Mary Allen
Cat food with a high meat content is a matter of course. Unfortunately, no. Because it doesn’t always contain what the label suggests.
Cats are carnivores. A mouse obviously consists mainly of meat, the few bones and the contents of the stomach are important, but in terms of quantity, they hardly matter. So it’s no surprise that hunters need cat food with high meat content. The usual manufacturers also boast of this and indicate it on the packaging. But there are usually many other things on it that, according to advertising, are important for optimal care for your cat. The label doesn’t lie. But how much it tells you depends on how well you read it.
Why is a high meat content in cat food so important?
The cat’s short intestine is not designed to digest other foods. The breakdown of plant components takes longer than that of animal food, which is why carnivores like cats have a shorter intestine than omnivores like humans or even vegetarians like cows. In addition, the cat lacks the right enzymes to break down plant proteins. Non-animal proteins are therefore literally heavy in the cat’s stomach and can even begin to ferment.
A high proportion of meat in cat food therefore not only corresponds to the cat’s natural diet, but also keeps it healthy. Provided it is protein-rich muscle meat supplemented with nutrient-rich supplements from the heart and liver. Your cat can safely do without slaughterhouse waste and other by-products such as hooves and feathers. But not on sufficient employment, which is part of a healthy and species-appropriate life.
List: Wet cat food with a high meat content
A high-quality wet food with a high meat content of at least 70% is therefore particularly species-appropriate. However, only if this meat is of good quality that makes a real contribution to your cat’s diet. Best of all, you rely on food quality. Cats need protein, and that’s mainly provided by muscle meat, just like you would eat it. Heart and liver may not be to everyone’s taste, but they provide cats with important nutrients when added to the basic feed in small amounts. Slaughterhouse waste, on the other hand, is cheap stuffing material that only increases the meat and protein content on paper, but is not usable by the cat.
Attention: 100% chicken does not mean that your cat food consists entirely of chicken. Such a statement is usually associated with an indication such as 4% meat content and means that the 4% meat content comes entirely from the chicken! Apart from the fact that 4% is negligible compared to the required 70%, this does not even say which part of the chicken the so-called meat comes from. This can hide hooves, hydrolyzed feathers and tumor tissue. It is therefore important for the health of your cat that you recognize high-quality cat food and understand the labels.
It is also worth taking a close look at the label if you want to distinguish between good and inferior feed. In any case, high-quality feed does not contain any sugar or grain. Sugar masks unpleasant odors and makes questionable preparations look attractive. It also causes dental problems, diabetes and obesity and makes the cat dependent. Grain, on the other hand, is a plant component that cats need in small amounts of less than 4% as dietary fiber. Finally, the remains of its last vegetarian meal are found in the stomach of the captured mouse. However, these are already fermented and therefore easier to digest. As an additive in cat food, grain is difficult for cats to digest and is suspected of triggering allergies.
A high and high-quality meat content and as few additives as possible therefore determine the good quality of cat food. In addition, wet food has another decisive advantage: due to the high moisture content of over 70%, it covers most of the liquid requirements of lazy animals. What else should be in high-quality cat food? In addition to lots of good, food-grade meat and a high moisture content, high-quality cat food also contains many important oils, minerals and trace elements as well as taurine, which have a positive effect on the cat’s coat. You can lay a solid foundation for your cat’s coat care with nutrition.
The market for cat food is large and confusing. According to advertising, all manufacturers offer the best nutrition for your cat. A look at what cats need and what is often in the food already shows that this cannot always be right. We took a closer look at the products for you and separated the wheat from the chaff. The result is this list of high meat-content wet foods.
List: Dry cat food with a high meat content
Is there also dry food with a high meat content? In short: no. Dry food is a practical and clean solution for the owner. For the cat, however, this form of nutrition is not species-appropriate. If possible, you should not feed them dry food at all. It certainly shouldn’t replace a meal. At best, it has a place in your cat’s diet as a treat.
Due to the manufacturing process, the meat content in dry food cannot be as high as in wet food. The same obviously applies to humidity. However, the cat has to get liquid through its food, because the body of the hunter is designed for this by nature: a bird, for example, consists of more than 70% water! Even if your cat always has fresh water available – it can only absorb that much moisture from wet food. Dry food, on the other hand, does not provide moisture. On the contrary, in order for digestion to work, the cat needs to drink three times as much as it eats. Since she lacks the instinct to do so, kidney problems are inevitable.
And unfortunately, the problems don’t end there. The cat’s teeth are not designed for the consistency of dry food. When chewed, it turns into a pulp, which all too often also contains sugar in one form or another. This sticks between the teeth, where it causes damage over time. So it’s best to stay away from dry food and only feed the cat high-quality wet food with a high meat content!
With regard to the health of your pet, however, it is advisable to switch the cat from dry food to wet food at the first opportunity. Until you succeed, you should persistently encourage your cat to drink.
