Should I Give My Cat Supplements?
Food supplementation is becoming more and more popular in the pet industry these days. How do we differentiate the bad supplements from the good ones? Should I give my cat supplements at all?
The definition of supplement is “something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.” I add supplements to our cats’ raw food for two reasons:
- To complete the balancing of the diet when making our homemade cat food recipes
- To enhance the benefits of the nutrients within our cat’s daily meals
Supplements come in many forms. Some come in the form of pills, liquids or powders while others come in the form of whole foods. Whole foods are the safest way of supplementing your cat’s meals because you will be the one in charge of sourcing the ingredients. You’ll find yourself adding lots of extra food to your cats meals if you’re looking for varying health benefits, however. It’s possible you may also run into the problem of your cat rejecting the food when adding unfamiliar foods to the diet.
Are All Supplements Created Equal?
I only give my cat supplements when I trust the source. Sure it’s easy to just grab some fancy multi-vitamin at the market if it’s recommended for pets, but many supplements contain synthetic (or artificial) ingredients that won’t actually benefit your cat at all. Some can even cause harm.
I recommend natural supplementation from only trust worthy sources for both prevention and treatment of many common ailments. The supplement(s) your cat needs will depend on his/her specific situation – however, I give my cat digestive enzymes supplements of and probiotics in every meal. I do this not only to enhance the absorption and usage of the nutrients in their food but also to prevent future disease.
Because a cat’s digestive system is short (it usually takes between 10-24 hours for food to move through the entire digestive tract), we do not suggest pill supplementation. Supplements will be less effective in pill form unless it’s able to be fully absorbed very quickly. Liquid or powder form is our top recommendation for cat supplementation, as these supplements will be more easily absorbed and made usable to the body.
Bottom line is that supplementation is not only a great way to prevent and treat many cat issues – it’s also very helpful for general, healthy maintenance. This is why we suggest supplementation for every cat, in every meal. Digestive enzymes and probiotics are two supplements that help our cats be happier and healthier every day by supporting healthy internal functions and a strong immune system. This alone can help keep our cats from becoming susceptible to many illnesses and issues. So when it comes to supplementation, prevention really is the best medicine!
Digestive Enzymes for Cats
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