Cat Food: What Are You Feeding Your Cat?
This article has been adapted from one which originally appeared in the March 2007 Cat-alog.com newsletter, by Davena Tarkanen, and has been reproduced with permission.
As obligate carnivores, cats need quality protein in their diets; they do not need carbohydrates. However, some pet owners don't think twice about the pet food they buy. Some might buy what the vet recommends, while others buy the most eye-catching bag found in the grocery store aisle, and still others buy foods advertised on TV with frisky kitties scrambling into the kitchen or jumping through the air to scarf down adorably shaped food bits. The fascinating thing is that some pet owners do not even stop to consider whether the food they're feeding their pet is nutritious.
For example, Purina Cat Chow is happily advertising "New and Improved Shapes" in its pet food. This new formula boasts a bright red heart, dyed with Red Dye #40, a petroleum-based dye that is a possible carcinogen and has been implicated in instances of stomach upset and allergies in our beloved animal friends.
Cheaper Brands Are False Economy
Many cat owners are temped to buy the cheapest foods they can find for their cats. This is false economy for a couple of reasons:
- Studies have shown that cats eat as much as they need to get the nutrients they require. Therefore, they might eat twice as much of that generously carbohydrate-filled store brand to get the nutrients they need in a normal feeding of premium food.
- The continued feeding of substandard foods over a period of years will heavily contribute to, or even cause, serious medical conditions that will require expensive veterinary care.
Although you may be tempted to rely on dry cat food as a staple for your cat's diet, canned cat food is a must for developing strong bones and muscles. A strictly dry food diet could mean your cat isn't getting all the protein she/he needs, and protein is a very critical part of your cat's diet. Cats also need an essential amino acid called taurine and various other vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
The majority of premium foods do a reasonably good job of providing adequate protein sources for the different life cycles of your pet. Read the labels carefully and make sure you are getting what you pay for. Make sure that the cat food that you choose has the proper amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals and not as much filler. As a general rule, the price of the cat food usually tells you something about its quality.
What to Look For:
- A named protein source — look for chicken, lamb, tuna, salmon, or beef.
- Pay special attention to the first three listed ingredients.
- On canned food particularly, the protein source should be the first listed ingredient.
- Check the expiration date for freshness.
What to Avoid:
- Words such as by-product, bone meal, animal digest, and added sugars.
- Chemical preservatives, including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, and propyl gallate.
- Corn meal as a filler. Some foods list this as the first ingredient!
- Excess of carbohydrate fillers. Dry goods can contain as much as 50% grain.
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