Caring For A Colony Of Feral Cats
Your cat may soon join other cats in the neighborhood or she may bring other feral cats home during mealtime. Pretty soon, youll have to feed an entire colony thats likely to grow if there are several strays in your area.
But the true cat lover in you somehow urges you to feed outdoor cats that made friends with your tabby. Bless your heart.
To feed feral cats, schedule a fixed mealtime that they can follow. It’s more manageable this way and you can better determine the amount of food to serve daily as well. Again, we recommend a twice-a-day feeding.
With a regular feeding schedule, you can see if new cats have joined, or if some cats are missing. You can also see each cats health condition if they have certain illnesses or injuries. This will help you protect your own cat and see what possible situations she may get into.
If youre feeling generous, you can have the other cats checked by the vet or even vaccinated. Your own cats will benefit if their friends are jabbed.
And if you don’t want the colony to quadruple in months, consider having the other cats spayed or neutered too. Regular feeding time is a great opportunity to gather and trap them for neutering.
Regular feeding time will also likely minimize leftovers that could attract other animals, insects, and common pests. Youll be able to estimate the right amount of food to serve.
Finally, leave a few buckets of clean water for them to drink.
Weruva Mideast Feast With Grilled Tilapia In Gravy
First 5 Ingredients: Tuna, Water Sufficient For Processing, Tilapia, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil
Talk about a wet cat food thats oozing with flavor and nutrition, Weruva doesnt disappoint with its Mideast Feast Grilled Tilapia grain-free cat food.
This high quality grain-free canned food for kitties is made by a family-owned company that pledges to adhere to high manufacturing standards.
You’ll be surprised to open the can and see real identifiable tilapia meat chunks inside. There are also lots of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and a great moisture content to promote overall nutritional health and development.
With 12% crude protein and 84% moisture, this is an excellent wet food for your outgoing cat plus they will definitely get the nutrients they need.
Pros
- Preservative free, gluten free, carrageenan free, gluten free, grain free.
- Weruva has an A grade on The British Retail Consortium .
- Specifically formulated for a feline’s needs.
- Loaded with taurine, amino acids, omegas, vitamins and minerals.
- Broth-based gravy makes it appealing to picky eaters
Cons
- Contains potato starch
- Another product that has a new formula which seems to have turned off a lot of former fans
Purina Kit & Kaboodle Indoor Dry Cat Food
As far as cheap price goes, this is about as low as I will recommend. I honestly dont buy or use this brand and have never had a good experience with cats when I tried it.
However, what is affordable for you is affordable for you and this is an option that many other cat saviors use. Just be aware that if you live in a harsher part of the country, it will not give your cat nearly enough nutrients as it will need to survive.
Also, be aware that you have to feed ONE cat double and up to triple what some of the other brands recommend. Cats can only eat so much at one time.
If youre on a tight budget or a pinch this will work temporarily but on a permanent basis, you might want to consider something more beneficial to your cats.
Heres the breakdown of the Purina Kit & Kaboodle Indoor Dry Cat Food:
Weight: 16 lbs
Meat Source: chicken and other animal product
Flavors: Great taste? haha!
Made In The USA? Yes
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon
How others are helping strays with Purina Kit & Kaboodle Indoor Dry Cat Food:
Im always buying bags of cat food to feed the stray cats in my neighborhood. My strays just love Kit and Kaboodle and eat all of it up in no time flat. I used to buy Meow Mix, but I was just wasting my money. If you feed a lot of cats or have picky eaters, then give Kit and Kaboodle a try, youll be amazed. Its also a great value for the price. The Texas Reviewers Amazon Review
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The Ideal Diet For Obligate Carnivores
The ideal diet for an obligate carnivore is simple: protein, fat, moisture, vitamins, minerals. No fillers. With the foods on this list, you can be confident youre feeding the highest quality wet food possible.
As a species, they are a bit different than dogs & humans when it comes to digestion. Cats cannot properly digest and metabolize grains & starches. I try to avoid legumes, which are a popular filler these days. Legumes include: soy, peas, lentils, chickpeas, garbanzo beans, etc.
They have a short gastrointestinal tract compared to other animals. They do not produce amylase in their saliva, so they do not taste sweetness.
Their bodies convert protein into glucose so they dont have a dietary requirement for carbs or sugar.
What Should I Feed My Cat
There is a lot of conflicting information out there regarding dry versus wet food grain versus grain-free raw versus conventional diets what about organic or gluten free? All of this can be confusing for any cat owner.
Veterinary research has not yet concluded what the optimal combination of protein, fat and carbohydrates is for a feline diet. We do know the minimal requirements of the more important of these macronutrients. Commercial diets are manufactured based on these for each life-stage group, such as a kitten, a neutered cat or an older cat, and have additional essential vitamins and minerals.
