I am not a cat owner any longer because I am allergic to cats & it is getting worse the older I get. I like cats & miss that I can’t pet them or even be near them for very long. I am aware that many of my readers may have cats or have loved ones who have cats. I have several siblings that have cats,one has 6 & 3 of them have two cats. I investigated dog food ingredients & posted on it a couple weeks ago, now it’s time to look at what’s in the popular advertised on TV (dry cat foods). I won’t mention any brands by name, but hope after you read this you will grab your cats food & read the ingredients & research any ingredients you don’t know what they are. I can’t cover all the ingredients in every food, so I researched 4 brands & will give information about some of the ingredients.
Ingredients in products are listed by the quantity in a product, so 1st ingredients are what the product is mainly made up of by weight. Some ingredients don’t weigh much like powdered additives, dyes, chemicals, so they are farther down, but they can be very potent in small quantities (& in some cases harmful side effects if fed day after day long term). Pets are considered property (think everywhere), so many of the ingredients listed said mostly safe or similar words when I researched them, yet some are not allowed in human foods.
The cat above was my cat for 18 1/2 years, her mom was a stray cat that showed up at my family home pregnant. Bo Bo was with me all 18 1/2 years & she was there thru some rough times, so I understand how easy it is to connect with a cat. We want the best for our beloved pets & feeding them safe quality food is important for a long healthy life. A healthy pet costs less to own, because less vet visits are needed, & save on the cost of medicine.
If you have read many of my previous posts you may know that I take my pets to an Integrative Veterinarian (she practices Western & Eastern medicine also known as traditional & holistic medicine). She told me they figured out if their cat didn’t eat fish then her son wasn’t allergic to their cat. The thoughts about why this is the case could be few things:
- Most Fish in pet food is from fish farms which can be kept in dirty water, too small (for the amount of fish in them)of metal tanks where all the fish can do is swim in a loop right behind another fish & intake their waste. Many fish farms automatically add antibiotics to the water or feed even if not needed & constantly getting these antibiotics so what is happening to their immune system?
- Low quality fish used in pet foods such as bottom feeder fish.
- Fish & fish parts that are rejected for human consumption, animals are property in the eyes of the law, so standards are set low as to what is acceptable to be put in pet food.
Next I will list some of the higher quantity ingredients I found in these popular dry cat food & give you some information I found out about them when I researched them. It saddens me that these companies are allowed to deceive people into thinking they have our pets best interest in mind. The truth is $$ in profit is what their real goal is, if that wasn’t it they would allow some of these ingredients in the foods they manufacture.
- Chicken by product meal: A rendered dried & ground mixture of neck, feet, undeveloped eggs, organic meats remaining after slaughter.
- Ground Yellow corn: A low quality filler, not easily digested.
- Corn Protein meal: also called corn gluten meal, low cost filler, side effects: allergic reactions, risk of aflatoxin contamination due to mold, obesity.
- Whole grain wheat: Carbohydrate, can cause skin irritation, itching, ear infections, paw licking & digestive issues.
- Rice: cheap filler
- Soy flour: made from soybean, lower cost protein source, filler or binding agent. Controversial because phytates can inhibit digestion & may disrupt a cat’s thyroid function.
- Corn grits: dry milled corn, filler, carbohydrate, can lead to obesity.
- Soybean meal: common low quality filler, can cause digestive issues, allergic reaction,
- Potassium Chloride: possible side effects: decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, gastrointestinal upset, apparent discomfort, if overdoes it can lead to muscle weakness, & heart rhythm problems.
- Phosphoric Acid: can cause kidney damage.
- Calcium Iodate: can cause hyperthyroidism.
- Copper Sulfate: in excess it can lead to a cute copper poisoning, severe gastrointestinal distress, liver damage & potential neurological issues.
- Red 40, Yellow 5 & Blue 2: Used in low quality foods to mimic meat. They are synthetic dyes used purely for visual appeal. Can cause allergic reactions itching skin, & increased cancer risk.
- Potassium Chloride: can cause hyper salvation, vomiting, tremors.
- Calcium Carbonate: can cause constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, increased thirst & urination.
- DI-Methionine: urine acidifier, can cause to vomiting, diarrhea, loss off appetite, weakness, high doses can cause hemolytic anemia, should be used cautiously.
- Fructooligosacchairdes: Prebitic fibers designed to improve gut health but can cause side effects, can cause flatulence (gas), bloating, soft stools, diarrhea,
- Ocean Fish meal: many cats allergic to it, long term risk of urinary issues, hyperthyroidism, can cause digestive issues.
- Sodium acid: small amounts necessary (?) high levels can damage kidneys & cause neurological issues.
- Pyrophosphate: coating agent to improve palatabilty- can lead to serious adverse health effects-primarily kidney damage long term chronic renal issues.
- BHA: Synthetic antioxidant used to extend shelf life linked to liver & kidney damage, cancer, endocrine system issues, long term exposure can cause serious health issues. Allergic reactions, organic damage, hair loss, growth inhibitant & weight loss.
I am sure you are thinking what am I supposed to feed my cats, well I will attach two pages from my Vets office on her recommended cat foods. Another option is to go to a Healthy Pet Store(boutique) that specializes in quality pet foods, these are often owner owned & operated. Also you can check online for these foods.
Reading & researching ingredients is going to be the way you are going to know what is healthy & what is not. I hope the information I have provided here will be a jumping off point & help you to find a healthy food to feed your cat from this day forward. I say don’t beat yourself up over the past, learn & make the necessary changes.
Our pets count on us to do our best for them, they can’t speak for themselves & many hide issues or discomfort & it’s up to us to do all we can to give them the best care we can.
If you are enjoying my blog, learning, or it makes you smile, please help me get the word out there about my blog. You can help by clicking the like button, sharing the link at the bottom, commenting on something you learned or liked, subscribing to my blog & visiting often & checking out my 139 other posts. You will find a table of content on my home page under the the “show” tab & then return to the home page & scroll down to read my blog article. If you have an idea for a blog post feel free to email me directly at echoinggreatpetcare@gmail.com Thanks for reading & thanks to all my subscribers, I appreciate you, Debbie
Echoing Great Pet Care 