Since the commercialization of feed for dogs and cats, towards the end of the XNUMXth century, these animals have been forced to eat products that, if they really knew what it is, they wouldn't eat it. And there are many feed to which flavor has been added, and they have been given a texture and a smell that attracts them.
We want the best for our furry ones, but, Do we really know what cats eat?
We will start with the basics: cats, and all predatory animals, They are carnivores, which means that they eat the meat of the animals they hunt. In the case of cats, they can be all kinds of rodents, small birds, and they can even ingest some insects (it is rare, but it can happen). This means that the cat has to eat the most natural food possible, but of course, nobody wants to have rodents and others in the fridge 🙂. A more than recommended option would be to give them chicken wings, organ meats, and perhaps fish without bones, although it takes time to prepare.
So, we have the feed. There are two types of feed: wet and dry. But there are many, many brands: Acana, Applaws, Whiskas, Orijen, Friskies, etc. But what are they made of? And how do you choose the most suitable one?
Pet food industry
To speak of the cat and dog food industry is to speak of a media battle that tries to deceive the consumer or, in this case, the humans who take care of their animals, in order to obtain an ever greater economic benefit.
As I mentioned at the beginning, towards the end of the 1860th century, specifically, in 30, the first dog food was created, which was nothing more than cereals, especially wheat, beets and beef blood all mixed together. After the depression of the XNUMXs, the owners were looking for a product that was cheaper than meat to feed their animals; Although it did not take long for doubts to appear about whether they were being fed well, since this I think lacked meat.
Thus, they began to add waste from the meat factories that were not suitable for human consumption, such as: damaged or diseased meat, by-products, etc. These wastes were cooked (and are cooked today) with other equally or cheaper products, such as cereals not suitable for human consumption, husks, etc. But of course, how to sell something that nobody would eat? Doing a lot of publicity.
Veterinarians were quick to get into this "game", making reports recommending a certain type of feed, and criticizing people who gave them natural foods. And the situation worsened when feeds for breeds, for puppies, supposedly premium feeds appeared, .. We no longer even have to think: veterinarians choose the feed for our animalsbasically because they make money out of it.
Is that kind of feed good? No. It is known that cereal, for example, it can cause allergies to cats not being able to digest them well. I myself can tell you that one of my cats had a urine infection after having fed one of those supposedly complete feed.
How to choose the most suitable feed?
If you do not want or you cannot give natural food to cats, the ideal is to opt for feed that cares about their well-being, the so-called holistic. These feeds are not sold in veterinary clinics, not even in veterinary supply stores.
Assuming that cats are carnivores, you have to look for a feed that has a high meat content (minimum 70%), and do not bring any cereals or flours. To do this, you have to read the label of the ingredients, which are in order of more quantity to less. We are not going to deceive you: the price of these feed is high, as a 7,5kg bag costs about 40 euros, but the benefits are visible at first glance. Among them, we highlight: a shinier and smoother hair, strong and white teeth, their breath does not smell bad, and they are in much better spirits.
Try it, and you will surely notice the difference 😉.