A feline digestive system is not so they rely on us to supply the Most commercial cat foods
designed to process large amounts correct nutrients, whether in are complete foods; that is, they
of vegetable matter, although it is commercially prepared or home- provide all necessary nutrients
usual for cats to chew a little grass cooked food. Cats are notoriously and do not need anything else
now and then. Regardless of your picky eaters, so you may have to added. However, some products
own food preferences, you cannot experiment with foods of different may be labeled “complementary,”
turn your cat into a vegetarian types, textures, and flavors before in which case they need to be
without putting his health, and you hit on the ones that bring your combined with other foods to
26 even his life, at risk. pet hurrying to his food bowl. provide balanced nutrition. Check
Prey caught in the wild supplies the information on the package to
not just meat protein but also Commercial cat foods be sure which type you are buying.
Supermarket shelves offer a huge
essential fats, vitamins, minerals—
Dry food, which comes in the
Everyday care such as calcium from bones—and selection of prepared cat foods form of small pellets or biscuits,
can be left in the bowl for a cat to
in almost every gourmet flavor
fiber. Domestic cats are unlikely to

△ Natural fiber
Cats need fiber in their diet, which should
be supplied by correct feeding. In the wild,
a cat will obtain nutrients from prey.

◁ A healthy appetite
Your cat knows what he likes, but it is important
that his favorite foods contain the right balance
of nutrients to maintain good health.

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