Mary Allen
Here you can find out which brands produce high-quality cat food. There are several lists available for you. You get an overview and quickly find the right food for your velvet paw. We will also show you how you can easily recognize good cat food yourself.
Good cat food: This is how you recognize high-quality food
Only the best for the cat. Especially when it comes to cat food. Because the diet determines the health of your pet. The offer is big. But are all foods as good as the adverts would have us believe? You don’t need to be a food engineer to sort the wheat from the chaff. Even if the labels seem to suggest it. Common sense will get you a long way. Along with a little background knowledge. And that’s what we want to give you here.
What your cat needs: High meat content
Small rodents and birds are on the menu of cats. Cats are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. Nevertheless, cats also eat a small proportion of plant-based food. And with the stomach contents of the prey. The cat needs small amounts of these dietary fibers to stimulate intestinal activity and defecate. If the proportion is too small, going to the toilet causes difficulties. If it is too big, painful flatulence occurs.
In addition, the feed should also contain sufficient moisture. When cat owners complain that their cats are notoriously bad drinkers, there’s a reason. Our domestic cats are descended from the African wild cat. And when adapting to the dry region of origin, the kidneys work at full speed. It needs correspondingly little liquid, and most of the liquid it needs comes from its prey. A bird, for example, consists of more than 70% water.
Another substance that cats cannot do without is taurine. The essential amino acid occurs during the breakdown of protein and contributes to the health of the retina and organs, to an efficient metabolism, good fertility and a strong immune system. Cats can only produce small amounts of the important taurine themselves, so they have to ingest it through food. By the way, how much exactly has not yet been finally clarified. However, since there is no evidence of negative consequences of high dosages, in case of doubt: better too much than too little.
This knowledge will give you a good idea of the right composition of cat food. In a nutshell, high-quality cat food consists of:
- at least 70% meat
- maximum 5% herbal ingredients
- between 400-2500 mg/kg taurine per day
A notice:
When the meat is cooked, meat juice escapes, this is also called broth or broth. Note that some manufacturers declare meat and bouillon separately. Other manufacturers, in turn, combine both. A feed that declares 69% meat and 29% meat broth, for example, is just as high quality as a feed that describes a proportion of 98% meat. However, it is important that the broth comes directly from the meat and has not been artificially added.
Now you’re probably asking yourself: Is that all there is to it? Your doubts are justified. Because meat is not just meat, and the generic term “vegetable ingredients” is also very flexible. Not everything that is meat is also good for your cat or exactly the meat that it needs. So what exactly goes into good cat food?
Needs-based: Cats need these nutrients
If we think of the mouse already mentioned, we can say one thing: it provides the cat with a high proportion of muscle meat. Of course, also offal such as heart, lungs, and liver. A complete mouse comes with fiber from the stomach contents, vitamins, and minerals. Vitamin A, phosphorus, and calcium are important for cats. And fat in the small amounts that wildlife can make. Animal protein is therefore the cat’s main food. The cat needs about 5 g per kilogram of body weight per day, preferably as a single protein like in nature, i.e. from a single source. In this way, it can be digested more easily can provide the cat with energy quickly, and be available for cell formation.
Again in brief:
- Animal single protein (protein from one animal), 5 g/day for healthy adult cats;
- mainly in the form of muscle meat;
- heart, lungs, and liver;
- high-quality dietary fiber.
Topic fiber: Can cats eat grain?
Fiber is good, grain bad? The dietary fibers from the mouse stomach are often also grains! The solution to the riddle: The contents of a mouse’s stomach make up only a small part of the prey when viewed as a whole. And the proportion of grain is even smaller. In addition, the stomach contents of the mouse are already fermented, i.e. pre-digested. This is the only way the cat can benefit from it. Cereals that have not been pre-digested take far too long to be digested in cats because the cat lacks the appropriate enzymes. The components can usually not be split completely or not at all. They pass through the intestinal tract and can even start to ferment there and thus cause disturbances in the intestinal tract.