Organic cat food with a high meat content
High-quality wet food with a high meat content is also available as organic cat food. Here the quality is even higher than with conventional providers. In organic farming, no harmful substances are used. This also applies to growth-promoting substances and, wherever possible, to medicines such as antibiotics. This ensures that there are no harmful residues in the meat and even in a few vegetable components. In addition, when manufacturing these products, care is taken to ensure particularly gentle preparation, which preserves the nutrient content as well as possible. Ethical aspects such as the welfare of farm animals and the protection of the environment are also taken into account. This makes organic cat food a particularly good choice for you and your pet.
Is there also cheap cat food with a high meat content?
When it comes to cat food, you often pay for the name. Or the expenses with which it is advertised. Therefore, the broad field of the market is far too expensive in relation to what is actually in it. A look at the label shows in most cases: The meat content is shockingly low and the quality of the meat contained is even lower. Udder and hooves, slaughterhouse waste, tumor tissue and hydrolysed feathers are ingredients that are permitted by law and cheap for manufacturers, which undeservedly drive up the percentage in the meat and animal by-products category. The amount of muscle meat and nutrient-rich heart or liver is then often negligible.
Instead, cheap fillers like grain ensure that the can and stomach fill up faster. To the detriment of your cat’s health. Because while mice and birds also have a small amount of plant nutrients in their stomach contents, these are fermented and easily digestible for the cat. And grains that the industry likes to use in cat food are almost non-existent. A high-quality cat food therefore always comes without grain. And especially without sugar. It occurs in cheap cat food in many, often hidden forms and ensures that the mass of food smells appetizing to your cat and looks appetizing to you, despite the lack of quality meat.
Good to know:
Cereals and sugar are often given in hidden form to mislead the consumer.
Unfortunately, expensive does not always mean that you have found cat food with a high meat content, or even that your food is grain-free and sugar-free. In this case, the price is only an indication of the successful marketing, in which veterinarians are also involved to some extent. Conversely, you can be sure that a cheap cat food does not have a high meat content. A look at the butcher’s display proves that. Good ingredients cost more than bad ingredients. Why should it be any different with cat food, especially if you value food quality?
But no worry. Feeding your cat responsibly and healthily, with a high meat content, carefully selected ingredients, and no grains or sugar doesn’t have to break the bank. There are other ways to save on money but not on quality.
Larger cans are relatively cheaper than small ones. Calculate the price per gram to make a direct comparison.
By taking advantage of savings offers, you can stock up cheaply.
Sample offers are not only cheap but also a great opportunity to add variety to the menu.
High-quality cat food with a high meat content can reduce vet bills in the long run. Dental problems, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, or allergies can be avoided or delayed by a species-appropriate diet with a high meat content, without grain, and without sugar.
The energy density of high-quality cat food with a high meat content is higher than that of inferior food. The cat has to eat less, which reduces consumption and therefore expenses. The feeding recommendation on the pack also takes into account the higher energy density of high-quality feed with high meat content. This is significantly lower than with cheap feed. To avoid obesity, you should follow these recommendations.
A positive side effect: the cat not only eats less but also utilizes what it has eaten better than with inferior food. You notice this in the litter box, from which you have to remove fewer feces. This makes things easier and cheaper for you. This is because the litter stays fresh longer and does not need to be replaced as often. Unless your cat takes it out of the toilet and spreads the litter around the house!
Is there kitten wet food with a high meat content?
While high-quality wet food with a high meat content is the best choice for every cat, it is particularly important for kittens. After all, the little balls of fur grow incredibly fast and romp around for a large part of the day to learn while playing. It takes a lot of energy, and that comes from proteins. Mind you, high-quality proteins from muscle meat. Therefore, it is not only important how much meat is in the feed, but also which one. In addition, of course, the wild kittens must also be supplied with sufficient liquid so that they remain healthy. Here, too, the best way after weaning is via high-quality wet food.
Healthy and alert thanks to high-quality wet food with a high meat content
Whether kittens, adults, or seniors. As carnivores, all cats need food with high meat content. And this should be composed of protein-rich muscle meat and nutrient-rich additives such as heart or liver, not inferior by-products. Since liquids are also supplied in a way that is appropriate to the species through food, wet food is the only right way to eat for cats. With these guidelines, you are already well on the way to a healthy diet. If you also make sure that the food does not contain any harmful substances such as grain, sugar, or preservatives, nothing stands in the way of your house tiger’s well-being and enjoyment.
What percentage of meat should cat food contain?
Cat food should contain at least 70% meat. This corresponds to the meat content of natural prey such as mice or birds. Not only the proportion of meat in the feed is decisive. The type of meat is also important. Muscle meat is rich in proteins, heart and liver contain important nutrients. Slaughterhouse waste such as udders, tumor tissue, hooves, or feathers, on the other hand, are only of benefit to the manufacturer.
Which cat food is the healthiest for cats?
Wet food with a high meat content is the healthiest for your cat. A proportion of more than 70% high-quality meat corresponds to a species-appropriate diet. A proportion of at least 70% moisture, in turn, guarantees that your cat is supplied with sufficient liquid. The animals are naturally lazy about drinking, as they get most of their fluid needs from food. Also make sure that the cat food contains a small proportion of vegetable components (less than 4%), important oils, minerals, and trace elements as well as taurine, but does not contain any grain or sugar.