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Science Diet Adult Tender Chicken Dinner Wet Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Understanding what kind of food your cat likes makes it easier for you to choose the right cat formulas. Chicken flavored formulas are some of the favorites for most cats. The best chicken formulas are the ones with real chicken chunks as cats are carnivorous by nature.

The Science Diet Adult Tender Chicken Dinner is one of the many chicken based formulas in the market today. A look at the company’s website reveals that this formula offers your cat all rounded nutrition for healthy development. The company claims that the formula contains roasted chicken chunks in gravy.

Is this the best chicken flavored formula for your chicken loving cat?

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Ingredients in Science Diet Adult Tender Chicken Dinner

Water, Chicken, Liver, Egg Whites, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Dextrose, Rice Starch, Oat Fiber, Chicken Liver Flavor, Soybean Oil, Titanium Dioxide (color), Dicalcium Phosphate, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, Iodized Salt, Taurine, Guar Gum, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Chloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Caramel (color), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, Manganous Oxide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate.

An overview of the first five ingredients

Water

As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.

Chicken

Chicken is a very popular ingredient for pet food and in this case, they are referring to whole chicken. This is a very high quality meat source and we are pleased to see it listed. However, whole chicken loses about 80% of its content during the cooking process since the majority of whole chicken is water. After the cooking process is complete, the amount of whole chicken remaining is substantially reduced. Therefor, while whole chicken is a great source of meat protein, this ingredient alone is not enough to provide sufficient levels of meat protein in a cats diet.

Liver

In the wild, cats almost always eat the liver of their prey. It is a rich source of vitamin A which cats must obtain from their food since they can’t make it in their bodies. This is also a good secondary source of protein. If cats consume too much liver, it could cause toxicity, but the amount needed for liver to become toxic to cats is very high. Liver is provided in safe quantities in this cat food blend.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are eggs that have been separated from the yolk. They provide a high amount of protein while at the same time, contain low amounts of cholesterol. Egg whites also contain a number of other nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and iron. Overall this is a nutritious ingredient without much of a health risk.

Wheat Flour

Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat. It helps with the cooking process and also helps to increase the nutrient values of the food. However, cats do not digest wheat in the same way they digest other meat based products. Wheat does not provide much nutrition to cats and is considered a lower quality ingredient. Some cats have problems digesting wheat and others may experience allergic reactions to this ingredient. In lower quantities, this is considered to be a safe ingredient for cats, but it isn’t considered to be a high quality or nutritious ingredient, either.

Other ingredients in this formula

Wheat Gluten

We don’t think any grain is “good” for your cat. It doesn’t mean wheat gluten is “bad” for your cat, either, but the fact it provides almost no nutritional value makes us question the quality of the ingredient. Wheat gluten can be a decent protein source for animals with digestive systems that can break it down, but as obligate carnivores, cats are not one of those animals. Their digestive systems produce only the enzymes necessary for processing animal-based proteins. There are also some allergy risks associated with wheat gluten. In addition, too much of this in a cats diet can potentially lead to weight gain and diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetes in cats is a very serious health problem, so it is important to keep a close eye on your cats weight and diabetic risk when feeding a cat food containing ingredients like wheat gluten.

Dextrose

Dextrose in food is a simple sugar. It is actually a type of glucose, which is a monosaccharide that is widely found in nature and is used by nearly every living organism as a source of energy at the cellular level. This ingredient could be added as a flavor enhancer. In addition, this ingredient is thought to be a stress reducer in cats. Like most sugars, any cats with diabetes should not be fed this ingredient. Many adult cats suffer from diabetes, so it’s important to keep your cats blood sugar level in healthy limits.

Rice Starch

This ingredient doesn’t add any nutritional value to the food. It is used more as a thickening agent and for texture in the food. One of the reasons they use rice is because fewer cats have allergic reactions to this grain than other grain based starches.

Oat Fiber

Oat fiber is produced from food-grade oat hulls and is mostly added for texture and binding purposes. It is sometimes used to help give food a lighter and browner color as well. Cats and dogs have no absolute physiologic need for this ingredient, although animals eating processed commercial foods appear to benefit from the addition of fiber.

Health conditions likely to be caused by this ingredient

From the list of ingredients, it is clear that there are a few health conditions that can result from feeding your cat on this formula. This formula can cause allergies, diabetes and weight gain. However, since this is a dinner meal, it is unlikely that your cat will develop any of these conditions. Feeding the cat on this formula as the only meal is the only time your cat would be prone to these conditions.

Other harmful ingredients found in cat formulas

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.

Artificial coloring and flavoring – Both artificial and natural flavor ingredients are considered to be lower quality ingredients. Artificial flavor is usually derived from petroleum. Most have not been studied for safety or toxicity. They are all synthesized chemicals that don’t even have common names. Most artificial flavors actually contain many chemical ingredients, not just one. Many of those chemicals are volatile. Both natural and artificial flavors are chemical based ingredients and we don’t get all that excited when we see either one of those ingredients listed. Both of these ingredients have potential allergy risks and other possible health problems in cats.

We also find it quite irresponsible to include artificial coloring in pet food since the health concerns about these added colors are so controversial. Your cat does not care what color their food is and the only reason artificial coloring is added to this product is for marketing purposes. It makes the food look better to you YOU, the human consumer. Of course, many cat food brands are very defensive about their use of food coloring. Here is an example of how the Purina brand defends their use of fool coloring. Notice how even in their explanation, there is no perceived benefit to these ingredients other than changing the color. There is also a growing amount of evidence to suggest food coloring may be linked to cancer in not just dogs and cats, but also humans. Here is an article that explains a bit further. In short, since there is some controversy surrounding this ingredient, we find it a bit strange that cat food companies would spend money adding this ingredient into a product when at best, it has zero nutritional value for your cat and only has marketing value. At worse, it could pose health risks. It just doesn’t seem like the risk of including this ingredient is worth it.

BHT/BHA – Both BHA & BHT are preservatives that have been banned in human foods in many countries due to cancer risks. However, they remain approved for use in pet foods. A growing number of pet owners are becoming aware of the potential dangers these ingredients bring and are shunning all foods containing BHA and BHT. A quick internet search on these preservatives will show that the backlash is gaining steam with many cat food companies abandoning these ingredients. BHA and BHT are extremely controversial ingredients in all forms of pet food.

Fortunately, none of these are in this formula.

Conclusion

This formula has some good and bad ingredients. It contains a number of allergens that could cause health complications in your cat. If your cat is prone to allergies, do not feed it on the Adult Tender Chicken Dinner.