The short intestine identifies the cat as a pure carnivore. Just like the bit, which is not designed for grinding grain, but for cutting up meat. Cats don’t have molars like humans do. In addition, there is no enzyme in cat saliva to break down carbohydrates.
Another disadvantage of grain in cat food: grain has a very high energy density and can therefore quickly become fattening.
Despite everything, high-quality cat food may contain up to 5% herbal components. However, these should not come from grain if possible, because the starch they contain is particularly difficult for cats to break down. Fruits and vegetables are better than grains. Because fruit and vegetables provide a lot of vitamins, fiber, and trace elements. So should cat food be completely grain-free? Best yes! If you still don’t want to do without grains completely, look out for gluten-free varieties such as corn or rice to avoid allergies.
A notice:
Grains are often used in inferior cat food as a filler and satiating agent. You can usually tell by the fact that the grain is at the top of the composition, usually before the meat. For the sake of your cat, you should avoid such food.
Not species-appropriate: Sugar and artificial additives
Now that you know what’s in good cat food, you’re probably wondering what shouldn’t be in it. Everything else. If, for example, minerals or fats are specifically listed, this is an indication that they are artificially added. This in turn raises doubts about the quality of the meat content. Because high-quality muscle meat should naturally contain both.
A very special problem is sugar. Whether sucrose, caramel, fondant, syrup, glucose, dextrose, galactose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, xilit, glycogen, or cassia gum: all sweet-tasting carbohydrates have no place in cat food. Cats can’t even taste sweet. The right receptors are missing. Regular sugar intake leads to a form of addiction, as well as dental problems and diabetes.
So why should sugar be in cat food at all? There are two main reasons for this: On the one hand, ingredients such as beet pulp, which are basically nothing more than sugar, are often used as filling material. On the other hand, caramelized sugar not only ensures good binding of the unnaturally large number of ingredients, but also a beautiful brown color and a smell that is appealing to us humans. A look at the declaration shows why this is necessary. Because a lot can be hidden here that you would not expect in cat food. Or how about ground peanut shells and wood shavings? Yes exactly, such additives can be found in inferior cat food.
Instructions: How to read the declaration
The declaration can be found on the label of the pack. It contains information on composition, analytical data, and feeding recommendations. The legislator grants the manufacturers some freedom in labeling the ingredients. This sometimes makes it difficult for the buyer to judge what is really inside. That’s why we’re providing you with a short guide to help you read the information on the label correctly.
Three types of declaration
There are three types of declaration:
- the closed declaration
- the half-open declaration
- the open declaration
The following applies to every type of declaration: you can easily tell whether meat makes up the largest proportion by looking at the order in which it is listed. What is at the top/at the beginning of the list of ingredients makes up the largest proportion of the feed in terms of quantity.
Only the best ingredients?
The closed declaration is ideal for disguising permitted but inferior ingredients. Or did you know, for example, that meat doesn’t always mean butcher-quality meat? When it comes to cat food, “products” such as udders, slaughterhouse waste or hooves can also be hidden behind the term meat. The situation is even worse for animal by-products, which may also come from category III and are not approved for human consumption. Would you buy a food that listed urine as a cheap salt substitute and hydrolyzed feathers and quills as a protein source? Even the numbers can “lie”: if a product boasts 100% chicken, 4% meat only means that 4% comes from chicken.
Analytical Constituents: Lining under the magnifying glass
The analytical components include the terms crude protein (also known as protein or protein), crude fat (or fat content), crude ash (or inorganic components), crude fiber, moisture (or moisture) and taurine.
Crude Protein & Fat
Crude protein and crude fat are the proportions of protein and fat, respectively, measured after all water has been removed from the feed. Be careful with the proteins: There is no distinction between vegetable and animal. A look at the composition helps.
Raw ash
The raw ash fraction is what remains of minerals and trace elements when the feed is burned.
Crude fiber
Crude fiber refers to the indigestible substances contained in the feed, i.e. the dietary fibers.
Humidity
Moisture denotes the moisture content.
Taurine
Taurine is the essential amino acid involved in so many processes in the cat’s body.
