And why deny it? It is also more satisfying for us humans to offer flavoured cat food than a handful of kibbles to our little companion. But of course, you have to account for your pet's tastes! Some felines swear by kibble, while others can't get enough wet food. A second misconception is that “Big Pet Food” is the bogeyman and that small, independent brands consistently deliver superior products. While large pet food companies do contribute heavily to the population of terrible food, they’re not the only culprits. Some small companies may produce food that’s improperly balanced, not nutritionally complete, and manufactured under poorly-managed conditions. We know nothing about the uniformity of biological availability of any by-product. Certain parts of the animal carcass are highly biologically available, while others, like beaks and feet, are virtually non-metabolizable. In other words, animal by-products are an unreliable and inconsistent protein source for your cat.

As the condition progresses, the cat will lose weight and may show other clinical symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, a plantigrade gait, urinary tract infections and cataracts. The recipe is rife with non-specific animal ingredients including animal fat, fish meal, animal liver flavor, and meat and bone meal. The recipe also includes a number of potentially dangerous artificial colors.While new customers will probably have a great experience with Dr. Elsey’s, a lot of existing customers had trouble with an apparent change in texture and flavor, and they found that their cats were no longer interested in eating it. Wellness is a popular brand that offers a wide variety of cat foods, including Wellness Core, a higher protein range. Artificial flavors and colors are unnecessary and have been tied to health consequences for both humans and animals. Some preservatives may also be of questionable safety. For example, BHA is considered safe in animal feed for all species except for cats due to inadequate safety data. Most pet foods have replaced them with natural alternatives including Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), rosemary extract, and other antioxidants. Seek Brands With Trustworthy Reputations

Signs that you’re dealing with an unethical cat food company: A History of Recalls, Coverups, and Scandal At a more advanced stage, cats become very thin and need to gain weight with a higher fat diet. This weight loss can be dangerous for certain organs, such as the liver. What feeding schedule should a diabetic cat adopt? Our protein-rich raw cat food contains all the essential protein, amino acids, fats, vitamins, and minerals to contribute to the optimal health of all parts of your cat’s anatomy, including: In 2017, there was a recall of a few flavors of canned Wellness cat food products due to quality control issues.Though it’s grain-free with no potatoes, or soy, this pate contains small amounts of certain plant ingredients, including ground flaxseed, dried kelp, chicory root extract, and alfalfa meal. Though these ingredients aren’t essentials in a carnivorous diet, they have a few benefits for kittens. Chicory root extract, for example, is a prebiotic. Along with probiotics, this type of fiber could help to support digestive and immune system health. With dry food, it’s a bit harder, because the calories are generally given per kilogram rather than pound, so you need to do some extra conversions to figure out the price per ounce, but the formula is the same.