Is Beef Okay for My Cat's Diet?
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11 of the Very Best True cat Foods
As the owner of a x-year-erstwhile cat, I'm constantly thinking about how to proceed her happy and healthy. Choosing the right nutrient is a major function of that equation, and wading through a sea of marketing claims tin can go far a surprisingly difficult task. If yous're like me — overwhelmed by the options out there from grain-complimentary and raw to human-grade and freeze-stale — veterinary Brennen McKenzie, who blogs about science-based pet care at the SkeptVet, may assistance put your mind at ease: "The reality is that there is no 1 'right' food, and nigh cats can thrive on a broad variety of available diets," he says. "Compared to the haphazard nutrition of any prey and scavenged dead things that feral cats can notice, our pets have an fantabulous source of nutrition in conventional commercial cat foods."
But fifty-fifty with that comforting guidance, there are however hundreds of cat nutrient formulas to choose from, so I asked McKenzie and 11 other experts to guide me through the different options and explicate why a cat possessor might choose one brand or type of nutrient over another. As explained in the criteria below, some of the determining factors will depend on your cat's specific needs (frequently determined past their age), while others are more subjective (as cat owners know, picky felines often have their ain unexplainable preferences).
Read on for the criteria we considered, or click on any of the links below to bound straight to our top cat food picks.
Best overall | Best meat-in-gravy | All-time (less expensive) meat-in-gravy | All-time shredded | Best for sensitive stomachs | All-time for purebred cats | Best human-course | Best raw | Best for senior cats | Best for kittens | Best (less expensive) for kittens
Life stage: "The virtually important part when you're buying food for your pet is looking for the nutritional-adequacy statement and making sure it's for the appropriate life stage for your pet," says Martha G. Cline, a certified veterinary nutritionist at Red Banking company Veterinary Infirmary in New Jersey. All pet food should have a nutritional-capability argument from the Association of American Feed Control Officials noting whether information technology meets the standards for growth (expert for kittens), developed maintenance (for maintaining a good for you weight), or all life stages (any historic period).
Nutritional breakdown: Unlike with human nutrient, you generally won't observe a nutrition label on your true cat's food breaking down the specific quantities of carbohydrates, fat, and poly peptide information technology contains. For the most function, McKenzie says that's okay since all food that meets AAFCO standards volition provide a sufficient corporeality of all macronutrients. "There is a range within which cats tin can thrive, and private cats all accept slightly different needs," he says, adding that "nearly all commercial diets fall inside these ranges."
However, some vets are more specific in their recommendations. Jennifer Berg, founder of Tribeca Veterinary Health, says "more poly peptide than fat, then very little of whatsoever kind of carbohydrate is what nosotros feel is probably ideal." Jennifer Coates, a veterinary practiced at the online pet-supplies retailer Chewy, agrees that cats need more than protein than many other species and stresses that the protein "should be sourced from animals." And veterinarian Lisa Pierson has compiled a thorough, publicly available Google spreadsheet of the nutrient contour for hundreds of true cat-food flavors if you'd like to see an individual formulas' nutritional breakdown. But it'south best to ask your vet if they recommend a specific composition for your cat's needs.
You may likewise notice that some cat foods are labeled "grain free," but vets are wary of this marketing term as it doesn't tell you much near food's actual diet. "Grain-free foods can be nutritionally excellent or terrible, and the presence or absence of grains themselves says nothing near the health touch of the diet," says McKenzie. "Anxieties about grains, and carbohydrates generally, in true cat foods are not based on existent science and should not be the basis for selection of a cat nutrient."
Moisture food or dry nutrient: The two main forms of cat food are wet and dry out. Before choosing 1 form over the other, ask your vet what they recommend for your cat's particular needs. Because cats naturally drink niggling water, some vets prefer wet food since its higher moisture content keeps cats hydrated, which may assistance prevent kidney affliction. Other vets disagree, arguing that dry food encourages cats to drink more than water and that there's little scientific evidence to promote the link between wet food and healthier kidneys. Wet food is also lower in calories, then some vets may recommend it if your cat is struggling to maintain a healthy weight. Dry out food, or kibble, has the reward of staying fresh longer, which may make information technology a good option if your cat likes to graze at her meals over the class of the day. Some dry food is actually freeze-stale, a procedure manufacturers utilise to keep ingredients fresh (peculiarly with raw food) without risking bacterial contamination. Within the wet-food category, you'll find pâtés (loaf-manner food with a homogenous texture), shredded meat formulas, and meat-in-gravies (a liquid-based nutrient with chunks of meat). Picky cats tend to take a favorite fashion of food, and so you may have to effort a few different types.
