Being a cat owner comes with many perks. Often, it reduces stress and anxiety, improves cardiovascular health and prevents allergies. Cats are also great companions to keep you company and provide a little source of happiness.
As a cat owner, you'll have several responsibilities on your plate to ensure that your feline friend remains happy and healthy; one of these is making sure that you're feeding them with the right cat food. The food your cat eats significantly affects their health, and can make or break their susceptibility to illnesses and diseases, as well as determine – to some degree – their lifespan.
If you want to buy the right cat food for your pet, consider the following tips:
Check The Label
You'll know a lot of things about a particular cat food just by looking at its label. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has actually created and implemented guidelines, which govern what must be included in a cat food label and what a company can and can't claim.
One of the first things that you should do when buying the right cat food is checking labels. AAFCO requires that if a company advertises an ingredient in its food, the product must contain at least 95% of that ingredient, excluding water. If the company claims that their products are made from a combination of different ingredients, that combination should also make up at least 95% without water.
For instance, if a company claims that their cat foods are solely made of beef, then you should find at least 95% beef content on its label. If the company claims that they're making cat food with beef and turkey, then its label should state that the cat food has at least 95% of beef and turkey combined.
Look At The Ingredients
Similar to human beings, your cat needs various nutrients to live healthily. They should receive specific nutrients every day in order to function properly.
Research from Petsumer.com shows that there are many healthy cat foods available today, and as a pet owner, it's vital that you understand which ingredients to look for in a cat food, so that you'll end up buying one which provides for the nutritional requirements of your feline friend.
The following nutrients are vital in pet nutrition and should be present in any cat food that you're giving to your pet:
- Protein: Protein is the most important ingredient to look for when buying cat food, as this nutrient is responsible for providing energy and fuelling your cat's bodily processes.
- Fat: Cats need at least 20% fat in their food. Fats are essential to your cat's nutrition because it's their concentrated source of energy and transports nutrients across their cell membranes.
- Carbohydrates: Aside from providing energy, carbohydrates also help to produce and maintaining your cat's bodily tissues.
Consider The Age Of Your Cat
Cats will require different nutrients in different phases of their lives. Kittens, for example, will need more as their bodies are still developing.
When buying cat food, make sure to consider the age of your cat and to choose products that will provide the nutrients they need. Aside from those mentioned in the previous points, omega-3 fatty acids are vital to kittens for their eye and brain growth. Adult cats, on the other hand, should be fed with products high in DHA to reduce inflammation.
Never Use Price As Your Sole Deciding Factor
One of the biggest misconceptions people have when buying cat food is that ‘expensive’ equates to ‘high-quality'. This isn't true, and you should never use price as your basis when choosing the right cat food.
Instead, you should research the ethics and manufacturing processes of the pet company that you're buying from. Ideally, you should buy cat food from companies that have their own production plants, as well as safe and hygienic facilities.
Companies who make false claims should also be crossed off your list.
It's Easy When You Know How
The market is saturated with many different kinds of cat food, all promising fantastic results. The number of options available can become overwhelming, especially to new cat owners.
For you to easily narrow down your options and end up with the right cat food for your pet, follow the tips presented in this article. You won't have any problems finding the right cat food if you know what factors to consider, and you can rest assured that you’re providing your furry friend with a healthy diet.
