What Happens If You Eat Dry Cat Food
Of great importance to note is that pet food isnt made for human consumption. Most dry pet food, whether cat or dog food is made from ingredients that humans cannot stomach such as slaughterhouse leftovers like offal, blood, and organs.
In 2007, there was a recall by the FDA on some cuts and gravy style canned pet food that resulted in rapid kidney failure in thousands of animals, and in severe cases, death.
Although some pet food is made from human-grade ingredients that are harmless, it is advised to avoid consuming them.
Final Thoughts On Dry Cat Food
I dont recommend dry because cats cant survive and thrive eating dry food only.
Simply because cats rely on food for moisture. And dry food only provides about 6% of the cats daily water needs.
However, any of these brands are probably much better quality than the dry youre feeding now.
Use these dry cat food brands to help get your cat adjusted to better quality ingredients.
That will make the transition to wet or raw much easier.
But if your only options are between wet or dry, WET FOOD WINS.
Check out cat food reviews if you still need more options.
Crave Grain Free Indoor Adult High Protein Natural Dry Cat Food With Protein From Chicken & Salmon 10 Lb Bag
$ as of February 26, 2022 3:12 pm
Features
- Contains 10 lb. bag of CRAVE Grain Free Indoor Adult Dry Cat Food with Protein from Chicken and Salmonspecially formulated for indoor cats
- Real chicken is the No.1 ingredient to give cats the flavors they love and the protein rich diets they need
- Dry, grain free cat food recipes are crafted with all natural, real ingredients inspired by your cats natural, ancestral dietproviding energy from quality carbohydrate sources, plus vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients
- High protein cat food provides cats with essential nutrients for developing muscle, aiding in digestion, and supporting healthy immune systems
- Each grain free dry cat food recipe has no chicken by-product meal, no corn, no wheat, and no soy protein
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Why You Should Trust Us
Over the last year, weve reviewed over 115 cat food brands, including most of the biggest brands on the planet. Weve read customer reviews, spoken with market insiders, and tested foods hands-on.
Based on that research, were bringing you an updated list of the best cat food brands and products in the industry. The following foods earn their place with outstanding ingredient quality, nutritional merits, and safety records.
Because it defies stereotypes with its low starch content, lack of legumes, and generous doses of species-appropriate protein, weve selected Dr. Elseys cleanprotein kibble as the best dry cat food on the market.
Lets Start With Choosing A Cat Food
The first step is giving your cat the best dry and wet food possible. To help you in choosing a good dry cat food as follows you will find a list of the best cat foods which are all meat-based. These cat foods are also classified according to the main 5 ingredients because they represent the most nutritional value in the formula.
Here you will find free-grain cat foods and cat foods with grains because some cat owners dont want any grain, while others dont mind it as long as the cat food is: 1) meat-based, 2) with a high percentage of crude proteins 3) with low or medium glycemic grains/carbs. Besides, some people cannot afford very expensive formulas.
This list has been updated: Brands have been re-classified, not only considering if the main first 5 ingredients are high in proteins but also if the formula informs all the essential amino acids cats need in the foods analysis. Consequently, on this update, the listing of 11 essential amino acids is a very important criterion in these reviews.
A cat food brand is very good when high in proteins, but its excellent if it informs all the essential amino acids cats need. These amino acids are 11 and cats need to get them from food because they cant produce them themselves. These amino acids are arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and taurine.
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Blue Buffalo Healthy Aging Recipe
This Blue recipe has chicken as the first ingredient, followed by wholesome grains, veggies, and fruit. It also includes Blues own LifeSource Bitsa combination of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins chosen by animal nutritionists to support your cats overall health and wellness. Its available in 3-, 5-, and 7-pound bags.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Cat Food Best Value
The Rachel Ray Nutrish is a great value, high protein kibble. Ever since the Nutrish pet food brand was established, it has enjoyed impressive stats in the industry.
This food from Rachael Ray doesnt use any poultry byproducts. In terms of fat and protein composition, it has 14% and 34% respectively, while moisture and fiber content stands at 9% and 4% respectively.
Your cat will benefit from an array of vitamins and minerals contained in the meal including phosphorus, zinc, and calcium. It comes complete with taurine and biotin.
Grab a bag to see what the fuss is about.
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If Your Cat Is Prone To A Sensitive Digestion
Soaking food softens it making it kinder on a gut that is suffering from inflammation, as a result of vomiting or diarrhea. Soft food also makes the process of digestion easy especially during an illness or the recovery period.
If your pet suffers from acid reflux, soaking food is a possible solution.
We Looked For Foods That Were Free Of Potentially Harmful Ingredients And Additives
The Best Cat Food Is Free Of Carrageenan.
This natural seaweed extract is a great binder and thickener for canned cat food, but it has a bad reputation. Studies have shown that carrageenan creates inflammation in the body and may exacerbate cancer.
The Best Cat Food Doesnt Contain Artificial Ingredients.