Here are the facts based on current scientific evidence.
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You Should Not Feed Pet Cats Wet Food
There is no wonder why cats love canned wet food: it is packed with nutrition, but dry food is also delicious. When you leave uneaten food out for more than 30 minutes, bugs will eat it. Clean up after it and set it up at a neat location, for both cat health and the health of our community as a whole. You shouldnt worry if some cats arent feeding right away.
Purina Cat Chow Naturals Cat Food
Have you newly started a business of local shelter for the feral cats? If yes, then the only question which might get stuck in your head is what sort of cat food you should feed them. Well, you dont need to worry about it because Purina Cat Chow Naturals cat food is the best solution available for the stray cats.
Features & Why you should choose it?
This cat food is included with a rich amount of healthy ingredients which is extremely beneficial for maintaining a healthy weight gain and gives your cat a shiny coat. This product has become one of the most recommended and best among Facebook groups and feral cat forums. It is completely free from all sorts of artificial flavor as well as preservatives. In short, you dont need to worry about your cats health when you are feeding them with Purina Cat Chow Naturals cat food
Furthermore, this cat food is included with excellent quality of natural fibers which is healthy enough to control your cats hairballs. It will facilitate a proper movement of bowel for your cat. The addition of turkey with real chicken will make the whole food extra delicious for your stray cats. This food formula is also included with brewer rice, soybean meal, and animal fat.
- Does not include artificial flavors or other preservatives
- Natural fiber will enable your cat to improve their hairballs
- Promoting a healthy weight gain and shiny skin coat
Cons
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Rachael Ray Nutrish Real Salmon
The recipe of this premium food is made with simple, wholesome ingredients the standout being the high-quality proteins like chicken, salmon, and whitefish. Moreover, they are combined with healthy veggies and essential vitamins, plenty of minerals and taurine.
Plus, the seller guarantees that theres no ground corn, wheat or soy in the small bits. And like all other top-notch food, it is rich in amino acids and Omega 3 fatty acids that help support the cats healthy skin and shiny coat, even if it lives on the street. Also, the brown rice is an excellent carbohydrate source for many essential B vitamins and beneficial fiber.
It also contains beet pulp, which is also a fiber source that naturally provides excellent amounts of prebiotics to help maintain healthy digestion. Moreover, you have the certainty that the food comes from a popular brand and that it respects all the strictest health standards. Ultimately, the bag is large enough to last you for months.
Iams Proactive Health Adult Indoor Weight & Hairball Control Dry Cat Food
This IAMS Proactive Health Adult Indoor Weight & Hairball Control Dry Cat Food is manufactured specially to keep cats happy. Generally, there is no such different food prescribed for feral cats. You can feed feral cats with any regular cat food. The formula used in this food type is perfect for your feral pet to meet its nutrition requirement.
It helps to assist healthy weight management and even weight loss of feral cats. The IAMS is dry food, and it contains L-carnitine that helps maintain a healthy metabolism and burns fat. In addition, its tailored fiber blend that features beet pulp aims to support healthy digestion.
This cat food treats feral cats with real chicken as the major ingredient and includes an optimal omega 6:3 fatty acid ratio. It helps to maintain the shine and softness of their fur coat and contributes to healthy growth. The IAMS dry cat food is full of essential nutrients and vitamins, including vitamin E. It also helps to nourish the heart health of feral cats with potassium and calcium.
So, to get this food for feral cats, .
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Iams Proactive Health High Protein Chicken & Salmon Recipe
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Byproduct Meal, Corn Grits, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Salmon
An outstanding option for multiple cats, Iams developed a premium quality cat food thats light on the pocketbook of cat lovers. Its a great kibble if you like to feed stray cats too as they get the chance to try healthy cat food.
Many vets and cat parents trust this high-protein cat food that uses chicken and salmon as the main protein sources for your cats strong and lean muscles.
It does not contain soy, dyes, or artificial flavors, so youd be sure that your feline friend will get the nutritious cat foods it needs.
Pros
Triumph Wild Spirit Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe is a grain-inclusive dry cat food formulated for the nutritional needs of all breeds and sizes in all life stages. This tasty recipe has the meaty goodness of chicken and high fiber, healthy grains.
At 32% protein, this Triumph Wild Spirit recipe assures pet parents that their kitties get only high quality protein from real deboned chicken and chicken meal.
Chicken meal is a high quality, concentrated source of animal protein. Menhaden fish meal and dried egg product add even more protein to this tasty meal.
