You may already know that HQS Natural and HQS Complete are our flagship, premium product lines of cat and dog food, but what else do you know about them?
But first...
YOUR CAT HAS NEEDS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT
The close coexistence between mankind and cat has put a strain on its natural instincts, which have gone from those of a skilled nocturnal hunter to, now, a domesticated “sofa companion.” There have been real changes in their daily needs, food and otherwise, while some ethological and ancestral aspects have remained unchanged.
My name is Sonia. I am a veterinarian and part of the Almo Nature staff. Below I will tell you about some changes that have occurred in the cat during its years of life spent alongside human beings, as well as some of the wild instincts they’ve retained. Overall, it’s important to respect the nature of cats while taking into account their “new” nutritional needs.
YOUR CAT IS DIFFERENT
Most cats today are true house cats, with new habits and comforts that we could not have imagined just 50 years ago. Cats sleep under the sheets or in warm blankets on comfortable pillows. The luckiest ones have tree-like perches scattered around the house that they can climb, scratch or rest on. In fact, cats love to stay high to keep the situation under control!
Giving your cat access to high spaces or setting up special raised platforms so they can “control” the living room as they would their hunting area in the wild can help relieve stress that can accumulate when, for example, a cat lives in an apartment without any access to the outdoors.
Indoor cats partake in minimal predatory activities, often limited to chasing the unfortunate fly that entered the house. They enjoy the comfort of a full bowl and an owner who adores them and is willing to offer tasty treats to satisfy their palate.
This new state of comfort saves the cat a large amount of energy that, in the past, was used to hunt, defend itself or escape predators. The rhythms of its life have changed, and consequently, so have its caloric and nutritional needs.
It is important and necessary to adapt your cat’s nutrition to these changes by offering high-quality recipes containing correct and nutritionally balanced nutrition that will help them avoid excess calories and possible related problems.
HOW TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE YOUR CAT’S NATURAL INSTINCTS
Even if your cat sleeps curled up in a chair and runs towards you when you get home, they still have innate behaviors and attitudes linked to their nature, especially concerning their nutrition.
The cat and its relationship with water
In nature, cats tend not to drink a lot. In fact, their main source of hydration is their food. The hunted prey provides them with the necessary amount of hydration for their body to carry out its functions. In nature, cats do not particularly like still and stagnant water (such as puddles) but instead prefer fresh and running water. Does that behavior remind you of anything?
You may have discovered that running water from the tap can succeed in enticing your cat to drink while their full bowl of water remains untouched. Water is essential to sustain life in every living being, including the cat. Make sure that your cat has access to water at all times. Cat drinking fountains can be a good solution for these issues; it responds to their instinctual preference for running water!
Small and frequent meals
The cat is a nocturnal hunter, which explains why it often becomes very active in the late evenings. During its hunting expeditions in nature, it can even consume 10-12 prey per day, independently regulating the number of calories consumed by reducing the quantity of food it eats rather than the number of meals. Knowing this, it's easy to see how, even inside our home, it is important to preserve this way of feeding.
To satisfy a cat’s natural habit of eating many times a day, Almo Nature recommends supplementing our wet food with a dry food of your choice, putting it out once a day and allowing your cat to nibble on it at will.
ROTATIONAL DIET FOR CATS
The nutritional advice we propose considers all of these habits and focuses on preserving the nature of our feline companions and paying attention to their essential needs.
This is why Almo Nature recommends a Rotational Diet for HQS Natural, HQS Natural Made in Italy and Daily. These formulas are 100% natural: they don’t contain the added synthetic vitamins and minerals required of complete and balanced cat foods. The high-quality meat and fish ingredients used in all of our recipes is naturally rich in the vitamins and micronutrients your cat needs.
To follow a Rotatinal Diet, rotate between different Almo Nature recipes to provide a variety of nutrient-diverse protein sources, and supplement with a dry food of your choice.
And what about dry food?
Dry food is beneficial to a cat’s nutrition, but a diet composed exclusively of dry food may lead to kidney problems over time, so it must be offered along with wet food. Kibble should make up about 40% of a cat's daily food intake.
ALMO NATURE`S PROPOSAL
Almo Nature offers two segments organized to help you choose for your cat:
- HQS is made with meat or fish that was originally fit for human consumption and now repurposed for pet food.
- Daily is made with tuna red meat, which maintains HQS standards and is a nutrient-rich part of the fish that is highly palatable to cats.
NO IMPROVISED, DIY FOOD!
Not everyone agrees with the idea of feeding their cat commercial food; instead, some prefer prerparing home-cooked meals. However, it is important to be aware of a cat’s nutritional needs, particularly knowing which minerals, vitamins and amino acids should be added to the food, and in what quantities and proportions, to ensure a nutritionally balanced meal.
Improvised, do-it-yourself nutrition is not a valid option for the well-being of your cat. If not prepared correctly, with the help of a veterinary nutritionist, you risk promoting malnutrition in your cat.
If you choose homemade nutrition for your feline companion, it is best to consult a veterinary nutritionist, who will be able to set up and maintain a nutritionally balanced feeding for your cat.
OUR COMMITMENT
When it comes to innovative recipes for cats or dogs, Almo Nature—based in Genoa, Italy—always considers the wellbeing of animals first, because we see ourselves as the human companions of our animals!
Almo Nature is most well-known for our high-quality food for companion animals. The work, however, goes much further! Following the Reintegration Economy model, all revenues from the sale of Almo Nature products (after expenses, investments and taxes) are allocated to safeguarding biodiversity and fighting climate change through projects carried out by Fondazione Capellino, the nonprofit organization that owns Almo Nature. So, by choosing the quality of Almo Nature for your cat, you are directly contributing to the Foundation’s projects for the common good!
