By Johnny Mantini
October is a busy month for celebrating pets all over the country! There is the annual Blessing of Animals in honor of St Francis of Assisi, where schools in Knoxville are also collecting pet food for local families, the Pet Walk for Cancer in Seattle and the Halloween Pet event in Jacksonville. Then there are all the events spread across many communities celebrating the national Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month.
Given all these wonderful events that celebrate and respect proper care of pets, it is disheartening to hear the reports in the news this month. Pet food products are being recalled or have harmed pets who have eaten those products, like the chicken jerky treats or the Beef Bully Sticks treats. Clearly, pet food companies need to be more diligent about using natural ingredients in their formulation and production of pet food. What constitutes better, healthier natural ingredients, however, is less certain.
Cats, in particular, are known to be much more sensitive than other animals; they need food to be as close to nature as possible. They are strict carnivores, so their food needs to have meat, not fillers or grains or other ingredients that are by-products. It’s not just a lifestyle preference, but a right of cats to enjoy natural, healthy food. If a balanced raw diet can’t be provided, and canned food like Newman’s Own Organics cat food is too expensive, dry cat food is a good choice. Brands that are relatively inexpensive but have high-quality ingredients, a robust product testing program, and provide options for dry cat food with irresistible selections for your cat are ideal.
Following the latest recalls it is now even more important for cat owners to look at ingredient labels before making a decision. For example, research studies have consistently indicated the importance of avoiding synthetic food preservatives and pesticides, such as ethoxyquin. This might be straight forward as past recalls have resulted in the replacement of these with more natural preservatives, like vitamins C and E.
Here are specific things to look for at the supermarket when selecting natural, dry food for your cat:
- The top four ingredients are fish or meat
- Some grains are used, but avoid excessive corn, wheat and soy
- There are no by-products
- Avoid canola oil, artificial flavoring and sodium selenite
- Stay away from meat and bone meal (the lowest quality protein)
- Meets USDA standards for being free of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics
For more information check out the site, Greenopia.com, that rates pet food brands for optimal natural production, packaging and an overall sustainable supply chain.
Author Bio
Johnny Mantini is a specialist and writer in research on pet technology who enjoys exploring as much as he can on the natural care of his 3 dogs and 2 cats.
✔ You may also be interested in reading:
Top 5 Sources of Antioxidants for Cats & Other Carnivores (With Infographic)
Natural Diet of Large Breed Domestic Cats
Are Bones Safe for Dogs and Cats to Eat?
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cat food choices are getting better but finding affordable food that is still high quality can be tough. I’ll soon have to get a second job just to feed the cats!
Our cats get dry and wet Halo because I like the ingredients and the company history. They do great on it and are hardly ever ill.
I get very upset when I think about what I used to feed my cats when I trusted petfood. I’m happy to know better now but I wish I didn’t have to learn the hard way when one of my babies died from kidney disease when she was only 8 years old. 🙁
I don’t give any dry cat food to my cats because they don’t drink enough. They have leftovers and canned food and they’re very healthy.
Thanks for the cat tips!
It’s smart to read labels and not buy the cheapest brand because they’re usually garbage. We give our cats dry food at night for them to nibble on, can food in the morning and raw or cooked meat through the day.