Cats are carnivorous creatures by nature; animal proteins should predominate in their diet. They require 5 times more protein than dogs!
However, a diet consisting only of meat can lead to digestive problems not only in a kitten, but also in an adult cat.
That’s why it’s so important to create a high-quality and varied diet for your kitten. Eggs are one of the sources of protein: it is almost completely absorbed by the animal’s body and does not harm its health.
The benefits of eggs for a kitten
Eggs are a valuable product, rich in vitamins and minerals. They contain potassium, magnesium and sodium, calcium and vitamin D, which strengthen bones, normalize the activity of the nervous system and brain, cleanse blood vessels, improve the condition of teeth, and improve the acid-base balance.
The main mineral elements contained in the egg:
Phosphorus;
iron;
sulfur;
copper.
Biotin in eggs makes the kitten's fur beautiful and shiny. And amino acids, cysteine and lutein have a positive effect on your pet’s vision. Even eggshells will be useful for a kitten: they contain calcium carbonate. A third of the daily requirement of vitamins a cat needs is contained in one egg. This important product is the key to good mood and immunity, it increases activity and prolongs the pet’s life.
Chicken or quail eggs: which is healthier?
It is believed that quail eggs bring more benefits to the body. Compared to chicken, they contain less cholesterol and have greater nutritional value. But nowadays, the enormous benefits of quail products often turn out to be a myth. Store-bought eggs may be contaminated. This is due to the addition of antibiotics and harmful chemicals to quail food. Therefore, a homemade natural chicken egg will be much healthier than a store-bought quail egg.
How to give eggs to a kitten
In order not to harm your pet’s health, it is better to boil the eggs for more than 4 minutes, then cut them into small pieces and give them “pure” or mixed with cottage cheese or vegetables. A good option is to make an omelette out of them without adding salt and fat. You can add a little milk to it.
There is an opinion that only the yolk is suitable for feeding a cat; the white is not recommended for your pet. However, when cooked, it does not cause any harm to the animal; you can safely give it along with the yolk.
Important: you should not feed your kitten fried eggs. A large amount of fat can lead to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
Egg shells, rich in minerals, should be ground to a powder and a small pinch added to the kitten’s food a couple of times a week. Don't forget to rinse the shell well with hot water first. Important: you should not give your pet shells if there is excess calcium in the body.
When to start feeding a kitten eggs: frequency and rules of feeding
At the age of 1.5-3 months, you can start adding yolk to the kitten’s food, preferably after the animal gets used to cottage cheese and meat. He may not want the “dish” offered to him, since the egg does not have a characteristic smell that can attract the pet’s attention. You need to carefully poke the kitten’s muzzle into the bowl to show that it is safe. You can also add an egg product to cottage cheese or minced meat.
Kittens will need one egg per week, divided into two meals. An adult animal will need 2-3 eggs per week.
Advice: meat should also not be given to a kitten raw; it can be scalded with boiling water, or better yet, boiled. You can use frozen meat. The fish needs to be boiled well and all bones removed.
Rules for feeding a kitten:
A kitten aged 1.5-2 months needs to be fed 5-6 times a day (the stomach of a small pet is very small and cannot take large amounts of food);
at the age of six months, the number of meals is reduced to three;
from eight months, food should be given twice a day, like an adult animal;
You shouldn’t strictly limit your cat’s access to food: they eat small meals and don’t overeat;
food should not be very hot or cold, ideally at room temperature;
the kitten should be given finely ground food without bones;
teach the kitten to eat in a certain place (it should be calm and not passable).
Contraindications and restrictions on the use of eggs by kittens
Just like people, cats can be allergic to certain foods. So, if vomiting and diarrhea occur after eating eggs, you should completely remove them from your pet’s diet. Egg yolk intolerance may manifest as a rash or itching.
Pregnant and lactating animals are given eggs in minimal quantities: excess product can affect the development of kittens.
If your pet has chronic illnesses, it is better to consult a veterinarian about its diet.
If there are diseases of the gallbladder, liver or kidneys, it is better to reduce the number of eggs or not feed them to the cat at all.
We talked about the benefits and harms of eggs for kittens. When consumed correctly, they will become an important part of your pet's diet and improve his health. Still, we advise giving preference to boiled eggs rather than raw ones. When choosing food for a kitten, take into account the individual characteristics of its body and do not overuse the quantity.
Everything is good in moderation!
The perennial herbaceous plant cat's paw is widely used both in medicine and in ornamental gardening, because it looks great in rock gardens and rockeries. It may seem like a rather inconspicuous plant, but it fits perfectly into a rocky landscape. In addition, the dioecious cat's paw has a very interesting property. The velvety heads of this plant actually resemble the soft paws of cats in shape and to the touch. The stems and leaves are also covered with fluff, which actually performs the most important function: it protects the surface from excessive evaporation of moisture.
