How do you interpret the nutritional labels on cat food?

Leticia

I was wondering whether you can "read" the quality of cat food from the nutrition label on the package. What do you look for? I know the more expensive brands are generally considered to be of better quality, but why? When I look at the labels, the values are often pretty similar.



Donn

Actually expensive like from the vet is not good quality. You are paying for the vets bills. There should be real muscle meat as the first item and not meat by products. You want as few grains as possible and you really want to stay away from the veggies and fruit. Cats are obligate carnivores. It means that while they live when given dry food they are not healthy even if they seem to be. Once changed and off dry they glow. No little spots of dandruff way more energy and a glowing coat. http://www. geocities. com/jmpeerson/foodf…This tells you how to calculate the numbers on the back of the can to see what is really in the food. http://www. felinediabetes. com/diabetic-c…This is a good chart for all cats. Choose a wet food with high protein and under 10% carbs. You want to avoid fish and use it as a treat once or twice a week if that much. High in phosphorus and low in nutrition. http://www. catinfo. org/ This is an article by Dr. Lisa Pierson DVM she has devoted her work to teaching people about the proper diet for cats. Please read that you will be glad you did. Good luck and congrats you are looking into being a proactive force in your kitties life.



Damion

Cat and dog food labels are often very confusing, but there are a few things that you should look for.1. Check to see that some sort of mear (ex. - chicken, beef) is listed as one of the TOP 3 ingredients. Many companies pack their food with filler (rice, flour, barley, oats, etc...) which arent as nutritious for your pet. If your cat was still living in the wild, he or she would have a diet higher in meats than in grains, so the same goes for domestic cats.2. Check the fat and protein levels. This is listed near the ingredient list as percents, usually under the title guaranteed analysis. Normally, you should look for protein above 25% and fat below 10% (especially for indoor cats). If your cat is an outdoor cat, then fat levels up to 12% are allowed. The more expensive brands are normally considered better quality because they use human-grade ingredients (ex. - Wellness, Eagle Pack, Newmans Own, Performatin, etc...). The label may say that Wellness and Purina both use deboned chicken, but Wellness lists it as the first ingredient and Purina does not. The quality, as well as amount, of the meat also will play a role in the price of the food. A decent brand that is not horrendously overpriced is Hills Science Diet. Although it isnt as wholesome as some of the more hollistic/specialty foods, most vets will recommend it. Talk with your vet and they will probably have some more advice :)Good Luck!