Myths and truths about cat food

There are a lot of myths that we have normalised around the feeding of these little felines. Some of them are absurd when you think about it, cats eating fish, cats and water, can you imagine a kitten hunting tuna, cats drinking cow's milk, do cats know how to get milk from an animal 200 times their size?

The importance of a balanced diet for cats.

It is just as important for kittens to respect their hunting and play instinct as it is for them to ingest all the nutrients their bodies need, so as their life companions and carers we must pay special attention to ensuring that their environment has heights, scratching posts and different games that stimulate them, while providing them with a complete and nutritionally adequate food, as well as always having fresh water at their disposal.

Common cat food myths

Myth: Cats should only eat raw food.

FALSE: Cats, like other animals, need to ingest the right nutrients, in adequate amounts and in a bioavailable form so that their bodies can assimilate them.

Homemade diets for species whose nutritional needs we do not know can lead us into error and lead us to administer an inadequate diet with nutritional deficits or cause an imbalance due to excess intake of a nutrient.

Raw food is also a source of food poisoning, either by bacteria such as E.Coli or Salmonella or by parasites present in raw food such as toxoplasmosis, and this can also affect the human who handles it.

Myth: Homemade food is always the best choice for cats.

FALSE: Homemade food requires advice from a nutritionist and is laborious as it involves buying the ingredients separately and preparing, preferably cooking them.

While it may be a good option when adapting the diet for certain animals with health problems or "fickle" cats, it is a big commitment on the part of the caregivers and requires constant supervision by nutritionists and veterinarians.

Although this type of food can be adapted to different needs, there are animals for which it will not work. It is difficult to achieve the nutritional balance, palatability and digestibility of a food that has been perfected for years to be perfect for our companions, such as a top-of-the-range feed like VeggieAnimals.

Myth: Canned cat food is less healthy than dry food.

FALSE: As we have already discussed in other articles, there are a multitude of wet foods on the market with different characteristics in terms of palatability, nutritional quality and price. 

There are canned foods, or wet food, that are labelled as complementary and not as complete food, therefore these foods that are already labelled as complementary should only be given as an addition to their usual diet, as a treat or appetite stimulant. However, complete foods should meet all the nutritional needs of cats at the same level as dry foods.

The benefits of a complete wet food versus a dry food would be easier chewing for animals with teeth or gum problems, more palatability for animals with a fussy appetite and a higher water content in the diet for animals that are dehydrated or find it difficult to drink enough water. And the downside would be dental health, as chewing a dry feed helps dental health, and also price, as quality wet food will always be more expensive than dry.

Truths about cat food

With so many myths surrounding feline nutrition that we have grown up with and with new fads trying to update our knowledge of feline nutrition with industry interests, it is difficult to get a true picture of the world of cat nutrition without falling into myths or biases of industry interests.

When we talk about industry interests we are referring to the creation of new products at higher prices with supposed benefits: high protein amounts, grain-free foods, introduction of insects as a protein source, exotic ingredients, etc. What is real about all this that is sold to us as novel and beneficial for our companions?

Cats need a balanced diet of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

A nutrient-balanced diet is what will enable our companions to live a healthy life. 

When we started talking about 100% plant-based foods for cats it seemed that we were going against their nature (spoiler: decades ago we humans were told the same thing when we stopped eating animals), far from going against their nature the reality is that we are providing the nutrients they need in a clean and healthy way, in an ethical way without more animals having to die and in a way that is sustainable for the environment.

When we provide a balanced diet with the amounts of nutrients they need, taking into account their ability to absorb and assimilate nutrients and taking care of their digestive health what happens is that we find healthy animals, at their optimum weight, with a shiny coat, strong joints, active and happy.

Supplements can be beneficial to the health of cats.

Supplements are beneficial as long as they are appropriate for the individual to whom they are administered. There are a multitude of supplements on the market that may have a specific purpose and be well formulated or simply contain a group of ingredients and are labelled without being too specific.

At VeggieAnimals we have VeggieVital with camu camu, carob and maca that will help us to provide extra vitality to our companions, it contains antioxidants to delay ageing.

Cats need specific vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.

In all species there are nutrients that are considered essential, those that have to be ingested as the body is not able to generate them from other nutrients. In the case of cats, these are taurine (an amino acid), arachidonic acid (a fatty acid) and vitamin A. 

In addition to essential nutrients, cats need vitamins and minerals for their bodies to perform vital functions.

Choosing the right cat food

It is our responsibility as caregivers to make sure that we are feeding the cats we care for a balanced food, which will allow us to enjoy their energy and vitality in the short term and keep them healthy in the long term and free from the diseases associated with poor nutrition.

Read cat food labels

On the packaging itself we have the essential information to know if what we have in front of us is a complete food or not. If you have any doubts, you can consult your vet and contact the company that produces the food you are looking for. At VeggieAnimals we offer a 100% free consultation service related to our products.

Consult your vet about the right diet for cats.

Your vet will be able to advise you on your cat's nutritional needs, but if your kitten is healthy he or she will tell you that a quality physiological food will do and you should make sure that you are buying a quality product and not a product with good marketing behind it.

Consider the individual needs of each cat when choosing foods

It is possible that your companion may have specific nutritional needs due to kidney problems, liver problems, allergies, etc., to make sure that the food you are offering is the right one consult your vet, and if you have any doubts about whether VeggieAnimals Plus or any of our products would be suitable for your companion you can contact us and we will advise you on a case by case basis.