It is virtually impossible to try and find all of the latest research on the ingredients that goes into your cat food. However, there is no need to go to such lengths in determining what is healthy for your cat. This article will give you very simple, yet worthwhile chunks of information that pertain to the food you should feed your cat.
1. Choose the right foods that is appropriate to the age of your cat. While most older cats will do just fine by eating standard adult cat food, your kittens will need much more fat and protein in their diet. These little critters should therefore eat food that’s appropriate for their age. When looking at food packages, try to look for the words “balanced nutrition” somewhere on the label. If you are shopping for your kittens, then look for the AAFCO animal feeding tested statement that says “for all life stages”.
Have you ever watched a cat eat? You will notice that - even they they are domesticated animals who are fed prepackaged meals in nice little food bowls - they still eat in a “beast of prey” manner. They will take a piece of meat that you feed it and shake it around, pull at it, toss it up in the air, swallow it without chewing, etc. They may even regurgitate the meal and hide it!
Why would a domesticated cat eat like this? The answer is simple. They are genetically programmed (like any animal is) to hunt for their food and behave in a predatory manner. Even small young kittens will have this response. In a litter, a kitten will defend its food (prey) by making hissing sounds or even using the spitting defense against its littermates. However, if food is served to a cat or a group of cats that is on the soft mushy side, or in bits of pieces, then the food does not provoke the action of prey, and the cats will eat out of the same bowl while getting along just fine.
That “purring” sound that cats make can be traced back to when they were kittens. This sound is what kittens make when they need to communicate to their mother that they are content. You will notice that your cat purrs when being pet and rubbed in a caressing manner. Well as kittens, this was their way of letting mom know that everything is fine and that they are happy.
Another reason why cats make a purring sound is to alert their nest of kittens as they approach them. Why does a mother cat need to do this? Well it reassures the little kittens that it is their mom and not an enemy. Of course today’s domesticated cat and its litter does not need to worry about real danger from outside animals, but this behavior are in a cat’s genes that trace back to their ancestors.
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