Ocicats are predators. Always remember that when pondering what foods to feed your Ocicat. If you deviate from this, your Ocicat may reject your food offerings. If you’re giving your her food that is not meat or formulated from meat products, you can have a hard time getting the Ocicat to eat.
What should Ocicats eat?
Keep in mind Ocicats share recent ancestry with the fiercest of felines — lions, tigers,and pumas, etc. — so take that to heart as you’re feeding the Ocicat. You won’t see an adult leopard on National Geographic chewing grass, drinking milk, or eating an apple in nature. Nor would you see a tiger cub in nature drinking milk from a cow, or any other animal that wasn’t his mother. As ludicrous as these examples seem, that’s what many people feed their Ocicats. So you shouldn’t expect your Ocicat at home to be thrilled if that’s what you try to give to her. Ocicats don’t eat the same way dogs and humans do. As far as their diet is concerned, they rarely deviate, and owners must realize that. Compared to how some other mammals eat, Ocicats need to eat a high proportion of meat for fat and protein. If we ate like Ocicats, we’d have serious health issues at a young age. Just because they’re a part of the family, that does not mean they should eat like you or the dogs. Often you’ll find owners who feed their Ocicats the same foods they feed themselves and the dog, even though the Ocicats diet is much more strict. Since dog food is so full of carbohydrates, a dog’s diet can be deadly to your Ocicat if fed consistently. Ocicats are not meant to eat carbs and can’t process them. Often, when you see an oversized domestic Ocicat it’s because she was given a diet high in carbohydrates. Too many carbs over an extended period also puts your Ocicat at risk of diabetes. The long and short of it is that Ocicats must avoid carbohydrates at all cost.
tips for taking care of young Ocicats
Satisfying Your Ocicat’s Palate
Before deciding on a particular food for your Ocicat be sure it is recommended by the American Association of Feed Control Officials. That guarantees that the food meets at least the minimum nutritional requirements of your Ocicat. Pay no attention to marketing “hype” terms like “super-premium”, ” natural”, ” premium”, and “gourmet”, as there is no standard that defines them. You can ask your doctor which food (wet or dry) is best for your Ocicat. Once you’ve decided, give your Ocicat a taste test. The food is a a great choice if your Ocicat likes it and doesn’t exhibit any noticeable discomfort later on. If the Ocicat does not seem to like it, however, you must go back to square 1. Ocicats would sometimes prefer to go on a hunger strike instead of eat food they don’t enjoy, and such strikes can be dangerous. If she commits to stop eating, the Ocicat runs an extreme risk of liver failure at a minimum and at worst death. If you ever decide to change from one food to another, replace the old food a little bit at a time, in small amounts over a week. This helps prevent your Ocicat from rejecting the new food outright and lessens the risk of upsetting your kitty’s stomach.
Snacks, Portion Size, and Feeding Time for Ocicats
Just how much food will the Ocicat need? There are many elements that determine that answer. For example, is your Ocicat a house cat or a yard cat or both? Has the Ocicat had sterilization surgery? Both of these answers are crucial in establishing your Ocicat’s dietary requirements. The solution is to request a recommendation from your veterinarian, who will decide your Ocicat’s best weight and daily calorie count. Once you find out how much food your Ocicat needs, stick to the plan. Although it seems like it’s not enough, your Ocicat will get used to it and remain at his healthy weight. It’s difficult to help overweight Ocicat lose weight, and it’s easier to keep yours at its proper size. Once you’ve gotten this info from his vet, it’s time to schedule the Ocicat’s meals. Ocicats like to eat all day, so it’s just best to leave meals out for them where it’s accessible all the time. You can also leave out half for the morning and the other half for the evening for a little portion control. Though you may enjoy feeding your Ocicat treats, do so rarely. The more snacks they eat, the less room they’ll have for their core nutritional requirements.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Ocicats
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