Who has a pet is in a position to make an important choice, or feed their four-legged friend with industrial food or with a home diet, that is, with foods cooked specifically for him at home. A suggestion must first of all be provided by the trusted veterinarian since we are not able to give an answer to this question independently. In the last few decades, the food industry in the animal sector has made great strides, it has spread practically worldwide, and the brands that produce pet food are truly many; from the most famous to the less famous but not all equally valid.
Get to know the food better for our animals
The production of food for dogs and cats includes the croquettes, classified as dry food: they are small bites of agglomerated and dried substances that the animals gladly crunch. The first trick is to always leave the bowl with water or milk near these foods, as being dry can cause disturbances to the animal that habitually consumes them. In addition to croquettes, the animal feed industries also produce wet food of various kinds; yes it goes from mixed meat to vegetables, passing through simple compositions of meat or poultry, up to foods based only on fish. These foods are also enriched with velvety liquids that can be compared to the broth or vegetable creams that we humans consume.
Industrial power supply or not?
For what concerns industrial feeding, wet food is very important because it guarantees a greater supply of nutrients and liquids, ideal above all for the cats that have the habit to drink very little. Consequently, a “soft” diet is certainly ideal because as the modern veterinary teaches us, the cat mainly draws liquids from what it eats; unlike the dog that instead drinks very willingly from the bowl. The industrial food is undoubtedly more comfortable, faster to administer, it is rich in all the nutrients useful for our pets to stay healthy. Both dry food and wet food are always enriched with vitamins and protein substances, for this reason, we can say that home cooking is not really advised but it is practiced by very few people who rely on home food to feed their leftovers. their meals or at least homemade food cooked just for them.
Kitchen leftovers: a poison for our four-legged animals
We can, therefore, affirm that the feed ready to date is the most suitable one. Definitely not recommended to feed our four-legged friends with the leftovers of our meals: we humans consume fats and sodium which are two substances considered to be decidedly harmful to animal health, whose organism is very different from ours. Differences that are evident even in the digestive system: even if we have the impression that our food makes them happy, if we really love our animals we must absolutely avoid this practice.
Meat and fish: fundamental for Micio and Fido
It is much better to rely on industrial food, though taking care to buy the best, certified and qualified products that do not contain substances that can harm our dog or our cat. We must remember that when we decide to keep an animal with us, we must ensure that it lives well and is healthy. Bearing in mind that both the dog and the cat are carnivores and their feeding must be based on the consumption of meat and fish; this narrow concept, however, we can say that only the cat is applicable, since over the centuries it is the only domestic animal that has remained faithful to its original diet .
Avoid giving animals sweet and salty foods
In fact, while the dog willingly consumes fruits and vegetables, the cat is impossible to feed, even mixed with other foods. For dogs instead, the situation is different: over the centuries their digestive system has changed, and so has their tastes, precisely because of the habit of man to feed this pet with his leftovers. Always keep in mind that there are poisonous foods for the dog, especially sweets that carry inflammation and liver malfunction.
Cooking with care for the animals
Speaking of home cooking, it is absolutely necessary to point out that if you decide to feed your pet in this way, you must adhere to very specific rules, because it is not enough to throw away whatever you collect from the refrigerator, or provide leftovers and foods that we have not consumed. If it is necessary to consult the deadlines and the freshness of the food for us human beings, this must be present and valid also for pets. Leftovers that lie in the refrigerator for too many days should not be administered; do not give food that is too fatty or too salty; absolutely avoid the administration of sweets and cheeses.
Relying on pet food
Preparing food for the dog must be an action done with scruples of conscience, as if cooking for a newborn, it is necessary to establish a balanced diet for our dog, based on meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, and cereals. When we prepare food for Fido we must not add salt, nor any other type of seasoning, foods should be administered to the dog well cooked; at most, to encourage digestion, a little olive oil is allowed. We have to do an honest examination of conscience and if the result is that we have no time or patience to take care of our pet’s food it is certainly preferable to rely on pet food; choosing the best qualities of both croquettes and wet foods.
Quality feed
They must be good quality feeds that actually contain meat and fish, in balanced doses. Food for our animals must also contain the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; especially in cat feeding. Furthermore, it is also necessary to learn to buy food for our pet, that is to say, we must take into consideration its characteristics (is it a puppy? Is it a pregnant female? Is it sterilized? Does it have long hair or short hair?). Without forgetting that there are animals that need special nutrition to recover from an illness or surgery.
Relying on animal nutrition experts
If we choose the right type of food our pet will take advantage of it because today there are feeds on the market that are also able to help animals with their health problems (diabetes, food allergies, kidney problems, and intestinal disorders). If choosing food for our pets is difficult we can rely on experts such as where we will find advice and high-quality products.