A perennial herbaceous plant, cat's paw, is widely used in medicine and in ornamental gardening.
The Latin name for this plant is Antennaria. This is a low perennial that rarely grows above 25 cm. A creeping rhizome from which recumbent shoots extend, leaves collected in rosettes, and very modest flowers - all this could make the plant not very attractive. But, fortunately, as the grass grows, it forms beautiful, rather dense, silvery carpet thickets. It is because of this that it is used to decorate alpine slides, in rocky and heather gardens. You just need to remember that this grass prefers well-lit places and loves sandy soil.
The flowers of this plant are collected in several baskets. The apical basket is the largest of them, its diameter is about 6 mm, so it is a kind of cap. Since the plant is dioecious, the baskets are male and female. They vary in both color and shape. For example, male flowers have white petals, while female flowers have pink petals. Interestingly, the baskets with female flowers look less like a hat and more like a bowl, since they are distinguished by their oblong shape. Men's baskets are shaped like a ball.
The plant blooms from mid-May to the end of July, but the fruits ripen much later, at least in July, and sometimes in August.
The Latin name of this plant is Antennaria (antennary) Cat's foot grass is a plant that has many popular names. For example, nechuevik, since in the old days it was identified with the mythical plant nechuevik, which supposedly helped blind people find treasures. Some call it chest herb and, indeed, antennaria helps to cure colds faster. There is also such an option as white immortelle - this is mainly due to the flowers in the man's basket. And also because even when dried, the plant retains its appearance and most of its properties. However, from time to time in everyday life you can hear such a name as cat eggs - all because of the same soft fluff.
It is interesting that the fruits of this plant - oblong achenes - are covered with fluff, and on top of them there is a cap consisting of jagged hairs. Sometimes it is called a crest.
The grass is considered very heat-tolerant. And she tolerates the cold very well. In the wild it is found in Asia and Northern Europe, the Caucasus and Western Siberia. The white round cap of such a plant will look beautiful against the background of dry meadows with colorful grasses, in well-lit clearings. Sometimes this grass also grows on the coast of a reservoir.
Gallery: cat's paw plant (25 photos)
Cat's paw dioecious (video)
Medicinal properties and chemical composition
Antennaria is a medicinal plant. Moreover, all above-ground parts of the plant, namely the stem, leaves and cap, that is, all the baskets with flowers, have healing properties.
The medicinal properties of the plant are determined by its composition. For example, it can stop bleeding. This effect is achieved due to the high content of vitamin K in the above-ground part. However, it also contains other substances. For example, these are ascorbic acid, saponins, alkaloids, essential oils, and various resins.
Antennaria is a plant that has many popular names. The presence of vitamin K makes this plant indispensable in the treatment of many diseases:
- heavy menstruation;
- cessation of postoperative bleeding (for example, after childbirth, abortion, elimination of the consequences of a frozen pregnancy).
In addition, the vitamin composition provides anti-inflammatory properties and an analgesic effect (for example, for rheumatism or gout).
The herb is also used as an effective choleretic agent. It is effective in the fight against cholecystitis and hepatitis, and some other liver diseases. In addition, it is believed that it can bring good results as one of the components in the treatment of certain gastric diseases. Finally, antennaria can also be used as an external remedy, for example, in the treatment of various gum diseases, wounds, inflammatory ophthalmological diseases and even hemorrhoids. Some herbalists believe that it can also be used as a sedative and blood pressure lowering agent, but these properties have not yet been proven.
How to collect cat paws
Only the above-ground part of this herb can be used for medicinal purposes. Its collection is carried out taking into account the timing of flowering and ripening. As already mentioned, it usually blooms in mid-May and continues to bloom until the end of July, while its fruits appear in July-August.
The stems, leaves, and flower baskets, which can only be collected during flowering, have medicinal properties. If you couldn’t keep the basket intact, you can dry individual flowers. As a rule, medicinal raw materials are dried naturally in the fresh air. But it is necessary to equip a small canopy for this. The shelf life of this raw material is short, only a year.
Another thing is the above-ground part, collected before the flowers bloom. Such stems, leaves and buds contain all useful substances in higher concentrations. The medicinal raw materials are dried under canopies, as in the first case. But it can be safely stored for 3 years.
You can only collect the grass itself, that is, stems and leaves, without buds, baskets or flowers. Such raw materials are collected until the buds open. Dry it outdoors in the shade or indoors (the main thing is that it is well ventilated). The shelf life of raw materials is 1 year. In general, it is better to store such herbs in paper or fabric bags or cardboard boxes pre-lined with paper.
