How to supplement nutrition for cats?

Cats

Cats may need some nutritional supplements due to disease, pregnancy, or poor development. However, not all cats need nutritional supplements. Excessive calcium supplementation and increased Nutrition may actually make cats over-nourished, which is not good for the body. So, how should cats supplement their nutrition?

1. Cats need nutritional supplements

There are many nutritional supplements for sale in pet supply stores, including vitamin C and calcium, etc., and they are labeled with many functions. Yet concerned cat owners wonder whether these products really do what they say? Are they necessary for cats? If so, what supplements should be taken? After all, if your cat is eating a balanced diet, why would you need nutritional supplements? What about food?

In fact, all canned cat food or feeds on the market today are guaranteed to provide balanced nutrition and are suitable for all ages. However, each cat is different in size and requires different nutritional ingredients and amounts. Likewise, for example, if a cat lives in the winter or lives outdoors, the supplement will be meat-based. Not all cat diets are balanced. Many cat owners use leftover table food as a food source, making it difficult to achieve balanced nutrition. Because of these changes and differences, appropriate nutritional supplements are helpful. But how do you know if your pet needs nutritional supplements?

Your veterinarian is the best source of advice! For example: if your cat is not eating at all, using nutritional supplements will not provide all the nutrients. Therefore, the doctor will recommend the use of an intravenous drip to give adequate and proper nutrition. Some products are introduced as supplements when animals need to increase their energy expenditure, such as hunting dogs, working dogs or active dogs, and when they are picky eaters or eat smaller portions. However, the recommended dosage is not large, so it may not provide a lot in terms of total energy. If your cat needs more energy than usual, adding animal fats such as chicken fat or butter to the meal is a good option. One tablespoon of poultry fat will add approximately 10% more calories to dry cat food, so providing animal fat is a good source of calories for cats.

2. Fatty acids and amino acids. Fatty acid supplements

Many nutritional supplements contain essential and non-essential fatty acids, such as the commonly heard unsaturated fatty acids. Such products are commonly used in animals. It is a supplementary food when you have dry or dandruff skin, rough and dull coat, itchy or inflamed skin. However, since its benefits have not yet been fully recognized, it is best to seek advice from a veterinarian. Another important concept is that these products are not a major source of additional energy. Of course fatty acids can be present in the form of calories, but the body's energy sources are not sufficient to replace all other sources of fat. Often, these products also contain other nutrients, such as fat-soluble vitamins and minerals such as calcium or iodine, which are also nutrients related to skin health. These additional supplements contain small amounts of ingredients and do not cause harm, however supplements are certainly not necessary if your pet is nutritionally balanced.

Amino acids Amino acids and proteins are the most special types of supplements. For cats, this generally means that the supplement contains aminoethanesulfonic acid. Cats can get 1520 MG per pound per day from dry cat food, and most of the other sources come from canned food. Therefore, providing 40mg of aminoethanesulfonic acid per pound of body weight per day is suitable for a variety of cats. Finally, there are many products, including nutritional supplements in liquid, powder, and granular form, that cover basic nutritional needs as well as the above-mentioned supplements for when cats are growing or stressed. As long as the animal eats a normal diet, commercially available foods will provide all nutritional needs. However, if your cat is not eating the appropriate amount of food, supplementation may provide balanced nutrition.

3. Additional mineral supplements

Other supplements for cats are sometimes mentioned, mainly including calcium, phosphorus and potassium. When a cat is fed leftovers, it is necessary to supplement calcium because it cannot provide enough calcium and perform the correct calcium to phosphorus ratio. Many people believe that growing cats and dogs need calcium supplements because their bones grow rapidly. Yes, according to research, a lack of calcium in growing kittens will lead to abnormal skeletal muscle development and may not be improved. Therefore, growing animals can use appropriate calcium supplements as recommended by veterinarians.

In addition, lactating female cats must also add enough calcium to avoid excessive calcium loss from milk and postpartum hypocalcemia.

Another thing to note is that pregnant female cats should not excessively add calcium, and they do not even need to make additional supplements. This is because excessive addition of calcium will inhibit the female cat’s endocrine system, unable to produce self-produced calcium and relying on external supplements. Once lactation occurs after delivery, a large amount of calcium will be lost from the milk, and the result cannot be coordinated and balanced. It is the occurrence of postpartum hypocalcemia. Cats rarely require phosphorus supplements because most foods already contain adequate amounts of the mineral phosphorus in commercial and household foods.

4. Vitamin supplements need to be taken in appropriate amounts

The most famous and most commonly requested supplements are vitamin additives. But everything has its proper amount, and polycythaemia is caused by too much of these products in the body. The proper amount and ratio of vitamin supplements to food can be difficult to determine, so ask your veterinarian to recommend products suitable for your situation. But again, if your cat is nutritionally balanced then no additional supplements are needed. If you choose to give your cat a vitamin supplement, pay special attention to vitamins A and D, which are toxic in excess. Only very small amounts of these two vitamins are needed throughout the day, so it is important that supplements are labeled with the concentration of these two vitamins. No matter which supplement you choose, be careful not to provide more than 50IL of vitamin D and 50IL of vitamin A per pound per day. Vitamin E only requires about 1IL per pound per day.

Supplementing nutrition for cats is actually the same as eating. Excessive nutrition is always harmful to health. It is recommended that parents supplement nutrition appropriately according to the physical condition of the cat at home. Of course, cats should not be deprived of nutrients and always ignore diet and nutrition. Supplementing the right amount is best.