After owning a cat, choosing a suitable cat food is the “top priority” of every cat owner. There is a wide variety of cat food on the market, with a wide range of brands, making people dizzy. So, how to choose a high-quality and suitable for cats cat food? Here are some practical suggestions to help you easily handle the choice of cat food!
First, understand the needs of cats, choose the right type of cat food
- Cat food types
There are various types of cat food on the market, including puffed food, air-dried food, baked food, freeze-dried food, etc., as well as special types such as single meat source cat food and probiotic cat food.
If your cat is a picky eater, you can choose freeze-dried or baked food, which has a good texture and is more palatable to your cat.
If your cat has a sensitive stomach, you can choose probiotic cat food or single-meat cat food, which is easier to digest and can reduce the burden on the stomach.
- Cat food quality competition
Grain-free food: grain-free, with beans, potatoes or fruits and vegetables instead of high gluten grains. Grain-free food can reduce the risk of cat allergies and help control blood sugar and weight, but the price is relatively high.
Natural food: no artificial preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, etc. added, natural ingredients, rich in nutrients, good absorption, suitable for families whose financial conditions allow.
Commercial food: usually using low-quality raw materials (e.g. 4D ingredients: dead, diseased, dying or disabled animals) and by-products (e.g. offal, fur) with added preservatives and food attractants. Although the price is cheap, it is not good for the health of cats and is not recommended for long-term consumption.
Second, master the selection skills, step by step
- Look at the ingredient list to recognize the true face of cat food
Meat: Meat should be in the first place in the ingredient list of high-quality cat food. Fresh meat is better than frozen meat, frozen meat is better than meat powder, and meat powder is better than meat and bone powder.
Grain problem: most cats are allergic to grains, it is recommended to choose grain-free cat food, replacing allergy-prone ingredients such as wheat and corn with potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Additives: Avoid choosing cat food containing artificial preservatives (e.g. potassium sorbate, BHA, BHT) and food attractants. Natural preservatives (e.g. vitamin C, E, rosemary extract) are safer.
- Look at the ingredient list, the nutritional indicators should meet the standards
Crude protein: Cats are carnivores and it is recommended to choose high protein cat food with a crude protein content between 36% and 48%. Be careful to avoid low-priced cat food filled with vegetable protein.
Crude fat: moderate amount of fat contributes to the health of the cat’s skin and the luster of the coat, it is recommended to choose cat food with a fat content of 13% to 18%.
Crude fiber: moderate amount of crude fiber helps digestion and hairball elimination, but the content should be controlled at less than 6%, too much will lead to diarrhea.
Calcium to phosphorus ratio: the ideal ratio is 1.1:1~1.4:1, too high or too low may affect bone health.
Taurine: Cats are unable to synthesize taurine on their own. It is recommended to choose cat food with taurine content ≥ 0.1% to support vision, heart health and immunity.
Water-soluble chloride (salt): the content should be between 0.3% and 1%, too high will lead to tear marks and hair loss.
- Look at the production process for both taste and nutrition
Baked food: fluffy texture, better nutrition retention and high safety.
Puffed food: harder texture, may be more greasy, slightly lower nutrition.
Drying food: crunchy texture, better nutrition retention, but need to pay attention to the drying temperature and time to avoid nutrient loss.
- Look at the consumption situation and observe the cat’s reaction
Stool condition: if the cat’s stool is normal (yellowish-brown or blackish), it means the cat food is suitable; if diarrhea or vomiting occurs, the cat food may be unsuitable or of poor quality.
Hair condition: if the cat’s hair becomes shiny and the hair loss is reduced, it means the cat food is suitable; on the contrary, it needs to be replaced.
- Look at the test report for quality assurance
Choose cat food brands that publicize their test reports; products with high information transparency are more trustworthy. For example, some well-known brands will clearly display the test results to ensure quality and safety.
Summarize
When selecting cat food, you need to combine the age, health condition and taste preference of your cat and choose cat food with balanced nutrition and high quality ingredients. By observing your cat’s reaction and changing the cat food regularly, you can ensure that they eat healthy and live happily!