company that makes kibbles and bits dog food

Plant protein sources are cheaper and help to round out the guaranteed analysis, but they are less biologically available than animal proteins. Cats thrive on animal protein because it is highly metabolizable and nourishing. Eggs have a biologic value of 100, while feathers have a biologic value of zero.

For this reason, cat food should be at least 30% protein.īut not all protein is equal each protein source varies in biological availability. The remaining amino acids, called essential amino acids, must come from their food. Pea Protein, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, and Other Types of Plant ProteinĬats require 22 amino acids to stay healthy and can synthesize only 11 of them. If a food contains multiple variations of corn, for example, it’s possible that, if all the corn ingredients were lumped together, they would be the first ingredient on the list. Ingredient splitting is a common tactic used to create the illusion of a higher meat concentration. Remember that ingredients are ordered by weight. If corn, peas, or rice are in the first, second, or third spot on the cat food label, pass up that product. We’ll start out by identifying specific ingredients that tell you a lot about the quality of the food.Īs a general rule of thumb, remember that the first three ingredients on the cat food label should be meat. Let’s take a look at some of the worst ingredients on a cat food label. When you know that you can trust the company you’re buying from, you’ll feel more comfortable feeding your cat food from that company. Once you know what you’re looking for in a food, you can start to think about brand reputation. Learning to intelligently read labels puts you ahead of the vast majority of the cat food consumer population. When choosing cat food, you should rely on a combination of reading labels and shopping by brand. So what’s the secret to identifying bad cat food? Even cat food labeled with pictures of mountain lions, salmon, waterfalls, and mountains printed on an earthy background can be nutritionally sub-par. Some small companies may produce food that’s improperly balanced, not nutritionally complete, and manufactured under poorly-managed conditions.Īnd another misconception that we typically don’t voice is the feeling that you can judge a cat food by its packaging design. While large pet food companies do contribute heavily to the population of terrible food, they’re not the only culprits. Never prepare food for your cat without following a reliable recipe that delivers complete and balanced nutrition.Ī second misconception is that “Big Pet Food” is the bogeyman and that small, independent brands consistently deliver superior products. On the contrary, poorly balanced homemade food can lead to nutrient deficiencies and serious health complications. One is that all commercial food is bad and that it’s always better to make food for your cat at home. There are a couple of common misconceptions about food for cats.

Company that makes kibbles and bits dog food