There is no consensus on the proper Maine Coon diet. Some people think that the choice of professional feed is the right decision, while others say that you need to make a choice in favor of natural food. Still others (and most of them) talk about the benefits of mixed feeding.
If your pet will eat only ready-made feeds, then there is no need to offer him additional vitamin complexes.
If your choice fell in favor of natural food, then be sure to take care of adding vitamin complexes to the pet’s diet.
What can Maine Coon make from natural products?
Meat
Meat products should be as similar as possible to cat food in the natural environment. Therefore, it is recommended to give raw beef to a kitten no more than 30 grams, and an adult cat 100-120 grams. Boiled chicken without bones can be given daily, from offal, it is necessary to include the heart (pork), lungs, liver and kidneys in the diet. To protect the cat from infection, you need to scald with boiling water or freeze food before cooking.
Fish and seafood
It is wrong to assume that cats love fish and this will be the best food for them. Cats should not eat a lot of fish, it is dangerous for them. After all, it contains a large amount of salts that form kidney stones. Fish is given sea or oceanic. Do not feed your cat fresh river or pond fish. Raw red fish, trout, salmon, and herring are recommended several times a week as a source of fatty acids. Raw or dried seaweed is useful, it is considered a source of trace elements.
Eggs
Quail eggs are quite useful for cats. But chicken eggs is also included in the diet, but only a couple of times a week, so as not to cause allergic reactions. They are added to dairy products. Cats of different ages should eat eggs, but not often.
Fermented milk product
Cats should eat products of fermented milk origin with a fat content of up to 9%, fat-free products should not be given. You can not give ryazhenka, cream and sour cream, as well as yoghurts with additives. Products with a long shelf life are not recommended, this can cause significant harm to the health of the cat, as they contain a lot of harmful additives. The best product is cheese with a fat content of 5-9%, kefir 3.5% and yogurt. Goat’s milk is quite useful, it is substituted instead of cow’s milk, since it does not cause allergic reactions and stomach disorders like cow’s milk. Cow’s milk is preferably not given. It is recommended to use products with a short shelf life.
Cereals
Buckwheat, oatmeal and multi-grain flakes are a source of numerous vitamins, as well as minerals necessary for the body. Meat porridges are cooked on their basis. Cereals must be present in the cats diet in an amount of up to 20%.
Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables are given in any form, according to the pet's preference. Basically, the diet includes carrots, cauliflower, pumpkin, tomatoes and cucumbers. Use them 2-3 times a week. They go well with meat and cereals. Fruits are given any, if the pet prefers fruits, do not deny him this delicacy and do not limit it. However, many cats absolutely do not like citrus fruits.
Greens
Sprouted wheat is good for the pet. You can make a useful bait for your pet at home using wheat or oats. Street grass should not be given categorically. Also, you can not add it to food, as the cat does regurgitate grass.
Water
Water should always be clean and fresh. Her needs to be filtered out. Boiled water is not good for cats, as it spoils the animals teeth.
What should not be given to a cat?
- Bones from chicken and fish, because cats can choke, and in this case the intestines are
clogged and the esophagus is damaged; - Pork, they lead to infection with worms, and the cat can also get infected with various
infectious diseases; - Fatty, spicy, salty and smoked products, as well as canned food and sausages;
- All sweet and confectionery products;
- Potato starch causes diarrhea, so you should refrain from eating potatoes;
- Bean products provoke poor performance of the intestine;
Natural ration food for an adult cat (examples and norms)
There are several opinions of experts, some say that the pet should be fed twice a day, others say that there should be no restrictions. How many times a day are cats fed? The number of feedings will depend on different situations, for example, in cattery cats are fed 2-3 times a day, but at home you can allow an unlimited number of feedings. But if the cat is overweight, or the animal is after sterilization or castration, then the food is limited to two times.You can give an approximate diet of an adult cat:
≈ 100-120 g of meat
≈ 35 g of boiled rice
≈ 5 g of vegetable oil
vegetables
To this diet, you need to add vitamins and trace elements according to the norms. All these ingredients are combined and mixed.
Natural ration food for kittens
Food for a kitten should be calculated and consumed according to established standards:
- 1 month after birth, the kitten is gradually introduced to new food. The food becomes diverse, special milk for kittens is added (you can always find a replacement for cats milk in pet stores or veterinary pharmacies), lean meat, and milk porridges. But the basis is mothers milk;
- 2-month feeding occurs approximately six times. The daily norm is 120-150 g. at this time, the use of milk and milk porridge is limited;
- 3 months and up to six-the norm of feeding 4 times a day, meat should be given no more than 30-40 g.
- Small kittens from 6-9 months should be fed three times a day, and the norm is up to 250 grams;
- 10-12 months after birth, active growth has already stopped and the cat can be fed several times a day.
Nutrition of a pregnant cat
When a cat is pregnant, it requires special attention and nutrition is given a major role. For a pregnant cat, a natural diet is better, which must include:
- Boiled lean beef or chicken;
- Boiled cartilage parts of chicken bones;
- Marine low-fat fish;
- Dairy products without colorants and additives;
- Yolk of a boiled chicken egg;
- From cereals: rice, buckwheat and oatmeal;
- Raw or cooked fruits and vegetables;
- Need to include vitamins prescribed by doctor in diet;
- Clean drinking water.
Dry cat food
Dry food is always an easy and simple solution for the owners, because you do not need to prepare food, all you have to do is pour dry food into a plate and thats it. It is worth noting that dry food has a number of advantages and disadvantages, they are as follows:
- This food saves time;
- If it is really high-quality and good, then you can not follow the feeding regimens;
- Dry food is properly balanced and contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
One of the disadvantages of such feeds is that there is little moisture in them, so the cat constantly needs a large amount of water. Any food is harmful to the cats teeth. Also, bad and low-qualit food contains a lot of carbohydrates. Still feed cause rapid habituation, and cats can not eat anything but it.
Wet cat food
Canned or wet food does not have special differences. The basis of such food is pates and jellies. They are divided into economy products and premium class. This type of food is the most favorite for cats. In the diet of cats must be present canned meat of high quality without the addition of preservatives and dyes.
Combined nutrition cat
If you have already introduced a certain ration food, you do not need to change it often. Cats do not tolerate this well, especially when eating dry food. But if you need to feed the cat with natural products, it is worth remembering that you can not combine several types of food in one meal. Dry food is digested differently in the body than wet food, so in order to avoid problems with digestion, you must observe a three-hour interval between feeding different products. It is not recommended to combine them, because it will not be possible to count the number of calories.