New cat foods hit the market everyday, and each brand claims that they are the best. There is no concrete answer. Factors such as cost, ingredients, age, breed, health of the cat, and whether to feed a dry or canned food should be considered when deciding which diet is best for your feline.
Cost
Cheap, grocery brand cat foods tend to be of low quality, and end up costing more money in the long run. These foods are mostly filler (see the next section), causing the cat to eat more to be satisfied. The initial price may be cheaper, but more has to be fed, and the food will have to be purchased more often. Pay attention to the feeding guides on the labels of cat food bags. The cost per day of feeding a low quality feline diet is often comparable to feeding one of a higher quality.
Low quality foods pose health risks, such as allergic reactions, poor dental health, and obesity. What you save on the food may cost a lot more at the vet.
Price may not always be indicative of quality, though. If a food is constantly advertised on television, the costs of these advertisements are worked into the sticker price of the cat food. One of equal, or even better quality, may be purchased for less.
Ingredients
Low quality cat foods are usually grain based, and contain more fillers, such as wheat and corn, than actual meat. This is a big problem for felines, as cats need a lot of meat to stay healthy. Pay attention to the first three ingredients of a pet food to see if it is meat or grain based. Read the label, and ignore the pictures on the bag. Cat food with pictures of fish and fresh chicken on its packaging may be nothing but by-products and fillers.
Age, Breed, and Health of the Cat
Some cat foods are formulated to provide appropriate nutrition to felines of any age.
More common though, are foods that address the needs of cats throughout different stages of their lives. Kitten foods, fed for the first year of a cat's life, are higher in calories to promote growth, and contain ingredients such as DHA for optimal brain development. Senior feline diets, fed after the age of seven, are lower in calories, to account for a less active lifestyle, and may have added glucosamine and chondroitin for joints.
If a cat is overweight, there are calorie reduced formulas to help the feline loose weight. Some cat foods even address issues such as dental health, sensitive skin, digestive problems, and cats that are prone to hairballs. There are also feline diets that are formulated for indoor cats, and even cat foods that address the needs of specific breeds (such as Siamese, Persian, and Main Coons).
Dry vs. Canned Food
There is some debate as to whether cats should eat mainly dry or canned cat food. The answer is both. Dry food helps clean the teeth of a cat, scraping off tartar and preventing costly trips to the dentist. A cat will have to eat less of a dry food to feel full, as canned foods are usually at minimum 75 percent water.
The high percentage of water in a canned cat food is exactly why they should be fed to a feline. Cats often do not drink enough water, which can cause a variety of medical problems. Many people choose to feed their cats one dry meal a day, and one canned, or mix the two together.
It should be noted that the best food for a cat is most likely a raw diet.
Ian Shoust - With a degree in Communications and a certificate in Digital Video Editing, Ian Shoust has worked as a freelance videographer, editor, and ...
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