Age
Age category for which the food is designed.
Different ages are associated with different needs for energy, nutrients, vitamins and trace elements. For example, kittens need large amounts of proteins, fats and minerals to grow properly. It is for small kittens that the largest number of nutrition gradations by age has been introduced (from 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months). Young cats use a lot of energy, while older cats tend to have dental and digestive problems, and need easily digestible and non-solid food. These features are taken into account when creating feed.
Specifically, by age, cats in this case can be divided into the following categories:
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Kittens - from birth to reaching the size of an adult cat (8 - 12 months). Solid foods can be given to kittens from about 1 month of age; before that, if there is no lactating mother cat nearby, it is recommended to use milk replacers.
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Young - from one to two years.
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Adults - from 2 to 7 - 8 years.
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Elderly - from 7 - 8 years and above.
General purpose
The series describes the general purpose of the food; at the same time, feeds of the same series can have different purposes (see below).
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Everyday. This food is perfect for active and agile cats that do not suffer from pronounced diseases and do not need special care.
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Medical. Feed used for certain diseases as a main or auxiliary drug. It is possible to give such food only as directed by a veterinarian and only as part of the prescribed course; For permanent use, this type of feed is not intended.
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Dietary. Special food for cats suffering from digestive problems, as well as animals with a low level of activity and a tendency to obesity. As a rule, it has a reduced calorie content and is easier to digest than conventional feeds.
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Pregnant. Food for pregnant cats. Both for the health of the mother and for the normal development of kittens, enhanced, high-quality power supply is required; this is taken into account in special feeds.
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Nursing. Feed intended for cats that feed kittens with milk. A significant part of the nutrients that enter the cat's body during this period goes to the production of milk and is transferred to kittens. Accordingly, one of the features of such feeds is their high nutritional value. Note that some types of such
...food are also suitable for kittens over the age of 1 month.
- Sterilized. Feed intended primarily for sterilized (castrated) cats. The two main problems that such animals are prone to are overweight and urolithiasis. Accordingly, feeds in this category usually have a lightweight composition, including additional support for the health of the genitourinary system.Calories
Calorie content (energy value) of the product in terms of 100 grams of weight. Knowing the calorie content of the feed and the animal's energy requirement per day, it is possible to determine the optimal daily portion size. The recommended number of calories depends on many factors — age, body type, breed of cat, the presence of certain features or diseases, etc.; This amount can be determined from special tables.