Approximate cost per ounce: The cost of cat food varies depending on the make and formula you choose, and more expensive food isn't necessarily healthier. Since you'll be buying a lot of nutrient over the course of your cat'due south lifetime, we've listed the guess cost per ounce for each food based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price (which may be dissimilar than the retailer price as those can change because of dissimilar promotions). As for how much nutrient to feed, cats by and large crave 200 to 250 calories per day, but this number varies based on their size, activity level, and whether they demand to lose or gain weight. (Calorie counts per ounce of food also vary, so you'll need to check the feeding instructions on the packaging.) Megan Shepherd, a veterinary nutritionist at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, advises checking with your veterinarian for more than specific guidance and consulting this body-condition score chart to see if your true cat is under- or overweight.
Adult | High protein, moderate fat, very low carb | Wet, pâté | Approx. $0.35 per ounce
As explained above, there's actually no one "best" cat food, but according to the veterinarians I spoke with, this Purina Pro Programme formula should check all the nutritional boxes for most adult cats without any special needs. Because Purina employs total-time veterinary nutritionists and invests heavily in research and evolution, information technology's a favorite brand of veterinarians similar Cori Blair of Feline Health and Valerie Parker, an associate professor of minor-animal internal medicine and nutrition at the Ohio State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian with the pet-health website Doggie Designer, likes Purina Pro Plan because the food is high-quality while still existence affordable and like shooting fish in a barrel to find. "Purina uses existent, whole meat equally their beginning ingredient and provides high protein, moderate fatty, and plenty of healthy cobweb," she says.
Adult | Very high protein, low fat, very depression carb | Wet, meat in gravy | Approx. $0.38 per ounce
If your cat prefers meat-in-gravy formulas, Berg says this chicken-in-gravy flavor from Weruva is a good selection considering of its high-poly peptide and low-carbohydrate content. The brand is also recommended by pet-nutrition consultant Susan Lauten. Information technology is grain-gratis, if that'south something you're looking for, but as stated higher up, "grain free" is more than of a marketing term than a reliable indicator of healthiness.
Developed | High poly peptide, moderate fat, moderate carb | Wet, meat in gravy | Approx. $0.25 per ounce
There's nothing wrong with saving money on true cat food as long as you're picking a food that's nutritionally sound. "A lot of people will say Fancy Banquet is kind of the McDonald'due south for cats, only information technology'southward actually not the example," says Berg. "Plenty of the Fancy Feast are actually quite loftier in protein and very low in carbohydrates." This variety pack of protein-rich, meat-in-gravy flavors checks all her boxes and would be a good option for cats who like to mix upwards their meals.
Developed | Very high protein, low fat, very low carb | Moisture, shredded | Approx. $0.68 per ounce
If you browse Pierson's nautical chart, y'all'll see Tiki Cat offers many options that are high in protein and depression in carbs, and Lauten likes the brand'due south wet and dry out foods. Lots of Tiki Cat food is fish-flavored, which is extremely bonny to cats because of its salty taste, but some vets, including Berg, actually discourage feeding cats fish considering fish-flavored cat food has been linked to hyperthyroidism. Your vet can help you lot determine whether or non yous should limit fish in your cat's diet. This multifariousness features shredded craven and should entreatment to cats who like their nutrient a little chunkier.
[Editor'southward note: This true cat food is sold out nigh everywhere right now, but you can go a 10 oz tin can at Petco for $4.]
Adult | Moderate poly peptide, fat, and carbs | Dry, kibble | Approx. $0.35 per ounce
For cats with digestive bug or sensitive stomachs, veterinary Jamie Freyer recommends this specially formulated food from Regal Canin. Such ingredients as easily digestible proteins, prebiotics, and fiber-rich psyllium-seed husks promote intestinal health and regular bowel office. Lots of vets mentioned the brand because of the scientific discipline that goes into its food and the vigorous testing it conducts.
Adult | Moderate protein, fat, and carbs | Dry, kibble | Approx. $0.xxx per ounce
If you lot have a purebred true cat, Freyer recommends looking at Royal Canin's brood-specific foods that are designed for the unique needs of cats like Persians, Maine coons, and Bengals. For example, in the brand's dry out food for Persian cats, the pieces of kibble are almond-shaped, which are easier for these cats to nibble with their shortened jaws.
