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Are you looking for a beef and chicken protein alternative formula for your cat? Just like humans, cats can get bored from feeding on the same food for a long time. It is always a good idea to switch between protein meat sources to spice up your cat’s diet. On the other hand, your cat could be sensitive to some protein sources and hence the need to be selective.
The Artemis fresh mix turkey formula is a wet cat formula that has turkey as the main source of protein. According to the manufacturer, this formula has all the nutrition your cat needs in one can.
Does this formula live up to the claims?
Ingredients in Artemis Fresh Mix Turkey Formula Cat Food
Turkey, Chicken Broth, Brewers Dried Yeast, Guar Gum, Taurine, vitamin/mineral premix, Vitamin/Mineral Premix: Vitamins (Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C], Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Source of Vitamin B1], Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Source of Vitamin B6], Folic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement [Source of Vitamin B2], Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D2 Supplement, Biotin), Minerals (Iron Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide).
Top 5 Ingredients Breakdown
Turkey
As a whole meat ingredient, turkey is a fantastic source of very healthy animal based proteins. We are extremely pleased to see this ingredient listed. Unfortunately, in dry kibbles, there is not as much of this ingredient included as you might initially think. Ingredients are listed by weight prior to the cooking process and since whole turkey is about 70% moisture, the vast majority is cooked off. So while we think this is an excellent and nutritional ingredient, it does need to be complimented by other high quality meat protein ingredients when used in dry kibbles. In wet cat foods, however, this is not nearly as much of a concern.
Chicken Broth
While chicken broth does not add much nutritional value to the food, it does add flavor and is considered to be a better alternative to water. The main reason for adding this ingredient is simply to add moisture.
Brewers Dried Yeast
Brewers dried yeast is made from a single-celled fungus, called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is a very rich source of B vitamins and supplies minerals and amino acids. It is known to support a normal healthy coat. This is also an old remedy for flea and tick protection. This ingredient is generally a by-product of alcohol production and there are no major health risks associated with this ingredient.
Guar Gum
This ingredient is also sometimes called guaran. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, off-white powder. This ingredient is mostly used to thicken the food and give it more texture. It is an FDA-approved, all natural GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) ingredient used by the food and cosmetic industries. It also is used to improve the shelf life of the food and helps lower the glycemic index of food. Many cat food companies claim this ingredient also aids in digestion and weight loss. There is some minor debate about the benefits of this ingredient with some claiming negative impacts, but in general, this is thought to be a relatively non-nutritious yet safe ingredient.
Taurine
Taurine is an essential amino acid that is critical for normal heart muscle function, vision, and reproduction in cats. Since cats are unable to create proper levels of taurine in their body naturally, it must be supplemented in their food. That’s why you’ll see this ingredient listed for so many different cat food blends. For cat foods that contain enough high quality animal based proteins, a taurine supplement may not be needed. However, most cat foods will need to add in additional taurine in the form of a supplement to the food. Even when included as a supplement instead, there is very low to almost zero health risk associated with this ingredient. In fact, a lack of taurine can cause a slew of issues, so it’s very important to make sure your cat is receiving enough taurine in his or her diet.
Additional Ingredients Of Interest In Artemis Fresh Mix Turkey Formula Cat Food
Niacin Supplement
Niacin is vitamin B3. Having enough niacin, or vitamin B3, in the body is important for general good health. This ingredient can sometimes be found in weight loss cat food, however, niacin is only effective as a cholesterol treatment at fairly high doses. These doses could pose risks, such as liver damage, gastrointestinal problems, or glucose intolerance. In proper doses, this is a beneficial ingredient.
Thiamine Mononitrate
Thiamine mononitrate is a stable nitrate salt form of thiamine (vitamin B1). This ingredient us usually added as a supplement in dog and cat foods. Thiamine is a required nutrient for cats but most thiamine is lost during the cooking process and that is why you see it added as a supplement here. If you have a cat with pre-existing kidney problems, you should avoid this ingredient. Otherwise it is considered to be relatively safe and thiamine mononitrate is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) per the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Iron Sulfate
As you might expect, this ingredient is a source of iron. A lack of iron can cause anemia and make a cat very lethargic. When a cat food does not contain enough iron naturally, it may be included as a supplement in the food. There has not been any widespread health hazards related to this ingredient.
Potassium Iodide
Potassium iodide is an inorganic compound that creates a white salt. Humans commonly acquire dietary iodine in foods, especially in the dairy and seafood industries. It is a standard source of potassium and balances acid/alkaline levels. While not an especially nutritious ingredient, it isn’t likely to pose any short or long term health issues, either.
Allergy Risk In Artemis Fresh Mix Turkey Formula Cat Food
Brewers dried yeast is known to cause allergic reactions in some cats. You should, therefore, avoid this formula if your cat is prone to allergic reactions. Other than this one ingredient, we do not see any additional ingredients that should cause any problems. Of course, each cat is unique and may have an unusual allergy. It’s best to keep track of all the ingredients your cat ingests so if there is a problem, you can track down which ingredient is causing the problem.
Poor Quality Ingredients Commonly Found In Cat Food
Soy – Soy is another common food allergen for cats and is also known to cause gastric upset. This ingredient is considered a very low priced filler ingredient. While it will certainly help make your cat food more full, the full nutritional benefit in this ingredient is questionable at best. Many cat food brands will tell you the allergy risk is very low with soy, but it is one of the most well known food allergens that cats deal with in commercial pet food. Overall, this is a pretty low quality ingredient.
Wheat and corn – Both of these ingredients are grains and unfortunately, they have links to food allergies in cats. While most cats will not form allergic reactions to these ingredients, cats with pre-existing food allergies should avoid both wheat and corn based products. In addition, wheat and corn can be very difficult for some cats to digest. Since cats are obligate carnivores, their digestive systems are designed to process meats and not grains. These ingredients boost the protein percentage of the food, but cats do not get the same nutritional benefit from plant proteins as meat proteins. Cats require meat protein to live a healthy life. Both of these ingredients are most commonly found in lower priced cat foods and include the grains as a way to help make your cat feel more full without actually adding more expensive and nutritional ingredients to the food. In smaller quantities, these ingredients shouldn’t pose any issues, but wheat and corn aren’t considered to be high quality ingredients by any means.
Animal by-products – One of the worst meat ingredients found in pet food today is animal by product. It’s true that this ingredient provides a very high amount of meat protein that cats need to thrive. However, animal by products are considered to be the lowest form of meat and it isn’t even approved for human consumption. Animal by-products are carcasses and parts of carcasses from slaughterhouses, animal shelters, zoos and veterinarians, and products of animal origin not intended for human consumption, including catering waste. Legally, this ingredient can even contain roadkill or euthanized animals. This ingredient may also contain what is called “4D meat” which is what the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) calls cattle that is dead, dying, disabled or diseased. This meat is considered unfit for human consumption, but is typically found in many pet food products. This is not something we recommend you feed your cat or any other pet.
Fortunately, none of these harmful ingredients are present in this formula.
Conclusion
The Artemis Fresh Mix Turkey Formula for cats contains rich ingredients that are required for healthy development in cats. The only down side is that it contains brewers dried yeast. The manufacturer could have done well to leave it out. Based on the ingredients alone, this cat food appears to be slightly below average.
