Cat and Dog Nutritional Needs

Just like us hoomans, cats and dogs need several essential nutrients to stay healthy and live long, happy lives.

Just like us hoomans, cats and dogs need several essential nutrients to stay healthy and live long, happy lives. 

Normally, pets require different energy levels depending on their breed, size, and weight. A dog weighing around 25 kg. (50 lbs.) needs 700-900 kilocalories per day. A larger dog may require more energy, up to 1,350 kilocalories. A cat weighing 5 kg. (10 lbs.) needs only 200 kilocalories per day.

Eating food with a balanced and complete nutrition will improve your pet’s health. Essential nutrients for your pets are:

Protein
Protein is highly needed by both cats and dogs. Protein helps with cell growth, muscle repair, and body maintenance. Animal-based protein provides all amino acids essential to cats and dogs. Even though dogs are omnivores, they still need more protein. Cats are ancestral carnivores. They need taurine, amino acids from animal-based protein, to help with their vision, heart, and reproductive system.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy and help the digestive system and reproductive system. Fiber, found in wheat, rice, and vegetables, is a type of carbohydrate that contains intestinal bacteria, which stimulates excretion. However, high fiber plants might not be the best food for growing dogs and cats since they require more energy from fats and proteins.

Fats
Fats from plants and animals provide pets double the energy as compared to protein and carbohydrates. Your pets need essential fatty acids to keep their coat and skin healthy, produce hormones, absorb vitamins, warm the body, and protect internal organs. In addition, it makes your pets’ food taste better!

Vitamins & Minerals
A balanced diet with vitamins and minerals is essential for cats and dogs. Vitamins and minerals help your pets’ bodies function normally. Usually, your pets will not need supplements unless prescribed by a vet. Vitamins can also be harmful if taken in large quantities.

Moreover, drinking clean water and exercising daily will also keep your pets healthy, help maintain a healthy weight, and reduce the risk of disease! 

Although pets need similar nutrients, our hooman food is not for pets. Feeding your fur baby human food can give them too much energy or can even be toxic. That’s why they need pet food, don’t give pets your leftovers!

References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326132#protein
https://pets.webmd.com/dog-cat-nutrition
https://animalwellnessmagazine.com/nutrition-dogs-cats/