Raul Crist
Standing in front of the modern cat food display, you might get a little jealous. You can see tasty roast goose with sweet potatoes and cranberries, kangaroo with chia seeds and all kinds of delicious-sounding dishes that you can also read on the restaurant menu. Nutritional additives in cat food there are all kinds of variations. The range of food supplements for supposedly eternal youth, but also against the minor ailments of old age, is hardly inferior to ours. There are garlic tablets for parasites, salmon oil capsules for a beautiful coat, joint care products and much more.
But Are nutritional additives in cat food even necessary? or are there even additives that we would prefer to avoid, but at least keep a close eye on the amount given? The following applies to many things: the dose makes the poison – but when exactly is it dangerous for the cat?
What should cats eat?
these cats pure carnivoressupposedly carnivores, are, the word has circulated widely. Nevertheless, in many finished products is still a high proportion of food additives in the form of carbohydrates contain. After the increased public discussion of the meaning and nonsense of grains as an energy source in cat food, the industry has gotten resourceful and is now mixing food more and more. alternative sources of carbohydrates To.
Potatoes (sweet), rice, corn, but also quinoa & co sound better than “bad” cereals, but they are nothing more than a type of carbohydrate the healthy cat is not dependent. Strictly speaking, she can only use them in the “pre-digested” state, i.e. cooked, and then to a limited extent. Can always a small amount in cat food can be very helpful, if Miez must follow a low phosphorus diet due to a chronic illness (eg, advanced kidney failure). Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are found in the belly of a healthy cat. little to nothing to look for – even if they do not harm him directly.
However, we should not be concerned with the main composition of feline food today, but rather with the outward signs and what is behind it. Basically, you should watch your cat’s diet depending on their natural prey. The mouse as the main food component consists mainly of meat or offal, cartilage, bone, but also, for example, the tiny food pulp of the prey. Basically: everything your cat eats has a special meaning for his body. It’s so simple and so complicated at the same time.
Are food additives useful in cat food?
From there we enter a more complex area of cat nutrition. Nutritional additives in cat food such as cranberries can certainly help your cat with a bladder problem, for example. They are sometimes found in small amounts in wet and dry foods, but mostly in supplement form, which you may be able to give in consultation with your veterinarian, naturopath or nutritionist to help with bladder problems. Garlic in turn, there is an over-the-counter tick product advertised as a natural repellent. At the same time, we read online that garlic, onions and leeks are poisonous. What is correct now?
Garlic ingredients alter the smell of the animal’s skin, which in turn repels ticks. At the same time, however, the “healthy tuber” contains substances harmful to the cat, which vomits in large quantities; Diarrhea, but also anemia, tachycardia and general weakness can result. The amount in over-the-counter preparations is small – but how can we be sure that our cat does not have a particularly sensitive organism in this regard and reacts to small amounts with rumbling stomach or worse? The fact is that garlic becomes harmful from an amount specific to each animal and it’s up to us to decide whether to take a risk for our mini tiger or immediately switch to a harmless product.
Similar to garlic, for example, also has an effect sorbitol above a certain amount harmful to the cat. The sugar substitute causes the animal’s blood sugar level to drop rapidly. Serious gastrointestinal problems and symptoms of poisoning may also occur. At the same time, sorbitol is found in joint health supplements and other products. Viewed individually, they are The quantities contained in these products are harmless. This becomes critical when your cat different products with this ingredient at the same time receives. It is therefore essential to pay attention to the ingredients and additives contained in food supplements in order to keep an overview of the times when it could become dangerous for the kitty. If in doubt, switch to other products or consult a veterinarian.
Besides: other sugar substitutes, some of which are popular with us, already have an effect Toxic to cats in small amounts (and often dogs too). For example, stevia and xylitol (birch sugar) fall into this category and should therefore always be stored in tightly closed and secure containers, and foods prepared with them should be protected from the cheeky paws of your pets.
How do I decide what is good or bad for my cat?
You are surely lying when you basically follow the cat’s natural diet and any nutritional additive in cat food that goes beyond, at least critically question and if in doubt, consult a qualified specialist – who is often not the dedicated salesperson in the feed store, but a veterinarian and/or nutritionist. realize everything you feed your cat triggers something in the animal’s bodyt and should only be given if it is not only harmless, but useful. Cranberries, carrots, zucchini and other vegetables can be just as useful as dietary supplements. However, you should not thoughtlessly and not arbitrarily combined with each other become, but must be chosen with care and according to necessity. Food is an essential element for a healthy body – not only for the cat, but also for him.
