Dry food is the easiest way to provide your cat with a balanced and nutritious diet, but it also has its own “secrets”. The main thing is compliance with feeding and watering standards. Learn how to feed your cat dry food for health benefits in this article.
Feed, but know when to stop
Dry food is a diet made up of many different ingredients, balanced with each other so that your cat is getting all the nutrients they need. Good quality dry cat food should consist primarily of ingredients of animal origin, as these pets continue to be obligate predators, adapted to eat only meat. 75-85% meat foods are better absorbed and satiated by cats, so their feeding rates are lower than foods high in grains and plant protein.
The daily consumption of kibble is indicated on its packaging and depends on the weight and age of the animal. This is quite simple to determine, you just need to study the table carefully, but if you have any difficulties, read our article “How much dry food a cat needs per day”, which has detailed instructions.
It is not recommended to exceed the recommended amount of dry food, but each animal has its own needs, so if it seems to you that the animal is losing weight or, on the contrary, is gaining weight, you can slightly, not more than 10%, adjust it by carefully observing the state of health and physical condition of the cat.
How often should you give dry food?
Unlike dogs, cats feed often, but little by little. This is due to the fact that in nature they hunt small prey. Therefore, it is advisable to pour dry food into a bowl twice a day – in the morning the first half of the daily requirement, and in the evening – the second. If it is convenient for you, you can feed the cat three times a day, then the daily rate should be divided into three roughly equal parts.
In order not to be mistaken about the amount of food given, it is best to weigh it on a kitchen scale, but you can also use a measuring cup produced specifically by each manufacturer for their products. “Other” weighing cups are not suitable, as each dry food has its own density and weight of pellets.
We recommend that you weigh or measure the daily feeding rate daily, pour it into a separate container with a tight-fitting lid, and from there into the cat’s bowl. Thus, you will always know how much your cat ate per day, and if for example he regularly undernourishes his ration, but remains in shape, do not hesitate to lower the pace.
Give the cat water
To properly feed your cat with dry food, which contains very little moisture, it is imperative to establish your cat’s watering regimen. Normally cats drink much less than dogs, which is due to the peculiarities of their body, which retains water, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need it. When feeding on moist food and natural food, which is 70-80% liquid, the cat may not go into the water bowl at all, but when feeding on dry food, he just needs more.
In fact, it is not difficult to establish a watering regimen – first you need to choose a container that will appeal to the cat. Some people like to drink from wide and deep dishes, others prefer shallow saucers, while others prefer quirky containers such as bottle warmers, glasses, mugs and even whiskey glasses. From what the cat will drink, it does not matter, the main thing is that the water is always clean, for which it should be changed at least once or twice a day.
Cats don’t drink muddy, stagnant water, and because their thirst is reduced, there is a risk of not waking up until signs of dehydration begin. In addition, drinking enough fluids is very important for the health of your cat’s urinary system and the prevention of urolithiasis. You can put bowls of water in several places – not only where the cat eats, but also where it sits and generally likes to be, so your cat doesn’t forget to drink on time.
Now you know how to properly feed your cat dry food, and we are sure that if you go for a quality diet and follow these recommendations, your cat will always feel great.