Orientals, like other felines, are predators. Never forget that when you’re trying to decide what you should feed the Oriental. If you don’t adhere to his natural diet, the Oriental may become a finicky eater. You can have trouble getting your Oriental to eat if you’re giving him food that is not meat or formulated from meat products.
What do Orientals eat?
Always keep in mind Orientals share much of their dna with the largest of cats — lions, tigers,and panthers, etc. — so take that to heart while feeding the Oriental. You will not see a mature puma on Animal Planet eating an apple, chewing grass, or drinking milk in the wild. Nor would you observe a cheetah cub in the wild drinking milk from a cow, or any other animal. As ridiculous as these examples seem, that’s how many people feed their Orientals. So you shouldn’t act surprised when your Oriental goes hungry. Orientals are unlike us and different from dogs. When it comes to nutrition, they are very inflexible, and as an owner you must realize that. Compared to what their owners should be eating, Orientals need to eat a lot of meat for fat and protein. If we ate like Orientals, we’d have serious health issues at a young age. They are not at all like people and they are not miniature dogs. It’s not uncommon for owners to treat their Orientals exactly like they treat their dogs, who can eat a variety of foods and stay healthy. Given that dog food is so full of carbs, a dog’s diet can actually be deadly to your Oriental if fed consistently. Orientals should not eat carbs because they can’t process them. Orientals will develop extreme obesity issues by eating carbohydrates, which can eventually lead to diabetes. The long and short of it is that Orientals must avoid carbohydrates at all cost.
things to know when caring for young Orientals
Satiating Your Oriental’s Taste Buds
When you’re choosing food for your Oriental, make sure the label states it meets the minimum requirements defined by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). That guarantees that the food meets at least the bare minimum nutritional needs of your Oriental. It’s ok to pay no attention to terms like “gourmet”, ” super-premium”, ” natural”, and “premium” which have no set definition. Always feel free to ask the veterinarian what food he recommends as well. After you have selected the best food, it’s now time to let your Oriental make the final say so. If your Oriental eats it with no issues and appears to enjoy it, it is a good food for her. However, if your Oriental doesn’t tolerate the food, you need to be ready to provide a different food. Orientals would sometimes prefer to go on hunger strikes instead of eat something they don’t tolerate, and such strikes are truly dangerous. If she commits to stop eating, the Oriental runs a high risk of death or liver failure at the least. Don’t change foods haphazardly, either. Make certain you bring in the new food a little bit at a time over about a week. This prevents your Oriental from rejecting the new food outright and lessens the risk of upsetting your kitty’s stomach.
Oriental Snacks, Portion Size, and Feeding Time
How much food will your Oriental need? There are many aspects that determine that answer. For example, is your Oriental a house cat or a yard cat or both? Has your Oriental had sterilization surgery? Answers to both of these questions affect your Oriental’s nutritional requirements. Your best bet is to consult your Oriental’s doctor, who will establish your Orientals ideal weight and daily nutritional requirements. Once you figure out how much food your Oriental needs, stick to the plan. It may seem like too little to you, but it will keep your Oriental at a ideal weight. For Orientals, it’s hard to get the weight off once they get fat. Next, schedule the Oriental’s meals. Orientals like to eat small meals throughout the day, so plan to leave meals out so she can eat when hunger strikes. You can put out half in the morning before leaving for work and the other half in the evening. Don’t go overboard with snacks, either. The more treats they eat, the more they will stray from their core nutrition.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Orientals
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