Oriental Shorthairs, like all felines, are predators. That’s the most important thing to keep in mind when deciding which food your Oriental Shorthair should eat. If you don’t adhere to the natural diet, your Oriental Shorthair will become a finicky eater. You may have difficulty getting your new Oriental Shorthair to eat if you’re giving him food that is not meat or formulated from meat products.
Feeding the Oriental Shorthair.
Keep in mind Oriental Shorthairs share much of their dna with the biggest of felines — pumas, lions and tigers — so take that to heart when feeding your Oriental Shorthair. Never will you witness a mature cheetah on National Geographic chewing grass, eating an apple, or drinking milk in the wild. You also would never observe a tiger cub in nature drinking the milk of a cow, or any other animal that wasn’t his mother. As outrageous as these examples are, that’s what many owners feed their Oriental Shorthairs. Don’t be surprised if your Oriental Shorthair goes hungry. Oriental Shorthairs don’t eat the same way humans or dogs do. As far as their diet is concerned, they are very inflexible, and owners must realize that. In contrast to what their owners should be eating, Oriental Shorthairs need to eat a high proportion of meat for fat and protein. A person would probably develop a lot of problems if he ate the Oriental Shorthair’s recommended diet. Although they’re a member of your family, that does not mean they should eat like you or the dogs. Often you’ll find owners who feed their Oriental Shorthairs the same foods they feed themselves and their dog, even though the Oriental Shorthairs diet is much more limited. As a matter of fact, dog food is deadly to Oriental Shorthairs over time because it doesn’t meet their nutritional needs and it’s often loaded with carbohydrates, which Oriental Shorthairs can’t digest healthily. Many times, when you see an extremely heavy domestic Oriental Shorthair it’s because she was fed a diet heavy in carbohydrates. Too many carbs over an extended period also puts your Oriental Shorthair at risk of diabetes. The long and short of it is that Oriental Shorthairs must avoid carbohydrates at all cost.
taking care of Oriental Shorthair kittens
Satisfying Your Oriental Shorthair’s Taste Buds
Be sure any food you buy for your Oriental Shorthair meets the guidelines outlined by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Meeting these requirements ensures that your Oriental Shorthair is getting the proper nutrition. Pay no attention to marketing “hype” terms like “premium”, ” gourmet”, ” super-premium”, and “natural”, as there is no standard that defines them. Ask the vet which food (wet or dry) is best for the Oriental Shorthair. Once you have made your choice, let your Oriental Shorthair do a taste test. If your Oriental Shorthair likes the food and doesn’t show any gastrointestinal upsets (such as diarrhea) later on, you’ve made a great choice. On the other hand, if your Oriental Shorthair doesn’t tolerate the food, you need to be prepared to offer other choices. Oriental Shorthairs often will go on a hunger strike before they eat some food they don’t tolerate, and such strikes can truly be dangerous. If he ever decides to a hunger strike, your Oriental Shorthair runs an extreme risk of liver failure at a minimum and at worst death. Don’t change foods haphazardly, either. Be sure you introduce a different type of food a little at a time in small amounts over the course of a week. This prevents the Oriental Shorthair from rejecting the new food outright and lessens the risk of upsetting your kitty’s stomach.
Portion Size, Feeding Time, and Snacks for Oriental Shorthairs
How much do you need to feed your Oriental Shorthair? The answer might enlighten you. For instance, is the Oriental Shorthair an indoor or outdoor cat? Has your Oriental Shorthair been neutered or spayed? Answers to both of these questions determine your Oriental Shorthair’s nutritional requirements. Your best bet is to consult your Oriental Shorthair’s doctor, who will decide your Oriental Shorthairs ideal weight and daily nutritional requirements. Once you figure out how much food your Oriental Shorthair needs, stick to the plan. It may seem like too little to you, but it will keep your Oriental Shorthair at his ideal weight. It’s hard to help a fat Oriental Shorthair lose weight, so it’s best to keep yours at a healthy size. Once you’ve gotten this info from his vet, it’s time to schedule the Oriental Shorthair’s meals. Oriental Shorthairs like to eat all throughout the day, so it’s just best to leave meals out for them where it’s accessible all the time. You can also give out half for the morning and the other half for the evening for a little portion control. Don’t go overboard with treats, either. The more snacks they get, the more they will stray from their core diet.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Oriental Shorthairs
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