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Why do cats have such good balance?

Why do cats have such good balance?

Wet Vs. Dry Pet Food - Which Is Better For My Pet

Wet Vs. Dry Pet Food - Which Is Better For My Pet

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Why do cats have such good balance?
  • purr-fect-pets-b940 Admin

Why do cats have such good balance?

Cats are masters of landing on their feet, and for good reason—your pet has several physical attributes that give him great balance.


Why do cats have such good balance?

Cats are known for landing on their feet, but this level of feline finesse requires some complicated physics. Thanks to their keen flexibility and a specially designed inner ear, cats are masters of landing on their feet even from the most precarious of falls.

Cats have more vertebrae in their bodies than humans, allowing them to twist and turn with agility when they need to react quickly. This is especially important when your companion jumps or falls, as a cat uses his fast reflexes and flexibility to land on his feet. To do this, your pet uses his sense of sight and inner-ear balancing system to quickly determine which way is up, and then then rotates his front paws so they face downward. His lower body follows suit, allowing Kitty to quickly and seamlessly land on his feet. 

In addition to their flexible spines, cats have other physical traits that help them land with grace, including their small bodies, light bones, and thick fur that serves to slow falls and soften impacts. Their collarbones afford them additional flexibility, too, as these bones are free-floating in felines, unlike other mammals. If you’ve ever noticed your pet fall back-first, you probably saw him twist his front end so his paws face the ground, with his hind legs following suit. His tail helps him realign during the fall, keeping Kitty level until he makes contact with the ground.

Even young kittens are adept at sticking their landings, as cats as young as seven weeks have developed an inner-ear apparatus known as the cochlea that provides a keen sense of balance. This fluid-filled feature combined with his sense of sight helps Kitty orient himself quickly when a righting reaction is needed at lightning speed. Even with their great sense of balance, however, it is important to keep cats living in upper-story apartments inside, as curious feline have been known fall out of windows attempting to chase birds or other animals. Though cats can often right their falls in less than a second, this does not mean they are immune to injuries from falling. Broken bones, missing teeth and trauma can result from a fall, sometimes with fatal results, so be sure to protect your pet by keeping windows closed. If you want to help him enjoy the outdoors safely from his home, you can invest in a perch or other accessory designed to give your pet unfettered views of his surroundings.

Wet Vs. Dry Pet Food - Which Is Better For My Pet
  • purr-fect-pets-b940 Admin

Wet Vs. Dry Pet Food - Which Is Better For My Pet

Every dog owner wants to make sure that they are doing the best thing possible for their pets, especially when it comes to providing them with a good diet. One of the most important question that all dog owners will have to ask themselves is whether to go with dry dog food or wet dog food, and though most will try to have a bit of both, one will definitely become more prevalent. 

Well the good news is that in terms of nutritional value both wet and dry dog foods are potentially the same. Dry dog food does not inherently provide a more balanced diet than wet, or vice versa, and it is very much down to the individual dog food recipe that dictates what ingredients are used, and therefore the food's nutritional value. So if the difference is not in relation to nutrition, what benefits does one have over the other?

As you have likely been able to intuit for yourselves, wet dog food has a great deal more moisture than dry dog food, making it the ideal choice for dogs who live in the more arid areas of the world. It is also a good choice for dogs who engage in a good deal of exercise, as they are more likely to become dehydrated and the moisture in the wet dog food can help combat this. Wet dog foods is also best given to dogs who are ill or those who are becoming advanced in years, although there are many dry dog foods that have been specially formulated specifically for senior dogs.

What are the differences between wet and dry food?

The fundamental difference between wet and dry food is primarily the different water content. Whilst dry food has a moisture content of just 3 to 12%, this is between 60 to 84% for wet food. This huge difference affects the shelf life of the food, since dry food can be kept for significantly longer than wet food, which in comparison goes off sooner.

There are also significant fluctuations between wet and dry food regarding calorie content. With dry food, dogs consume lots of calories in small quantities. In contrast, dogs must eat twice or three times as much wet food in order to reach the same calorific value. The question of which food is better for dogs' teeth is also debatable. One side argues that the hard consistency of dry food cleans the teeth, whilst the other claims that dry food stays too firmly stuck to the teeth, which can lead to dental problems.

What are the advantages of dry food?

Due to the high energy content, dog owners only need to use small quantities of dry food to meet their dog's needs and make sure they are full. Hence, dry food is the cheaper option. Proponents also stress that lower quantities also make it a more environmentally-friendly choice, since it uses less packaging.

A further argument in favour of dry food is that it is clean and convenient. It doesn't have mushy spills and even if a little bit ends up outside the food bowl, it is easy to sweep up or vacuum it away. In addition, odourless dry food is easier to take away on holidays, since dogs only need smaller quantities and it's easier to stock up on it in advance.

What are the advantages of wet food?

Whilst dry food mainly brings advantages for the owner in terms of price, cleanliness and convenience, the advantages of wet food benefit the dog itself. Most dogs would probably opt for wet food if they could choose themselves, since wet food, more intense in smell and taste, simply tastes better to them. The high water content in particular has a positive effect: since the food already provides the body with a large quantity of liquid, it's easier to cover a dog's fluid requirements with wet food than with dry food. Hence, wet food is particularly recommendable for dogs that don't drink much during the day.

For dogs that have a tendency to become overweight, wet food can also be the better choice at times, provided that the cause of the excess weight is that the dog loves eating. Dogs with a substantial appetite in particular often maintain a lower weight with wet food. Due to the lower energy content per portion, they can eat a great deal without exceeding their calorie requirements.

Is a combination of wet and dry food possible?

Since both wet and dry food offer different advantages, the obvious conclusion would be that the best thing is to simply feed dogs a combination of the two. In principle there's nothing against this, but you shouldn't mix the two types of food and should always serve them at different times. Due to wet food's high energy content, you should also make sure that the daily intake isn't exceeded despite switching between wet and dry food.

When it comes to dogs that have a tendency to develop digestive problems, their owners should ideally choose just one type of food, because the to-and-fro between wet and dry food can lead to diarrhoea or constipation for sensitive stomachs. In general, combining the two types of food offers no advantages for the dog's health, since both varieties allow it consume all vital substances. So if you've established that your dog likes the taste of one particular food and tolerates it well, feel free to stick with it!

The content is what matters, not the variety

The ingredients list on the packaging is more important in terms of choosing the right food for your dog than the actual variety. After all, nutrition plays a significant role in canine health. Your dog needs a high-quality food that provides everything it needs to meet its requirements and ensure healthy development. There's no one-size-fits-all answer as to exactly what ingredients are needed. Every dog is different, therefore every dog needs different food. Individual factors like age, weight, activity level and state of health should definitely be considered when it comes to looking for the best food. In principle, a food made up of around 70% premium meat and approximately 30% vegetables as well as high-quality fats and oils is recommended for healthy adult dogs. Too much grain, preservatives, artificial flavour enhancers or even sweeteners like sugar have no place in a dog's diet. So before you choose a variety of food, you're best off first taking a look at the label.

 

 

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