There are very many opinions about what is good and bad for cats to eat.
Unfortunately, there is not enough knowledge about what is optimal for cats to eat, but intensive research is ongoing.
Here, our veterinarian Elin Lindell goes through the different alternatives that exist and what she is considered to be best based on the current research that exists.
I would therefore like to point out that the recommendation given below is based on the information I know and no absolute truth.
When it comes to cats, many veterinarians have begun to recommend wet foods with high protein and low carbohydrate content.
This is partly because cats are often bad at drinking enough (soft food contains a lot of fluid) and partly because cats seem to find it easier to keep the weight on wet food.
There is a lot of research going on about cat food at the moment, and it is important to know that as it looks now (May 2017), no evidence has been found that dry food is harmful to cats, so it may be that my recommendation will to change when we know more.
Grain for cats
When it comes to cats and grains, there is currently no evidence that grains would cause disease or allergies in cats, but of course you can choose a grain-free food if you wish.
Fresh food, BARF and home-cooked food
When it comes to fresh food and BARF or home-cooked food, it is very important to keep track of the contents and match the current nutritional norm for cats if you choose to give it to your kitten. There are foods that are suitable for kittens in this category and those that are not suitable.
If you give fresh food or BARF to your kitten, you should be aware that the food is raw, and that it can contain bacteria that can make us humans sick (and sometimes even the cat), ie you should consider hygiene when handling the cat’s food and if you have small children, you need to make sure that the child does not get to eat the cat’s food.
If for some reason the cat needs to eat antibiotics, it may be wise not to give fresh food during that period, because it is known that certain types of fresh food may contain resistant bacteria, and it is currently not known if they could grow and cause problems when the cat’s normal bacterial flora is impaired by antibiotic treatment.
Personally, I advise against giving raw chicken, especially if it does not come from the Nordic countries (chicken meat that comes from outside the Nordic countries has a greater risk of containing Salmonella bacteria that both you and the cat can get very sick from).
Read about the company that manufactures the feed
When choosing your cat food, it is wise to read about the company that produces the food. The company should have regular checks of its feed by analyzing the contents.
It is also best if the company has been able to test the feed on growing kittens before it goes on sale.
There should be someone who has proper training in nutrition (nutrition) who is connected to the company (for example, an agronomist or veterinarian) and the development of the feed.
Also feel free to look at where the ingredients in the feed come from (country of origin not just where the feed is produced somewhere) and whether the company provides a complete table of contents (fat, protein, carbohydrates, water, vitamins and minerals).
That said, there is very little reliable information about what cats actually feel best about eating, and it can certainly also vary from individual to individual, hopefully there will be more information within a few years on the subject.