Artificial flavors are unnecessary if the food is made with nourishing meat ingredients. No cat needs artificial colors. In addition to being unnecessary, food dyes are tied to behavioral issues and cancer development in both humans and animals.
BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin are popular preservatives that are associated with serious problems. Most pet foods have replaced them with natural alternatives including Vitamin E , rosemary extract, and other antioxidants. Although ethoxyquin rarely appears on the ingredient list, it may enter your cat food as a fish preservative.
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What Should You Look For In Dry Cat Food
Not all dry cat food is the same. There are some excellent brands with quality ingredients, but there are also some subpar formulas that are essentially the feline equivalent of junk food. Here’s what you should look for.
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Quality protein: Quality dry cat food has a high-protein content. Look for a formula that is at least 26% protein a formula of 30% protein or more is even better. The protein should come from a quality animal source, not from animal by-products.
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Taurine: Taurine is an essential amino acid for cats. While it occurs naturally in meat, we suggest a brand with added taurine to help your kitty avoid a taurine deficiency.
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Vitamins and minerals: Look for a dry cat food with a range of added vitamins and minerals. Ideally, they should be chelated for easier absorption.
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Fats: High-quality dry cat food should contain plenty of good fats and fatty acids, such as omega-3.
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Fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are an important ingredient in dry cat food. They provide carbohydrates as well as vitamins and minerals.
What Is The Shelf Life Of Dry Cat Food Stay
The best dry cat foods should remain good for up to six months. Antioxidants and preservatives keep them fresh for that period.
To ensure it stays fresher for longer, store it in its original bag and ensure it is sealed tightly.
Although purchasing bigger bags is more cost-effective, it is worth noting that after 6 weeks the flavor, scent, and nutritional value of the dry food tends to decrease.
A twenty-pound bag can hold roughly 100+ cups of kibble meaning itll last several months. This means that you might end up throwing out some food if you purchase a larger-sized bag.
To avoid waste, break a bigger bag into 2 3 smaller sizes to freeze.
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Best Dry Food For Cats To Prevent Hairballs
A cat hacking up fur balls is nasty and gross to clean up and it sure is no picnic for your cat either. Danielle Bernal, a veterinarian with Wellness Natural Pet Food recommends the all-natural, vet-formulated recipe, Wellness Hairball Control Natural Dry Cat Food in Chicken & Rice. It is scientifically proven to help manage hairballs by incorporating a special natural fiber blend that helps move swallowed hair and already-formed hairballs through a cats digestive system. The formula also incorporates high levels of animal-based protein and a balance of omega fatty acids to support a lustrous coat and healthy skin, which promotes less shedding and ingestion of hair during self-grooming. Dr. Bernal says this food also promotes overall well-being, but you should be aware of these subtle signs your cat is depressed.
Via Chewy.com
Stella & Chewys Freeze
Buy Online : $2.12/ounceStella & Chewys may have a strange name, but there is no questioning the companys commitment to quality nutrition for cats and dogs. This company is unique in that they only offer freeze-dried and raw frozen recipes, both of which are made from the finest raw ingredients available. Stella & Chewys recipes are 98% meat, organs, and bone with no glutens, grains, or fillers. Their recipes are rich in taurine, supplemented with probiotics, and complete and balanced for all life stages. This Stella & Chewys Freeze-Dried Duck Duck Goose Recipe offers the nutritional benefits of raw food with the convenience of dry food. It is made with 98% poultry meat, organs, and bones with pumpkin seed and pea fiber for healthy fats and dietary fiber. This formula is supplemented with chelated minerals for maximum nutrient absorption and dried fermentation products for probiotic support. Overall, this recipe provides 40% crude protein, 30% crude fat, and just 2% crude fiber.
Pros and Cons of Frozen/Freeze-Dried Cat Foods
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Cat Foods That Do Not List All Essential Amino Acids
The following list represents the cat foods that contain meats & fish or just fish in the first 5 ingredients. These particular cat foods are highly concentrated in proteins just like the foods of the above list. The difference is that they dont list the 11 essential amino acids. As I stated previously, the fact that these foods dont inform the 11 amino acids doesnt mean necessarily they dont contain them, but I decided to classify them apart just for this fact.
If you have a cat with urinary sensitivities or if your cat doesnt drink very much water, I dont recommend formulas with only fish as the first 5 first ingredients:
Dr. Elseys Clean Protein Chicken formula is a recipe that contains mostly animal-sourced proteins, not plant-sourced proteins which is a common issue found in several cat food formulas. Cats natural diet consists mainly of animal proteins and very few carbs. This cat food accomplishes this by far since the level of protein is very high with 59% and crude fat 18% as a minimum.
First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Pork Protein Isolate, Gelatin, Chicken Fat . FULL REVIEW. Get this formula on Chewy here with 30% less on your first auto-ship. *This is a Chewy affiliate link, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.
Canned Cat Food Drawbacks
Canned food is often more expensive than dry food, so this may play a role in your decision.
