Giving your cat the best cat food is what being a good pet owner is about—giving your animal the best and happiest life they can have. Just like with a human diet, your pet will require fodder that is perfectly balanced, full of carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and protein to keep them active. With so many options on the market out there, which ones will you choose and why? We’ve come up with a unique method that you can follow to help you get the healthiest cat food possible.
Step 1 – Check for Protein Content
Cats are carnivorous animals that need a large amount of meat-based protein for survival. Take a look to see if the first ingredient is good quality meat such as chicken, beef, tuna or turkey. If you see “meat by-products” or “poultry” on the list, it’s likely to be low quality – specificity is the key. Whatever you do, do NOT give your pet vegan protein alternatives – they will harm your animal.
Step 2 – Grains
Cats also need high-quality grains within their foodstuffs such as barley, wheat or corn in order to receive the best amounts of carbs which will give them the energy they need. Grains should come after meat in the ingredient list. They are important, but meat is the most important.
Step 3 – Essential Ingredients
Try to purchase food that contains arachidonic acids and taurine. These are ingredients that serve to boost your cat’s immune system and are essential for their health and wellbeing. If the folder you’re looking at doesn’t contain these ingredients then this can be a sign that it doesn’t contain enough animal protein. Remember that you won’t want to buy plant-based protein foods for your pet.
Step 4 – Vitamins and Minerals
Just like human beings, felines need vitamins and minerals. Take a look and see if there are vitamins A, B, C and B12, as well as folic acid. All of these are essential. Other minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc and sodium are great for maintaining healthy bones, joints and teeth—look for them too.
Step 5 – By-Products
It’s important to note the amounts of by-product in your animal fodder. Some are healthy, especially those that contain protein, such as animal by-products of lungs and liver. However, some low-quality foods can contain products such as feathers and fur that will be very difficult for the digestive system to break down. Look for food that is specific about what by-products are in it to avoid confusion.
Get the Best Cat Food
We hope that you can take a look at all of the things we’ve noted when purchasing your desired fodder. Don’t forget to also look online at cat food reviews to see what other customers have been saying. Next time you visit your vet, ask for vet-recommended cat food and check labels to see if the food has been certified to industry standards, such as certifications by AAFCO.
Do you have a cat? Have you had any luck giving them certain kinds of food? We’d love to hear from you. Leave us your comments below.
Author’s Bio: Chele is a self-confessed crazy cat lady who’s just mad about felines. She has 2 cats at home, Cinnamon and Sponge Cake. She used to work as a veterinarian for 10 years before retiring and now Chele is an All Pets Expert. She also works part-time as a copywriter, writing articles about animals and answers cat-related questions such as “what do cats eat besides cat food” or “how much food should I feed my cat” on websites.