We want to look after our “fur children” the best way possible. From daily cuddles, play time, and treats, to feeding them healthy meals. I am sure you already give your pet the best food you can – but if you wanted to add a little “sparkle” to their meals, I am here to share my best tips. And all are budget friendly, because we both know how expensive everything is these days.
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Rotational Diet
Before we get started, I wanted to mention that the easiest way to enrich (our) cats’ diet is by feeding them a rotational diet – switching up different proteins, brands, and textures. If you feed your pet this way, they are less likely to develop food allergies or intolerances, and your pet won’t become a picky eater!
Healthy veggies
Try incorporating some healthy vegetables. While cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they primarily require meat in their diet, adding a small amount of cooked and finely chopped veggies can offer some extra vitamins and fiber. Carrots, peas, and pumpkin are great options that can be mixed into their regular food. You could even grow some cat grass (use barley, oat, wheat, or rye seeds) and sprinkle some on top of the food. There are plenty of health benefits found in those greens – better digestion, fewer hairballs, and even fresh breath.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for your cat’s skin, coat, and overall health. Just a few drops mixed into their food can make a big difference. The fatty acids act as anti-inflammatory agents, and therefore can be used for inflammatory diseases including skin allergies (atopy) and dermatitis, arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, epilepsy, and some types of cancer! Some cats can be allergic to seafood so a great alternative to fish oil is hemp oil – it has the same benefits but the likelihood of allergic reaction is much smaller.
Bone Broth and Raw Goat Milk
If you’re looking to add some extra hydration to your cats’ meals, consider mixing in a small amount of bone broth. This not only adds flavour but also provides additional moisture, which is especially beneficial for cats who may not drink enough water. You can purchase the bone broth at your local pet store, or make it yourself (click here for recipe). Please discard any bones and bone fragments after cooking – they become brittle and can hurt the animal.
Another excellent product to add is raw goat milk. It’s a natural probiotic packed with nutrients, minerals and more. You want to make sure that the milk is raw, meaning it hasn’t been pasteurized. When milk is pasteurized it’s heated to kill any bacteria and pathogens; which also kills the beneficial nutrients in the milk.
Egg yolk
Most of us always have some eggs on hand. Did you know that eggs contain almost all vitamins and minerals needed to keep your cat healthy and happy? Try adding an egg yolk to the cats’ diet once or twice a week – you can mix it with their food or serve it on its own as a treat. The egg whites can cause an allergic reaction so it’s best to use just the yolk.
Supplements
You can include supplements in your cat’s diet. Some of the best ones are taurine, green lipped mussels, and nutritional yeasts.
Taurine is a type of amino acid that is essential in cats’ diet. It supports growth, sight, heart function, immune response, and more!
Green Lipped Mussels are shellfish native to New Zealand. They can come in different forms – powder, freeze dried, or fresh. Some of the benefits are: fights inflammation, maintains young and healthy joints, natural antioxidants, supports heart, eye and cognitive health. Cats can consume green-lipped mussels without issue, but you should avoid giving them to your cat if it has any seafood allergies.
Nutritional Yeasts are deactivated and safe for your pet to consume (please don’t use yeasts for baking as they are activated yeasts and can be very toxic to your pets). They are packed with B vitamins, potassium, fiber, and more. Sprinkling some on top of the meal can entice even the pickiest eater.
Final words
I hope you found this article helpful and sort of motivating. I wanted to share just simple ways to add a bit of ✨sparkle ✨ to your pet’s meals and life in general. The items listed in this article are fairly budget friendly, which is an added bonus!
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Supplements
