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There are so many varieties of cat foods on the market, it can be overwhelming to decide what is the best food for cats. Luckily there are some basic things you can do to determine whether a cat food is good or bad. You just need to be armed with the right information. Here at Cat Food Insider we want to make sure everyone is picking the best food for their cats, so we have put together a guide so when you are shopping for cat food you can tell the difference between a good and a bad cat food.
Talk To Your Veterinarian
Your veterinarian is your best resource for determining what is the best food for cats. Veterinarians will help you determine the nutritional needs of your cat and will help make some great brand recommendations. However, cats are picky so they may not always like what the veterinarian picks out for them. So it is important to be armed with the right knowledge on what to look for in a good quality cat food. So once you know what your cat needs with a little help from your veterinarian, then you can begin shopping for a great food.
Read The Ingredients Label Carefully
The ingredients label is your best friend when picking out a great cat food. Cat food is not very highly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) so you can’t always trust label claims. So you have to dig a little deeper and read the ingredients label and guaranteed analysis panel. The ingredients panel is required by the FDA all the ingredients in the food by weight. Cat food manufacturers are also not allowed to include any ingredients banned by the FDA. The guaranteed analysis panel lists the nutrient content of the food. Cat food manufacturers are required to prove these nutritional contents to the FDA through a series of testing. So these two labels are the best place to look when trying to determine what is a good food and what is a bad food.
What Makes A Cat Food Bad?
There are several factors that make a cat food bad. The most basic thing is that the food is made with cheap ingredients. Cheap ingredients include:
Fillers: Fillers add bulk to the product but provide no nutritional value. Some common fillers are hulls, cellulose, and pulp. Fillers can also trigger allergies so they are not good for the health of your cat.
Animal Byproducts: Animal byproducts are the leftover parts from industrial meat processing that can include everything from beaks and feathers to diseased and spoiled meat. These byproducts are ground up and heated to very high temperatures. They are very inexpensive way to bolster the protein but can be dangerous for your cat because they can be difficult to digest and may even put them at risk for foodborne illness.
Chemical Preservatives: Chemical preservatives like ethoxyquin, BHA/BHT, and propyl gallate are inexpensive ways to preserve the food but they are very unhealthy for your cat. They are all linked to chronic illnesses and can cause some serious health problems down the line. They can also add sweetness and bolster the nutritional claims of the food, so they can trick you into thinking you are buying a great cat food.
Additives: Additives can be anything from artificial dyes and flavors to added sugars and salts that bolster the look and flavor of the food. These additives may make the food more appetizing but the add no nutritional value. Plus they can even be dangerous for your cat’s health.
What Makes A Cat Food Good?
Like with bad cat food, there are several factors that make a cat food good. Here are some things to look out for in a good cat food:
Natural Whole Foods Ingredients: Cats do better digesting whole foods ingredients and they provide more nutritional value. So look for things like meats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Great Source Of Protein: The very first ingredient listed on your cat food should be a great source of protein. No matter what meat flavor you decide to go with it should be a whole meat like deboned chicken, turkey breast, or beef liver. Cats need high quality sources of protein to thrive.
Natural Preservation: Natural preservation can come from healthy preservation methods like freeze-drying and air drying or they can be natural additives like antioxidants, herbs, and potassium salts. These methods not only reduce your cat’s exposure to toxic chemicals but they preserve the nutritional content so the food is more nutritionally dense.
Supplemental Nutrition: Another sign of a great food is there is supplemental nutrition like added vitamins, nutrients, and essential fatty acids. These are usually the last ingredients listed and can really help support the whole nutrition of your cat.
Do A Little Research
Once you have your foods narrowed down by ingredients, you want to do a little research. First read about the company online. A good cat food company will list their sources, go over their manufacturing practices, and give you information on how they balance the nutritional content of their food. Then read some online reviews to see how other cat owners like the food. If other cat owners love the food, it’s probably a good quality food. Then go to the FDA website and search to see if there have been any recalls of the food here. If they have a clean record you should be good to go.
Monitor Your Cat’s Behavior
Finally, the most important way to tell the difference between a good and bad cat food is to see how your cat responds. If they have a healthy weight, shiny good, good energy, and are in a great mood, then you’ve found a great food. If they are lethargic, have a dull coat, are either under or overweight, and not in a great mood, you’re probably feeding them a bad food. So just monitor your cat no matter what food you choose.
Telling the difference between a good and bad cat food is actually pretty simple if you talk to your veterinarian, read the label, and understand what are good and bad ingredients. So don’t get overwhelmed by the market, just arm yourself with knowledge and you’ll find the perfect food for your companion animal.