Chicken fat is its primary source of essential fatty acids. Chicken fat is full of rich, meaty flavor, as well as omega 6 fatty acids and vitamin E for healthier skin and shiny coats.
Pros
Cons
The 6 Best Foods For Feeding Feral Cats
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Feral cats need commitment to proper care and long-term feedings. Once you become a colony manager the cats become dependent on you. This means feeding the most highly nutritious food food at the best price.
Dry cat food is most popular when feeding colonies of feral cats, mainly because it is less expensive, easy to transport and wont freeze in cold weather. Feral cats will benefit from animal proteins a quality cat food has to offer, but need higher calories than an average house cat.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cat foods for feeding feral cats as well as their pros and cons.
Contents
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Best Kitten: Purina Fancy Feast Grain Free Pate Wet Kitten Food
Food Type: Wet | Amount: Not listed | Main Ingredient: Varies | Life Stage: Kitten
It’s important to feed your kitten food thats specifically labeled for kittens, as it will be formulated to help support their growth and healthy development with higher protein content and calories. It should also have increased vitamin and mineral supplementation , Dr. Barrack says.
This grain-free blend comes in smaller 3-ounce cans sized for kittens’ appetites. If you do have any left over, cover and refrigerate it will stay good for up to three days. The soft, paté style is easy for kittens to chew and digest. This box comes with four different flavors so you can experiment until you find their favorite.
Food Type: Wet | Amount: 3 ounces | Main Ingredient: Ocean whitefish | Life Stage: Adult
While the best food for your senior cat depends on your own cats unique health needs, in general, it is best to maintain a diet filled with proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and water throughout all stages of your cat’s life, Dr. Barrack says. This grain-free blend made in the U.S. from Purina contains 10 percent minimum protein to help maintain your older cats lean muscle mass, antioxidants beta carotene, and vitamin E to support their immune system, and prebiotic fiber for easier digestion.
Note that you may want to cut back on portion sizes if you notice your cat is less active or gaining weight.
Delight Their Palette With These Smart Food Choices
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Canned cat food is an essential part of your cats diet. While cats do enjoy a varied selection of food and should be fed both dry and wet foods, canned cat food has the advantage of a high water content, which helps to keep your kitty hydrated.
The amount you feed them and the type of canned cat food depend on several factors, including their age, overall health needs, and size. You should also keep an eye on the ingredients when shopping for cat food, since some cats have sensitivities to certain ingredients or preferences when it comes to protein sources.
Read on for the best canned cat foods.
Food Type: Wet | Amount: 3 ounces | Main Ingredient: Turkey | Life Stage: Adult
When selecting a canned food for your feline friend, look for one that has been certified Complete and Balanced by the American Association of Feed Control Officials . This means the food contains a high-quality mix of ingredients to meet your feline’s basic nutritional needs, explains Rachel Barrack, DVM, CVA, CVCH, including meat, taurine , and water.
Food Type: Wet | Amount: 6 ounces | Main Ingredient: Salmon | Life Stage: All
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What To Feed My Feral Cats
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Why Cats Need Wet Food
Whether a docile darling, rambunctious rascal, or feisty furball, your cats primal nature remains unchanged. Just like lions, tigers, and leopards, domestic cats are true carnivores, requiring a protein-rich, meat-based diet to thrive. While quality dry cat foods are more than capable of meeting these nutritional needs, they can’t compete with wet foods in terms of moisture content.
Why does this matter? Because cats are biologically hardwired to obtain vital moisture from the organs and muscles of prey, they tend to have a lower thirst drive. This means cats typically won’t drink water as readily as other household pets might. For some cats, this can lead to dehydration and may even cause serious urinary tract problems. While most dry cat foods have a moisture content of approximately 10% or less, wet cat foods can contain up to 78% moisture, making it easier for cats to fulfil their daily water requirements.
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Type Of Food To Give Stray/feral Cats
If you do not have a cat and therefore have no cat food in the house, do not abandon ship. You can quickly whip up some plain cooked chicken and rice for stray cats in the meantime.
Plain rice and simple chicken is actually a great meal for your little friend. Here are more ideas if you dont have cat food on hand.
The best cat food for strays doesnt have to be top dollar. There are cheap brands of cat food available on Amazon and in virtually any market. While food is better than starving, try to avoid buying the lowest of the low of cat foods.
There are quality cat food brands that might just be an extra dollar or two or three, but youll be doing a lot of good for the strays health.
However, if you do have cats in the household, then youll already have some cat food to offer the hungry stray.
A good quality food, either dry or wet will do just fine. Just make sure to pay attention to the number one ingredient.
Avoid meat by-products as the first ingredient. Also, avoid cat food that has grains listed as the top 1-3 ingredients.