In each stage of development, dogs and cats need different nutritional sources to ensure comprehensive and appropriate growth, avoiding excess or deficiency of nutrients that can affect health. Accordingly, the life cycle that pets must go through includes 3 stages: newborn - adulthood - aging. The article below will guide pet owners on how to build a nutrition regimen for each developmental period of dogs and cats, inviting you to follow along to gain more useful information!
1. Two reasons to build a nutrition regimen for each period
1.1. Limit excessive or insufficient nutrient supplementation
Dogs, cats, or any other animals have the same characteristic as humans in that they need adequate nutritional supplementation for each period to develop comprehensively, avoiding excess of one nutrient and deficiency of another. In reality, when dogs and cats eat too little, they cannot meet their body's nutritional needs, leading to weakness, underweight, exhaustion, and slow growth. On the contrary, when dogs and cats eat too much, the excess food that is not fully digested will convert to excess fat depositing under the skin, causing them to face obesity and overweight issues.
1.2. Prevent digestive-related diseases
In each stage of development, the digestive system of cats and dogs will be uniquely structured to suit their physical condition and age. For example, newly born dogs and cats have relatively sensitive digestive systems that are not fully adapted; if their owner hastily feeds them solid food, their stomachs cannot process it in time, causing bloating, indigestion, and even vomiting and choking. Therefore, building a diet for each developmental stage not only ensures the nutrient intake for dogs and cats but also contributes to preventing digestive tract diseases.
Two reasons to build a nutrition regimen for each period
2. Stage 1: Young pets - weak immune system
For newly born dogs and cats, mother's milk is the best source of nutrition. In the milk of dog/cat mothers, there are many nutrients and antibodies that create a foundation for a strong immune system for puppies and kittens later on. Particularly, in the first 24 to 48 hours after birth, a dog/cat mother will secrete colostrum—a most precious milk type with formidable nutritional content—that supports puppies/kittens in strengthening their immune barriers, helping them avoid future diseases.
Kittens and puppies usually suckle their mother’s milk until they are 7 to 8 weeks old. After this period, you can let your pets start "nibbling" on a small amount of wet food that is pureed or mashed to help them wean and gradually adapt. Food for this stage should be soft, moist, and easy to consume such as shredded boiled chicken, pureed pumpkin soup mixed with mother's milk,... to prevent dogs and cats from choking. Note that you should only give them very small amounts to get used to it!
Stage 1: Young pets - weak immune system
3. Stage 2: Adult pets - good development
Entering adulthood, pets require a more complex nutrition regimen compared to the previous stage. Therefore, owners need to understand the different characteristics between dogs and cats to create appropriate diets for each species. Specifically:
1 - Nutrition regimen for adult cats
Cats are carnivores and require a diet rich in animal protein. Hence, you should not apply a vegan diet or one solely based on plant protein for adult cats. To develop optimally, they need to be provided with essential nutrients such as amino acids (taurine, arginine, methionine, and tyrosine from animals), fats, vitamins A, D, and E. Some good foods for cats at this stage can include tuna, beef, chicken, pumpkin,...
2 - Nutrition regimen for adult dogs
Dogs are omnivores, so they require a diverse nutritional source from both animals and plants. To keep them healthy, you need to provide sufficient water, protein, fats, carbs, and other vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, B, D, E,...). Some foods that owners can supplement for adult dogs include: beef, quail, pork, duck, eggs, various types of beans, pumpkin,...
3 - Nutrition regimen for pregnant or newly mothering dogs and cats
For dogs and cats in the stage of pregnancy or newly giving birth, the calorie requirement is higher than normal because they need to compensate for energy and produce milk for puppies and kittens. To prevent nutritional deficiency during pregnancy and post-birth, owners should supplement nutrients from the initial stages of pregnancy. If you are unsure how, you can seek support from a veterinarian.
Stage 2: Adult pets - good development
Moreover, the food quantity for dogs and cats will depend on their size and activity level (outdoor activities, running, and jumping burn more energy, thus requiring a higher-than-usual portion). To assist busy owners who do not have time to measure portions, petncute.com will suggest two fresh paté lines recommended by experts and veterinarians with pre-measured nutritional content:
Fresh paté for cats: Tasty line for cats over 3 months old (including Mouth-watering Beef, Seafood Buffet, Tuna Boss, Chicken-Fish Alliance, Fattened Chicken, Reckless Pork). Fresh paté for dogs: Tasty line for dogs over 3 months old (including Lean Beef, Snuggly Quail, Lean Chicken, Lean Pork, Swimming Duck).
4. Stage 3: Aging pets - declining health
When entering the "twilight ages", there are many changes in pets' nutritional needs compared to when they were newborns or adults. Generally, cats are considered aged when they approach the age of 7. In many cases, some dogs and cats can be "prematurely aged," showing aging and weakness at just 6 years old. During this period, owners need to pay more attention to the health of dogs and cats by taking them to see the veterinarian regularly for check-ups and diagnoses. Additionally, you should establish a reasonable nutrition plan that helps elderly dogs and cats digest food more easily, control weight, and prevent diseases such as diabetes, obesity,...
Stage 3: Aging pets - declining health
Specifically, instead of feeding them 3 meals a day as before, you can divide their food into several small meals throughout the day, each about ½ of the prior portion. Owners should prioritize selecting foods rich in protein and fiber to help the muscles and bones of aging dogs and cats become firmer and stronger, ensuring a smooth digestive system, and preventing obesity. At the same time, you should limit fat supplements to prevent constipation or indigestion in aging dogs and cats.
Above are specialized nutritional regimens for the 3 stages of a pet's development, and petncute.com hopes that you have gained useful information that you can apply in caring for your dogs and cats. Wishing your pets always stay healthy and grow quickly!