Ferrets are a unique type of pet. There is not much information widely spread about them as there are about cats and dogs. A frequent question of new ferret owners is, “can ferrets eat wet cat food?”
As a pet shop owner, I can understand their worries. So, I will try to expand on this topic.
The simple answer is yes. Ferrets can eat wet cat food. But, the matter is more complicated than that.
To understand more about the issue, we have to get into why ferrets eat a particular food and in what way can wet cat food substitute for that.The wet cat food available at pet shops is almost always inedible to them. You can prepare it at home, but you need to make preparations and make it in a certain way.
What is a Ferret?
Ferrets are carnivorous animals. They are not common pets. That’s why most people don’t know how to handle them and their diet.
Carnivorous animals live primarily on meat. They cannot digest vegetables, fruits, and grains. You can’t train a ferret to eat this kind of carbohydrate.
If you do, then your pet will suffer from malnutrition and diseases. They will get a dull coat and become more lethargic. There is a high chance they may die.
What Ferrets Like
So, it is better to feed them the food they can eat. Ferrets like:
- Chicken wings
- Pidgeon
- Rabbit meat
- Game meat of different kinds
- Minced beef
- Chicken carcasses
- Mice
- Turkey neck
- Lamb
- Chick
- Offal
- Raw animal bones
Dos and Don’ts of Meal Prep
These are all proteins. However, we must balance a ferret’s diet. Their food must compose of thirty-eight percent of protein and twenty percent fat.
A good diet can also make your ferret’s coat slick and shiny. Plus, raw bones will strengthen their bones and clean their teeth. You might find it iffy to feed raw food, but these things are required to meet their nutritional needs.
Live prey such as mice, rats, and chicks we should buy from a reputable seller. If caught from the outside, the animals may contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
The raw food we should not leave out in the open, but rotten raw food can cause food poisoning to your pet.
Ferrets and Wet Cat Food
Kinds of Cat Food
There are two types of cat food: dry or kibbles and wet or canned cat food. Ferrets can eat both even though there are some cons to consuming them.
Dry food is high in calories. They can meet a ferret’s caloric intake. But, a ferret has not the physiognomy to eat kibbles.
They have sharp canine teeth for tearing and biting meat. It is why they cannot grind dry cat food. If there is any need to feed them this, then only provide them circular-shaped ones.
Wet Cat Food
Can ferrets eat wet cat food regularly? No. While canned food is rich in protein and taurine, it has seventy percent water in it. A ferret needs eight to ten meals a day, and this low amount of food is not enough for them.
Even though they need more water for hydration, too much water and too little sustenance are unhealthy. Canned kitten food is advisable in an emergency or as one meal. That is because kitten food has high amounts of protein.
Warning
By the time a ferret is six months of age, it becomes used to the food it eats. After that, as it grows older, it reacts negatively to diet change. Therefore, we must establish a healthy regimen from birth.
Kibbles or canned food is terrible for a ferret’s teeth. They can cause various gum and teeth disease. This type of fare consumption is to be regulated.
Also, when buying cat food, only buy grain-free ones. The meat should be the primary ingredient. If the chow is listed as meat by-products, then pick a different brand of canned food.
The level of carbohydrates should also be minimum.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1.What kind of cat food can ferrets eat?
Ans: The type of cat food that has no grains. Ferrets can’t digest carbohydrates in large quantities.
2.Can ferrets eat 9 Lives cat food?
Ans: Yes, in an emergency. It is not suitable for them in the long run.
3.What foods can kill ferrets?
Ans: Ferrets’ diet is different from other pets. If the food lack in nutrients that they need, then they will slowly die.
4.What are the lists of food that ferrets can eat?
Ans: Ferrets can eat pellets, raw meat (chicken, rabbit, sheep, etc.), and fatty acid. There is much more food, and they are listed above.
5.Can ferrets eat tuna?
Ans:Ferrets generally do not eat fish. It is not in their nature. But they can eat it.
So, they can eat tuna even though they won’t usually do it out of their violation.
6.Can ferrets eat dog food?
Ans: No, you can’t. Dog food contains vegetable protein. Ferrets cannot digest this kind of complex carbohydrate due to their short digestive tract
7.Can ferrets be given tap water?
Ans: Yes, they can. However, they might not drink it if there is too much chlorine in the water. In this case, you can filter it.
8.Do ferrets eat nuts?
Ans: No. Ferrets have a slight resemblance to squirrels, but their diets are wholly different.
Conclusion
“Can ferrets eat wet cat food?” The answer is yes; they can. However, dry cat food is better for them.
Wet cat food or dry cat food doesn’t matter since the root of the question is about their pets living on a cat’s diet. It is a reasonable question, though. Food made especially for ferrets is not available in most pet shops.
And most owners are intimidated at the thought of feeding them the wrong stuff. In the long run, it is best if we give them raw meat. We can put these dilemmas and doubts to rest if we know more about ferrets, diets, and preparing meals for them.
