Complete and balanced food for cats

CAT FEEDING

Can we serve the same food to dogs and cats? In families where dogs and cats live together, many cats are as fond to attack the dog food, as the dogs are to empty the cat’s food bowl. If the cat steals a chunk now and then, we can turn a blind eye to this. But feeding the cat permanently with dog food is absolutely wrong. It so happens that the cat’s need for proteins is far higher. Moreover, the cat’s system cannot produce some nutrients on its own. It must take in these materials through its food. Amongst these substances are the Vitamin A, the taurine amino acid, and the arachidonic fatty acid. Because dogs are not faced with this problem, these substances are not found in dog food in the amounts necessary to fulfil the needs of a cat.

What are the extra needs for a pregnant cat? Contrary to bitches, pregnant cats already continuously put on weight starting from the second week, because the embryos already start growing at that moment. For the expectant mother, this means that her need for energy increases from this moment on, and that for this reason she must take in more food. Therefore, the amount of food must be raised step-by-step, starting from the beginning of the second week of the gestation until she gives birth. Until the end of the gestation, a cat can eat up to fifty percent more than its normal ration. Cats can store during the gestation period the surplus energy that they need later for the lactation in their bodies, in the form bodily fat . For this reason their weight loss is after birth not as large as at teefjes. A pregnant cat should however not gain more than thirty percent of her normal bodyweight. It is a good idea therefore to weigh the cat at the beginning of the gestation to check the weight increase.
If you give one kind of food, the increased need for nutrients during the gestation period is covered by a larger amount of food. In the meantime, special food was introduced for the gestation period in our assortment KiS-KiS ® SPECIALIST Kitten & Pregnant Cat for having full growth of the kittens. The canned food because of its lower carbohydrate contents is more appropriate for the kittens during the lactation period, you chould feed your cat during gestation our canned food KiS-KiS ® to accustom kittens digestion system to this food. As the belly of the cat grows rounder, it is better to give the pet three feedings per day.

Do cats with kittens need special food? Because you can compare the amount of milk that a mother cat must produce to that of a cow producing extreme amounts of milk, the cat needs energy-rich food. The energy need of the cat also depends on the number of kittens she has. This need can increase between the second and the fourth week of the lactation period with the threefold of the normal demand. It is better to feed the cat during this period KiS-KiS canned food, because its carbohydrate content is relatively low. Choose food that gives a high-energy content, a high amount of high quality protein and a low content in starch. The cat can eat as much as she likes. See to it however that the leftovers do not remain too long in its bowl because they go off easily. Offer the animal multiple feedings per day. Drinking water is important as well, since the need for moisture increases significantly during the production of the milk. When the kittens show their interest in solid food after three to four weeks, you must offer the mother and the young their food separately. Reduce the food of the mother gradually after she finished weaning the kittens. However, if the cat has lost weight during the lactation period, it can have more food until it has regained her old weight.

How to feed older cats? The changes in the metabolism start from the age of ten to twelve years. The liver and kidneys of many cats then often cause them trouble. Also a check-up of the teeth makes sense because a bad set of teeth hampers the intake of food, which in its turn puts a burden on the organs.
If the cat is too heavy, you can control its weight by feeding it correctly. It is for the liver and the kidneys important to prevent superfluous copper, Vitamin A and especially phosphor, because breaking up these elements is also done in the kidneys. Therefore you choose high quality protein sources such as muscle meat, fish, egg, special cat milk or yoghurt. Cats at an advanced age can be vulnerable to heart diseases as well. Pay attention therefore that the food contains preferably as little salt as possible. Tasty bites such as ham or sausage are then out of the question. Moreover, it is better not to feed the cat liver, because this contains a too high quantity of Vitamin A and copper. Feed canned food KiS-KiS, always alternated with KiS-KiS dry food. Older cats prefer more feedings per day than one giant portion once a day.

Vitamins for the cat.
Especially in winter we must take extra care that we take in sufficient amounts of vitamins in our food. Contrary to us humans, cats produce Vitamin C in their bodies. They can however only take in other Vitamins through their food. When these Vitamins lack, cats become ill. But too many Vitamins can be harmful as well.

Cats also need Vitamins. We differentiate between Vitamins soluble in fat, such as Vitamins A, D, and E and other Vitamins that are soluble in water, such as the B complex and Vitamin C.
Vitamin A is of the utmost importance for the cat. Contrary to dogs, cats cannot extract this Vitamin from B-carotene, but take it in via their food. Vitamin A can especially be found in animal products. Therefore, it is certainly not recommended to feed the cat with only vegetarian food. The customary complete food (canned and dry food) contains sufficient amounts of Vitamin A, which makes that symptoms cause by shortages, such as reproduction disorders, problems with the eyes and the skin, and a decreased resistance shall not occur.
Cats love raw liver, but be careful with it, because this food is a real Vitamin-A-bomb: an 'overdose' of this Vitamin can be harmful as well. The cat becomes listless and neglects its body. In addition, its cervical vertebra may grow together because of too much Vitamin D. This is a natural phenomenon. Ordinary food as well contains much Vitamin D. On top of this, cats produce Vitamin D for their skin with the aid of ultraviolet sunlight and a pro-Vitamin. Here as well applies that too many extra Vitamins are harmful for a healthy cat. A constant supply of Vitamin A can lead to the ossification of the soft tissue of arteries and kidneys, which in the worst-case scenario can cause death.

For Vitamin E applies that the need of the cat for it increases when it is given food that contains multiple polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some gourmets just love tuna fish in oil. He who spoils his cat regularly with this delicacy, can unintentionally cause that too many Vitamin E is withdrawn from its body, with results in a special form of fattening, where the fat deposit colours yellowish to orange. The reason for this is the presence of a too high concentration of non-soluble bilirubin in the blood, the waste product of haemoglobin. Vitamin C is absolutely unimportant for cats. In principle, an overdose of water-soluble Vitamins is harmless, because they are excreted via the urine. But always try to avoid overdosing.