How To Choose Healthy Ingredients When Purchasing Cat Food?
Is your feline companion picky when it comes to eating particular ingredients? It comes as no surprise since cats are known for their fussiness and peculiar attitude towards food.
Despite their finicky behavior, pet owners are expected to ensure their companions consume healthy ingredients, which are harmless to their health and weight. It’s paramount for pet parents to take a detailed look at the ingredient list of products to see whether these fulfill the nutrient requirements for felines.
Make sure you click through this page in order to get familiar with the healthiest cat food ingredients and the ones to avoid when purchasing such products. The following tips might be also helpful in your choice.
Check the first three ingredients
The primary thing to check when reading pet food labels is the order of ingredients, particularly the first three on the list. The components of these products are enumerated by weight, with the heaviest at the top. In order for your feline companion to get its protein share, make sure meat is among the leading ingredients, in the form of chicken, lamb, fish, or beef.
In order to prevent food allergies, it’s essential to avoid products with common allergens in felines. As surprising as it may seem to pet parents, most felines tend to be allergic or intolerant to fish, dairy products, and eggs. Therefore, check the package for terms like fish-free and gluten-free foods to be on the safe side.
Don’t be fooled by grain-free products
Owners of overweight felines tend to look for grain-free foods in the hope of helping their cats drop some of the excess pounds. Nevertheless, most of the grain-free products aren’t necessarily carb-free like feline owners think but contain carbohydrates in the form of potatoes and vegetables.
Make sure you inspect the label so as to learn the exact amount of both carbohydrates and proteins, of which the latter are supposed to be higher. Anyhow, carbs that are processed in a proper manner aren’t detrimental to cats’ weight and health. On the contrary, these are thought to provide felines with an incredible amount of energy to perform their daily activities. The following link,https://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/nutrition/evr_ct_why-grain-free-cat-food-may-not-be-the-best-choice, explains why grain-free cat food isn’t always the best choice.
Look for the guaranteed analysis
Another important factor to check when purchasing cat food is the guaranteed analysis of the product, disclosing the exact amount of nutrients, in the form of protein, fiber, and fat. This analysis serves to demonstrate pet owners that the meals given to their beloved cats contain the required minimum of crude nutrients.
Nevertheless, besides stating the exact amount of nutrients, the guaranteed analysis isn’t proof of ingredients’ quality. Keep in mind that such analysis cannot be used as a means of comparing the quality between different brands of cat food, as it says nothing about the digestibility of the ingredients and their nutritive benefits.
Learn the difference between dry and wet cat meals
Many pet owners end up confused by the extensive variety of dry and wet foods for felines, wondering which one is the healthier alternative. Except for being convenient, the dry kibble isn’t beneficial to be fed to felines, owing to the myriad of downsides.
For instance, the dry kibble contains approximately 50% of processed carbohydrates, which aren’t exactly beneficial for the health of felines. Consequently, dry-fed cats are more susceptible to becoming obese and dehydrated. Since dry kibble contains no water, felines are likely to develop kidney or bladder health issues. Over time, the urine of these creatures becomes highly concentrated, hence resulting in urinary infections.
In contrast, wet cat food is known for providing the required hydration and protein amount. Additionally, canned products are available in a huge variety of flavors, thus enabling owners to introduce new ingredients to the felines’ diet. Since they’re notorious for being finicky creatures, canned meals are the ideal alternative for introducing a versatile diet. Also, pet parents are advised to add a few drops of CBD oil to the meals of their companions whenever they experience a sudden loss of appetite.
Bottom line
Your companion deserves to consume healthy ingredients.
Its health is of tremendous importance!
