Every day, millions of cat and dog owners make the same fatal mistake: feeding their pets what seems “normal.”
But what if your food choices are quietly ruining your pet's health?
Imagine buying a brightly colored pack with a cute picture, thinking it's the best option. In reality, inside there's a bunch of questionable additives, sugar, and cheap grains that predators can't digest.
Cats and dogs are not herbivores, their stomachs are not designed to digest tons of wheat or corn.
The result? Allergies, obesity, kidney and liver diseases that do not appear immediately, but after years.
But how to choose the right food
The main rule is to read the ingredients:
- the first ingredient listed must be a meat ingredient - chicken, beef, turkey, not "meat derivatives" or "protein hydrolysate";
- avoid foods with artificial colors and preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin);
- It is better to take products with natural preservatives - tocopherols, rosemary.
- For dogs with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract, food with one source of protein is suitable, for cats - with a high moisture content (or supplement the diet with wet canned food).
The feeding regime is no less important.
Dogs are prone to overeating, especially breeds with voracious appetites, such as Labradors.
Cats, on the other hand, often eat little, but often - it is better to leave food freely available to them.
But there is a nuance here: if you have two cats, one can eat the other. The solution is separate bowls or automatic feeders.
What about the treats?
Many people treat their pets to table food, thinking: "Well, a piece of sausage won't hurt!" It will. Salt, spices, fat - all this causes pancreatitis, poisoning and addiction.
Want to pamper yourself? Buy dried meat without additives or make your own treats: bake chicken breast and cut into cubes.
And lastly: water
Cats, especially those that eat dry food, often drink little, which leads to urolithiasis. Place several bowls around the house, buy a fountain - running water attracts their attention. It is also important for dogs to drink a lot, especially after walks.
Change the water daily, wash the bowls without chemicals - with regular soda.
Remember: food is the basis of health. Save now - spend three times more on treatment later.