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Science Diet Adult Savory Chicken Entrée Wet Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Cat Food Reviews

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Thinking of changing your cat’s meat protein source? If you notice that your cat is showing signs of appetite loss, the problem could be caused by feeding it on the same meat protein source for too long. Cats can get bored of feeding on one formula type causing them to develop poor feeding habits. The only solution is changing the formula type you feed it on.

The Adult Savory Chicken Entrée from Science Diet is one of the formulas that make an excellent alternative to beef and turkey based formulas. According to the science diet website, this formula is made with real chicken chunks. It is said to contain healthy ingredients that cater for the overall health of your cat.

Is this the right cat formula to switch to?

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The ingredients used to make this formula

Water, Chicken, Turkey Giblets, Meat By-Products, Liver, Corn Starch, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Wheat Flour, Chicken Liver Flavor, Fish Meal, Titanium Dioxide, Guar Gum, Choline Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Calcium Sulfate, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Taurine, Potassium Citrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.

Reviewing the first five ingredients

Water

As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.

Chicken

Turkey Giblets

This ingredient typically includes the heart, gizzard, liver, and other visceral organs of turkeys. Often times, the neck is included in the giblets. This is not an ingredient generally used for human consumption, but there is nothing especially harmful about this ingredient for cats since they thrive on organ meat. This provides a healthy amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, iron, and other essential nutrients cats require for a healthy life.

Meat By-Products

This is about the lowest quality meat product that can be included in any cat food. We are very disappointed to see this ingredient listed. Meat By-Products are parts of slaughtered animals including the lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, liver, blood, bone, partially defatted low-temperature fatty tissue, and stomach and intestines freed of their contents. In addition, meat by-products can also legally contain animals that were dead, dying, or diseased before slaughtering. Many times, animals with tumors are ground and processed, meaning, ground up cancerous tumors could legally be included in your pets food. While unlikely, it can even legally include road kill. Perhaps worst of all, this ingredient COULD include meat from euthanized cats, dogs, horses, or other animals. Meat by-product is an unnamed meat source and you never know for sure where it is coming from or what animals are being used. Also note that meat by-products are not approved for human consumption. It consists of unwanted parts only acceptable in the pet food or feed industries. This is one of the most controversial meat ingredients that could be included and there is much to be concerned about when purchasing any pet food that includes meat by-products.

Liver

Other ingredients in the formula

Corn Gluten Meal – This is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm. The expression “corn gluten” is colloquial jargon that describes corn proteins that are neither gliadin nor glutenin. Only wheat, barley, rye and oat contain true gluten. For the most part, this ingredient is normally only found in cheaper “grocery store brand” cat foods. Corn is frequently used as a filler ingredient to help make your cat feel more full, but it does not add much of anything to the nutritional value in the food. In addition, this is a common allergen for many cats and corn based ingredients can often be difficult for cats to digest. That’s why we can’t recommend this food for cats with food allergies or sensitive digestive systems.

Soybean Meal – This ingredient is created after grinding the soybean to extract soybean oil. In addition to being used in dog and cat food, it is widely used as a filler and source of protein in other animal diets including pig, chicken, cattle, horse, sheep, and fish feed. This ingredient can often be found in “hairball relief” cat foods as it is believed to help eliminate hairballs. While some cats are allergic to soy based ingredients, the pet food industry is pretty defensive of this ingredient claiming that despite the attempts of researchers to prove a link between soy and bloat, no studies to date show this link. Rather, breed, body type, weight and stress level are significant risk factors. The pet food industry also claims that soy products are a superb source of bodybuilding protein, coat-nourishing vegetable oil and healthful fiber for cats. As long as your cat isn’t allergic to soy based ingredients, this ingredient shouldn’t pose any problems, but it isn’t included without controversy.

Fish Meal – When you see fish listed as “fish meal” on an ingredients list, that means almost all of the moisture was removed from the fish prior to the cooking process. That means fish meal contains a much higher amount of protein as opposed to it’s whole fish counterpart. However, we aren’t pleased that this ingredient is an unnamed fish source. Fish meal can contain almost any type of fish, including fish waste products that are not used for human consumption purposes. Whenever we see an unnamed fish source, we get a little nervous about what may (or may not) be included.

Titanium Dioxide – Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium. Unfortunately, this ingredient is a bit controversial as it has links to several health concerns including ulcers and inflammatory bowel diseases. There is also some concerns that this ingredient could contain lead. The toxic effect of this ingredient is a concern in both human foods and pet foods and even The American Cancer Society has listed Titanium Dioxide among the five most carcinogenic substances on the planet (more info here). This ingredient is mostly used for coloration and texture purposes. It is impossible for your cat to digest this ingredient or gain any nutritional benefit from it. We find it rather unfortunate this ingredient is included.

Is this an allergy causing ingredient

This formula contains corn and wheat based allergens. It is, therefore, likely to trigger allergic reactions in cats with chronic allergies. However, it can be fed moderately to cats with mild allergies and is perfectly safe for cats with no allergy issues.

Other ingredients that lack in this ingredient

Vegetables – This is a pretty generic ingredient and it can include virtually any vegetable. Because of this, we are unable to properly analyze this ingredient. However, since cats are obligate carnivores, they do not gain much of any nutritional benefit from vegetables. That being said, in nature, cats almost always consume the stomach contents of their prey which usually includes various fruits and vegetables. It’s unfortunate this labeling is so generic as we are unable to vouch for the quality of the vegetables included.

Potatoes – Potatoes provide a lot of carbs and unfortunately, cats do not digest carbs well and it can also lead to weight gain. This ingredient is becoming more popular in “grain-free” cat foods because while potatoes are not grains, they serve much the same purpose by acting as a non-nutritious filler. The good news is potatoes are complex carbs. These complex carbs are easier to digest than whole grains and also don’t spike blood sugar levels like the simple carbs do. But, anyway you cut it… carbs are carbs and cats don’t need them. This is a rather non-nutritious ingredient.

Conclusion

The adult savory chicken entrée (wet) is a formula that contains real meat and meat by-products as the source of protein. This makes it a recommended formula for cats even though it also contains a few allergens.

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Science Diet Adult Indoor Long Coat Dry Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Cat Food Reviews

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Are you looking for a way to enhance the look of your indoor cat’s coat? The best way to ensure your cat’s fur grows long, strong and well nourished is to feed it on formulas that cater for the health for the coat.

The science diet adult indoor long coat dry formula is one of the many formulas in the market that promise to nurture long, healthy cat fur. This formula is acclaimed to have natural ingredients that offer balanced nutrition tailored to facilitate the growth of long and thick fur. This formula is also said to aid in the prevention of the formation of hairballs. It is also easy to digest.

With all the hype on this product, it is only natural to wonder whether it is as good as it is claimed to be. Read on to find out.

