Foods Contribute to a Good, Balanced Diet
Cats and dogs are carnivores, although they are now domesticated. Their body needs more protein and calcium than a human’s body. To make a cat or a dog a vegetarian would be to put them at risk of damaged health. Here is a list of the foods dogs and cats need daily or regularly as a part of their diet. This will be extremely useful for owners to help implement the new diet:
Meat: chicken, turkey, red meat, entrails (including the rumen, which contains valuable nutrients like proteins, fiber, and minerals). You should vary the types of meat, and not only give your pet pieces of lean meat. It’s easy to go to your local butcher’s shop ans ask for any unused pieces, fattier pieces, heads, bones and offal, which have excellent nutritional value. However, avoid raw pork, which could cause a condition named Aujeszky’s Disease.
Fish: Also, an excellent source of protein, and the bones are reach in calcium. Cats are particularly fond of fish, but it is good for dogs too. It can be given to pets raw, just like meat. It’s worth offering your pet fish three times a week if it likes it.
Raw or cooked vegetables: They provide enzymes and antioxidants. You can give your pet zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, lettuce, pumpkin and more depending on what it likes. The key is to give your pet various vegetables with every meal. Potatoes and asparagus must be served cooked.
Eggs: served three times a week, are an excellent substitute for meat and contain fats animals need. If they are not fresh and organic, cook them. It can also be good to grind the shell in a mixer for calcium.
Dairy products: These transform into lactose in the animal’s body. Lactose is a sugar that can also trigger allergies. Therefore, it’s better to opt for fermented milk or yogurt, which do not come with this downside.
Fruits: Apples, bananas, berries, peaches, and plums can make 5% of their intake. They contain fructose, which does not have the same harmful effects as sugar on animal’s health.
Healthy fats high in omega 3: Like those found in fish or krill oil. You can add a small amount to your pet’s meal once a day.
Herbs and spices of all kinds: Garlic, for example is useful for its digestive and deworming properties, but no more than a quarter of a clove should be consumed due to its toxicity for the blood.
Note: Don’t worry too much about exactly what you serve for each meal, as long as the food you use is good quality and organic if possible.
Foods to avoid
Naturally, there are certain foods that cats and dogs should avoid, because they may be dangerous for their health:
Chocolate: Some compounds found in chocolate (theobromine and caffeine) are toxic to cats and dogs. They can cause heart problems, vomiting, excessive urination, hyperactivity, rapid breathing and convulsions.
Sugar: This increases the risk for cancer in cats and dogs. Sugar is toxic for the body and can cause problems like diabetes, obesity, and cell ageing.
Refined, non-whole grains, and all products derived from refined flour: the effects are the same as those of sugar.
Soy and products containing soy: these can trigger allergies and hormonal alterations.
Pet food from stores: dry food, wet food, treats (biscuits for cats and dogs). You must learn to read the labels on shop-bought pet food products to detect and avoid cheical preservatives, colorings, and additives.
The following should be avoided, in particular:
Cheap products: These products contain questionable and often harmful ingredients. They are red, moist, and soft like real meat, but in reality, they contain a cocktail of sugar and chemical additives to make them edible. They often cause allergic reactions and can lead to problems affecting the pancreas or diabetes.
Products containing too much protein: Dogs do not need so much protein, and certainly not the bad-quality proteins used in most food sold in stores. An excess of bad-quality proteins weakens the immune system, kidneys, and liver.
Products made up of ingredients with incomprehensible names, and that are in no way like food.