Why do cats need special cat food?

Estefana

I am just wondering why do people feed cat, cat food that they buy from the store? My nana has two cats and they eat rice, pasta and other food that she cooks. They like fish and they drink milk too! My nana never buy them any cat food. So now, I am thinking of getting a cat, a nice black and white cat! And I am confused. Do I need to buy them special cat food or can I just give my cats food that I cook myself? Thanks.



Odessa

Cats are what is known as obligate-carnivores, which means that they must eat meat to stay fit and healthy. Taurine is also essential to their diet otherwise they can develop a condition known as Central Retinal Degeneration (CRD) which can cause irreversible blindness. Taurine deficiency is also one of the causes of heart murmurs in cats. Im afraid that the food your nana feeds her cats is not good for their health at all. Pasta and rice are full of carbohydrates, but unlike humans, cats cant convert carbohydrates into energy - they must eat protein (meat) for energy. Many cats are lactose-intolerant so cows milk can often give them diarrhoea. Heres a list of human foods which are bad for cats to eat. Perhaps you should show this to your Nana. Im sure she loves her cats very much and would want them to be healthy. http://www. messybeast. com/bad-foods. htmThis article has lots of information explaining why its best to feed your cat on a good quality canned food. http://www. littlebigcat. com/?action=libr…



Cari

The advantage of feeding a cat food from a petstore is that theyll get nutrients that arent in the normal "people food" that your nana is feeding her cats. This can help them live longer, have better digestive health, and fewer health problems. There is certainly nothing wrong with feeding them "people" food, but its usually better to give them cat food. Rice is very easy on cats somachs, and if your cat is ever sick, your vet may suggest feeding them it for a couple days, but again, it lacks the nutrients of cat food that youd buy in a store. I hope this helps you make your decisions! Have fun with your cat!!



Gaynelle

Hey there! Well to answer your question i think that it is more convenient for the human species to just buy food that is all ready to go! It is probably a better idea to get cat food because it has more vitamins



Patti

You can feed your cats food you prepare yourself if you have the knowledge of all the nutrition they need and are able to provide it. Most people do not. The people who make cat food do. One very important nutritional element cats need is Taurine. It is put in cat food as it provides many health benefits, and if they dont get it they are very likely to go blind. Never feed a cat dog food, since dog food does not contain taurine. You may want to supplement some meals with home made food, but you should feed your cat a vet recommended brand of food so they get the nutrition they need. What your nana is doing is dangerous. And cats should not be given cows milk, they are lactose intolerant and cant handle it. Cats have very sensitive stomachs so many foods you and I eat will make them sick. It is easier, safer, and better for your cat to just eat cat food.



Adriene

Well it depends, do you want your cat to live a long healthy life or you do want it to get fat and eventually die from heart problems?



Ileana

Chances are that the diet your nana is feeding her cats is not very balanced. Cats have very different dietary requirements than people, so its very difficult to home-cook for cats and have the recipe contain all the proteins, vitamins and minerals cats need to stay healthy. Her cats may seem fine now, but they may have trouble later in life - they may even have a much shorter lifespan than the 16-20 years most cats live today. A commercial pet food is best because you know it contains all the nutrition your cat needs. Its also much more convenient. However, if you want to cook for your cats, you should make sure your recipe is balanced by using the services on the following sites:http://www. balanceit. comhttp://www. petdiets. com



Karla

You should never give a cat human food on a regular bases, theyre very delicate digestive system is not meant to handle that. It is best to discuss with your vet the food for your kitty. If your cat does not have health problems you can feed them IAMS, PURINA, those would be my recommendation, I have three kittys I should know.



Morgan

Yes, they really *do* need special cat food. It used to be that people fed their cats table scraps, but then peoples cats also went outside and caught their own dinners. Nature created cats to be obligate carnivores - that is just a fancy way of saying that cats need to eat meat. They have no need for grains - and that includes rice and pasta - in their diets. They dont get any nutrition from it at all. And cooked meat does not provide taurine for them - thats an essential amino acid that cats cannot make in their own bodies. Its in raw meat (and would be in a mouse) but when meat is cooked the taurine is destroyed. Cats that do not get taurine eventually develop heart disease, or they go blind. Your nanas cats will survive on that diet, but they wont live as long as they should, and they certainly wont thrive. If you would like your own cat to live a life that is as long and healthy as possible, then you need to feed it cat food.



Branda

Doesnt matter do what u like...cats wont care they r lazy