Your pet, the furry member of your family, is probably one of your best friends if not the best of them all. Naturally, this means that you’ll want to do everything you can to keep them happy and healthy, and one way to do that is by making sure that their diet is both balanced and nutritious. Feeding your cat or dog is not just about picking up the first or even the most expensive bag of kibble you see.
It takes a lot more than that to ensure a healthy diet for your beloved pet, so without further ado, here’s what you need to know about your pet’s dietary needs and requirements when feeding them.
The Serving Sizes on Kibble Packages Aren’t Accurate
The majority of pet owners use the feeding instructions on the label to ration their pets’ food. However, many veterinary nutritionists explain that the recommended amount on the back of the kibble package is always too much. This could be a clever trick to get you to buy more food since, by overfeeding your pet, you’ll be running out of food faster. To fight off obesity and keep your beloved pet as healthy as possible for as long as possible, feed them a slightly smaller amount than that mentioned on the label unless you’ve received special instructions from your vet.
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Human Food That You Can and Cannot Feed Your Pet
As a pet owner, you’ll probably want to treat your pet to some of your favorite food. If it’s good for you, it must be good for them, right? While that can sometimes be true, some human food is actually quite toxic, and can even be deadly, to our furry friends. This is why you need to be aware of what your pet can and cannot eat before you fill their bowl. Some of the human food you can feed your cat or dog, for example, includes salmon, eggs, spinach, cucumbers, chicken, turkey, bread, seedless apples, yogurt, carrots, and bananas. A great option for a treat is also private label cbd pet treats.
While these are safe for your pet to consume, it’s important to keep in mind that some food like cucumbers, bananas, and carrots can be a choking hazard. As per this helpful guide from DogHelpful.com, cucumbers should never be fed whole or in large pieces, especially if your dog tends to inhale while eating their food! When it comes to human food that is unsafe for your cat or dog to consume in any shape or form, the list includes chocolate, soft drinks, coffee, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chewing gum, and macadamia nuts.
Learn to Read the Label
If you want to avoid the hassle of filtering out the good’ human food from the bad’, you can simply buy them dry or wet food. It’s, however, important to research the various brand options available and take a close look at the labels before you make a purchase. Because cats and dogs are inherent carnivores, you’ll want to choose a food that is high in quality meat protein. Dogs generally prefer lamb or beef while cats like tuna or turkey, and both furry creatures absolutely love chicken!
Good pet food will list a specific protein as one of their top 5 ingredients ideally, it should be the first one rather than ‘meat by-products’ or poultry’, so look for a reputable brand that clarifies exactly what the protein source is. You should also look out for red-flag ingredients and artificial preservatives, such as BHA and artificial colors as they can cause cancer.
Select Age-Appropriate Food
Last but not least, one of the most important things to remember when it comes to your pet’s diet is to feed them by age. You see, cats and dogs have different nutritional needs at every stage of their life. For instance, a 12-week old puppy will require around 3 meals a day until they reach 6 months of age.
Besides the number of meals, the kind of food is also a key factor to consider. You need to ensure that the food you buy is specifically tailored to your pet’s unique needs at their current life stage. Puppy food, for instance, is often considerably rich in calories to account for the extra energy they spend running aimlessly around the place. Kitten food, on the other hand, contains large amounts of folic acid and DHA to support their growth.
Keeping your pet’s diet and eating habits in check is not only essential for their wellbeing, but it also ensures that they have the energy they need to live a full and happy life. From feeding them the right portions and steering clear of the toxic human food to choosing the right kibble and personalizing an age-appropriate diet, these are some of the most important things every pet owner needs to keep in mind when feeding their pet. We hope our tips can help you establish and maintain a nutritious and balanced diet for your furry companion, and as always, when in doubt, consult your vet. They know best!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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