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Ingredients in Indoor Long Coat

Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Dried Egg Product, Powdered Cellulose, Pea Bran Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Wheat Gluten, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Calcium Sulfate, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, Taurine, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Carnitine, minerals (Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Oat Fiber, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Dried Broccoli, Dried Apples, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Peas

A review of the first five ingredients

Chicken

Whole Grain Wheat

Whole grain wheat is a grain based product that may cause some digestion issues. In addition it is also a known food allergen for many cats. Grain based ingredients like this one are usually used by pet food companies because it is a cheap way to boost the protein percentage of the food. That said, it provides almost no nutrition for cats because cats do not have a digestive system designed for plant based proteins or nutrients. They are designed to consume and process meats. While this isn’t a bad ingredient in moderation, in higher quantities, it usually reflects a lower quality cat food.

Corn Gluten Meal

This is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm. The expression “corn gluten” is colloquial jargon that describes corn proteins that are neither gliadin nor glutenin. Only wheat, barley, rye and oat contain true gluten. For the most part, this ingredient is normally only found in cheaper “grocery store brand” cat foods. Corn is frequently used as a filler ingredient to help make your cat feel more full, but it does not add much of anything to the nutritional value in the food. In addition, this is a common allergen for many cats and corn based ingredients can often be difficult for cats to digest. That’s why we can’t recommend this food for cats with food allergies or sensitive digestive systems.

Pork Fat

Pork fat is also known as lard, but it doesn’t look as good to put that on the ingredients list! In general this is a good source of fat and we are happy to see a named fat source (as opposed to something generic like “animal fat”). All cats require a healthy fat source. It’s only a problem if they consume too much of it (like humans). When we compare pork fat to other named animal fat sources, there seems to be a higher instance of digestion upset with pork fat. However, in most cases, this is a quality fat source.

Powdered Cellulose

Powdered cellulose is a cheap filler ingredient. It is obtain as a pulp from fibrous plant material and highly refined. Once processed, it looks and feels very similar to sawdust. Cellulose is used in a wide number of ways. In addition to being added to pet food, it is used quite a bit in human foods, but can also be used for things like insulation, rope making, and textiles. Just like in humans, this ingredient is indigestible for cats. There is no hard evidence to suggest this ingredient is unhealthy, but it wouldn’t be considered a higher quality ingredient, either.

Other ingredients in the formula

Dried Egg Product

Derived from shell free eggs, this is a cheaper source of protein used in place of higher quality meat proteins. Normally, this ingredient is derived from waste products associated with the egg industry or egg products that have been deemed unfit for human consumption.

Pea Bran Meal

Pea bran meal is used as a fiber additive in pet foods. It is said to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and provides roughage adding bulk for intestinal health. Pea bran must contain at least ten percent crude protein and not more than thirty-eight percent crude fiber. Pea based ingredients are becoming increasingly popular, but the benefit for cats is questionable.

Wheat Gluten

Chicken Liver Flavor

As you might expect, this ingredient is simply the extracted flavoring of chicken liver. We usually don’t like “flavor” ingredients, but in this case, the animal is named. The sourcing of the flavor (liver) is also named. So in this case, we aren’t too worried about it. This ingredient isn’t going to add any nutritional value to the food, but it may make the food taste better.

Is this an allergy causing formula?

This formula is likely to cause allergies. It contains corn and wheat by-products. Wheat and corn are some of the most common allergens in cat formulas.

Other harmful ingredients to avoid feeding your cat on

Artificial color and flavor – Both artificial and natural flavor ingredients are considered to be lower quality ingredients. Artificial flavor is usually derived from petroleum. Most have not been studied for safety or toxicity. They are all synthesized chemicals that don’t even have common names. Most artificial flavors actually contain many chemical ingredients, not just one. Many of those chemicals are volatile. Both natural and artificial flavors are chemical based ingredients and we don’t get all that excited when we see either one of those ingredients listed. Both of these ingredients have potential allergy risks and other possible health problems in cats. We also find it quite irresponsible to include artificial coloring in pet food since the health concerns about these added colors are so controversial. Your cat does not care what color their food is and the only reason artificial coloring is added to this product is for marketing purposes. It makes the food look better to you YOU, the human consumer. Of course, many cat food brands are very defensive about their use of food coloring. Here is an example of how the Purina brand defends their use of fool coloring. Notice how even in their explanation, there is no perceived benefit to these ingredients other than changing the color. There is also a growing amount of evidence to suggest food coloring may be linked to cancer in not just dogs and cats, but also humans. Here is an article that explains a bit further. In short, since there is some controversy surrounding this ingredient, we find it a bit strange that cat food companies would spend money adding this ingredient into a product when at best, it has zero nutritional value for your cat and only has marketing value. At worse, it could pose health risks. It just doesn’t seem like the risk of including this ingredient is worth it.

BHA/BHT – Both BHA & BHT are preservatives that have been banned in human foods in many countries due to cancer risks. However, they remain approved for use in pet foods. A growing number of pet owners are becoming aware of the potential dangers these ingredients bring and are shunning all foods containing BHA and BHT. A quick internet search on these preservatives will show that the backlash is gaining steam with many cat food companies abandoning these ingredients. BHA and BHT are extremely controversial ingredients in all forms of pet 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.

Conclusion

The Science Diet Adult Indoor Long Coat Dry Formula can be rated as an average formula. While it contains natural ingredients, most of them are allergens, therefore, limiting this formula to cats that do not have allergies.

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Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Ultra Light Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Cat Food Reviews

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Do you own an active cat? In order for your cat to remain active and happy, it is necessary that you ensure it feeds on formulas that encourage its active lifestyle. Cats need to eat foods that are made with sufficient probiotics and protein, which support your cat’s energetic nature and at the same time build strong muscles and provide it with energy.

According to Royal Canin, a company that manufactures cat food, their Feline Health Nutrition Ultra Light comes with all the aforementioned benefits. This cat food has been advertised as having been made using ingredients all adult cats need. It has also been said to have the ability to control your adult cat’s body weight thereby preventing it from getting over or under weight. The company also claims that this cat food has been formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance.

So, is this formula the best option for your adult feline companion?

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Ingredients used to make this formula

Water sufficient for processing, chicken, chicken liver, pork by-products, pork liver, gelatin by-product, dried egg product, powdered cellulose, wheat flour, natural flavors, corn starch modified, potassium citrate, calcium carbonate, guar gum, sodium tripolyphosphate, taurine, carrageenan, chloine chloride, vitamins (DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), niacin supplement, biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), L-carnitine, trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, iron sulfate, copper sulfate, managanous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate.

Review of the first five ingredients

Water sufficient for processing: For canned foods, water being at the top of the ingredients list is normal. As you could probably guess, water doesn’t do anything in the way of providing nutritional value, but it does help to keep the food moist. Sometimes a broth will be used instead of water, but all canned foods will require a high amount of moisture content.

