The health of a cat after castration largely depends on what and how he eats. The operation to remove the testes greatly changes the hormonal background of the pet - which means that its diet must also change.
Features of the diet of castrated cats
The operated cats cease to be interested in the opposite sex, stop yelling and, as a rule, do not feel the urge to mark territory. But as a compensation, they often start to have an increased interest in the food bowl, constantly demanding supplementation. This is what explains the tendency of castrates to obesity - and then passivity and inactivity.
Therefore, one of the main tasks of the owners of a cat is to make sure that the animal does not overeat after castration. Of course, it is very difficult to resist a poor, always hungry cat, who looks into the eyes and begs for food touchingly - but if you indulge the increased cat's appetite in the first weeks after the operation, then you will inevitably have to put the animal on a strict diet. Therefore, it is important from the very moment of the operation not to overfeed the animal and control its weight. If the cat begins to get fat, you will either have to reduce its portion or switch to less high-calorie foods.
In addition, after castration, cats fall into the "risk group" - obese animals have a tendency to urolithiasis, and any diseases of the urinary system in castrates can lead to obstruction of the urethra. Therefore, the second important task when feeding castrated cats is the prevention of such diseases. The diet of such animals should be food low in minerals such as magnesium, calcium and phosphorus (they contribute to the formation of stones). In addition, the cat should always drink enough water. This is especially true for those animals that eat dry food - the volume of liquid must exceed the volume of food at least three times. If the cat does not want to drink, it is better to refuse dry food.
Since castrated cats are especially sensitive to the diet, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the chosen type of food: either the animal eats industrial food (dry food or canned food), or natural food. The natural diet can be varied with canned food, but it is not recommended to combine such food with "drying".
It is better to feed neutered cats on a "small but frequent" basis - in small portions, but several times a day. If you have problems with weight, one day a week can be done with a deloading day. Cats are predators, and short-term hunger strikes do not harm their health.
Eating a cat after castration with industrial feed
For the nutrition of castrated cats, it is undesirable to use general-purpose food - it is better to purchase special full-ration premium or super-premium food with a reduced calorie content. The food lines of renowned manufacturers (such as Purina, Iams, Royal Canin, Hill's, etc.) present rations for neutered animals. Some manufacturers produce food for neutered cats according to their age - for example, food for young neutered cats is recommended from the moment of surgery until the animals reach 7 years of age. The recommended age is indicated on the food packaging.
When choosing a brand of dry food for castrated cats, it makes sense to focus on whether the animal likes the food of this manufacturer, and how well he feels at the same time. With a properly selected diet, the cat is active, his coat is shiny and not tousled, and there are no digestive problems.
If you combine dry and canned food in the cat's diet, it is advisable that they be from the same line. Only in this case will the food be balanced.
Natural food for castrated cats: diet features
If the cat eats natural "home" food, then its menu should include:
- lean meat (beef, rabbit, turkey, chicken) - raw or lightly boiled,
- raw or boiled offal (lung, heart, liver, chicken stomachs or hearts),
- raw or boiled vegetables - 10-15% of the total diet, mixed with meat (zucchini, pumpkin, spinach, cucumbers, carrots, beets, cauliflower, broccoli),
- fermented milk products (kefir, cottage cheese, acidophilus, fermented baked milk, varenets, yogurt),
- a small amount of cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, brown rice, bran can be used - no more than a spoonful of cereal per day),
- raw quail egg or half a boiled chicken egg - 2-3 times a week.
You can add a little vegetable oil to the meat and vegetable mixture - this has a good effect on digestion.
But fish is contraindicated for castrated cats - because of the high content of phosphorus. It is also strictly forbidden to pamper your pet with smoked, salted and canned food from the master's table.
Adjusting the diet is not an easy task, the owners need to monitor the animal's reaction to certain foods (with increased gas production, diarrhea or constipation, make adjustments). At the same time, the nutrition of the cat after castration should be varied. If the cat is too fastidious and refuses everything except meat, it is necessary either to "educate" him, or to transfer to a complete industrial feed.