So that the cat food can be considered good, the right proportions must of course also be made here. The following values apply as a guide:
- Crude protein: 5-15% in wet food, 40-45% in dry food
- Crude fat: 5-15% in wet food, 8-30% in dry food
- Crude ash: 1-4% in wet food, 5-7% in dry food
- Crude fiber: best < 1%, maximum 4%
- Humidity: > 70%; this can only be achieved with wet food
- Taurine: 400-2500 mg/kg per day
Feeding recommendation and type of feed
There is also a feeding recommendation on the label, usually broken down by the cat’s age and/or weight. This is not only practical, but also allows conclusions to be drawn about the quality of the feed. In general, the poorer the nutrient content, the more it has to be fed.
The type of feed is also noted on the package. A basic distinction is made between:
Complete feed
A complete feed can be used as the sole feed because it provides all the nutrients the cat needs. Of course, only if it is a high-quality feed that contains all the necessary ingredients in the right amount and food quality.
Feed materials
A feed material consists of a single ingredient, for example, freeze-dried chicken. Then you know what you have. However, dietary fiber, important vitamins, and minerals or moisture are then missing. There are supplements for that.
Supplementary feed
Supplementary feed includes all supplements that are used in BARF (taurine, vitamins, minerals), but also treats and malt pastes.
Feed for a specific life phase
Food for a specific phase of life is food whose composition is tailored to the specific needs of kittens under the age of one year, adult animals, and seniors from around 8 years of age. For example, kittens, pregnant cats, and lactating cats have higher protein requirements than adult cats, while senior cats need much less energy.
Diet food
Diet feeds are not primarily aimed at weight loss, although there are also low-calorie feeds on offer. This is often food prescribed by the veterinarian, which takes a specific clinical picture into account. For example, cats with chronic kidney disease need a low-protein diet.
Is quality expensive?
So if you’re wondering (perhaps given the prices) whether a quality cat food makes sense, the answer is yes. In fact, high-quality cat food always makes sense because it keeps the cat healthy. This way, your fur nose will not only feel comfortable until old age. You’ll also save on vet bills in the long run. And with the extra expensive diet food. In addition, the higher price for high-quality feed is not only justified, but also not that much higher than it appears. As already mentioned, the higher the nutrient density, the less you have to feed. This means that the same amount of high-quality feed lasts longer than inferior feed.
With a price range of 0.35 euros for 400 g of wet food (0.88 €/kg) of inferior quality to 3 euros for the same quantity of high-quality food, the price difference is almost evened out. If you then buy several cans in a savings package, use larger cans with a better kg/€ or use a convenient feed subscription, good feed is sometimes even cheaper than the inferior competition. So the excuse that good food is way too expensive doesn’t apply.
In the following example calculations, we show you how much the price per kilo changes and how high the daily costs for the feed are.
Example very high-quality cat food
ANIfit – Puterichs Delight (turkey)
Meat content 99%
Manufacturer’s feeding recommendation (5 kg cat): approx. 285 g per day
6 cans of 200 g each cost a total of €15.90, which is €13.25/kg. Daily costs around €3.78/day
6 cans of 400 g each cost a total of €20.70, which is €8.63/kg. Daily costs around €2.46/day
6 cans of 810 g each cost a total of €26.82, which is €5.52/kg. Daily costs around €1.57/day
Larger cans lower the price per kilo significantly.
Example high-quality cat food
MAC’s – Beef
Meat content 70%
The manufacturer’s feeding recommendation (5 kg cat): approx. 250 g per day
6 cans of 200g each cost a total of €8.19, which is €6.83/kg. Daily costs around €1.71/day
6 cans of 400g each cost a total of €11.49, which is €4.79/kg. Daily costs around €1.20/day
6 cans of 800g each cost a total of €17.99, which is €3.75/kg. Daily costs around €0.94/day
24 cans of 800 g each cost a total of €65.99, which is €3.44/kg. Daily costs around €0.86/day
Here it becomes clear how cheap good cat food can be. Larger cans always have a better price per kilo. Savings offers with higher purchase quantities further reduce the price.