Chicken: Chicken is a very popular ingredient for pet food and in this case, they are referring to whole chicken. This is a very high quality meat source and we are pleased to see it listed. However, whole chicken loses about 80% of its content during the cooking process since the majority of whole chicken is water. After the cooking process is complete, the amount of whole chicken remaining is substantially reduced. Therefor, while whole chicken is a great source of meat protein, this ingredient alone is not enough to provide sufficient levels of meat protein in a cats diet.

Chicken Liver: Here is another ingredient you probably wouldn’t want to see on your own dinner plate, but most cats seem to enjoy the taste of liver. Uncooked liver, or liver in very high quantities, can actually be toxic to cats. However, in this food, it is clearly provided well within safe limits. In fact, this ingredient is a pretty high quality ingredient overall. It provides a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients your cat can benefit from.

Pork by-products: This ingredient is made from grinding clean, rendered parts of poultry carcasses and can contain bones, offal and undeveloped eggs, but only contains feathers that are unavoidable in the processing of the poultry parts. The quality and composition can change from one batch to another. For the most part, this ingredient contains the “non-meat” poultry products like feet, beaks, and bones. While you probably wouldn’t want to eat poultry by-products on your own dinner plate, cats tend to love this stuff. This ingredient does provide a high amount of protein, but we are unable to tell exactly what parts of the animal they are using and that is a bit troublesome.

Pork liver: While beef and chicken livers are the most common liver sources in cat food, occasionally we will find pork liver. Some cat owners believe liver is toxic to cats, but this is only true in very large quantities. When provided in safe quantities, like in this food, it is completely safe. The health benefits of pork liver mostly come from its vitamin A and iron contents. Liver is said to improve eye health, balance energy levels, and improve both red and white blood cell development. Since human demand for pork liver is low, this ingredient is readily available and is a cheaper meat source.

Other ingredients used to

Dried Egg Product: Derived from shell free eggs, this is a cheaper source of protein used in place of higher quality meat proteins. Normally, this ingredient is derived from waste products associated with the egg industry or egg products that have been deemed unfit for human consumption.

Powdered Cellulose: Powdered cellulose is a cheap filler ingredient. It is obtain as a pulp from fibrous plant material and highly refined. Once processed, it looks and feels very similar to sawdust. Cellulose is used in a wide number of ways. In addition to being added to pet food, it is used quite a bit in human foods, but can also be used for things like insulation, rope making, and textiles. Just like in humans, this ingredient is indigestible for cats. There is no hard evidence to suggest this ingredient is unhealthy, but it wouldn’t be considered a higher quality ingredient, either.

Wheat Flour: Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat. It helps with the cooking process and also helps to increase the nutrient values of the food. However, cats do not digest wheat in the same way they digest other meat based products. Wheat does not provide much nutrition to cats and is considered a lower quality ingredient. Some cats have problems digesting wheat and others may experience allergic reactions to this ingredient. In lower quantities, this is considered to be a safe ingredient for cats, but it isn’t considered to be a high quality or nutritious ingredient, either.

Natural Flavor: The term “natural flavor” is extremely vague and can mean just about anything. In human foods, natural flavor is usually MSG or some similar flavor enhancer. When pet food companies are asked what is in their “natural flavor ingredients, they usually refuse to answer. There are a lot of things in the world considered “natural” and they almost all have a flavor. Such generic terms can be indicative of poor quality ingredients. While that’s not always the case, the fact is, we don’t really know what this ingredient consists of and that is worrying.

Will my cat suffer from allergic reactions?

The Feline Health Nutrition Ultra Light is a formula that is worth trying on your adult cat. However, the presence of corn, wheat and gluten may be a cause for concern as both are known to cause allergic reactions in cats. Therefore, if you have a cat that suffers from allergic reactions it is best that you do not feed it on this formula.

Ingredients to avoid

Artificial coloring: We find it quite irresponsible to include artificial coloring in pet food since the health concerns about these added colors are so controversial. Your cat does not care what color their food is and the only reason artificial coloring is added to this product is for marketing purposes. It makes the food look better to you YOU, the human consumer. Of course, many cat food brands are very defensive about their use of food coloring. Here is an example of how the Purina brand defends their use of fool coloring. Notice how even in their explanation, there is no perceived benefit to these ingredients other than changing the color. There is also a growing amount of evidence to suggest food coloring may be linked to cancer in not just dogs and cats, but also humans. Here is an article that explains a bit further. In short, since there is some controversy surrounding this ingredient, we find it a bit strange that cat food companies would spend money adding this ingredient into a product when at best, it has zero nutritional value for your cat and only has marketing value. At worse, it could pose health risks. It just doesn’t seem like the risk of including this ingredient is worth it.

Artificial flavors: While it might seem obvious, we have some concerns about the use of artificial flavoring in cat food. This ingredient is usually derived petroleum and there have not been many studies done on the effects it has on cats. Unfortunately, artificial flavor can come from a very long list of sources and there is no way we can verify how safe this ingredient is. We generally recommend not feeding your cat any “flavors” even if it is natural flavor. In the case of artificial flavor, we don’t see any benefit to having this included.

Conclusion

The Feline Health Nutrition Ultra Light is a formula that will definitely provide your cat with optimum nutrition. The only downside is that there are some allergens used in its formulation making it unsuitable for cats that suffer from allergic reactions.

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Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Intense Beauty Cat Food Reviews

June 2, 2015

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Cat Food Reviews

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Looking for a healthy and nutritious formula for your feline friend? The cat food market has got a large variety of cat formulas to choose from. Unfortunately, many cat owners have no clue as to what type of formula is the best for their cats and, therefore, end up buying the first one that comes to sight. A good formula should have all the nutrients necessary for your cat’s well-being, and the ingredients used should not be associated with allergic reactions.

The Feline Health Nutrition Intense Beauty is one of the formulas advertised as being amongst the best. According to the manufacturers, Royal Canin, this cat food has been formulated with high levels of Omega fatty acids (3 and 6), vitamins, zinc and biotin, which promote your cat’s coat and skin health as well as its overall health. The manufacturers have also advertised this formula as having been formulated in such a way that it meets AAFCO’s nutritional levels requirements.

Is this formula worth a try? Find out below.

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Ingredients in Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Intense Beauty

Water sufficient for processing, chicken, pork by-products, pork liver, chicken by-products, chicken liver, gelatin by-product, wheat gluten, wheat flour, vegetable oil, corn starch modified, natural flavors, powdered cellulose, fish oil, calcium sulfate, guar gum, tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, taurine, sodium tripolyphosphate, carrageenan, vitamins (niacin supplement, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), choline chloride, trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, iron sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate).

