Emma Jones
The cat food market is huge. Different manufacturers offer different brands and types of wet and dry food. In addition, there is a further distinction in cat food: complete feed and supplementary feed.
Intuitively, the difference between these options is clear: the complete food is a cat food that does not require any additional additives. The supplementary feed is there to close supply gaps or to enrich the basic feed, as a bonus ingredient, so to speak. The question arises: If the complete feed provides all-around care, what should be supplemented – and when does that make sense? Read here what the ratio of complete and supplementary feed is all about.
What is the difference between complete feed and supplementary feed?
A complete feed is a universal feed that is composed in such a way that all nutritional needs are covered. Cat food is available as wet food or as dry food. If you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for portioning the food, giving the appropriate amount of the complete feed should ensure that the cat eats a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, fiber, minerals, vitamins, bulk, and trace elements.
With a dietary supplement for cats, this complete coverage of the nutrient balance is not given: Depending on the recipe and area of application of the supplementary feed, individual components can be completely missing or present to a lesser extent. With supplementary feeds that are added to a feed preparation, this is sometimes not obvious at first glance: pay close attention to the declaration on the packaging. It must be stated here that it is a complete or supplementary feed. In most cases, however, supplementary feed is available in a different dosage form, which is added to the actual feed according to the instructions. So if you also give supplementary feed, you should reduce the ratio of the complete feed a little (e.g. cat treats).
By the way: Cat grass is also a dietary supplement. The grass fibers help to bind and eject the hairballs typical of cats. Cat grass is a valuable dietary supplement, especially for indoor cats that have no other way of ingesting plant matter.
What exactly do the supplementary feeds contain?
Supplementary feed is given in addition to the usual complete feed if certain conditions require more substances for the cat’s health. A supplementary feed can therefore be snacks and treats or preparations that can help to remedy deficiency symptoms, for example. With their help, diseases can be prevented or complaints alleviated and the cat’s organism additionally strengthened. You can get supplementary feed as treats, pastes, powder, gel, tablets, CA, or in the form of drops to add to the feed.