Medical use and beneficial properties (video)
Folk recipes
Ready-made products based on such medicinal raw materials today can hardly be found even in herbal pharmacies. But at home you can prepare almost any medicine. For example, antennaria can help treat gynecological problems (such as heavy periods or bleeding after childbirth). In such cases, you need to brew 1 tbsp. l. herbal raw materials in 0.5 cups of boiling water, leave for half an hour, then strain. And take the product 1 tsp. for an hour until the bleeding stops. When it comes to menstruation, therapists do not advise rushing. It is advisable to wait a couple of days rather than subject the body to additional stress.
There is another recipe that will be effective for too heavy periods. It involves the use of chicken egg whites. For 7 proteins take 0.5 tsp. citric acid, 10 g of dried flower powder, and mix it all. Take this remedy 1 tsp. 20 minutes before meals. The finished product is kept in the refrigerator, so there is no need to store more of it than required by the recipe - you still have to throw it away.
The listed remedies have worked well for frequent nosebleeds. In gynecology, antennaria is also used to treat thrush, vaginitis and colpitis. Only in this case is a solution made without the use of eggs and in a weaker concentration. It is advisable to consult your doctor first.
Antennaria is also used in the treatment of pulmonary diseases: for this, an infusion of flowers and leaves is used. For gallbladder disease, this herb helps remove stones. In this case, when other drugs fail, an infusion is prepared. And this is truly an impact tool, universal and very effective.
Eggs are often given to cats as a food supplement. Is it possible to do this?
Cat lovers, breeders and veterinarians say that it is necessary to include them in the diet.
Only they differ in their opinions regarding whether to give raw or boiled, chicken or quail.
So can cats have eggs? Let's look into this issue.
Raw and cooked eggs contain avidin and biotin (vitamin H). Vitamin H improves the condition of the coat. The fur becomes smooth and shiny.
But opinions differ regarding the yolk or white.
Some believe that only the yolk should be given as food, since it does not contain avidin, which interferes with the absorption of vitamin E. Some also mix the yolk with a small amount of milk.
Others believe that the cat should be fed the whole egg. It is advisable to beat it well first.
There is no consensus on this matter.
If you choose raw eggs for your cat, then at least buy them from good farmers or friends.
They don't stuff animals with antibiotics and won't give them to you.
What is better for kitties: quail or chicken?
It is believed that quails do not contain the causative agent of salmonellosis, so they can also be given raw.In composition, they contain more useful substances than chicken. True, this difference is insignificant.
However, nowadays there are infected quail testicles due to the addition of various chemicals and antibiotics to the feed.
Another advantage of quail eggs for cats is their small size. There will be no need to throw away the product if necessary.
What kind of eggs should you feed your kisulya: boiled or raw?
Not everything is clear here either.In nature, cats eat only raw foods.
But pets are a different matter.
They are used to being close to you, they often eat foods unusual for their nature, and suffer from human diseases.
Some breeds are generally bred artificially.
For the safety of your cat's health, it is better to boil the eggs.
Raw ones may contain worms and various bacteria, for example, those that cause salmonella.
In this case, it is better to play it safe.
You can give a boiled egg either whole or finely chopped. The last option is preferable.
How many eggs should I give?
This issue is also the subject of constant debate.Some people think that you should give only a quarter of an egg, others 2 eggs a week.
Most people lean towards one egg per week. Otherwise, your cat may develop an allergy.
How to train?
Some pets can't keep their hands off the eggs, while others turn their nose up at them.The fact is that this product does not smell, so the cat cannot pay attention to the product. Lightly poke her with her muzzle into the testicle, show that it is safe.
If after this the animal refuses to eat, do not torture the cat.
If necessary, the egg can be mixed into raw minced meat or added to other foods.
When should you feed your cat this product?
The cat should be fed if it is not on ready-made food from a pet store. You can add yolk to milk as early as the kitten’s 24th birthday for growth and good coat.Sometimes you can come across frivolous calls to give them daily, to avoid boiled eggs. Not only is this untrue, it is also unsafe for your cat. Let's find out whether it is possible to feed a cat eggs. Eggs are recommended for feeding cats, but in doses. Both raw and boiled eggs are useful for their nutrition, the main thing is not to overuse this product.
Is it possible to feed a cat eggs?
Eggs, both chicken and quail, contain vitamins and protein. But quail eggs are much more nutritious than chicken eggs. Raw eggs are better digested not in combination with cereals or dairy products. It is enough to mix their yolks with cottage cheese, kefir (not milk, it is poorly digestible) or porridge and offer it to your cat no more than 1-2 times a week. Cat owners should be aware that there are strong recommendations not to use raw protein, as it often leads to skin diseases, allergies and destroys vitamin H, which contributes to vitamin deficiency.