Example bad cat food
Whiskas – 1+ Cat Food Ragout
Meat and animal by-products 22%
Manufacturer’s feeding recommendation (5 kg cat): approx. 340 g per day
40 sachets of 85 g each cost a total of €11.99, which is €3.53/kg. Daily costs around €1.20/day
As you can see from the calculations, very high-quality cat food with 99% meat content is only slightly more expensive compared to the competition with bad food. If the aforementioned effects of a good cat food are taken into account, the price difference is not that big. If, as in this example, you grab 800g cans of high-quality MAC’s cat food, the daily costs are even lower than those of bad cat food.
This is how you recognize high-quality cat food
Composition, declaration, analytical components, feeding recommendation, type of feed. All of this is a sign of quality cat food. That’s a lot to think about. Isn’t there an easier way? What cat food do vets recommend? And is there good cat food from the supermarket? For example, can you trust a brand in particular?
The first port of call is often the veterinarian. He has at least the well-being of your cat in the interest. But the fact is that many veterinarians do not know the details of feed quality. In addition, practices often have contracts with feed manufacturers. And mostly with those at the higher end of the price range. According to the label, Royal Canin, for example, is a classic case of a vet recommendation that misses the mark.
Is it good and cheap at all? As always in life, quality has its price when it comes to cat food. A high proportion of food-grade meat has to be paid for. After all: Quality is now not only available online and in specialist shops, but also in some supermarkets and drugstores. And more expensive is not always better. To make it easier for you to find your way around, we have examined some products in more detail. The result is a list of very high-quality and good products and a list of bad products.
For all other products, this checklist for high-quality feed will help you:
has good food
- a high proportion of meat > 70%
- an at least semi-open, better open declaration
- low feeding recommendations
Conclusion
With common sense and a little background knowledge, you can tell good cat food from bad. For the health of your cat, it is definitely worth reading up on the topic. Pay attention to a high meat content, a declaration that is as open as possible, and low feeding recommendations to find good food for your velvet paw. We would be interested to know what food your cats get and what factors you considered when choosing the food. Please leave us a comment.
Should quality cat food be grain-free?
High-quality feed should be as grain-free as possible. Fruit and vegetables can also provide the fiber you need. However, the vegetable content should be less than 5%. An alternative are gluten-free cereals. Because gluten is also considered an allergy trigger in cats. Rice and corn are better tolerated than wheat.
How do I recognize high-quality cat food?
You can recognize high-quality cat food by a meat content of at least 70%, a vegetable content of less than 5%, a half-open or open declaration and a low feeding recommendation.
Isn’t high-quality cat food too expensive?
High-quality cat food is more expensive than inferior cat food in most cases. However, you have to feed less and maintain your cat’s health. In the long run, this saves on veterinary costs and even more expensive medical feed. If you buy large cans in advance, you can also get good bargains on high-quality food.
How do I evaluate the declaration of a cat food?
In general, what is at the top of the list of ingredients makes up the largest proportion of the feed in terms of quantity. Specific terms like lean meat, heart, and liver are better than generic terms like meat and animal by-products. It is best to list the percentage for each ingredient. If you add them all up, it should be 100%. A low feeding recommendation is an indication of the high quality of the feed.
How important is the meat content in cat food?
Cats are carnivores. Your gut and enzymes are designed to digest animal products. They have a hard time with plant substances. The higher the meat content, the better.
High-quality cat food for renal insufficiency?
In the case of renal insufficiency, high-quality cat food is important. In animals with damaged kidneys, toxins from the protein metabolism cannot be adequately broken down. This leads to dangerous complications. It is therefore important that they are fed a feed with a reduced protein content. Nevertheless, the food must provide the cat with everything it needs.
Why wet cat food?
Cats get most of the fluid they need from food. A bird, for example, consists of more than 70% water. Only wet food meets this natural need.
What nutrients are in good quality cat food?
Above all, cats need protein. A small amount of fiber is also needed for digestion. Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, phosphorus, and calcium also belong in high-quality cat food. Taurine is of particular importance for a number of processes in the cat’s body.