There are a large number of food supplements on the market used by humans but also by animals. Among them we highlight fish oil. But it's necessary? How does it benefit our animals? If they eat commercial feed, do they need food supplementation?
We have several questions when it comes to offering a balanced diet to our felines. We know that fish oil is fat of animal origin present in fish, but from our site we want to tell you about the benefits of fish oil for cats The advantages to include it in the daily diet of our domestic felines and how to choose the best.
Properties of fish oil
Fish oil, as we mentioned in the introduction, is a marine source of fish fat, rich in essential Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly known as "good fats." Contains eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are very common in commercial pet and human foods.
These acids can be metabolized directly by our cat's body but we must point out that it lacks the necessary enzymes to convert EPA from vegetable sources (such as flaxseed oil) or from fruits dry they also possess them. Having explained this, we justify a little its incorporation through fish oil.
Yes, not all sea meats have it, it is found mainly in salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines and herring. We will not find it in the necessary amounts in cod liver oil, so we recommend avoiding it.
We must always read the labels of the products to check that the oil is as pure as possible, without chemical additives or preservatives, as they would weaken the quality of our oil and therefore its function.
Benefits of consuming fish oil in cats
Below we explain 13 benefits of consuming fish oil for cats:
- Improves your immune system by increasing defenses.
- Improves cognitive functions, especially during old age.
- Helps maintain he althy skin and fur.
- Anti-inflammatory effect.
- It acts against arthritis, osteoarthritis or the degeneration of joint cartilage.
- Regulates the level of cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Reduces skin allergies.
- Facilitates proper kidney function.
- Reduces the chances of developing cancer.
- Maintains good functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Improves vision and hearing.
- Promotes fertility.
- Helps the mental development of fetuses and puppies.
How to offer fish oil to our cat?
To begin with, we must take some precaution with this supplement as it should not come into contact with light, heat or air. It is recommended to store it in liquid form in dark bottles in the refrigerator and buy quantities that we can use in 1 or 2 months to avoid rancidity, which would affect its smell and flavor, which we know how it ends when adding it to our cat's food, it will not eat, so we will have an extra problem.
There are also commercial brands for human consumption that have flavorings that cats often reject. It was never easy to give something new to a cat but luckily we have several options:
- High-end feed: It is true that they have it in mind among their ingredients, but we have a problem, fish oil is oxidizes in contact with air. So, if the bag of feed is open or we dump the food into beautiful buckets for them, chances are that by the time they finish the bag, they will have ingested almost no fish oil. Add the fish oil each time you put the food in the bowl.
- Homemade food: Whether we choose a raw or cooked diet, we must supplement at the end of the preparation. You can, in cases where we do not have fish oil, replace it with olive oil.
We should always consult a veterinarian to have a broader vision of feeding our felines and, in this way, be able to use this valuable natural supplement that our cat will appreciate daily.