And before choosing raw eggs over boiled ones, make sure you are sure of their quality, because toxoplasmosis and salmonellosis infections, dangerous for cats, can be transmitted by eating raw eggs. Be careful, the frequently found information that quail eggs cannot be contagious is just a myth.
Is everything in a boiled egg healthy, and how to introduce eggs into your diet?
Boiled protein is safe for animals. It is given along with the yolk. True, a boiled egg contains much less vitamins. If you are introducing eggs into the diet for the first time, carefully look to see if your cat has an allergic reaction. Sometimes your pet is capricious and refuses innovations. Try to “disguise” a sliced or grated egg by mixing it with a familiar dish. Of course, you shouldn’t fry eggs if you’re picky; overcooked butter is an unwelcome guest in a cat’s bowl. Well, if your gourmet loves this product, show willpower and do not exceed the norm in the frequency of its use.
Remember that many cat nutrition experts advise not to introduce eggs to an animal that has been fed specialized food since birth, especially dry food, as this can have unpleasant consequences for the gastrointestinal tract.
If eggs are included in your pet's list of favorite foods, he will be able to boast of excellent appearance and well-being. And you can find the “golden mean” between safety and the presence of vitamins by preparing the so-called egg “in a bag”. And unwanted microorganisms will die, and vitamins will be preserved.
Eggs are recognized as a nutritious and valuable product not only for people, but also for animals. They are rich in protein, amino acids and vitamins. The health of cats depends on their diet. You should definitely include products such as meat, cottage cheese and eggs. Our pets love them, but each in their own way. Some prefer only the yolk, while others, on the contrary, prefer only the white.
The benefits of eggs in a cat's diet
A cat's diet should mostly consist of animal proteins.. For them, eggs are an additional source of protein, which is on par with meat and fish. Methionine, lysine, tryptophan are amino acids that are part of protein and are of great benefit to pets. Shiny coat, prolongation of the active period of life, good immunity, good mood, prevention of heart disease - this is all the merit of eggs. Any food must include a whole egg.
In addition to proteins, they contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, which ensure normal functioning of the entire body. Eggs are rich in phosphorus, calcium, iron and magnesium. Thanks to them, cats’ blood vessels and joints will be healthy, bones will be strong, and hormones will remain in balance.
How much and when to give a cat an egg
You can’t feed cats only eggs, despite all their benefits. It is important to know in moderation in everything, because sources of protein, vitamins and minerals should be varied.
Important! You cannot feed your pet eggs every day! Also, they should not be given to kittens until they are three months old.
For miniature cats and those that are still growing up, one egg per week is enough. It should be given in half in two feedings. Adults are allowed no more than three pieces per week, but only in fractions. One egg is divided into three doses. Shells are also good for cats, so don't rush to throw them away. It contains large amounts of calcium carbonate and is a valuable source of minerals.
Before adding it to your pet’s dish, the shells are crushed. Then a small amount of powdered shells is mixed with any dish, but not more than three times a week. If the calcium content in the body is high and there is a tendency to develop urolithiasis, shells are contraindicated for cats.
Chicken or quail eggs
Quail eggs are better than chicken eggs only in that they are digested better and faster and contain a little more nutrients. A quail egg will bring much less benefit to a cat than a domestic chicken egg. Chicken and quail eggs can equally contain bacteria that lead to salmonellosis.
They can also cause allergic reactions and intolerance. Quail eggs can be fed to pregnant cats. If she is reluctant to eat them, then you should mix them into her main food. Cats that are preparing to become mothers need vitamins more than others, so you can feed them quail eggs two to three times a week.
Do you need to boil an egg?
A good option is to offer your pet boiled eggs.. They can be mixed with meat or cottage cheese if he refuses the product in its “pure” form. It is not recommended to give fried eggs in oil to cats. The best option would be to pamper your cat with a steamed omelette without adding salt. To make it fluffy and tasty, add warmed milk while whipping.
Under no circumstances should cats be offered raw eggs! They may contain E. coli, which will lead to inflammation of the pancreas. In their raw form, they are very poorly digestible. Crude protein can remove a number of vitamins from the body, and leads to their deficiency, even if the cat’s nutrition is complete. Raw yolk is considered healthy, but only from homemade and fresh eggs.
Important! Quail eggs should also not be offered raw to cats, because there may be bacteria on the shell and inside that can lead to very dangerous diseases.
Boiled eggs are no less dangerous for animals than raw eggs. They need to be cooked for at least four minutes, because the causative agents of salmonellosis die only at high temperatures. In this case, you can be sure that your pet will eat a safe product that will not cause any harm.
