How to choose a good cat food
First of all, ignore any marketing concepts, such as “low temperature air drying”, “freeze drying”, “soft stools”, “remove tears”, ” Natural grain-free”, “hair cheeks”, “imported” and so on. These may all be just marketing concepts trying to make you pay more.
Only the ingredient list and the nutrient ingredient list can judge the quality of cat food
Ingredient list
For cat food, the most expensive ingredient is always protein , the higher the protein content, the better the cat food. The protein here refers to animal protein, that is to say, the first few raw materials in the ingredient list are preferably fresh meat, followed by fresh meat powder. For example, the more plant protein powder and beans are added, the less animal protein, the lower the cost of cat food, and the worse the cat food.
Better cat food ingredients list, the top ones are meat protein
Plant protein powder is an important feature of low-end food: it contains more than 2 kinds of plant protein powder, Or plant protein powder is in the top 6 of the ingredients list, it must not be a good cat food. Meat and bone meal is also an important feature of low-end food. If the top 6 ingredients in the ingredient list contain meat and bone meal, it must be junk food.
The grains and vegetables in the ingredients are actually not needed by cats. As pure carnivores, cats get 52% of their energy from protein, 46% from fat, and 2% from carbohydrates. And these 2% carbohydrates are also contained in a small amount in meat. Although all cat foods contain more or less grains and fruits, cats really don’t need to supplement them (wheat is a highly allergic ingredient, so you need to pay attention when buying cat food). In addition, the more beans are added, the more complex the types of protein, and the more prone to soft stools, vomiting, allergies, asthma and other symptoms.
Nutrition Facts List
Crude Protein
We all know cats are carnivores Various tissues in animals and cats, various enzymes involved in material metabolism, various hormones that regulate physiological functions, and antibodies for disease prevention in the body are all based on protein. Protein is their main source of energy. If the cat does not consume enough protein, it will cause symptoms such as poor physique and muscle atrophy. Therefore, owners must pay attention to the protein content when choosing cat food. For adult cats, the minimum content is 25%, and for kittens, it is at least 28%.
The protein content of low-end cat food is generally below 28%, the mid-end is 28%-32%, and the high-end is 32%-42%. For cats in the growing period, less than 30% protein cannot meet their growth needs; for adult cats, maintaining normal daily needs must be at least 25%.
Crude fat
The crude fat content in cat food should account for 10%-30%, its main function is to make cats have a stronger body and maintain healthy fur. If the crude fat content is too high, more than 40%, it will cause problems such as obesity in cats. If your owner has entered his old age, you should choose food with a relatively low fat content, around 10%. There are rations specifically for elderly cats in this regard.
Crude fiber
The crude fiber of general high-end cat food is generally within 3.5%, the crude fiber of mid-end cat food is generally 4%-5%, and the low-end cat food is generally Between 6% and 7%. The cat’s stomach has difficulty digesting crude fiber and is sensitive to crude fiber. If the owner of the family has a delicate stomach and is prone to diarrhea, more attention should be paid to the parameters of crude fiber when choosing cat food.
Coarse ash
Coarse ash is the material left after the cat food is completely burned, mainly minerals Inorganic substances such as oxides or salts, and possibly a small amount of sediment. There are also production processes and additives that affect the content of crude ash. For example, the production process has less nutrient damage, which will reduce the proportion of crude ash; adding a large amount of attractants or other non-edible substances will also increase the crude ash. In short, the higher the crude ash content, the worse the material used. Do not choose if the coarse ash content is greater than 10%.
Taurine
Taurine can be said to be an essential ingredient in cat food, because cats cannot synthesize this substance, but this substance is It has an important effect on all functions of the cat’s body. Its main role is to strengthen the heart muscle, improve vision, enhance immunity and so on. The normal intake is 0.2% – 0.25%.
Almost all the content of this nutrient composition table is not good, owners must pay attention to avoid pits when choosing cat food
Summary:
There is no one Cat food can be the most comprehensive and in place, and it is not the more expensive the better, and don’t blindly believe in those so-called cat food evaluations. First learn to read the ingredient list and nutritional ingredient list, and combine your purchasing ability to buy cat food that is suitable for your own master. The masters eat well, sleep soundly, and grow up healthily are the things we are most pleased with.
Of course, don’t rely too much on cat food. Cats don’t just eat cat food to get all the nutrition. They also need to combine some wet food or other foods to get more complete nutrition. If possible, the best cat food is always homemade cat food.
