Cats are obligate carnivores, i.e. pure meat-eaters. That’s why they need small amounts of food with a high meat content throughout the day. Animal proteins are most important to them. It is therefore not possible to feed a cat purely vegetarian or vegan.
You can read here why your cat cannot do anything with carbohydrates such as grain and sugar and how you can feed your four-legged companion healthily in the long term.
Hunting instincts and the need for protein
The hunting instinct is one of the cat’s primal instincts: these small predators love to sneak up on quiet paws, to stalk their prey – and to jump at the right moment. What looks cute in the feather fishing game is part of their survival strategy.
Just like their ancestors, today’s domestic cat feeds on small animals such as mice, birds, insects, lizards, and spiders. At least when she’s free. Your body is geared towards a high protein intake.
In other words, your cat needs high-quality animal proteins. Only this can be used optimally. You will find out why in the next section.
Why cats need meat
Cats have a predatory set of 30 teeth: Razor-sharp fangs are used to grab and kill prey. The molars are useful for tearing and crushing.
The cat’s entire digestive system is geared towards eating meat:
Your intestines are short and designed for the rapid digestion of protein. A protein-rich food is digested in 24 to 36 hours.
The cat’s stomach has an acidic climate with a pH value between 1 and 2. These are ideal conditions for enzymes to utilize proteins. At the same time, germs and bacteria are reliably killed.
The large intestine takes over the water recovery.
Cats need food with a high protein quality, which you can find at Leonardo Catfood, for example. 6 grams of crude protein per kilogram of body weight per day is recommended.
The cat covers a very small part of its food from carbohydrates, which it finds in nature, for example, already pre-digested in the stomach of mice.
What happens when cats don’t get enough protein
Cats gain energy through gluconeogenesis: they use enzymes to produce their own glucose from proteins. In this way, they ensure the energy supply of their body and brain. Even if cats don’t eat enough food, the enzymes keep working. They break down the body’s own protein in order to get the necessary proteins.
This has fatal consequences: If your cat’s metabolism does not get enough high-quality proteins, this leads to malnutrition. Your cat is losing muscle mass. Her fur becomes shaggy and she loses weight. To prevent this from happening, high-quality feeding with a high meat content is important.
Cat Food: Wet, Dry, or Raw?
Which type of feeding is the best: Ready-made cat food or homemade cat food? There are different types of cat food with high meat content. Each type of feeding – wet food, dry food, and raw feeding – has certain advantages and disadvantages.
Pros and cons of wet food
You can get grain-free wet food in cans of different sizes, like bowls and pouches.
Pros:
The lining has a high moisture content. As a result, your cat already covers a large part of its fluid requirements from food.
You can heat the lining and thus ensure a high level of acceptance.
Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Cons:
Leftovers remain in cans and pouches.
A lot of waste is produced during feeding.
In the summer, the fodder spoils quickly.
You cannot influence the composition of the feed.
Pros and cons of dry food
Dry food is also available in different packaging sizes for single and multi-cat households.
Pros:
It’s easy to dose.
Dry food is cheaper than wet food or raw food.
At high temperatures, it can remain in the bowl for several hours.
The cat can help itself during the day.
There is less waste than when feeding with wet food.
Cons:
Dry food contains little moisture. This can damage your cat’s kidneys if they don’t drink enough.
The croquettes provide concentrated energy. This can promote obesity if the amount of food is too high.
If stored incorrectly, food mites can settle in or the fat contained can become rancid.
You cannot influence the composition of the feed.
Pros and cons of raw food
You can also prepare the food for your cat yourself. If you don’t cook it, but feed it raw feed ingredients, BARFing is called: “bones and raw food” or translated into German “biological, species-appropriate raw feeding”.
Pros:
You put the food together yourself. This way you know exactly what ends up in the bowl. You can adjust to the meat preferences and needs of your velvet paw.
Feeding raw produces less waste than feeding with wet food.
Cons:
The preparation of the feed is more complex and takes time.
You need knowledge of your cat’s nutritional needs. Otherwise, there may be an oversupply or undersupply.
Incorrect storage or insufficient hygiene can lead to health problems.
You may need to purchase additional supplies like sharp knives, a meat grinder, and a freezer.
What is actually in cat food?
The main ingredient in your cat’s diet should be meat or fish. You can use a wide variety of meat sources: Poultry such as chicken, turkey, turkey, duck and goose, but also veal, beef, lamb, rabbit and horse are well received by cats. When it comes to fish, salmon, tuna and shrimp are the main foods on your velvet paw’s menu.
Ideally, cat food should contain at least 60% meat. A small amount of carbohydrates of up to 5% is also fine in wet food. If possible, these should be in the form of vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin or zucchini. Your cat absorbs important vitamins, minerals and nutrients through the meat and vegetables. In order for these to be preserved, gentle preparation is crucial.
Sugar, on the other hand, has no place in cat food. The body of your velvet paw can’t do much with that. Cats cannot taste the sweetness of sugar. But her body gets used to it anyway, so your cat’s metabolism can become dependent on sugar. At worst, consuming sugar can lead to diabetes, dental problems and obesity.
Good to know: Cats have the most common food allergies to beef, dairy products or fish. Gluten intolerance or even gluten allergies are far less common.
How much protein is too much?
Too much protein is also not healthy for your cats. If you feed your four-legged companion with raw food, you must ensure an optimal protein composition.
This also applies to industrially produced convenience foods. Make sure that no inferior proteins from slaughterhouse waste such as feathers, eyes and claws or plants are used in the feed preparation. Your cat cannot meet its nutritional needs from it.
Too many proteins – especially if they are of inferior quality – put a strain on your cat’s organism. In the worst case, it can lead to chronic kidney disease. This is not curable.
Conclusion
Cats are hunters and obligate carnivores. Your entire metabolism is designed for the optimal utilization of animal protein. This is why your cat needs meat above all if it is to stay healthy. In the great outdoors, carbohydrates make up only one to two percent of their diet. This must be taken into account when putting together the food for your little predator.
Feeding high-quality wet food with a meat content of at least 60 percent or feeding with homemade food is particularly recommended. This is because this will already provide your cat with most of its fluid needs and reduce the risk of chronic kidney disease.
Dry food, on the other hand, contains very little moisture. Here you have to make sure that your cat drinks enough. Dry food is more suitable as a supplement in combination with wet food.
