Microwaves have become an essential part of our life and are one of the most convenient equipment in our kitchen. Absolutely for everything, we choose a microwave no matter whether we need to cook, thaw the veggies or try out some fried snacks. But wait! You may want to think twice before you heat something for your cat to eat. Though we may be habitual of feeding our cats the same food that we eat, you must understand the serving procedures for your cats are different.
Most owners are enthusiastic about giving the cat fresh and warm foods. Eventually, they end up heating the wet food items. But do cats really want warm food? If you are wondering about the same, this article will help you understand. Read further to know if you are doing it right!
How are Wet Foods made?
Wet food is a general term, and there are several varieties of food under this category. For example, mousse, loaf, gravy, chunks, and jelly are common types of wet food. Easily perishable ingredients do not come under the category of wet food. Even then, they are a healthy mix of protein, vitamins, and other essential nutrients in a pouch or tray. They are usually cooked at a high temperature before being sealed or canned for sterilizing purposes. This process allows a longer shelf life compared to dry foods and offers high nutritional content for the cats.
Why are wet foods preferred?
Cats evolve from arid geographical areas; hence they are more comfortable eating low moisture dry foods. They don’t easily drink water, and dehydration has been one of the common risk factors for several fatal diseases in cats. Therefore, wet foods solve this purpose by offering the required amount of water content through food directly. These foods have more than 60% moisture content with adequate water quantity, and cats eat these food items without hesitation. There are several studies on feeding the right food for cats. But it is important to observe that wet foods provide good urinary health, help cats in managing weight, and, of course, hydration is the key.
Heating the cat’s wet food
Heating or not heating the cat food is solely the choice of cat parents while serving food to their furballs. Studies even show that only 24% of the owners prefer warming the food before heating, and the rest consider serving wet food in an as it is a format. However, if you are looking forward to feeding your cat with wet food at room temperature, you also need to be careful about its storage.
If you are storing wet food in the refrigerator, you need to warm it up, especially during the cold seasons. It will also encourage your kitty to eat more.
Here is a table that will give you an idea of things you can consider before heating the food.
What should you consider? |
Why should you consider it? |
| Room Temperature | The normal body temperature of a cat varies between 101-102.5 °F. The food offered must not make your cat’s body temperature fluctuate. If the cat’s food is too hot, it will burn its organs from the inside. Also, they would not prefer to eat anymore once they feel the burning sensation in their organs. Similarly, when the room temperature is cold, and you tend to serve cold food, they might eat less or not eat at all. Therefore, make sure that you serve food at room temperature.
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| Want cats to eat more | When your cat is weak or sick and wants them to eat adequately, you can preferably warm the wet food before serving it. Not only will this help make your cat feel comfortable but also allow it to have a good sleep. Some pet parents also mix medicines while heating the food so that the cats are unaware of the same and prove to be effective in normal fevers or colds. But make sure that you seek vet advice and feed your kitties accordingly if you give them any sort of medicines mixed in food.
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| Holistic treat | Do you want to encourage your feline’s behavior? If yes, you can easily give them a treat by serving them their favorite hot food. Most cats prefer to eat their treats at a temperature slightly higher. This has some connection with cat psychology, and thus you will find most cat parents heating wet food before serving it. On the contrary, some pet parents don’t heat wet food. Instead, they make stew or soup and pour on the wet food, which is indeed a smart way to keep them healthy.
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| Changing behavior | If you have a cat that likes wet food but denies having wet food any further, consider warming up the food a bit. Kitties tend to avoid wet food out of boredom and repetitive flavors. Also, since wet foods are stored in the refrigerator, the smell of chemicals may stop your cats from eating the same. So, heating the food could help to get rid of the smell.
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While you want to feed your kitty with fresh and warm food, cats typically taste food only after observing their food and its scent. They understand all the flavors just by smelling the food. In order to enhance the aroma and make the meals seem more delicious, the food must be warmed up between 93-103°F only. This is an appropriate temperature at which any cat can have wet food comfortably.
Also, when the cats decide not to eat the food, never force them. Because as humans, we will never be able to judge the quality of cat food. To get the best food, choose Purina Friskies Gravy Wet Food which comes in multiple flavors. They come in separate can packaging, which ensures no wastage, and storing them becomes all the more manageable.
The Bottom Line
We hope this article walked you through the importance of warming up the cat’s wet food. Even though the choice is still yours, it’s important to know how your pets prefer to eat. And you can only find them through the trial-and-error process. Hence, do not buy the food in bulk. Instead, get them in small quantities and try how they like it before purchasing it as a whole.
