As a cat parent, the health and well-being of your feline is of the utmost importance to you. One of the most important aspects of caring for your cat is making sure they have the appropriate diet. Sometimes, due to health conditions or genetics, your cat will require a low sodium diet. Today’s article will cover the best low sodium cat foods.
Best Low Sodium Cat Food
The best low sodium cat food is Forza10 Active Kidney Renal Diet Dry Cat Food. Along with low sodium, it contains low levels of protein and phosphorous.
This cat food is great for cats with kidney, heart, or renal problems. It is also wheat and soy free so it is great for cats with digestions problems. I definitely suggest Forza 10 to help a cat with kidney disease gain weight.
Another good low sodium cat food option is Hill’s Prescription Diet Kidney Care Dry Cat Food. It is particularly good for cats with kidney problems.
Benefits of feeding your cat a low sodium diet
Feeding your cat low sodium diet can be helpful in some health concerns. Below are some of them:
- Kidney Disorders: A low sodium diet will help to cut down the amount of waste your cat’s kidneys have to deal with. Low sodium cat foods are thus beneficial for regulating electrolyte imbalance and also maintaining the kidney health of your cat.
- Dehydration: This condition may appear as a simple one because humans can easily replace water loss by drinking more water to quench the constant thirst. However, dehydration is a lot more problematic with cats as these animals do not have as much urge to drink water as humans, even when dehydrated. And if not checked, this condition can deteriorate to cardiac disorder. Thus, feeding your feline a low sodium diet will reduce or eliminate any chance of dehydration.
- Osteoporosis: High sodium levels in your feline’s diet can cause a disturbance in the other minerals or electrolytes in the cat’s body. In this case, blood calcium replaces sodium in the urine. Thus, prompting the body to draw calcium from the bones to make up for the loss in blood calcium. And this situation results in bone thinning.
Cat’s Diet And Sodium
Sodium is an essential mineral for sustaining many lives – cats and humans alike. Typically found in the blood and bodily fluids that surround cells, sodium plays significant roles in maintaining proper body functions. Some of them include:
- Blood pressure regulation.
- The maintenance of the cellular environment necessary for hydrating the body, while also preventing cells from swelling or dehydrating
- Maintenance of proper nerve and muscle cell function
- Enhancement of flexibility in body movements
How Much Sodium Do Cats Need?
There have been numerous arguments about the levels of sodium in cat food. And rightly so, because like every other mineral or food elements, taking in too little or too much sodium will have negative impacts on the health of your furry pal.
However, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends that the minimum sodium level in cat foods should be at least 0.2% for the maintenance of a healthy sodium level in the body, which is necessary for healthy growth and development.
Significance Of Sodium Levels In Cat Food
A lower concentration in the levels of sodium in the blood serum leads to a condition known as Osmolar Hyponatremia, which can cause many symptoms like weakness and lethargy. On the other hand, higher sodium levels in the blood serum, a more popular condition with cats, known as Feline Osmolar Hypernatremia, affect the heart condition, blood pressure, and other aspects of the cat’s health and well-being.
Although high levels of sodium in cat food may cause dehydration and increased water consumption, healthy adult cats can use and manage the excretion of the extra sodium out of their body adequately through urine. With aging and specific health challenges like heart disease and osteoporosis, some cats become unable to utilize and excrete the excess sodium from their bodies properly. And this is why low sodium cat foods are recommended by vets despite the importance of sodium to the cat’s health
Final Thoughts
Paying attention to the diet you feed your feline is crucial, for feeding the right and appropriate amounts of nutrients can significantly impact your cat’s health by warding off some common health issues that will ordinarily thrive in the absence of a healthy diet.
Thus, a low sodium diet is essential for ensuring the well-being and optimal health of your cat.