Cats - Do They Need Vitamins?

Pet owners of today face a wide variety of choices when deciding what to buy for their cats. These choices can and will determine the health of the feline. Good nutritional choices will mean a long, sustainable, illness-free life. Bad choices can mean suffering and premature aging and death for the animal.

What do you need to know about helping your cat remain healthy? Well there are several options. First of all a feline is a carnivore. Cats have always needed the nutrition of meat in order to survive. In fact in the wild cats will hunt their meat, for example just look at lions and tigers. Your domestic cat should not be any different with regard to offering protein in the meal. Water is also an important source of nutrients. To maintain healthy weight water is needed.

Other vitamins your cat needs include vitamin A, D, E and B complex. Also niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin are needed for a complete nutritional complement. Taurine is an important amino acid for felines. They cannot manufacture enough of this nutritional supplement by themselves. One supplement they do not need to consume is vitamin C. Cats synthesize enough of this nutrient within their bodies, as well as vitamin K.

Other vitamins and minerals like calcium are important but keep in mind that overdoing the supplement portion of your pet's intake can be problematic as well. Always check to make sure the proper dosage has been adhered to before feeding your cat vitamins and minerals. And keep in mind the vitamins they do not need to consume.

They need copper, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, selenium, and other supplements but they also need natural sunlight, exercise, though not as much as a dog, and proper attention in order to be fully healthy. Think of your cats as total beings, not just something you feed everyday. Make sure they get plenty of play everyday with household toys or furniture they can climb on. Many items can be designed with their enjoyment in mind, including where they sleep.

To ensure that your pet receives the exercise they need, offering them plenty of different toys to play with and furniture to climb on is essential. The kitty towers and scratching posts are not to keep them off your furniture as much as they are to give the cat exercise. Sleep is another aspect to be concerned with. Typically a kitten is going to need more play and less sleep. As the cat ages you may find they have a pattern of sleep and play time. Sleep requires a comfortable area they will be happy to sleep in during the day, especially if they are not allowed on the furniture.

The second and arguably the most important benefit to preparing your pet's meals yourself is that you can avoid the chemicals and by-products found in most store bought food. These by-products have no place in the natural diet of a cat or any animal. Cats need nutritious substances that come from the earth and do not include man-made chemicals or additives.