Once opened, canned food has a shelf-life of 24 hours and must be stored in the refrigerator. If your cat does not finish their wet food, it should be properly stored in the refrigerator or discarded. Leaving canned food out for longer than a few hours can run the risk of contamination and cause gastrointestinal upset.
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Writing Their Own Rules: The Problem With The Cat Food Industry
Americans are discovering that the lack of adequate regulation has resulted in food that may be slowly killing their beloved pets, whether through chronic diseases, allergies, malnourishment, or dehydration.
We are not completely against commercial food, as there are many great products on the market. Many companies are finally meeting the demands of pet parents who want to feed their cats a healthier diet. Feeding your cat a more appropriate diet wont have to break the bank either.
However, it hasnt always been that way. Many of the big guys in the commercial pet food industry continue to show very little regard for the lives of animals who eat their products. Public opinion has been so heavily influenced by the pet food industry that most pet owners no longer consider feeding the kind of diet kitties in the past enjoyed and thrived on. Scraps, raw ingredients, and raw diets are seen with suspicion and maligned as harmful, risky, or people food and not suitable for animals.
- The cat food industry heavily influences or outright subsidizes the US veterinary education systems nutritional training.
- Regulations, government oversight and approval processes for cat food are pretty much written by the companies and entities who make it.
- The industry has a vested interest in continuing to push grain-based cat food vs. meeting the science-based nutritional needs of cats
The Pet Food Industrys Controlling Influence on Veterinary Nutritional Science & Prescription Diets
Dry Cat Food Benefits
Dry cat food is less expensive than canned food, so people who are on a strict budget or those that feed community cats may choose this option.
Dry food also does not have to be stored in the refrigerator and can be left out much longer than can food. This is a good option if you free-feed your cats, but any portion not eaten by the end of the day should be discarded.
You can also use dry cat food in automatic feeders or in puzzle feeder toys.
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Best Treats: Vital Essentials Minnows Freeze
If youre investing in raw food for your cat’s breakfast and dinner, you likely want to continue the trend when offering snacks. Other pet parents might only want to offer raw treats on occasion. Vital Essentials is filled with freeze-dried, wild-caught small minnow fish.
Cats that gobble up these nutrient-rich treats will get a single source of protein, without any antibiotics, grains, fillers, flavorers, or added hormones. Warning: Your cat may love the taste of these treats so much that they’ll raid your kitty snack drawer.
Important Points To Consider About Grain
Feeding your cat grain-free dry food doesnt always mean your cat will be slim and healthy. Some grain-free cat foods use starch such as tapioca or potatoes in the main 5 ingredients and that means they have as many carbohydrates as the food containing grains. For example, if a cat food contains potatoes or tapioca as the second or third ingredient, that cat food is very high in carbohydrates. These carbs will load the cats blood sugar the same way as the foods that contain grains. However, if a grain-free formula contains low-glycemic carbs, such as lentils, sweet potatoes or green peas itll be a healthier recipe than formulas containing grains, especially considering that some grains contain gluten.
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If Changing From One Cat Food To Another
When changing from one type to another, soaking and mixing the two works well. Mixing disguises the taste of the food you are trying to introduce, making the transition easier.
Soaking softens the food which will make it more gut-friendly. This is important when changing foods, as you want to avoid drastic changes which could upset your cats stomach. Remember, the a of cat food should be done gradually.
What Wet And Dry Cat Food Do Veterinarians Recommend
Regardless of whether you choose to feed a dry or canned cat food, it is important to feed a well-balanced, commercial diet to ensure that your cat gets the vitamins and minerals they need.
Reputable brands such as Science Diet and Royal Canin have been quality-controlled and specially formulated to meet a cats nutritional requirements. Your veterinarian can give you more specific recommendations based on your cats health history.
Avoid feeding a home-cooked or homemade diet unless it is specially formulated by a veterinarian who is specialized in making these diets. If you dont have help from a qualified vet, these diets can be deficient in vitamins and minerals such as taurine, which can cause heart disease in cats.
Involving your veterinarian in your decision of what to feed your cat can be very helpful in ensuring they get the most appropriate nutrition.
Here are some other things to consider.
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What To Absolutely Avoid In The Main 5 Ingredients:
- Proteins from corn
- Proteins from soy
- Grains such as wheat, white rice. They are high in carbs and wheat has gluten.
- Rye. It is very harsh to digest and it has gluten, plus, pets dont like it.
- When 3 of the first 5 ingredients are grains
- Potatoes . They are high-glycemic, causing peaks in the cats blood sugar.
- Tapioca is high-glycemic.
Is Dry Food Bad For Cats
Our favorite felines can be notoriously picky eaters, which makes choosing the correct food for your cats a tricky balancing act between a foods nutritional value and your cats selective palate.
Many cat owners, for example, have cats that favor dry kibble over wet food from a can or pouch . You may have heard concerns that dry food is bad for cats and can affect the health of their kidneys, urinary tracts, and even teeth.
In short, the nutrition cat food contains is much more important than whether its wet or dry, but if youre concerned about what food is best for your cat, read on.
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