A closer look at the first five ingredients

Pork By-Products: Pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world. A 250 pound pig will only yield about 150 pounds of meat, which means there are other products, besides meat, that come from these animals. These are known as by-products. An animal product is any material derived from the body of an animal. Examples are fat, flesh, blood, milk, eggs, and lesser known products such as isinglass and rennet. Any animal by-product is typically considered to be of lower quality because it can also contain slaughterhouse waste. Slaughterhouse waste is defined as animal body parts cut off in the preparation of carcasses for use as food. This waste can come from several sources, including slaughterhouses, restaurants, stores and farms. This meat can also include what is known as 4D meat, meaning it could include slaughtered pigs that were dying, diseased, deformed, or dead before the slaughtering process. 4D meat is not approved for human consumption, so it is typically used for pet food and animal feed. The consistency and quality of this ingredient could vary over time.

Pork Liver: While beef and chicken livers are the most common liver sources in cat food, occasionally we will find pork liver. Some cat owners believe liver is toxic to cats, but this is only true in very large quantities. When provided in safe quantities, like in this food, it is completely safe. The health benefits of pork liver mostly come from its vitamin A and iron contents. Liver is said to improve eye health, balance energy levels, and improve both red and white blood cell development. Since human demand for pork liver is low, this ingredient is readily available and is a cheaper meat source.

Chicken By-Products: While this ingredient does provide a high amount of meat protein, this meat source is considered to be of lower quality than many other meat sources. Chicken By-Product is produced through a process of cooking, drying and separation of fats and proteins from animal carcasses. It contains a combination of meat (or cuts or parts) including lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, necks, undeveloped eggs and intestines. Usually, by-products are the “left overs” that can’t be used for human food consumption. The greatest fault of this ingredient is the same trait that makes it so affordable and so commonly found in pet foods. The unpredictability of what might (or might not) be included.

Other ingredients used

Chicken liver: Here is another ingredient you probably wouldn’t want to see on your own dinner plate, but most cats seem to enjoy the taste of liver. Uncooked liver, or liver in very high quantities, can actually be toxic to cats. However, in this food, it is clearly provided well within safe limits. In fact, this ingredient is a pretty high quality ingredient overall. It provides a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other nutrients your cat can benefit from.

Gelatin by-product: This ingredient is used as a gelling agent in the food. It is sourced from many different animal by-products, so this is considered a lower quality ingredient. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with support from the TSE (Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) Advisory Committee, has since 1997 been monitoring the potential risk of transmitting animal diseases, especially bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow disease. The FDA study concluded: “…steps such as heat, alkaline treatment, and filtration could be effective in reducing the level of contaminating TSE agents; however, scientific evidence is insufficient at this time to demonstrate that these treatments would effectively remove the BSE infectious agent if present in the source material.” You can read more about the FDA study here. Several other agencies and medical groups have expressed concerns as well.

Wheat gluten: We don’t think any grain is “good” for your cat. It doesn’t mean wheat gluten is “bad” for your cat, either, but the fact it provides almost no nutritional value makes us question the quality of the ingredient. Wheat gluten can be a decent protein source for animals with digestive systems that can break it down, but as obligate carnivores, cats are not one of those animals. Their digestive systems produce only the enzymes necessary for processing animal-based proteins. There are also some allergy risks associated with wheat gluten. In addition, too much of this in a cats diet can potentially lead to weight gain and diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetes in cats is a very serious health problem, so it is important to keep a close eye on your cats weight and diabetic risk when feeding a cat food containing ingredients like wheat gluten.

Wheat flour: Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat. It helps with the cooking process and also helps to increase the nutrient values of the food. However, cats do not digest wheat in the same way they digest other meat based products. Wheat does not provide much nutrition to cats and is considered a lower quality ingredient. Some cats have problems digesting wheat and others may experience allergic reactions to this ingredient. In lower quantities, this is considered to be a safe ingredient for cats, but it isn’t considered to be a high quality or nutritious ingredient, either.

Vegetable oil: On food packaging, the term “vegetable oil” is often used in ingredients lists instead of specifying the exact plant being used. But in general, vegetable oil is simply oil that has been extracted from plants. There is some evidence to suggest a small amount of vegetable oil can be used as a remedy for hairball relief and and maybe even assist in relieving constipation symptoms. This ingredient could also aid in improving your cats coat and skin. While not especially nutritious, there is some benefit to this ingredient.

Will my cat suffer from allergic reactions?

The presence of allergens like wheat and gluten may be a cause for concern especially to those who own cats that are prone to allergic reactions. There is a likelihood that your cat might suffer from allergic reactions after feeding on this formula.

Other Ingredients worth mentioning

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.

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.

Carrageenan: This is an additive extracted from red and purple seaweeds, consisting of a mixture of polysaccharides. It is used as a thickening or emulsifying agent in food products. There is still much research being done on this additive and while it is generally considered safe, there is room for caution as carrageenan has produced intestinal damage and ulcers in some animal studies. If you would like more information about the ongoing research of this ingredient, you may reference this research study.

Conclusion

The Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Intense Beauty is a double edged sword. It contains a blend of healthy and well balanced ingredients and at the same times contains ingredients that could cause allergic reactions in cats.

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Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Digest Sensitive Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Worried that your adult cat is gaining too much weight? In such a situation, you might want to review the kind of nutrition your cat is getting from the formulas it feeds on. Chances are the food it feeds on contains a lot of carbohydrates which is one of the many causes of weight gain in cats. Excess weight has been known to lead to a variety of health conditions some of which are critical. The good news is, by changing its diet your cat will be well on its way to its normal weight.

One such cat formula is the Feline Health Nutrition Digest Sensitive from. According to the manufacturer, Royal Canin, this cat formula has been made in such a way that it can control your cat’s weight. This formula has also been advertised as being made to meet your cat’s instinctive preferences and nutritional needs.

Is this all true? Read on to find out.

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Ingredients in Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Digest Sensitive

A close look at the first five ingredients

Pork By-Products: This ingredient is made from grinding clean, rendered parts of poultry carcasses and can contain bones, offal and undeveloped eggs, but only contains feathers that are unavoidable in the processing of the poultry parts. The quality and composition can change from one batch to another. For the most part, this ingredient contains the “non-meat” poultry products like feet, beaks, and bones. While you probably wouldn’t want to eat poultry by-products on your own dinner plate, cats tend to love this stuff. This ingredient does provide a high amount of protein, but we are unable to tell exactly what parts of the animal they are using and that is a bit troublesome.

Other ingredients used

Dried egg product: Derived from shell free eggs, this is a cheaper source of protein used in place of higher quality meat proteins. Normally, this ingredient is derived from waste products associated with the egg industry or egg products that have been deemed unfit for human consumption.

