Highlanders love meat. That’s the most important thing to keep in mind while deciding how you should feed the Highlander. If you don’t stick to this, your Highlander may seem like a picky eater. You can have trouble getting your new Highlander to eat if you’re giving him non-meat based foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, seeds, etc.
Feeding the Highlander.
You must always remember Highlanders are closely related to the biggest of cats — lions, tigers,and cougars, etc. — so keep that in mind while feeding your Highlander. Never will you see a mature cheetah on Animal Planet chewing grass, eating an apple, or drinking milk in nature. Nor would you observe a lion cub in nature drinking the milk of a cow, or any other animal. As absurd as these examples seem, that’s how many owners feed their Highlanders. Don’t act surprised when your Highlander goes hungry. Highlanders don’t eat the same way humans and dogs do. As far as their nutrition goes, they rarely deviate, and as an owner you must be aware of this. In contrast to what their owners eat, Highlanders need to eat a high percentage of meat for fat and protein. If we ate like Highlanders, we’d develop heart disease by age 20. They are not at all the same as humans and they are not miniature dogs. It’s not uncommon for people to treat their Highlanders the same way they treat dogs, who can eat a variety of different foods and remain healthy. In fact, dog food can be deadly to Highlanders over time because it fails to meet their dietary needs and it’s usually too high in carbs, which Highlanders can’t process properly. Often, when you see an overweight domestic Highlander it’s because he was fed a diet heavy in carbohydrates. This also puts them at risk of diabetes. The Highlander’s digestive system is not designed for carbs. They are to be avoided.
important Highlander care tips
Satisfying Your Highlander’s Palate
When choosing food for your Highlander, make sure the packaging states it meets the requirements prescribed by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Meeting these standards ensures that your Highlander is receiving the right nutrition. It’s ok to pay no attention to marketing terms such as “gourmet”, ” natural”, ” premium”, and “super-premium” which have no standard definition. You can ask your vet what type of food (wet or dry) they recommend for your Highlander. Once you’ve decided, let your Highlander do a taste test. If your Highlander likes the food and does not exhibit any gastrointestinal upsets (such as vomiting) later, you’ve made a good choice. However, if the Highlander doesn’t tolerate the food, you need to be prepared to give other choices. If the Highlander doesn’t tolerate the food you have fed him, a harmful hunger strike is possilbe. If she commits to a hunger strike, your Highlander runs a high risk of liver failure at a minimum and at worst death. If you ever need to switch from one food to another, bring in the new food a little bit at a time, in small quantities over a week. This makes it easier for your Highlander to accept and reduces the chances of somach discomfort.
Highlander Snacks, Portion Size, and Feeding Time
How much food does the Highlander need? It depends on some factors you might not expect. For instance, is your Highlander an indoor or outdoor cat? Has your Highlander been spayed or neutered? Both determine your Highlander’s dietary requirements. Your best bet is to seek advice from the doctor, who will identify your Highlander’s ideal weight and daily dietary requirements. Take the initiative about asking your veterinarian about your Highlander’s weight and food. Once you know how much food your Highlander needs, stick to it. Although it seems like it’s not enough, your Highlander will get used to it and stay at her healthy weight. For Highlanders, it’s hard to lose extra weight once they get fat. Once you’ve gotten this info from his doctor, it’s time to plan your Highlander’s meals. Highlanders enjoy small portions during the day, so plan to leave meals out so he can eat when hunger strikes. You can also give out half for the morning and the other half for the evening for a little portion control. Although you may like to give your Highlander snacks, keep them to a minimum. The more treats they get, the less room they’ll have for their real nutritional requirements.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Highlanders
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