Cats are obligate carnivores and need a diet that is rich in animal protein and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals.
As cats are obligate carnivores, they should never be fed a vegan or vegetarian diet. When preparing for survival scenarios, it is important to consider your cat’s nutritional needs. Cats need a diet that is high in protein and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals.
In this guide, we will look at the best survival food for cats. We will discuss the different types of food available and some tips on how to store it, as well as what to look out for when selecting the best food for your cat.
We will also provide some suggestions on what to feed your cat during an emergency situation.
A Brief History of Cat Survival
Before humans domesticated cats, cats used to thrive off a diet of birds, mice, fish, and any scraps humans would provide. So what does this mean for you?
When it comes to cats and dogs, cats are much more self-sufficient hunters when human feeding isn’t readily available. Here’s why:
“If pets truly needed commercially prepared food to survive, there wouldn’t be any pets around today. They simply wouldn’t have survived all of those years before it was invented.” survivopedia.com
What’s important to know from this? Cats are self-sufficient hunters. This information is something to consider when prepared food isn’t accessible, especially in a survival setting.
Survival Cat Food Preparation
When doing your research, you want to find the best prices possible. Also, correctly spacing out food portions for your cat is crucial to ensure sustainability and longevity.
Make sure to check out significant wholesalers like Walmart or Amazon for deals. The good news is that prepared emergency food for cats is relatively cheap.
So what’s the catch? Well, storing up over six months of pet food can get pricey, and you need a secure location to store the supplies.
Best Survival Food for Cats
Here is our list of the best survival food for cats.
Chicken Liver
Chicken livers are high in vitamin A, iron, and zinc. Vitamin A helps cats stay healthy and robust, while zinc aids digestion. Iron helps cats maintain their red blood cells and hemoglobin levels.
Tuna
Canned Tuna is one of the best solutions for survival cat food. It is high in protein and has a ton of vital nutrients for cats. Leave the juice in the can and mix it with cooked brown rice. Any type of canned fish can be remarkably effective for providing the necessary nutrients for your cat to thrive in a survival setting.
Here’s our guide to making a DIY dog first aid kit (also applicable to cats).
Turkey Sausage
Turkey sausages are full of protein and vitamins. They have a lot of B vitamins, including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), and niacin (B3). These help keep cats’ muscles solid and healthy.
Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are suitable for the cat’s skin and coat. Omega-3 fatty acids also help prevent heart disease and improve brain function.
Eggs
Eggs are great for cats because they provide them with protein and fat. Protein helps cats build muscle, while fat keeps cats’ bodies well-nourished and healthy.
Milk
Best of all: Milk provides many cat nutrients, including calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D, and potassium. Calcium helps cats develop strong bones and teeth, while phosphorous promotes healthy joints and ligaments.
Vitamin D allows cats to absorb calcium and phosphorous, while potassium helps regulate fluids in cats’ bodies.
Cheese
Cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium for cats. Calcium helps cats maintain strong bones and teeth, and protein helps cats build muscle.
Brown Rice
Brown rice is a good source of fiber, which helps cats feel fuller and prevents constipation. Fiber also helps cats eliminate toxins from their bodies.
Best Ways to Store Emergency Cat Food
Store in a cool, dry place
It’s best to keep your pet’s food and supplies stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If possible, use airtight containers to help prevent moisture loss. Make sure the container is clean before storing food. You should also make sure your pet has access to fresh water at all times.
Keep out of reach from other animals
You want to ensure this food is out of reach to other animals and wildlife.
Use freezer bags
Freezer bags are great for keeping food cold and preventing odors. Once frozen, they’re easy to open and close.
Don’t overfill
And as if that is not enough, you don’t want your pet to have to work hard to get to his food. Overfilling the bag will cause the food to spill out and could lead to messes around the house.
Label it
Labeling the container helps you identify what kind of food is inside. This way, you know if you need to replace any of the food.
Freeze it
If you find yourself running low on food, you can freeze some of your pet’s current food to save room for more. Just remember to defrost the food properly before serving.
My Recommendation for Survival Cat Food
Add some flavor!
Adding flavors to your pet’s food can enhance its taste and give them something to look forward to eating.
Try adding fruits, vegetables, or even herbs to your cat’s meals.
What to Look for in the Best Survival Food for Cats
1. High Protein
Protein is essential for cats, as it provides the building blocks for the body and helps to maintain muscle mass. It is important to choose a food that is high in animal protein and fat, as these are the best sources of protein for cats.
2. Essential Vitamins and Minerals
Cats need essential vitamins and minerals for their health and development. It is important to choose a food that contains all of the essential vitamins and minerals that cats need.
3. Palatability
Cats are picky eaters, and it is important to choose a food that is palatable for them. If the food is not palatable, then cats may not eat it, which could lead to health problems.
4. Easily Digestible
Cats need a food that is easily digestible, as this will ensure that they get the most out of the food. It is important to choose a food that is easily digestible, as this will help to prevent digestive issues.
FAQ
Do cats need commercial food to survive?
Here’s the kicker: No, cats do not need commercially made products to thrive.
A lot of cat nutrients can be attained from common household foods. Fortunately, cats and humans share the same fundamental dietary components, so creating homemade cat food is easier than you would think.
What is the difference between Cat and Dog Diets?
Cats require less food than dogs, and a domestic cat may be fed for a whole week with just a few simple ingredients.
There are many differences between cat and dog foods.
You may think they both eat the same thing, but they don’t! Here’s what you need to know about the differences between cat and dog food. Why do I say this?
Cats have different nutritional requirements than dogs. The first thing you should know is that cats do not require any protein at all.
Their diet consists mainly of fat, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. Cats only need about 2% protein for their body weight. On average, a cat eats around 4 pounds of dry food per month.
Dogs, on the other hand, are carnivores and require meaty bones to build strong teeth and jaws. Dogs also need higher levels of protein than cats. A dog’s daily caloric intake should range from 20-30 percent protein. Most commercial pet foods provide anywhere from 10-20 percent protein.
As mentioned before, cats do not require much protein, so they can get away with eating less than dogs.
However, if you want to give your cat extra nutrition, you can add canned fish to their diet. Canned tuna is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are suitable for your cat’s heart.
How much Emergency food should I store for my Cat?
It’s typically a good idea to prepare up to 6 months of emergency food supplies for your pet. Any less, you could be risking your cat’s livelihood in a survival scenario.
Final Thoughts
Here’s the truth: It’s easy not to take emergency food preparation seriously for your pets when you and your family are the priority.
However, with the recent shockwaves, Covid has sent across global markets and manufacturing, the pandemic should show that these realities are more probably than one may think.
Your pet cat relies on you, even though it can fend for itself in the wild.
So you must plan and prepare for your cat’s future well-being given a global catastrophe.
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