In the modern day, cats and dogs are no longer wild animals, rather, they are our family. It can be difficult to know what foods are the best or worst for your cat, since there are so many foods out there. Some foods are great nutritious choice for your cat, while others can be unhealthy, or even potentially dangerous. While it is hard to tell the good from the bad, there are definite things that you can look for in various brands. Once you can recognise the good and the bad, you will be much better off in picking the healthiest possible food choices for your cat.
Cats, while domesticated now, are descended from the bigger and wilder cats. Thus, it is no surprise that a high quality cat food will contain meat – and a lot of it. Cats need protein, but not just any protein, protein from animal sources. There are cat foods that try to stretch the amount of meat used by substituting grains, but you do not want your cat to have a grain heavy diet, so watch out for this. You also should avoid protein that comes from non-animal sources, such as soy or corn. These are unhealthy for cats and should be avoided at all costs.
An easy way to make sure that your cat is getting enough protein is by using wet cat food. Wet food is significantly more likely to have the appropriate amount of meat in it, without the grain. Still, you should always read the label, but the general trend for wet food is positive. Be sure to choose a wet cat food that actually lists the types of meat on the label: beef, fish, lamb, etc. Try not to choose a cat food that just says ‘meat,’ as these are often produced by less reputable companies. Finally, wet cat food has an added bonus, as the moisture in them can help keep your cat hydrated. Dry cat food can dehydrate your cat and even lead to urinary tract blockages.
There are a few specific ingredients to look out for when purchasing cat food to ensure that you make the best choice for your cat. The first thing to look out for is plant protein. It is true that protein is absolutely essential for your cat, however, plant protein lacks the amino acids that cats need – these amino acids are present in animal proteins. Additionally, too much plant matter in a cat’s diet can actually cause digestive problems, so they are much better off without plant protein in their food.
Another ingredient to stay away from is pretty much every form of carbohydrate. If a cat or a similar animal is left alone in nature, it would not consume carbohydrates by choice. Cat’s digestive systems do not have the various enzymes to process carbohydrates. Thus, if carbs make up more than 1% or 2% of their total intake, it can cause serious issues. Always be sure to read the labels on cat foods carefully, as bad cat foods use carbohydrate laden fillers to bulk up the product substantially.
Always be on the lookout for weird by-products or additives. Cheap and unhealthy cat foods will often add these strange ingredients to stretch their cat food – although it is a stretch to call these mystery by-products food. It is a good rule of thumb to avoid any cat food that has unpronounceable or completely alien sounding additives. If this is impossible, at least try to find a cat food where the weird by-products are as far down the ingredient list as possible.
Carrageenan is an ingredient to be aware of as well. Carrageenan is a thickener that is surprisingly common in cat foods – at least the lower quality ones. It is derived from edible seaweed, however, as mentioned previously, plant matter is not good for cats to eat. Carrageenan in particular can cause a whole host of health problems, from simple digestive problems, inflammation, or even tumours. Thus, it goes without saying that Carrageenan is an ingredient to avoid.
Finally, when looking for a cat food brand, avoid any that use artificial colours in their products. Some companies dye the foods so that pet owners think the cat food is less gross, but this is unnecessary. Not only is it unnecessary, but artificial colours are actually carcinogenic as well.
Hopefully, this list has provided some insight into how to pick a healthier cat food. Once you begin looking, you may realise that the better cat foods are, unsurprisingly, more expensive than the lower quality foods. Be sure to look online and shop around for the best foods, as various online communities have done significant research into the best foods for health as well as the best foods for cost effectiveness.