How to Choose Best Cat Food For Felines?

Posted by Kwik Pets on July 12th, 2022

Being paw parents, one must be concerned about getting complete details about what will be the Best Cat Food for your feline pets? Which is better food for cats: Canned food or dry cat food? Which food should be preferred to maintain the proper health of feline pets? Is premium quality food ample to feed pets? And many similar questions come to the pet owners and people who are planning to adopt a little feline as their pet. 

Selecting the healthiest food for feline companions seems to be one of the toughest jobs. There are a number of food brands available in the marketplace with different varieties and flavors. With these large options available in the market, it is hard to select the best option that is suitable and healthiest for your pet. That is enough to keep your furry pet’s health in check.

What are the healthy nutrients that should be taken care of in cat food?

Cats are carnivores and hence require certain animal protein in their diet to get all the nutrients that are required to keep their metabolism strong and healthy. This is required as cats are not efficient to synthesize amino acids which are also known as Taurine from other nutrients. Taurine is only found in animal proteins. If a cat is fed a diet that is deficient in Taurine, it can lead to serious heart muscle disease which is called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). DCM can even lead to central retinal degeneration and reproductive failure in cats.

Thus, it is not good to feed your cat only vegetarian food. In order to ensure that you are choosing the right food for your pets, there are a few things that need to be taken care of. Some of those are as follows: 

• Food that contains a complete protein source.

• Food products that are made with low-starch ingredients.

• Food must consist of the ingredients that are recommended by AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officers)

Which ingredients should be included in best-wet cat food or best cat dry food?

The organization that makes recommendations for ideal diet compositions for different animals is known as the Association of American Feed Control Officers (AAFCO). It consists of highly qualified animal feed specialists who work on these recommendations.

This body provides recommendations for the diet to meet minimum requirements of nutrient compositions to avoid risks of malnutrition but it does not regulate pet food. The body that regulates cat food or pet food, in general, is known as the Food & Drug Administration(FDA). The FDA also enforces food safety.

All those manufacturers who use AAFCO recommendations will have a statement issued which is called the nutritional adequacy statement. This statement helps the owner to know that the diet is balanced and complete. It helps pet owners to decide if they need a specifically formulated diet for their pets.

Which ingredients to include in the diet

In the past few years, mentioning the ingredients of pet food products has become popular. The manufacturers started doing this in order to increase their credibility among the consumers. The ingredients are listed on the label of the product in descending order in terms of weight and that is the reason most of these products have their first ingredient as meat because meat contains moisture thus making it the heaviest ingredient.

The food that has chicken as its first ingredient is considered one of the best choices in terms of nutrition. However, this majorly depends on the subsequent ingredients. If the subsequent ingredients are less in animal protein, the nutritional value will decrease.

Which food is better for Cats: Dry cat food or Canned Food?

When it comes to feeding your feline pets, it is one of the most concerning parts for the pet parents as to which is the better choice to feed their felines with, cat wet food/canned food or Dry Cat Food. Every parent has different opinions and perspectives on the food they are feeding their pets. Cats like varieties of options and flavors in their meal. 

Dry food is considered one of the easily available options and is also inexpensive. The good part about dry food is that it can be stored for a long period of time and it is considered a free choice option for cats. It can be stored in airtight containers for months and its chances of getting inedible are very less which is not the case with wet or canned food. Where cats love the crunchiness of kibble food, the chances of getting ample vitamins & nutrients in kibble are less. Because when it is kept open even in airtight containers, vitamins and minerals degrade from the dry food. 

Dry food is a prominent option for pet parents who tend to leave for a long period of time on a regular basis as the canned or wet food can not be kept open for a longer period of time 

Kibble provides a hard, crunchy texture that is a great source to keep the dental health of cats or kittens in check. Also one needs to make sure to keep your cats hydrated enough if one is feeding dry food to their cats as it contains on average 10% of water. As per studies, cats require one cup of water for every ten pounds of body weight per day to avoid dehydration.

Canned food on the other hand is considered a great source of water and moisture content that is enough to keep the feline pets hydrated enough throughout the day. Canned food contains an average of 75% moisture in it. Canned food or wet food provides a soft texture which may affect the dental health of feline pets. Wet food once can not be kept for a long period of time. It can only be kept for a few hours once opened and must also be kept refrigerated. The increased water content can be beneficial for cats that have trouble drinking enough, especially when struggling with bladder inflammation or renal disease, where the optimum water intake can help flush out the urinary tract. It is also a great source of proteins, vitamins, and minerals as it contains a good amount of meat in it. 

Whether you choose dry cat food or canned food for your pet. It is important to ensure that it contains premium quality ingredients in it that are required to keep your furry pets healthy, fit, strong, and happy. Shop Kwik Pets to get the premium quality of the Best Cat Food along with all other supplies you require for your lovely pets at an affordable price.