Good cat food is directly tied to a healthy cat.
The problem is that many of us are unsure of what makes a cat food healthy.
It seems that far more people know what makes dog food healthy than cat food.
So today, we’re going to talk about what makes healthy cat food so you can give your kitty the best diet possible!
Check: Homemade Cat Food for Urinary Tract Health
Good Cat Food 101
To begin with, we need to look at what cats need. The key to a healthy cat is feeding their bodies what they need to be at optimal health.
Think of feeding your cat, or any pet for that matter, as putting gas in your car. It will run on any gas, but it runs better high-quality gas.
Protein, Protein, Protein
While dogs are omnivores with a carnivorous bent, cats are total carnivores.
They need protein.
In fact, they need far more protein than dogs. A healthy cat food will have a healthy dose of protein in it. Look for foods that have GOOD protein as the main ingredient.
Stay away from cat foods that list protein sources like anything with the word “byproduct” in it. Instead, look for protein sources like real chicken, fish, liver, and the like. “Byproduct” is just another word for garbage.
[embedpost postid=”6529″]
Also check: What’s the Best Dry Cat Food?
Fat
Healthy cat food always includes a good amount of fat.
Cats need more fat in their diet than dogs do. The reason some dogs get diarrhea when they raid the cat food is because their body’s can’t handle the fat content in the food.
Cat foods with fish as the main protein source already have healthy fats built in. But for foods with chicken as the main ingredient, look for a healthy fat source like added omega fatty acids.
Related: Wondering if Stella & Chewy’s Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust for cats is worth checking out?
Carbs
Although cats are carnivores, they do need some carbohydrates in their diets.
A healthy cat food will have some carbs, but not too many.
The carb source on the food should be listed WELL AFTER the protein and fat sources. This indicates that there is more protein and fat in the food than carb. Healthy cat food will contain a small amount of a carb source like rice, wheat, corn, barley, and oats.
Related: Homemade salmon cat treats
Wet Food
Wet food gets its own BIG heading. That’s because cats absolutely need moisture in their diets. Cats are not heavy drinkers, and their kidneys are generally the first thing to fail as they age.
To keep your cat healthy and spry for as long as possible, feed them about 1/2 a can of wet food twice a day, leaving their dry food out all day for them to nibble on.
Obviously, you should adjust their food intake based on weight, but in general, a healthy portion of wet food a couple of times a day is a good idea. The moisture in the wet food helps promote kidney health by adding extra fluids to their diets. If you do this from kittenhood on, you’ll be helping to support healthy kidney function for the entirety of your cat’s life.
Related: Best hypoallergenic cat food for allergies
Healthy Cat Food for Healthy Cats
The first and most important tool for keeping cats healthy is feeding them healthy cat food.
Look for cat foods with the ingredients listed above and always include wet food in their diets. If you follow these tips on healthy cat food, you’ll be taking a huge step towards a healthier cat.
Do you have a favorite good cat food that you feed your kitty? Share below!
Ben is an animal lover, blogger, and all around geek. He divides his love equally between his family, his animals, and his video games. In his spare time he is attempting to get a blog off the ground. Boy, are they heavy!
We have had our cats on the same food for ages and it is PRETTY good but not the BEST. I am so excited that the brand that makes our Lyla’s dog food may be coming out with a cat food as well. I know it will be far healthier for our cats. We also feed our cats a bothy wet food every day. Not much, just a little as a treat but it is also good for them. Thanks for the tips!
We don’t have a cat but I know a couple friends that do so I’ll be sure to pass this info down to them! Thanks!
It is important to get the best for our fur babies! That’s for all of them!
Never realized how vital protein was for cats! I’ll definitely have to let my bff know – she’s a new cat owner!
This is so timely for our family. We have four cats and I want them to be as healthy as they possibly can and live long lives!
Very useful info.. I don’t own a cat but will pass this info to my sister in law.
Sadly, I don’t own cat because of my allergies. However, these are wonderful tips, nonetheless. Thank you for sharing!
Our spoiled kitties enjoy Sheba wet cat food, but they nibble all day long on Purina. We use weight control as they have gotten a little over weight as they age.
I have three cats and we are always careful with what we buy. I want something that is healthy for them as well as something that they’re going to love to eat.
I always fed my cats dry food. Quality food is super important for cats. The better the food supposedly less waste in the end. 🙂
Who would have thought there was so much to consider when it came to feeding your cat. This is definitely some great information you shared. Thanks!
I love cats! It is so great they are coming out with more information about what is best to feed our pets. When I got my first cat in 1999 there wasn’t really much about anything, so I just got what was on sale.
Nutrients can be found in a variety of sources, but the right ingredients help deliver optimal nutrition for optimal health.
I’m still in awe at the variety of pet foods that exist for cats and dogs alike. Happy eating to the kitty kats.
Had no idea that wet food was so important for a cat. Ours is strictly outdoors/barn cat does that still apply to him?