Powdered cellulose: Powdered cellulose is a cheap filler ingredient. It is obtain as a pulp from fibrous plant material and highly refined. Once processed, it looks and feels very similar to sawdust. Cellulose is used in a wide number of ways. In addition to being added to pet food, it is used quite a bit in human foods, but can also be used for things like insulation, rope making, and textiles. Just like in humans, this ingredient is indigestible for cats. There is no hard evidence to suggest this ingredient is unhealthy, but it wouldn’t be considered a higher quality ingredient, either.

Corn starch modified: This is a derivative of corn, chemically altered to dissolve quickly and serve as a thickener. People who have wheat and gluten allergies should avoid products with this ingredient. The ingredient is made by physically, enzymatically or chemically altering starch to change its inherent properties. In this instance, modified does not necessarily mean genetically modified, however some modified starches are likely made from genetically modified ingredients (most corn in the United States is genetically modified, for example). You probably won’t find very many people who claim this is a high quality ingredient.

Will my cat suffer from allergic reactions?

This formula has been made using ingredients that provide your cat with all the nutrition necessary for its well-being. However, the presence of gluten and corn cannot be ignored since both have been associated with allergic reactions in cats. Therefore, there’s likelihood that your cat might suffer from allergic reactions from consuming this formula. If your cat does not suffer from allergic reactions, this formula is worth a try.

Ingredients to avoid

Artificial colors: There is absolutely no reason to included artificial colors into any cat food, ever. It’s extremely disappointing to see this ultra-low quality ingredient included. Added artificial coloring is used for marketing purposes only. They want their product to stand out sitting on the shelf at the store, so they add coloring to their product. Essentially, the coloring is added to entice YOU (the human) to purchase the food over other brands. Your cat could care less what color the food is. Unfortunately, added color is quite controversial as there is growing evidence suggesting cancer in cats from too much food color exposure. At worse, this is a harmful ingredient and at best, it is a marketing ploy with no nutritional value or positive benefit to your cat. We usually have a tough time recommending any cat food that includes such a controversial ingredient.

Conclusion

The Feline Health Nutrition Digest Sensitive is a formula that will provide your cat with all the nutrition it needs for its daily activities. However, the presence of allergens makes it a somewhat risky buy. You can try it out if your cat is not allergy prone.

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Friskies Saucy Seafood Bake (Wet) Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Do you know the health benefits of feeding your feline on seafood? Unlike chicken, beef and turkey protein sources, seafood offers your cat additional nutrients over and above protein and essential amino acids. There are numerous formulas with seafood ingredients. A variety of these contain seafood flavors. Seafood flavors do not offer the nutritional benefits of real seafood. It is, therefore, important to ensure you get a formula with real seafood.

The Friskies saucy seafood bake (wet) is one of the formulas claiming to offer your cat real seafood. According to the manufacturer, this formula comes with a delightful taste for your feline to enjoy. The manufacturer also claims that this formula is a perfect combination of real meat, vegetables and grains to support your cat’s all rounded health.

Is this formula as healthy as it is claimed to be?

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The ingredients

Water sufficient for processing, sardines, wheat gluten, rice, meat by-products, ocean whitefish, corn bran, liver, chicken, artificial and natural flavors, corn starch-modified, spinach, chicken by-products, soy flour, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, added color, choline chloride, salt, taurine, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, Red 3, ferrous sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide.

An overview of the first five ingredients

Water sufficient for processing

For canned foods, water being at the top of the ingredients list is normal. As you could probably guess, water doesn’t do anything in the way of providing nutritional value, but it does help to keep the food moist. Sometimes a broth will be used instead of water, but all canned foods will require a high amount of moisture content.

Sardines

A sardine is a young pilchard or other young or small herringlike fish. Some cat owners like to avoid fish in cat food because sea food is not usually a part of a cats natural diet. All fish products also contain a certain level of mercury and some cat owners fear that over time, the ingestion of mercury could be harmful (although there is very little evidence to suggest a significant risk). Overall, this ingredient does supply some extremely nutritious properties including protein and very healthy fatty acids.

Wheat gluten

Rice

This is a grain that many cat owners are trying to avoid because it is a known allergen for many cats. The ingredient doesn’t supply much of any nutritional value, either. However, of all the grain products used in cat food, this grain has the lowest risk of causing allergies. There is also a growing risk of arsenic in rice. So far, the FDA believes the arsenic levels are low enough to be safe for humans and pets. However, you might want to read more about this, just so you are aware. Many cat food companies like to use this ingredient because it helps to make your cat feel more full and it is one of the easier grains for cats to digest.

Meat by-products

Other ingredients in this formula

Ocean whitefish

Ocean whitefish is a species of tilefish native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. This ingredient is likely included for its protein content as well as very healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. While this ingredient probably isn’t something most cats would eat in a natural or wild environment, the ingredient does contain some very essential nutrient sources. Some cat owners worry about the mercury content in fish since all fish contains some level of mercury, but the health risk is considered to be pretty low.

Corn bran

Corn Bran is made from the tough outer layer of whole kernel corn and is added to cat foods as a filler ingredient to help make your cat feel more full. Unfortunately, cats do not gain any nutritional value from this ingredient, even though it does help boost the overall protein percentage in the food. Corn is a known allergen for many cats that suffer from food allergies and can also be difficult for some cats to digest.

Liver

Chicken

Is this an allergy causing formula?

Unfortunately, this cat food contains wheat and corn extracts. This makes it potentially harmful to allergic cats.

Harmful ingredients to avoid in cat foods

Corn, wheat and soy – All three of these ingredients are known allergens for many cats. In addition, many cats have problems digesting these grain based ingredients. Since cats are obligate carnivores, their digestive systems are designed to digest meat and not grains. All of these ingredients will help to boost the protein percentage in cat food, but not all protein is created equally. Cats do not digest plant based proteins in the same way as meat proteins and in fact, gain little to no nutritional value from these grains. Several “grocery store brand” cat foods include these products to keep the price down as it is a cheap filler to help make your cat feel full as well as a cheap way to add protein to the food.

Conclusion

The Friskies saucy seafood bake (wet) is a low quality formula. Even though it contains several healthy and quality ingredients, it also contains allergy causing and potentially harmful ingredients. This makes it only ideal for cats that do not suffer from allergies.

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Friskies Rise and Shine Tasty Turkey and Egg Scramble Wet Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Are you concerned about the nutritional wellbeing of your feline companion? This concern is very common among cat owners. Just like human beings, cats should maintain a healthy weight and at the same time feed on meals that have all the nutritional value needed to support a healthy lifestyle.