Adult | Very loftier protein, low fat, depression carb | Wet, shredded | Cost upon asking
Like "grain gratuitous," some vets say "human-form" is more of a buzzy phrase than a statement of quality. (As McKenzie points out, "All the ingredients in white potato chips and corn dogs are, past definition, 'human grade.'") But if you're looking to switch up your true cat'due south food, this direct-to-consumer brand offers high-quality options that are nutritionally appropriate for cats. Lauten likes that Nom Nom's food is high in moisture and meets AAFCO formulation standards. Information technology is formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Information technology's certainly a skillful option — I've given my cat a sample of Nom Nom, and she was a large fan — only vets like McKenzie and Liz Bales, who created the expert-recommended Dr. & Phoebe's Cat Co. hunting feeder, stress that pocket-size brands aren't necessarily any meliorate than the big names you're used to seeing on the shelves of pet stores. "In many cases, the testing of the ingredients, or the end product, is non equally thorough. You might come across one of the large brand names of cat food accept a remember, simply they have a recollect because they got tested. You tin't have a recall for a product you didn't test," Bales says. Prices of Nom Nom cat foods vary as the company offers customized portion sizes based on your cat's historic period and weight. (Smalls is a similar choice that vets like, as well.)
[Editor'south note: Due to supply chain issues, Nom Nom is discontinuing its Chicken Cuisine cat food starting March 28. You can sign up to exist notified should Nom Nom be able to offer the cat food over again in the future.]
Adult | High poly peptide, moderate fatty, low carb | Dry, freeze-dried | Approx. $ii.42 per ounce
While a few vets mentioned the benefits of raw food for cats, most cautioned against preparing it on your own because of the risk of contagion. "The less candy a nutrient is, the more nutritious it is, but very few people want to deal with the possible bacterial dangers that feeding raw food brings," says Bonk. Instead of grinding up raw meat in your kitchen, she recommends this freeze-stale raw food from Instinct that mimics the food-rich food your cat would swallow in the wild but comes in a course that's safety to feed at home. "This makes a very nutritious, less candy version of true cat food that cats seem to do well on," she says.
Adult and senior | Moderate protein and fat, depression carb | Wet, meat in gravy | Approx. $0.49 per ounce
If you expect at Pierson's chart, you lot'll see that the 4th column tracks how much phosphorus is in each nutrient listed. Phosphorus might not be the get-go thing yous await for when shopping for your own food, but this mineral is a very important factor in cat health. While phosphorus is essential for os development in young cats, as cats age, Berg says too much of it tin cause or worsen kidney disease, a mutual trouble among older cats. That'south why AAFCO standards take college minimums for phosphorus in kitten foods than in adult formulas.
AAFCO doesn't have a maximum phosphorus level, but Berg recommends trying to stay under 200 milligrams per 100 calories if your cat is ten years erstwhile or older. Senior cats yet require lots of protein in their diet, though, so Berg says to brand certain yous aren't sacrificing protein in a lower-phosphorus formula: "Phosphorus tends to get up as the poly peptide goes up," she says. "But there are some proteins that are college in phosphorus than others." This nutritionally balanced Weruva food contains only 163 milligrams of phosphorus per 100 calories.
Kitten | High protein, moderate fat, low carb | Wet, pâté | Approx. $0.45 per ounce
If yous're buying food for a kitten, make sure to look for the AAFCO nutritional-adequacy statement for growth. "Considering kittens are growing and developing, they require more calories than adult cats do on a per-pound footing," says Coates. "Kitten foods are generally higher in fatty than foods designed for adults to provide them with these extra calories." Blair and Parker are fans of Royal Canin, and the brand's just-for-kittens food is packed with protein and fortified with all the vitamins and minerals the littlest kitties demand to thrive. Information technology'due south the same food that Hannah Shaw (better known as the Kitten Lady on Instagram) feeds her rescue kittens. "The pâté is the perfect soft texture for weaning kittens and provides them with high-quality nutrition that helps them thrive," she says.
Kitten | Moderate protein, moderate fatty, low carb | Wet, pâté | $0.25 per ounce
Fancy Feast (our top option for less expensive meat-in-gravy food for developed cats) as well makes kitten food that meets AAFCO requirements for growing kittens. This variety pack includes four different flavors, so there'll likely be something for every member of a new litter to enjoy
• Liz Bales, veterinarian
• Jennifer Berg, veterinarian and founder of Tribeca Veterinary Wellness
• Cori Blair, veterinarian with Feline Health
• Chyrle Bonk, veterinary with Doggie Designer
• Martha K. Cline, veterinarian and certified veterinary nutritionist at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital
• Jennifer Coates, veterinary expert at Chewy
• Jamie Freyer, veterinarian
• Susan Lauten, pet nutrition consultant
• Brennen McKenzie, veterinarian and blogger at the SkeptVet
• Valerie Parker, veterinarian and associate professor of small-animal internal medicine and nutrition at the Ohio State University's College of Veterinarian Medicine
• Hannah Shaw (the Kitten Lady), cat rescuer
• Megan Shepherd, veterinary and veterinary nutritionist at the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech
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