Dried and sufficient water?
"Imagine the cat always sufficient water available." - A typical reference on the feeding of fodder.
But how much water is enough? How much does a cat drink, compared to their natural food in the lack of fluid volume dried up? Can a cat have enough to drink?
Despite the already long Domestikationsphase our house cats, they are still animals, whose roots lie in the desert. Dogs react differently than they therefore also less sensitive to thirst and dehydration 1. They dispense the water, they must begin by drinking, not after the water content of the diet, but according to the amount recorded anhydrous 2. Cats drink the same amount of water, unanhängig of whether they are a certain quantity of anhydrous already mixed with moisture in the form of Nassfutter or the same amount of dry matter in the form of fodder record.
This assumption that the cats would need additional moisture, by the dry feeding is not offset by additional drink. In various studies have shown that cats even with increased water intake when eating dried usually do not reach the total water intake as for the feeding of Naßfutter 3. Taken in the food contained the absorbed moisture and water together, take cats, which eat fodder, only about half of the water to the cats Nassfutter with over 70% moisture to take 3 4.
What is so problematic? One might argue that cats desert animals cat but should be able to, even with well water to survive, for example by their urine more concentrated and less water retires.
But that's the crux. Because a lower urine output is associated with an increased risk for the formation of Harnsteinen (FUS / FLUTD) associated since mineral substances in higher concentrations in the bladder longer remain, and therefore can versträkt deposit. Moreover, it was shown that even with the same total water consumption in dry feed only 54% of the recorded water as urine, while dampening it in the feed were 67%. The reason is the increased supply of water through the intestine in dry feed. This means that the urine output during the dry feeding one by the low compensation for the lack of water and additionally on the increased excretion of water over the intestine is reduced 3.
Should we now only eat wet food? It should be noted that a pure diet with Naßfutter from cans or bags with a higher tendency to form tartar consumption, which again with other risks. Sense is certainly a diet in which a balance between hard fodder for Dental and moist canned food to the promotion of urine exists.
Literature and sources
- Zoran DL, The carnovore connection to nutrition in cats. JAVMA 2002; 11; 1559-1567 [PDF]
- Anderson RS, Water balance in the dog and cat. J Small Anim Pract 1982; 23:588-598
- A. Schulz inquiry into the influence of the protein quality and quantity in the feed to the Harnzusammensetzung in cats. Dissertation [PDF]
- Krik CA, Debraekeleer J, Armstrong PJ. Normal cats. Hands in MS, CD Thatcher, Remillard RL, et al, eds. Small animal clinical nutrition. 4th ed Philadelphia: WB Saunders Co, 2000:291-351
The image "Kissing herself" was written by tanakawho on Flickr under a Creative Commons license available.
Fodder does not help against tartar. The so-called Kibbles be no more than once cracked and then swallowed.
The cats jaw is not to "chew" suitable. Upper and lower jaws may not like when people left and right against each other to be postponed. A dental cleaning effect, which arises through fodder, is unfortunately often propagated only a rumor.
For the prevention of tartar is fresh, raw meat. For example, beef. The mouse large pieces should be chosen.
The absence of such a cat-size pieces can swallow, it is according to the flesh out "herumknetschen" So quite as a mouse, it would dissipate.
Many greetings,
Katrin
Hello Katrin,
basically agrees with that - even when dried chunk cracked, the tooth-cleaning effect of low and no case as high as often propagated. I think he still is greater than if only a cat with soft Paté fed, where it is absolutely no friction effects in the mouth area.
But in any case, it is true that with conventional pre-feed the tartar can not be prevented.
The proposal with a larger piece of beef is excellent! What else is of course also very well suited, are chicks, which are in stores for reptiles can relate. Since then, you can also assume that they are in accordance with hygienic conditions are manufactured. Also frozen mice can relate since, but they are relatively expensive. And the feeding of "whole animals" is not everybody's thing ...
Otherwise, I can only recommend that the teeth of the cat mechanically cleaned regularly, for example with a toothbrush or a corresponding scraper (available at Ebay or partly in flea markets).
But I do have here is an article due!
Thank you again for the supplement and affectionate greetings
Eli
Hello Eli,
Chicks are really excellent, but not for everyone. For many of the chicks are just too cute for them to be feeding cats. Certainly, when small children are in the household.
Unfortunately, few people know that they are always with the cat food feeding chicks.
We are very happy feeding chicks and the cats are happy about every times loudly. Leon, the 9-year-old son, my partner finds it very exciting, even though he initially geguckt has something funny.
Many cats are protected by the feed industry, unfortunately, "spoils" so that they can hardly normal (in contrast to almost geruchtslos cat food) meat would like to accept. This is due to the added flavoring, which the feed is added. And if the toothbrush verschmäht, then it will be difficult.
Since then it means stay on the ball.
You can also just a few chicken heart, they are partially adopted rather than other meat.
If the cat the whole completely verschmäht can TroFu something in the mortar crumbling and this is about the heart (or the "Zahnputzfleisch") type.
But if you create your cat teeth to turkey, because I'm so excited.
We completely barf our animals, whether small or large. Only once during the week are there for all 200g tin GRAY, so that the cats in case of emergency even accept food cans. It's like McDonalds for the cats.
We have the mouse large pieces of meat in the diet or no gum problems. The teeth are all white lightning.
I keep an eye on your side, it is very interesting.
Kind regards,
Katrin & Russenclan from the hall