The Rise and Shine Tasty Turkey and Egg Scramble (wet) is a product of the Friskies Company. The company is well known for the manufacture of quality cat feeds that cater for all the nutritional needs of your cat. The company claims that Rise and Shine Tasty Turkey and Egg Scramble (wet) is an ideal cat feed for your cat. Read on and find out more about this cat formula.

Ingredients present in the Rise and Shine Tasty Turkey and Egg Scramble (wet) cat formula

Water sufficient for processing, chicken, liver, meat by-products, wheat gluten, soy flour, egg product, turkey, corn starch-modified, spinach, artificial and natural flavors, calcium phosphate, added color, potassium chloride, taurine, salt, choline chloride, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide

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A brief overview of the first five ingredients

Water

As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.

Chicken

Liver

Meat by-products

Wheat gluten

Other ingredients that may be of interest

Egg product – Derived from shell free eggs, this is a cheaper source of protein used in place of higher quality meat proteins. Normally, this ingredient is derived from waste products associated with the egg industry or egg products that have been deemed unfit for human consumption.

Artificial and natural flavors – Both artificial and natural flavor ingredients are considered to be lower quality ingredients. Since we are looking at two different ingredients here, let’s check out what natural flavor is first. The actual definition of natural flavor is very long and confusion, but basically states that the flavor of an item can be extracted, then sprayed onto other products. Natural and artificial flavors are produced in the same factories these days. Both are considered safe, but artificial and natural flavors alike can be dangerous depending on what they are. It is actually best to avoid flavoring altogether, both natural and artificial.

Artificial flavor is usually derived from petroleum. Most have not been studied for safety or toxicity. They are all synthesized chemicals that don’t even have common names. Most artificial flavors actually contain many chemical ingredients, not just one. Many of those chemicals are volatile. In short, both natural and artificial flavors are chemical based ingredients and we don’t get all that excited when we see either one of those ingredients listed, let alone both together. Both of these ingredients have potential allergy risks and other possible health problems in cats.

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.

Does this cat formula cause allergies in cats?

Rise and Shine Tasty Turkey and Egg Scramble (wet) has some ingredients that can cause allergies in cat. These include wheat gluten and soy flour. These are derivatives of wheat and soy both of which are known allergens.

Ingredients that you should avoid

Corn and soy – Both of these grains are commonly found in cheaper cat foods you can normally find in the grocery store. They are cheap filler ingredients that will help to make your cat feel more full, but corn and soy provide almost no nutritional value to cats. These ingredients can also be difficult for some cats to digest, so we do not recommend this product for cats with sensitive digestion issues. And finally, these are two of the most widely known allergens for cats. Most cats are not allergic to these ingredients, but many are. Cat food companies like to use these ingredients because they are cheap and boost the protein percentage in the food. However, cats digest meat proteins and plant based proteins differently. Since they are obligate carnivores, they require meat protein to live a healthy life and do not process plant proteins very well.

Wheat – Most cat food brands that use wheat in their products will tell you that wheat is a grain used as a high-quality carbohydrate source in dry dog and cat foods and biscuits. They will tell you that it provides energy for daily activity, as well as processing characteristics for the food. And finally, they will tell you that the allergy risk associated with wheat is low. However, many experts not associated with the pet food industry will seemingly say the opposite. From them, you’ll hear that wheat and wheat by-product is a very common allergy for dogs and cats. You’ll even find sources that claim wheat has also been linked to epileptic seizures and celiac diseases. Cats are not able to digest grains nearly as well as humans or dogs, so many cats may also experience digestion issues if given too much wheat. In general, wheat is considered to be a very low priced filler ingredient with essentially no nutritional value for cats. As the debate rages on, you be the judge.

BHA and BHT – Both BHA & BHT are preservatives that have been banned in human foods in many countries due to cancer risks. However, they remain approved for use in pet foods. A growing number of pet owners are becoming aware of the potential dangers these ingredients bring and are shunning all foods containing BHA and BHT. A quick internet search on these preservatives will show that the backlash is gaining steam with many cat food companies abandoning these ingredients. BHA and BHT are extremely controversial ingredients in all forms of pet food.

It is very important that you avoid feeding your cat on cat formulas that contain the above ingredients as they are bound to cause health problems in your cat.

Conclusion

The Friskies Rise and Shine Tasty Turkey and Egg Scramble (wet) cat formula contains ingredients that can cause allergic reactions in cats that have food sensitivities. Therefore, the cat formula is not ideal for all cats.

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Friskies Rise and Shine Sunny Chicken and Egg Scramble (Wet) Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Are you a cat owner looking for a good cat formula for your cat? Choosing a formula for your pet can be somewhat tricky. This is especially so given the number of choices you have. When every cat food manufacturer claims their line of products is the most nutritious, you need to carefully evaluate every formula to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Friskies is a cat formula manufacturer that is known for the manufacture of high quality cat formulas. The Rise and Shine Sunny Chicken and Egg Scramble (wet) is one of the many cat formulas manufactured by the Friskies Company.

So is this formula a safe bet for your pet? Find out below.

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Ingredients in this cat formula

An overview of the first five ingredients

Water

As you might expect, water is mostly added for moisture and cooking purposes. It does not add any nutritional value to the food.

Chicken

Liver

Meat by-products

Wheat gluten

Other important ingredients worth looking at

Soy flour – Many pet food companies seem pretty headstrong about defending their use of soy products, even calling health concerns associated with soy to be a myth. Wysong is one of those companies and to be fair, you can read their opinion about this ingredient here. However, we tend to agree with many of those outside the pet food industry that see major problems using any form of soy in cat food. There is no doubt this ingredient has been the subject of much controversy over the years and the benefits claimed by pet food companies is questionable at best. Why would pet food companies insist on using such a controversial ingredient? They claim it’s for health benefits, but we think it’s rather convenient that soy four is so cheaply made. It’s safe to say this is not considered a high quality ingredient by most experts and at best, it is a mediocre ingredient that we, in general, do not recommend for cats.

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.

Salt – Salt is necessary for a cats body to function properly, but too much salt can be dangerous and even deadly. Usually, salt is added to pet food in order to meet AAFCO nutritional requirements. Salt, or sodium chloride, is indeed necessary so cat food that doesn’t contain enough will have a bit of it included. Salt helps your cats cells move nutrients and waste products where they need to go, and it helps his or her tummy make the right amount of acid to digest food properly. According to the Journal of Nutrition, average-sized cats need about 21 milligrams of salt per day. Many cat foods have higher concentrations than that. The National Research Council recommends no more than 42 milligrams per day. Most of the time, salt in commercial cat food products poses no danger and does have some nutritional benefit.

