How to Properly Feed Your Cat Wet Food
Whether →BARF, wet or dry food - the topic of the right feeding method for cats always raises open questions, and it takes a certain know-how to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the different types. Wet food is generally considered a very popular feeding method that not only scores with many benefits but is also very well accepted by our four-legged gourmets. The range of different consistencies covers pretty much every taste, but is →wet food for cats also healthy, and how do you even find the right wet food for cats and kittens?
We are here to help you and give you an overview of the most important information about wet food for your cat and →we are also happy to advise you for free and online on the right food for your cat and your kitten.
Test: Which Wet Food is Best for Cats?
When choosing a healthy and species-appropriate wet food, you should especially keep an eye on the composition. The price does not always indicate quality, but one thing is certain: in the supermarket shelf, the cheapest containers hardly contain the highest quality ingredients. It is worth taking a critical look, as the reason for the high acceptance of conventional wet food is usually one thing: a lot of sugar, which makes the food attractive to cats, but unfortunately also increases the risk of many diseases such as →overweight and diabetes. But why sugar? Felines are known as →picky eaters who are quick to turn up their noses at the bowl and leave the food behind. By adding sugar, most cats would gobble everything up, regardless of the ingredients.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Ein gutes Nassfutter für Katzen erkennt man nicht auf den ersten Blick. Hier muss genauer hingeschaut werden, wenn es um die Zusammensetzung geht: Zucker, Getreide und künstliche Zusätze haben dort nichts verloren.
Similarly, grains have no place in healthy wet food for cats and kittens. Unlike dogs, cats are strict carnivores and require a high proportion of meat in wet food to live healthily. Of course, fruits, vegetables, oils, and herbs also deserve a place - however, the proportion for cats is rather low. The wet food should definitely meet their needs and contain all nutrients in the right amounts. Cats are particularly dependent on the amino acid taurine, which they obtain from meat, need to live, and cannot produce themselves. So if you are looking for the best wet food for your cat, take a look at a detailed declaration and healthy composition.
Mit verschiedenen Konsistenzen zum besten Geschmackserlebnis!
The Best Wet Food for Cats: Criteria at a Glance
From a veterinary and nutritional perspective, there are several aspects you should consider when choosing:
- free from grains and sugar
- without artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- high meat content
- low proportion of plant ingredients
- negative animal by-products: claws, horns, hooves, feathers, and wool
- allowed animal by-products: stomach, liver, lungs, and kidneys
Can You Feed Cats Wet Food Every Day?
Yes, your cat can have wet food every day, as long as it is a complete feed that provides your cat with all the nutrients. If you follow the feeding recommendations for the amount, your kitten and your cat will get everything they need for an active day. Keep in mind that cats prefer to have several small meals. So if you feed your kitten five to six small meals a day, you can theoretically continue this with an adult cat - after all, wild cats consume up to 20 portions a day!
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Bedarfsdeckend, gesund in der Zusammensetzung und die Königin in Sachen Akzeptanz: Unser Saucen Menü mit extra viel Flüssigkeit sorgt für einen intensiven Genuss!
How Much Wet Food Can a Cat Eat in a Day?
You can easily find out how much wet food should be in a meal from the feeding recommendation for complete feeds. Proceed as follows.
1. Weigh your cat and note the current weight. You will need this to read from the table on the wet food can how much your cat is allowed to eat.
2. If your cat is still a kitten and not fully grown, find out the expected final weight of your cat. If your cat belongs to a specific breed, you can easily find out online what weight to expect. Otherwise, you can also inquire at the respective breeding facility. Ordinary house cats reach a final weight of about 4-5 kg. Why is this important? In the →feeding recommendations for junior food, the rows and columns for the feeding amount correspond to what is best for the current weight and the expected final weight. However, for food for adult cats, you only need the current weight. This way, you know exactly that your kitten or cat is provided with all necessary nutrients.
3. As a final step, you just need to look at the table for the feeding recommendations and take the correct amount for your cat. Note: This is the daily amount. You divide this by the number of meals you want to feed your cat.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Auf dem Futter deiner Katze findest du genaue Angaben zur Fütterungsmenge, an die du dich in jedem Fall halten solltest.
Wet Food for Kittens: Juniors Have Different Needs
A special food for kittens and young cats is important because its composition meets the rapid growth of bones and organs. Junior food contains certain nutrients in higher amounts than adult food, for example, the protein content is up to 10% higher than in food for fully grown animals.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Ein gesundes und leckeres Kittenfutter ist sehr wichtig. Es versorgt dein junges Kätzchen mit allem, was es zum Wachsen und für einen aufregenden Alltag braucht.
Kitten food should be served until the 12th month - after that, the most important processes are complete, and wet food for adult cats is now best suited. A good junior food already contains the perfect dose of nutrients and your cat is well equipped for healthy bone growth - so definitely refrain from adding additional nutrients to the food. If you want to treat your young cat to something delicious, you can provide them with our healthy kitten food that meets their needs and ensures maximum taste in the bowl.
The Best Start to a Four-Legged Life: Discover Our Healthy Junior Food
How Often Should Kittens and Young Cats Get Wet Food?
Kittens and young cats should receive five to six or even more small meals a day. Until the age of 6 months, this feeding with several small meals is recommended; afterwards, the number can be reduced, and the amount per portion can be increased. However, many adult cats also enjoy getting several small portions a day rather than just two to three hearty meals. As you have already learned, the reason is the natural feeding behavior of cats, as even the four-legged friends in the wild feed on numerous small food rations.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Sowohl beim Muttertier als auch in freier Wildbahn nehmen Katzen viele kleine Mahlzeiten zu sich.
Advantages of Wet Food: Why is Wet Food Good for Cats?
For many cats, the →different consistencies of wet food are not only more attractive, but wet food for cats has decisive advantages for their water balance - as they are often →poor drinkers. Wet food provides much more liquid and covers most of the daily needs of cats. Dehydration is a serious issue, as it promotes →diseases of the urinary tract and kidneys. For impeccable hygiene, it is important to always feed wet food fresh to your cat and store it in the refrigerator once opened. Unlike →dry food, it comes with a higher protein content, but must also be fed in larger quantities due to a lower carbohydrate content. This, in turn, means that wet food carries a lower risk of overweight even in larger quantities.
Does Wet Food for Cats Also Have Disadvantages?
Because wet food for cats is only as good as its content, any feeding method can potentially have the disadvantage that poor composition may lead to malnutrition.
While dry food always has the same room temperature, wet food taken directly from the refrigerator can cause stomach aches for your cat. Therefore, a little more time is needed for feeding. Additionally, opened wet food cannot be transported as easily and proves to be less practical in the case of →a trip or an outing. However, many cats also cope well with mixed feeding, where they receive part wet and part dry food. Here, only the corresponding portions need to be adjusted, meaning halved, so that your cat does not get too much food.
