How To Feed A Pregnant Cat?
The feline diet during pregnancy is crucial for the healthy fetal development of the offspring. In addition, feeding a pregnant cat properly is vital to not putting her health at risk before, during and after giving birth.
Next, we’ll talk about the nutritional needs of pregnant cats and give some tips for feeding them correctly.
Nutritional needs of a pregnant cat
A pregnant cat needs to receive a high intake of energy in her daily diet. In addition to maintaining good health, your body must have the nutrients necessary for the development of puppies. In nutritional terms, this means increasing the calories that allow the body to generate energy.
However, this caloric intake should focus on the essential nutrients for a pregnant cat. It is not effective to feed a pregnant cat with excess carbohydrates to provide extra calories. Carbohydrates basically generate sugar, not the nutrients that the female and her cubs need.
The extra calories for a pregnant cat should come primarily from animal protein. In other words: beef, chicken, meat, seafood, eggs, dairy products, etc. In addition, it will be essential to increase daily calcium intake, as this mineral is vital for the development of puppies.
Unlike female dogs, pregnant cats find it difficult to retain an approximate percentage of body fat of 25%. This level is ideal for allowing the production of breast milk with the right nutrients. Therefore, your diet during pregnancy should contain more healthy fats, which prepares you for breastfeeding.
What is the best way to feed a pregnant cat?
The safest way to meet your cat’s nutritional needs is to provide a commercial kitten feed. These balanced foods provide the right proportion of all essential nutrients for the mother-to-be and her kittens.
In addition, kittens will be able to go to their mother’s plate and try the food without risk. This is essential during the weaning period, when puppies prepare to leave breast milk and ingest solid food.
If you choose to feed a pregnant cat with commercial pet food, always remember to choose an excellent quality food ( premium line ). The high-quality food contains dehydrated and easily digestible meats, which are easily assimilated by the body.
On the other hand, low quality foods are harmful to our pets, especially for puppies and pregnant females. In general, they have little animal protein and lots of cereals, such as corn, rice or soy. This causes poor nutrition and many gastric problems, such as excessive gas build-up.
How much should a pregnant cat eat?
Pregnant cats tend to have more appetite during pregnancy to meet their body’s nutritional needs. After giving birth, we will notice that your appetite gradually decreases until it reaches normal.
Therefore, we must put in practice some tricks to feed a pregnant cat. For example, the female must have food available throughout the day and eat whatever she wants. She goes to your plate and consumes as much as she needs to satisfy her hunger and generate energy.
Along with the above, regular veterinary appointments will be essential to control the female’s weight gain. In addition, it is essential to check the proper growth of puppies that are about to be born.
The pregnant cat’s body weight
As we can see, controlling the pregnant cat’s weight is essential throughout pregnancy. It is also important that the female has a healthy weight before becoming pregnant.
In addition, it is crucial to provide adequate preventative medications for all cats, regardless of their age or breed. Several pathologies and malformations can be caused by conditions that the mother cat transmits to her kittens.
In terms of preventing the health of our pet, we must respect the vaccination and deworming schedule, and consult the veterinarian every 6 months.
Finally, we must emphasize the importance of being aware of responsible pet ownership. Sterilization is highly recommended to avoid homeless overcrowding and the transmission of highly contagious diseases.
