3 Meow-Tastic Benefits of Feeding A Complementary Wet Food
Cat food can be classified into two categories - complete or complementary - and it is important that you pay close attention to this information when deciding on an appropriate diet for your little ones.
Cats are obligate carnivores that require a diet that is rich in meat proteins, and complete cat foods are specially formulated to provide all the nutrients they need to thrive in life. Complementary foods, on the other hand, are only designed to be part of your cat’s diet and should never be used as a substitute for complete meals.
If you’re starting to wonder why there’s even a need for complementary cat food at this point, read on to find out.
Appease Finicky Eaters
Cats are notorious for being fussy eaters, and even the most complete food in the world won’t make a difference if your cat decides that your choice of menu is simply “not good enough for him”.
High-quality cat food doesn't necessarily mean appetising meals (hence the turned-up noses), and paw-rents are sometimes forced to embrace creative solutions like toppers to jazz up their pet’s mealtime satisfaction. With their extensive range of delicious flavors and unique textures, many owners actually regard food toppers as the ideal go-to solution for finicky eaters.
While some cats are naturally fussy when it comes to eating, others lose interest in food over time when their diet begins to feel monotonous - and here’s where complementary wet food products like Akane come in to bring excitement back to everyday ordinary meals. With the product’s high palatability, unique texture and high moisture content, your little ones can enjoy Akane’s rich flavors in rotational recipes without having to completely switch over to a new diet.
Tip: Complementary wet food can be added to both wet and dry recipes for improved palatability.
Encourage Higher Water Intake
For the uninitiated, cats have a natural low thirst drive and receive most of their daily water intake from the food they ingest. As wet food typically contains 75-80% moisture and dry formulations average at around 10%, owners are encouraged to feed a combination diet (a mixture of both wet and dry recipes) to prevent chronic dehydration in felines that are not drinking enough.
For felines on a dry food-only diet, owners can encourage better hydration simply by adding a complementary wet food to their regular meal. And for those trying to transit your dry food-addicted cats to a wet diet, we recommend that you gradually top-up their kibble bowls with small amounts of complementary wet food to get them familiarised with the texture and taste first.
Note: Dehydration in cats can be a potentially life-threatening medical condition, and it is important that your cats are granted constant access to clean drinking water regardless of their choice of diet.
Strengthen Your Bond With Your Cat
Complementary wet food like Akane may look just like their “complete and balanced” counterparts, but these can be served as an alternative to commercial cat treats (e.g., creamy puree sticks and crunchy, bite-sized biscuits).
Treats are a great way to obtain some loving one-on-one interaction and can go a long way towards strengthening your bond with your cat. By providing your little one with treats just before leaving for work, or when you return home each night, this can create a predictable routine that most cats find comforting.
With more than fifty per cent of cats suffering from obesity nowadays, selecting a cat treat is no longer as simple as grabbing a random pack from your local pet store. And while no more than ten per cent of your cat’s daily calorie intake should come from treats, these can always come in the form of healthier alternatives that are designed to supplement your little one’s diet with additional nutrition and benefits.
Most cat treats contain filler ingredients with marginal nutritional value or high-fat content - or simply lack excitement with their range of flavors and textures - and complementary wet food make highly palatable alternatives that are not only easier on the digestive system but (typically) more nutritious too. With all that said, why not turn snack time into a delightful adventure on your cat’s palate with complementary wet food today?
Two Fun Ways To Serve Complementary Wet Food
- As a meal topper (served with complete food)
- As a mouthwatering treat (served on its own)
There’s no standard feeding chart on how often you should feed your cat complementary wet food, but here’s a good rule of thumb: Feed in moderation.
About Akane Wet Canned Food
As a complementary wet food that features a wide range of flavorsome recipes, the Akane menu is a must-try for pawrents in Singapore who want to provide their finicky kitty with a topper or wet treat that combines great nutrition with delicious taste in a thick gravy.
Made in Japan, Akane is available in six delicious recipes that will make wonderful add-ons for both meat and seafood lovers:
- Chicken Fillet & Tuna
- Tuna & Baby Sardine
- Tuna & Crab Stick
- Tuna & Salmon
- Tuna & Scallop
- Tuna Plain (for kittens)