Many cats are “dry food addicts”, which is a problem if the food they receive is of poor quality and low nutritional value. The good news is that many cat food manufacturers are now factoring the importance of healthy feline nutrition into their dry foods.
In an effort to transition our cats to a healthier diet, many of us hit a snag when it comes to keeping them away from commercial dry food. Kittens who have eaten dry food all their lives tend to be especially reluctant to try anything new, especially if it’s not kibble. But that doesn’t mean giving up. A growing number of pet food manufacturers are producing high-quality, meat-based dry cat food that provides much higher levels of nutrition than low-end grocery store kibble. Let’s see what exists.
Towards a better diet
Thanks to consumer demand for healthier pet foods and improved manufacturing technologies, many dry cat foods have made great strides in recent years and are much healthier and more nutritious than before. . But there are always poor quality kibbles out there, so you have to be a smart shopper to make sure you get something that will feed your cat well.
Read product labels. The best dry diets will contain ingredients such as real meat, fish oil, fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and no grains, soy, cheap by-products, or fillers. Red flags include vague terms such as “animal fat” and “poultry by-product meal”, which can cover a wide range of often questionable ingredients.
Superior ingredients
High-quality kibble is also free of all those synthetic colors and flavors because they don’t need them! They also have a higher nutrient density and are more digestible; and because they contain fewer cheap ingredients like corn gluten, they are lower in omega-6s, which when consumed in high amounts can contribute to inflammatory issues such as allergies and ‘arthritis.
It is important to note that an increasing number of these newer, higher quality dry foods are more carefully sourcing their ingredients, turning to domestic farms rather than importing from countries where food quality standards are well established. lower than those of North America. Some even go a step further by ensuring their ingredients are non-GMO, organic, or cruelty-free.
New processing methods conserve nutrition
Most kibble is made using an extrusion process. New methods help retain more of the nutritional value of ingredients than in the past. Traditionally, companies used very high temperatures when producing pet food, which meant that much of the nutritional value of the ingredients was destroyed, requiring the addition of synthetic vitamins and minerals. However, more manufacturers are now cooking their dry foods at lower temperatures and for shorter times, so vital nutrients are preserved while killing harmful bacteria.
Gone are the days when all dry food was a no-no for feline health. Whether your cat eats nothing but kibble or not, a good quality, meat-based, low carb product made from whole food ingredients with no by-products, grain fillers or colorings and synthetic flavors, is a healthy and nutritious choice.
Shopping list
Here are some companies that offer high quality, healthy and nutritious dry cat food.
Farmina pet food: This company’s N&D Prime formulas for cats (N&D stands for Natural & Delicious) are grain-free, replacing all grains with animal protein. These high-quality foods contain 70% animal-derived ingredients, including chicken, lamb and wild boar, as well as vegetables and fruits such as pomegranate, apple, blueberry, spinach and carrot.
Pecurian: Offers several selections of premium quality dry cat food. Gather is made from certified organic free-range chicken. The NOW Fresh range offers 100% market fresh meat or fish, as well as fruit and vegetables. Picky eaters or people with allergies can benefit from the GO program! SOLUTIONS, while the company’s SUMMIT Original recipes include ingredients such as chicken, lamb and salmon, as well as vegetables and Omega oils. All diets are free of grains, gluten, artificial flavors and other unwanted ingredients.
Stella & Chewy’s: Their premium, high-protein raw coated kibble is wrapped in freeze-dried raw chicken or salmon. The Raw Blend recipe combines raw coated kibble with chunks of freeze-dried whole raw meat, and is available in cage-free turkey, chicken and duck, or wild-caught cod, salmon and tuna. All recipes have meat as the first ingredient, are free of wheat, corn and soy, and contain no artificial colors or preservatives.
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