Bengal cats, like all felines, are obligate carnivores. Which means they’ve tailored to solely eat different animals, and they’re unable to digest or achieve any dietary profit from plant matter. However not like most different pet cat breeds, Bengals have a really current wild ancestor.
Bengals had been first established as a breed by crossing home cats with wild leopard cats within the Seventies. So, how does a wild leopard cat’s urge for food examine to a pet cat? And do Bengal house owners must make particular allowances for it too?
Wild leopard cat food plan
Wild leopard cats dwell on a food plan of
- small mammals resembling rats and mice
- birds and eggs
- lizards, frogs and newts
- and even bugs.
That is just about precisely what home cats’ most direct wild ancestors additionally eat, and in addition what feral cat colonies eat too. So in different phrases, the dietary wants of the leopard cat aren’t any totally different from dietary wants of home cats. And meaning the Bengal cat’s dietary necessities are the identical as every other pet cat’s. Their wild ancestry doesn’t imply you need to feed them any otherwise.
The Superb Bengal Cat Weight loss plan
Wild cats eat a food plan that’s roughly half protein and half fats. Cats want protein for vitality, and in addition to construct or restore tissues of their physique.
Proteins are made up of constructing blocks known as amino acids. Cats can synthesize some amino acids themselves, however there are 11 important amino acids they can not make, which should be out there ‘prepared made’ of their food plan. These important amino acids are discovered within the tissues of different animals.
Cats additionally want fats for vitality, and to assist them take up different very important vitamins, just like the nutritional vitamins A & D. An ideal Bengal food plan resembles their wild ancestors’ food plan as intently as potential. As we’ve seen, their fundamental dietary calls for haven’t modified since domestication. However, some allowances might be made for his or her distinction in way of life, and in addition the sensible problems with preserving and storing pet meals.
Since pet cats don’t must hunt or sleep exterior, they usually have a decrease every day calorie requirement than wild cats. And since fat are larger in energy than protein, the straightforward approach most pet meals producers obtain that is by utilizing the next proportion of protein than fat of their recipes. And in addition including carbohydrate ‘fillers’.
Getting It Proper
There are many methods of offering a Bengal cat with the animal-based food plan they want. Some folks like to purchase pre-prepared uncooked meals, for a extra authentically ‘wild’ expertise. And a few individuals are ready to spend money on cooking residence cooked meals. Each of those choices ought to be undertaken below the shut supervision of a vet, in order that the cat doesn’t miss out on very important vitamins and amino acids.
Essentially the most dependable technique to produce a nutritionally full bowl of meals at each meal is to make use of a business moist or dry cat meals. Search for moist meals that are a minimum of 9% crude protein, and dry meals that are round 40% crude protein.
Notice – The proportion of protein in moist meals is much less as a result of the proportion of water is larger. The precise quantity of protein (in ounces) that they’ll get from a accurately measured meal is similar. The ratio of protein to fats must also be the identical, about 2:1.
Moist meals are continuously extra common with cats as a result of they’re comfortable, moist and smelly – like consuming an precise animal! Kibble diets usually tend to be left within the bowl, they usually inevitably include extra plant materials to carry them collectively and restore the quantity misplaced by extracting all of the water from animal tissues. However, they’re additionally often cheaper, simpler to retailer, and have the useful benefit of cleansing cats’ enamel as they chew.
How A lot Do Bengal Cats Want To Eat?
The common Bengal cat weighs 8 to fifteen kilos. Relying on their precise weight, they want 230 to 450 energy day (round 30 energy per pound) to keep up a wholesome weight. However they could want greater than this if they’re very energetic, nursing kittens, or the climate may be very sizzling or chilly.
Conversely, they’ll want fewer every day energy as they become old, or in the event that they lead a really sedentary indoor way of life. Care ought to be taken to not let a Bengal turn into chubby. Obese Bengals usually tend to develop:
- Coronary heart illness
- Hypertension
- Constipation
- Joint illness
- Diabetes
- Liver illness
- Respiratory issues
- Feline decrease urinary tract illness
And since they have already got a breed-specific elevated danger of coronary heart illness and joint illness, so maintaining them at a wholesome weight is very vital to guard them.
