How to Keep Your Indoor Cat Fit and Healthy
Most experts agree that living exclusively indoors is the best option for any cat. There are simply too many dangers lurking around when they get to roam freely outside: danger from dogs and other predators, traffic, diseases, and so many other threats. When a cat lives indoors, however, there are still other potential downsides to be aware of, most importantly – lack of physical activity.
Even when they are not “couch potatoes”, indoor cats are still not nearly as active as cats who live outdoors – they don’t hunt, they exercise far less, and they don’t roam large areas on a daily basis. Due to less strenuous physical activity, indoor cats can be more prone to weight gain, which is why you should carefully consider their daily diet to ensure that they stay healthy in your care.
What Type of Diet is Best for Indoor Cats?
Indoor cats won’t burn off those extra calories from food like kitties who roam the outdoors would, which is why it is even more imperative that they be fed diets low in carbohydrates. Eating too much food overall or consuming foods that are too rich in carbohydrates for their exercise levels will quickly lead to weight gain and potentially a myriad of other health complications. Needless to say, you’ll want to make sure your indoor kitty stays at a healthy weight to keep their best interests at heart for the years ahead.
When choosing a diet for your indoor cat, you’ll want to seek formulas that are high in meat, low in carbohydrates, and contain all the essential nutrients your kitty needs to thrive. The easiest way to find such a formula is to look for more “clean” recipes that cut out all of the unnecessary fillers!
To bulk up their kibble, many manufacturers opt for cheap fillers, such as corn, wheat, or soy. These ingredients, however, can bulk up the calorie content and carbohydrate levels in the kibble – without adding beneficial nutrients to the formula. You see, as obligate carnivores, cats need real meat to thrive. Anything else is just fluff -- at best not needed, at worst, harmful for your kitty!
That’s why we love MedalSeries Indoor Cat formula. It is designed specifically with the needs of indoor cats in mind and is formulated to meet their exact needs. It is rich in animal protein and low in carbs, adjusting the calorie content overall without sacrificing on nutrients your cat needs. Approximately 80% of its protein content comes from meat, to support lean muscle maintenance and cardiac health, and it is enriched with probiotics to support your pet’s digestion. With a high level of essential fatty acids to support healthy skin and coat and added antioxidants for cellular health, this indoor cat kibble formula nourishes your kitty inside and out.
Of course, while a healthy diet is essential for indoor cats, it’s not the only thing to pay attention to. In addition to a balanced diet, try to encourage as much exercise as possible, with interactive and enrichment toys, such as teaser wands, cat tunnels, robotic toys, etc. – anything that will get your indoor kitty (and maybe even you!) to run around and stay active and healthier together for the many days ahead.
Feature Image by Viktoriia Hnatiuk/Shutterstock.com
A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.
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