It is said that cats like to eat fish, but this is a misunderstanding...

In people's minds, "cats love to eat fish" seems to have become common sense, just like dogs love to chew bones. The story of a kitten fishing that all primary school students know is further proof: If a cat doesn’t like to eat fish, then why does it fish? But is this really the case? Research shows that it is not necessarily true. Sometimes, cats not only don’t like to eat fish, but eating too much fish can even be harmful!

1. Is fish a natural food for cats?

Answer is negative.

The ancestors of domestic cats are African wild cats. They live in the desert and are extremely short of water. It is even less likely that there will be fish for cats to hunt, so fish is not a natural prey for cats.

Even today’s rural cats do not hunt fish, but rodents, birds, amphibians, etc. Cats that actively catch fish to eat are rare exceptions. They prefer meat to fish. After all, catching fish is much harder than catching mice. Then some friends will ask: "But my cat really likes to eat fish, why is that?"

Second, why do cats like to eat fish?

It is said that a long time ago, the ancient Egyptians in the Nile River Basin mainly made a living by fishing. So they would feed their cats leftover fish. The fish that the ancestors of domestic cats could often eat were fed by humans instead of caught by themselves.

There is another saying: Cats naturally like fresh meat. Fresh meat often has a stronger fishy smell, while fish has a stronger fishy smell, which attracts cats’ sense of smell, so cats think Fish is delicious and fresh meat.

The above are two common explanations, which have some truth, but more scientific research shows that cats love to eat fish because fish contains the nutrient they need - taurine. Cats are nocturnal animals and need to hunt at night, and taurine, a substance that promotes the photoreceptor cells in the cat’s retina, can improve cats’ vision and keep them “bright” at all times.

An adult cat weighing 5 kilograms needs 60 to 80 mg of taurine a day. If a cat's diet is severely lacking in taurine, it can cause retinopathy in cats, leading to vision loss or even blindness. Long-term lack of taurine can also lead to serious health problems such as myocardial dilation, infertility, and miscarriage in cats. Taurine is so important, but it cannot be synthesized by cats in their bodies and can only be supplemented from food. Therefore, cats are particularly interested in foods rich in taurine.

Fish, shellfish, mice and other animal meats contain a large amount of taurine, so they are very popular with cats, and most cats like to eat them. Nowadays common meats, such as mutton, chicken, and beef, are also rich in taurine. Adding these meats to the cat’s diet can make the cat’s diet more balanced.

3. Cats canShould fish be the main food?

It is healthy for cats to eat fish in moderation, but not in excess. Fish is rich in nutrients and rich in a variety of amino acids, but it lacks necessary minerals for cats, such as calcium, iron, sodium, etc. In addition, fish liver also contains too much phosphorus and vitamin A.

Excessive phosphorus will affect the absorption of calcium. Long-term feeding of fish as the main food will cause cats to be calcium deficient and even suffer from rickets. It may also cause vitamin A poisoning, causing cats to suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, and tooth loss. and other symptoms. Therefore fish should not be a staple food for cats. In the daily diet, fish intake should not exceed 10% of the cat’s food intake, preferably no more than twice a week.

4. What kind of fish is suitable for cats to eat?

Because deep-sea fish contain a lot of magnesium and salt, cats can easily cause kidney and urinary system problems after eating it. disease, so it is best to choose freshwater fish with fewer fish bones for cats to eat.

Be careful when feeding fish to cats:

1. Remove fish bones, gills, and internal organs, as pesticides and heavy metals may accumulate in these places;

　2. It must be cooked, otherwise there may be a risk of parasites;

　3. Do not add any seasonings, just boil it in plain water;

　4. Pay attention to allergies. Some cats are allergic to fish. If the cat develops vomiting or diarrhea after eating fish, he should stop feeding fish immediately;

5. Do not overfeed, no more than twice a week;

< p> If you don’t feed fish directly to your cat, but your cat loves fish, you can also choose to feed canned fish.

Leonardo® canned cats are available in five flavors: poultry, rabbit, duck, ocean fish and fresh liver, which meet the various needs of picky cats and provide more balanced feeding.

The ocean fish flavor is definitely a canned treasure for fish-loving cat owners!

It uses high-quality deep-sea fish, minced into puree and directly packaged, fresh and original flavor; no Preservatives and food attractants are in line with cats’ natural eating habits; they are rich in hair-beautifying ingredients Omega3, which can make your cat’s hair more beautiful!

Does your cat like to eat fish?