What are good/bad ingredients in cat food?

hannahgirl

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I have already learned much here. What are the best/safest foods to give my cat? I want to keep her system "balanced" as well as possible, but I don't know what ingredients to look out for, or what ingredients are good. I want to give her the best. Also, is it good to change foods sometimes or stay with one? I like finding my answers here because I know you really care about animals...thank you.
 

sharky

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I look for no by produsts( those can be heads feet internal organs(all of them)undevloped eggs...I dont find those apitizing.... I look for natural perservatives and no ground corn... I also look for meal rather than just the meat ... I am not a huge veggie and fruit looker though many great foods have those...
 

zazi

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Putting some types of Corn in your cat is apparently like putting sugar in your engine.
 

ktlynn

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What you DON'T want in your cat's food: by-products, artificial preservatives, artificial colors, corn, wheat.

Cats need protein, not carbs. That's why canned food is preferable to dry food, which contains lots of carbs. Canned food is also closer to what a cat would eat naturally.

Some good high-quality brands to try which don't include by-products are: Petguard, California Natural, Innova, Merrick, Wellness (though some are concerned about the trace amount of garlic as one of its ingredients), Natural Balance. Not all of these brands are widely available, so you may have to order them.
 

sharky

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Nutro and Natural Balance have not by products and can be found at nearly every Petco...

I cant get much Petguard here and reead the label...

KTLynn Thanks for the wheat reminder.... I just learned that from being here
 

cloud_shade

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Some other good brands of canned cat food include Felidae, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul, and Merrick Foods. They aren't sold at the grocery store, so you'll need to find a pet store or farm supply store.
 

pat

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You've had some great answers already, all I'd add to the list would be - no colorings or artificial preservatives such as BHA/BHT or Ethoxyquin, no animal digest, prefer not to see soy or hydrolized soy protein, NO sugars or corn syrup, maltodextrin please.

An additional brand though hard to find is Active Life canned cat foods, re dry foods California Natural Chicken and Rice does well for some kitties in addition to other brands mentioned such as Nutro's Natural Choice Complete Care line.

Yes, it is good to offer some variety in foods - especially with canned...with dry, I know of folks who simply rotate between two brands that they know their cats tolerate well.
 
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hannahgirl

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You're terrific. Thanks so much for all these great suggestions. I have taken notes and will make the right choices.
 

nern

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I like to rotate brands every couple months.
I avoid ingredients such as meat-byproducts, unspecific meat meals, beef tallow, unspecific fats (such as "animal fat"), corn gluten meal, soybean meal, artificial colors, flavors and chemical preservatives.
 
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