How much do you know about your cat’s food? Have you ever wondered what exactly goes into your cat’s stomach?
Do you think you are feeding your cats well? What you feed your cat makes a big difference to their health and wellness. However, the cat food industry is full of rumours, myths, and unrevealed information.
Here are 5 Shocking Truths that you should know about your cat food! Because we believe you will never want to put your cat’s health at risk.
Number 1: The food you feed them are mostly JUNK FOOD
You may be thinking:
“They like the food.” “They look healthy.”
But ask yourselves, if you eat instant noodle every single day as your main meal, what is going to happen to your body in the long run? You will be most likely to suffer from malnutrition and may develop several health conditions.
Same goes for our cats. If you continue feeding your cats non-AAFCO compliant food, which are most probably junk food, they may suffer from malnutrition or nutrient deficiency.
AAFCO is a non-profit organisation that sets standard for both animal feeds and pet foods.
If you see your cat with the symptoms below, he/she may be suffering from malnutrition or nutrient deficiency. And you must not ignore these symptoms.
→ Muscular weakness
→ Poor coordination
→ Lethargy
→ Lack of grooming
→ Organ failure
Looking for an AAFCO Compliant Cat Food, check out
Number 2: Some food may cause your cats to go BLIND or develop HEART FAILURE
Not all cat food available on the rack are added with Taurine.
“Taurine is critical for normal vision, digestion, heart muscle function, and to maintain a healthy immune system” - by VCA Animal Hospitals
TAURINE is an essential nutrient for a cat’s healthy eyes and heart. And cats cannot produce taurine within their body, so Taurine must be included as part of their diet.
Additionally, Taurine is not stored in large quantities in the body and because of this, it must be consumed on a regular basis. If taurine levels are deficient, the retinal cells of the eyes will eventually degenerate, impairing the vision. It will also lead to a weakening of the muscle cells in the heart, causing heart problems.
Cat with eye problem
Number 3: Most cat food DON’T PROVIDE CALCIUM
We always say cats have nine lives, and this is because of their abilities to leap, twist and land perfectly on their feet. And this is all thanks to their strong bones.
“Calcium is an essential nutrient for cats, meaning cats must consume it in their diet” - by NASC Cat University
With the lack of calcium, it will lead to rickets, a condition where their bones become brittle or fragile, making them to get easily injured when they are jumping or leaping. Other than that, some other symptoms of calcium deficiency include:
→ Restlessness
→ Stiffness
→ Lethargy
→ Convulsions
No calcium, no life. If your cat could not do whatever he feels like doing, such as jumping or leaping, he would not enjoy his life; much less, nine lives.
Pets Global has recently launched an Exclusive Trial Feeding Programme for paw-rents who are exploring healthy and delicious food for their furkids. It is important to provide a complete and balanced diet for our feline friends to thrive.
If you are interested, you may register to join the Exclusive Trial Feeding Programme here, and it is FREE.
Number 4: Energy provided is different!
Not all canned are the same! Even when two cans of food are the same weight, the energy provided is different.
For example, these two cans are 80g each. However, one of them provides 49kcal and the other only provides 35kcal.
Your cat spends most of the time sleeping? And you think this is just his hobby to sleep?
Not exactly! You may just not be feeding him with enough calories for his daily activities. Therefore, your cat sleeps to conserve energy.
It is also bad if your cats are overweight. They may just rest or sleep because it would be too painful for them to move.
Number 5: Your cat is not eating REAL MEAT
The food you are feeding your cat may look like meat. But they are most likely common plant-based ingredients such as wheat, corn and soy. The worst part is that most of these plant-based ingredients don’t even provide the necessary nutrients for cats. Most of the time, they are just fillers.
“Cats are obligate carnivores, their gastrointestinal tracts and metabolism have adapted to eating meat. They can’t digest plant ingredients well” - by American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Being carnivores, cats would need meat. REAL MEAT. Cats are in the same family as lions and tigers, and they hunt primarily for meat. Imagine feeding wheat to a lion or a tiger. You will not do that right? So why do this to your cats?
If you continue feeding your cats plant-based diets, they may begin to break down their body muscles for energy, which will subsequently lead to health problems.
So, what could we do to ensure that we are giving the best to our cats to thrive, and enjoy their lives?
The Solutions
All the truths that have shocked you so far, can simply be answered by the food label. These are what you should do in order to provide the best food for your cats.
1. Look for the “AAFCO Compliance” statement
Always look for the AAFCO Compliance statement on your cat food label. Don’t see AAFCO? Put it back. It is because most of these products (non-AAFCO compliant products) do not provide a complete and balanced diet for your cats. They are mostly snacks or junk food.
AAFCO should always be your first guide to a complete and balanced diet.
2. Read the “Ingredients List”
Look for more details on the packaging, turn and read the “Ingredients List” on the label. Find out what you are feeding your cat. Look for real meat, but not plant-based ingredients.
Always check for vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin E, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin B3, Potassium etc because they are essential for a cat’s healthy growth and maintenance.
3. Check the “Guaranteed Analysis”
On the label, check the “Guaranteed Analysis”. For your cat’s health and wellness, you would want to find “Calcium” and “Taurine” there. Only then you will know how much calcium and taurine your cat is consuming.
4. Spot the “Calorie Content”
In all AAFCO compliant cat food, you will be able to spot the “calorie content” on the food label.
Not all canned foods are the same. You shall find out how much you are feeding your cats to help them grow, while maintaining a healthy weight. Also, you will want to ensure they are getting enough energy for their daily activities, yet not too much.
5. Find out more about the “Medical Claims”
Do not trust any medical claims on the packaging unless the product is AAFCO compliant. Many cat food products in the market are advertised to provide medical treatments, such as “hairball control”, “urinary tract health”, “for strong bones”; BUT, many of them are self-claimed, without proper research.
Why do they do so? Simple, because they just want to sell the products to you. Don’t fall into the trap. To be sure, you can always check with the manufacturers to verify their medical claims.
Your Cat Trusts You!
You are the only one your cats can depend on. So don’t be fooled by the packaging or popular brand names. Always read up on the labels, find out what you are feeding your cats.
At the end of the day, we are not feeding our cats to keep them alive. We’re feeding them to provide them with the best life that we have to offer.
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