Bengal Cat Weight loss plan
So, we all know that Bengal cats want a protein wealthy food plan, and as a lot of it as potential ought to be animal-based. Listed here are three dry meals and three moist meals, which all meet a Bengal cat’s dietary wants.
Royal Canin Bengal Breed Grownup Dry Cat Meals
On the time of writing, Royal Canin are the one model who make a cat meals particularly formulated for Bengals*(paid hyperlink).
(paid hyperlink)It accommodates 38% crude protein, 16% crude fats, and simply 5% carbohydrate. Plus, it’s fortified with nutritional vitamins, and important amino and fatty acids. The kibbles are even deliberately formed for big breeds, to advertise chewing slightly than gulping, and assist hold their enamel clear.
Blue Buffalo Cat Meals
Agency favourite Blue Buffalo grownup cat meals*(paid hyperlink) is available in two flavors – rooster and salmon.
(paid hyperlink)It’s 40% crude protein, 18% crude fats, simply 4% carbohydrate, and bolstered with nutritional vitamins, minerals, amino acids and important fatty acids. We like that the primary ingredient is top of the range deboned rooster, slightly than rooster meal.
Crave Grain Free Excessive Protein Dry Cat Meals
Crave*(paid hyperlink) is one other model, like Blue Buffalo, which develops its recipes to intently mimic the pure food plan of untamed cats.
(paid hyperlink)The dietary profile of this kibble is just about the identical because the one above. However this meals is available in rooster, rooster and salmon, and salmon and ocean fish flavors.
Rachel Ray Nutrish Moist Cat Meals
The Nutrish moist meals vary*(paid hyperlink) is available in 8 totally different flavors, that are a good way of bringing selection to meal occasions.
(paid hyperlink)All of the recipes are all roughly 9% crude protein, and 5% crude fats. And you may see, the ratio of protein to fats is definitely about the identical as within the dried meals – about two elements protein, to 1 half fats. However every tray is almost 80% water too – nice for making the meals extra appetizing, and maintaining kitty hydrated.
Hill’s Science Weight loss plan Moist Cat Meals Pouches
Hill’s is a properly established pet meals model which a number of cat house owners will already acknowledge. This moist meals*(paid hyperlink) is available in three tasty flavors.
(paid hyperlink)Every pouch is about 75 energy, so keep in mind a big grownup Bengal may have as many as 6 pouches in a day! That is true of all moist meals manufacturers – they are usually measured out with a mean cat in thoughts, however the Bengal is often larger than that!
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Excessive Protein Grain Free Moist Cat Meals
Similar to their dry meals above, Blue Buffalo specialise in tasty moist meals recipes*(paid hyperlink) with prime quality substances.
(paid hyperlink)Comparable to ‘turkey, rooster, quail and duck’ or ‘turkey, salmon, venison and halibut’, in addition to single protein supply cans. With simply 100 energy per can, it’s an costly technique to feed a Bengal, however you can experiment with mixing a part of a can into kibble, to make the kibble extra palatable and get one of the best of each worlds!
The Superb Weight loss plan
Bengal cats want a meat or fish primarily based food plan that’s excessive in protein and fats, and low in carbohydrates. Regardless of having wild ancestry, their dietary wants are the identical as different cat breeds.
They haven’t any want for carbohydrates, and may’t digest them. However, carbs are an inevitable a part of some feeding selections – resembling dry kibble – and it’s nonetheless potential for these to satisfy all of a Bengal’s dietary wants if they’ve sufficient of the suitable sorts of proteins and fat too.
Discover out extra!
Affiliate hyperlink disclosure: Hyperlinks on this article marked with an * are affiliate hyperlinks, and we might obtain a small fee if you are going to buy these merchandise. Nevertheless, we chosen them for inclusion independently, and all the views expressed on this article are our personal.
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