Added color – There is absolutely no reason to included added color into any cat food, ever. It’s extremely disappointing to see this ultra-low quality ingredient included. Added color is used for marketing purposes only. They want their product to stand out sitting on the shelf at the store, so they add coloring to their product. Essentially, the coloring is added to entice YOU (the human) to purchase the food over other brands. Your cat could care less what color the food is. Unfortunately, added color is quite controversial as there is growing evidence suggesting cancer in cats from too much food color exposure. At worse, this is a harmful ingredient and at best, it is a marketing ploy with no nutritional value or positive benefit to your cat. We usually have a tough time recommending any cat food that includes such a controversial ingredient.

Does this cat formula cause allergies in cats?

From the list of ingredients that given above, it is evident that the cat feed contains ingredients that offer the best nutrition to cats. However, the cat feed also has some harmful ingredients that are a source of concern to owners of cats with chronic allergies. There is a chance that your cat could get an allergic reaction from this formula.

Ingredients that you should avoid

Soy and corn – Both of these grains are commonly found in cheaper cat foods you can normally find in the grocery store. They are cheap filler ingredients that will help to make your cat feel more full, but corn and soy provide almost no nutritional value to cats. These ingredients can also be difficult for some cats to digest, so we do not recommend this product for cats with sensitive digestion issues. And finally, these are two of the most widely known allergens for cats. Most cats are not allergic to these ingredients, but many are. Cat food companies like to use these ingredients because they are cheap and boost the protein percentage in the food. However, cats digest meat proteins and plant based proteins differently. Since they are obligate carnivores, they require meat protein to live a healthy life and do not process plant proteins very well.

Gluten meal – This ingredient is associated with causing allergies in cats. It is also known to raise sugar levels in cats. Over time, this can lead to diabetes. Gluten refers to the proteins found in wheat endosperm which is a type of tissue produced in seeds that’s ground to make flour. Many pet food manufactures will use this ingredient to help boost the protein percentage of the food.

Unfortunately, the rise and shine sunny chicken and egg scramble (wet) contains traces of these ingredients.

Conclusion

The Rise and Shine Sunny Chicken and Egg Scramble (wet) cat formula is a cat formula that boasts a plethora of quality ingredients. However, the cat feed also contains ingredients that cause allergies in cats that have food sensitivities. You should, therefore, avoid it if your cat is prone to allergic reactions.

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Friskies Rise and shine Sizzlin Beef and Egg Scramble Wet Cat Food Review

June 2, 2015

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Are you aware of the most ideal ingredient combination for your feline? Cats are carnivorous by nature. Therefore, the most ideal cat formula should contain meat. Even with this in mind, some cat food manufacturers make cat formulas without real meat chunks. Instead, they use grain based ingredients. These can cause health complications not to mention they are of lower nutritional benefit than real meat.

The Friskies Rise and Shine Sizzlin Beef and Egg Scramble (wet) is amongst the numerous cat formulas in the market today. This is a morning delight formula claimed to offer real meat as the main ingredient. According to the Friskies Company, this cat food contains real beef pieces dipped in a delicate sauce. It also contains other healthy ingredient that support your cat’s all rounded health.

Is this cat food as ideal for your carnivore as it is claimed to be?

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The ingredients

Water sufficient for processing, beef, liver, meat by-products, wheat gluten, poultry, soy flour, corn starch-modified, egg product, artificial and natural flavors, fish, cheese, calcium phosphate, added color, potassium chloride, taurine, salt, choline chloride, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide.

An overview of the first five ingredients

Water sufficient for processing

Beef

Beef is considered to be a higher quality ingredient. It is an excellent source of animal protein and contains many other nutrients that are very important for a cat to survive and thrive. Since this is not in “meal” form, that means this ingredient still contains all of its moisture content prior to cooking. Once fully cooked, most of this ingredient will have evaporated due to its high moisture content. That means, even when this ingredient is ranked highly, it will usually only provide a small percentage of the overall protein in the food. There is no dismissing this ingredient, though. It is high quality and we are pleased to see it listed.

Liver

Meat by-products

Wheat gluten

Other ingredients in this formula

Poultry

Contrary to popular belief, poultry does not always consist of chicken products. Poultry can include a number of different birds including chickens, fowl, quail, turkeys, ducks, geese, and even pigeons. All of these birds must be “domesticated” birds, meaning they must be raised in a human environment like a farm. While we would feel much more comfortable knowing exactly which type of poultry is being used, generally poultry is considered to be a higher quality meat protein ingredient. Unfortunately, poultry contains quite a bit of water weight prior to the cooking process. Since all ingredients are listed by weight prior to cooking, most of this ingredient is lost during the cooking process. That means, it is important for this meat protein source to be complimented by another quality meat protein source.

Soy flour

Many pet food companies seem pretty headstrong about defending their use of soy products, even calling health concerns associated with soy to be a myth. Wysong is one of those companies and to be fair, you can read their opinion about this ingredient here. However, we tend to agree with many of those outside the pet food industry that see major problems using any form of soy in cat food. There is no doubt this ingredient has been the subject of much controversy over the years and the benefits claimed by pet food companies is questionable at best. Why would pet food companies insist on using such a controversial ingredient? They claim it’s for health benefits, but we think it’s rather convenient that soy four is so cheaply made. It’s safe to say this is not considered a high quality ingredient by most experts and at best, it is a mediocre ingredient that we, in general, do not recommend for cats.

Corn starch-modified

This is a derivative of corn, chemically altered to dissolve quickly and serve as a thickener. People who have wheat and gluten allergies should avoid products with this ingredient. The ingredient is made by physically, enzymatically or chemically altering starch to change its inherent properties. In this instance, modified does not necessarily mean genetically modified, however some modified starches are likely made from genetically modified ingredients (most corn in the United States is genetically modified, for example). You probably won’t find very many people who claim this is a high quality ingredient.

Egg product

Is this an allergy causing formula?

From the list of ingredients, this formula does contain tracers of allergens. Even so, these are very minimal to trigger any allergies. Even so, you can avoid this formula if your cat suffers from serious allergies.

Healthy ingredients ideal for cat foods

Meat protein sources – While meat protein is essential and extremely beneficial to cats, the way this ingredient is labeled does cause some concern. As an unnamed meat protein source, we have no idea what kind of animal this is coming from. Most experts would agree, this is one of the most questionable sources of animal based proteins that could possibly be added to a cat food, primarily because they have found a way of keeping the true ingredient from being shown. We’re not impressed with the gimmicky labeling or the quality of this ingredient and would much rather see a named meat protein source.

Conclusion

The Friskies Rise and Shine Sizzlin Beef and Egg Scramble (wet) cat food is an average quality formula. From the ingredients used, this formula contains an array of quality ingredients and also a few low quality ingredients. This formula is only suitable for cats without allergies.

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