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There are a lot of food supplements on the market used by humans but also by animals. Among them we highlight fish oil. But is it necessary? How does it benefit our animals? If you eat commercial pet food, do you need a food supplement?
We have several questions when it comes to offering a balanced diet to our felines. We know that fish oil is an animal fat present in fish, but at Animal Expert we want to show you what the Benefits of Fish Oil for Cats. The advantages of including it in our cats' daily diet and how to choose the best one.
fish oil properties
Fish oil, as mentioned in the introduction, is a marine source of fish fat, rich in essential fatty acids Omega 3, known as "good fatsIt 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 they lack the enzymes needed to transform EPA from plant sources (such as flaxseed oil) or from nuts that also contain them. Having explained this, we justify a little its incorporation through fish oil.
However, not all fish have it, is found mainly in salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines and herring. We don't find it in the necessary amounts in cod liver oil, so we recommend that you avoid it.
We must always read product labels to ensure that the oil is as pure as possible, without chemical additives or preservatives, as this will weaken the quality of the oil and therefore its function.
Benefits of Fish Oil Consumption in Cats
- Improves your immune system by increasing defenses
- Improves cognitive functions, especially during old age
- Helps keep hair and skin healthy
- Anti-inflammatory effect
- It works against arthritis, arthrosis or the wear of cartilage in the joints
- Regulates the level of cholesterol and triglycerides
- Decreases skin allergies
- Facilitates correct functioning at the renal level
- Reduces the odds of developing cancer
- Keeps the cardiovascular system functioning properly
- Improves vision and hearing
- Favors fertility
- Helps the mental development of fetuses and puppies
How to give fish oil to our cat?
To start with, we must be careful with this supplement as it must not come into contact with light, heat or air. It is recommended to store it in liquid form in dark bottles in the refrigerator or refrigerator and buy quantities that we can use in 1 or 2 months to prevent rancidity from affecting its smell and taste, something we already know how it ends up when we try to add it to food of our cat, it will not eat and we will have an extra problem.
There are also commercial brands for human consumption that have flavorings that cats often reject. It's never easy to give our cat something new, but luckily we have several options:
- high-end rations: There are also commercial brands for human consumption that have flavorings that cats often reject. It's never been easy to give the cat something new but we have several options.
- Homemade food: whether we choose a raw or cooked diet, we must add a supplement at the end. It may happen that in cases where we do not have fish oil, it is replaced by olive oil.
We should always consult a veterinarian to have a broader view of the diet of our felines and, in this way, we can use this valuable natural supplement that our cat will be grateful for on a daily basis.
