Pet Food Edition
If you’ve been consistently reading my blog, you’re likely interested in improving your health and wellness. Lucky for us, we each have a choice as to what we eat, most of us just need pointed in the right direction. Unfortunately, our pets do not have this same luxury and must rely on us for their food, shelter and well-being.
I’ve always owned cats but never gave much thought in regards to their food. You'd assume if it’s labeled as pet food, it must be good for them, right? It wasn’t until David and I adopted Kali last year that I realized this is most definitely not the case. I went to a large grocery chain to stock up on pet supplies while David was on his way back from a bachelor party in Houston with our new kitty in tow; a rescue from Hurricane Harvey. I didn’t know which cat food brand to buy so I did what anyone else would do when at a loss; compare prices. After scanning the aisle and narrowing my choices, I picked one based on price and volume. It wasn’t until I turned down the next aisle and discovered another row of pet food that I began to second guess myself. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m indecisive, so I don’t do well with too many choices. I began wondering whether or not one was worth $2 more for the same size bag. That’s when I started actually reading the labels and comparing the ingredients used. To my surprise, the bag I almost purchased was full of all the top allergens!
Top food allergens:
milk
eggs
fish
shellfish
tree nuts
peanuts
wheat
soy
Now, I’m not a veterinarian or an expert on animal food, but I do know enough to realize this isn't a brand I want to support, let alone feed to my pet as animals are susceptible to food allergens as well. Back on the shelf you go; NEXT! After much distress, I chose what looked like the lesser of two evils and went on my way not totally satisfied.
Fast-forward to one of our many Trader Joe's grocery hauls when we discovered they have cat and dog food. TJ's to the rescue. It's no secret that I'm a huge fan as all of their products are free of artificial colors and preservatives, GMO, MSG, and partially hydrogenated oils (artificial trans-fats). Not to mention, they have great customer service and prices. A win-win if you ask me.
When comparing pet food, the most important factor to consider are the ingredients used. Ingredients are listed in descending order so the most predominant ingredient is always listed first. Below, I compare Kali's current food to a popular brand name. Remember, the first few ingredients are the most important.
Bench & Field Holistic Natural Feline Formula:
Ingredients: Chicken meal, ground brown rice, chicken fat, oatmeal, anchovy & sardine meal, flaxseed, dried egg product, natural chicken flavor, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, menhaden fish oil, cranberries, tomato pomace, alfalfa meal, dried beet pulp, apples, choline chloride, salt, peas, potassium chloride, organic quinoa, insulin, taurine, minerals, vitamins, papaya, dried kelp, blueberries, DL-Methionine, pomegranate, chicken cartilage, mixed tocopherols, ground cinnamon, ground fennel, ground peppermint, yucca schidigera extract, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried bacillus licheniformis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation extract
As you can see, this food is full of chicken, fruit, vegetables and healthy fats. No wonder Kali always has energy to run around and do parkour off the bed, she's eating food that I, myself would eat. I don't remember what my past cats ate but I do know they weren't full of energy. Now compare the above ingredients to those used by the brand below:
Well-know brand:
Ingredients: Corn Meal, Poultry By-Product Meal*, Corn Gluten Meal, Soy Flour, Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Powdered Cellulose, Animal Liver Flavor, Soybean Hulls, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Parsley Flakes, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Red 40, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Blue 2, Yellow 5, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Sodium Selenite. L-4500.
*Poultry by-product: may include feathers, heads, feet, organs, etc, in other words, parts not desired for human consumption.
What stands out to me most is that it's not allergy friendly and uses fillers and artificial colors. Corn meal as the first ingredient? No thank you, I'm feeding a cat, not a bird. This is not a well balanced meal and definitely not food that I want to feed my pet(s) in large, everyday doses. Yes, there are added vitamins and minerals, but if you read my post on multivitamins, you know the best way to nutrients is through whole food. As I now realize, it’s 100% worth paying more now for good quality ingredients for ourselves, our families and our pets, then opting for the cheaper stuff that will do nothing good for our health in the long run.
This post is only a comparison of two dry cat food brands as that is what we buy. There are numerous brands out there plus wet food, which is another discussion in itself. I’m not here to tell you which brand to buy or debate wet vs dry food. I also realize not everyone has a cat but the same rules apply no matter what animal. You know your pet better than anyone so the most important thing is to do more research to find the best option for them. Like people, all pets have different dietary needs and restrictions, therefore, there is not one right answer. Although, there are definitely some options that are better than others.
When shopping for pet food, look for brands that use high-quality ingredients and skip the many that are made with low quality, unknown ingredients, common allergens and fillers. If, after reading, you discover your pet food is not what you thought it to be, don’t wait until the bag runs out. Make the transition sooner than later. When switching pet food, you should mix the two brands together slowly over a 7-day period.
You get what you pay for. You can pay more now for quality ingredients for you and your family or you can pay more later when you or your pet get sick from poor nutrition. The decision is entirely ours to make.
Please comment below if you have anything to add or found a brand you love. I want to hear from you!
-Mallory and Kali
