What's Missing From My Little Lion For It To Be Nutritionally Complete?

[cheeser]

I'm always on the lookout for new canned foods for our cat with food allergies and all too frequent bouts of inappetence. So I was excited when I stumbled across this rabbit flavor from My Little Lion. But as I was adding it to my spreadsheet so I could crunch the numbers to get a ballpark estimate of the carb content, I noticed that the website said, "My Little Lion® 96% Rabbit formula for cats is intended for supplemental feeding only."

So where does it fall short for it to be considered complete and balance per AAFCO guidelines? I contacted the company a few weeks ago, but I haven't yet received a response. I'm just wondering if it might be possible for me to supplement it somehow to make it more nutritionally complete. Unfortunately, limiting a supplemental food to just 10% of Buddy's diet isn't an option for us, because once he takes a liking to something, he'll go on a hunger strike if he doesn't get it all the time for awhile. So we just hate to put temptation in his path.

Ingredients
Rabbit, Water Sufficient for Processing, Natural Flavor, Cassia Gum, Guar Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Taurine, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Proteinate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Inositol, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein...12.5% (min.)
Crude Fat...6.5% (min.)
Crude Fiber...2.0% (max.)
Moisture...78.0% (max.)
Zinc...20.0 mg/kg (min.)
Selenium...0.15 mg/kg (min.)
Vitamin A...2,500 IU/kg (min.)
Vitamin D...100 IU/kg (min.)

Calorie Content
1,195 kcal/kg, 102 kcal / 3 oz can, 186 kcal/5.5 oz can (calculated) ME.

 

[Kieka]

Here are AAFCO guidelines: PetCoach - Ask a Vet Online for Free, 24/7

What the problem is does not stand out for me either but hopefully someone can see it.

 

[solomonar]

In my view, combining foods to obtain a balanced formula is something for professionals.
The Guaranteed analysis states min and max values, which may be very misleading in calculus.
Ingredients must to be listed in the reverse concentration order, in European Union. Evan so, adding up more ingredients or supplementary ingredients means one has to weight all of them, which is a laboratory nightmare.
I dont say it is impossible, I only say it is a extremely laborious job.
A tip I can see is to gradually take out the supplement and replace it by some high quality food.

 

[cheeser]

Here are AAFCO guidelines: PetCoach - Ask a Vet Online for Free, 24/7

What the problem is does not stand out for me either but hopefully someone can see it.

Thanks much! I thought maybe I was overlooking something obvious.

 

[cheeser]

In my view, combining foods to obtain a balanced formula is something for professionals.
The Guaranteed analysis states min and max values, which may be very misleading in calculus.
Ingredients must to be listed in the reverse concentration order, in European Union. Evan so, adding up more ingredients or supplementary ingredients means one has to weight all of them, which is a laboratory nightmare.
I dont say it is impossible, I only say it is a extremely laborious job.
A tip I can see is to gradually take out the supplement and replace it by some high quality food.

Good point! I guess we'd probably be better off making our own food with commercially prepared premixes. Well, assuming I can find a recipe that Buddy finds acceptable. Thus far, he hasn't been too impressed with my efforts.

Thanks!

 

[Willowy]

Huh that's weird. Most supplemental pet foods only have meat and maybe a few other ingredients to make it taste better; no vitamins or minerals. That one seems to have all the proper vitamins and minerals. Maybe it would be a good idea to contact the company to ask them directly.

 

[cheeser]

Huh that's weird. Most supplemental pet foods only have meat and maybe a few other ingredients to make it taste better; no vitamins or minerals. That one seems to have all the proper vitamins and minerals. Maybe it would be a good idea to contact the company to ask them directly.

That's what has me puzzled. If it only contained meat and broth, and maybe a sliver of pumpkin or something (kinda like some of the Applaws pouches), then I'd understand why it's intended for supplemental feeding only. But when I saw all of those vitamins and minerals listed for the My Little Lion products, I got confused.

I did contact the company a couple of weeks or so ago to request clarification, but alas, they haven't gotten back to me yet.

 

[duckpond]

I think, maybe wrong, but what i think. I know Almo nature recommends feeding different proteins. Even with their complete foods. I think their company policy is that cats need different proteins in the rotation to be healthy? Not just one or even two, but to feed as many different proteins as they will eat? maybe My little Lion has the same philosophy?

 

[cheeser]

I think, maybe wrong, but what i think. I know Almo nature recommends feeding different proteins. Even with their complete foods. I think their company policy is that cats need different proteins in the rotation to be healthy? Not just one or even two, but to feed as many different proteins as they will eat? maybe My little Lion has the same philosophy?

Huh. That's interesting. Guess I'll try to contact My Little Lion again and see if I have any better luck this time.

 

[sidneykitty]

Hi cheeser I know I'm bringing back an old thred here but I'm wondering what did you ever hear back from the company? I've been wondering the very same thing. Confused the can says supplemental only, but it seems complete to me.

 

[daftcat75]

It looks like it is missing organ meat. Your basic formula for a balanced and appropriate cat food is meat, moisture, organs, and supplements. I'm not seeing the organs. I also don't see taurine. You could maybe balance this by adding freeze-dried liver to it but I would just keep it within the treat budget rather than rely on it. That's unfortunate though. Because except for the gums (and that's just something I watch for with Krista) and the missing organs, it looks like a good formula. I wonder why they made it that way.

 

[sidneykitty]

It does have taurine, so it must be the organ meats.

Interesting! I'd bought a few cans a while back and didn't realise it was not complete until I started looking for the calories. Its not really obvious as its written in very small text and unlike other supplemental foods, its easy to miss because it has all the vitamins, etc. I'll just save them for just in case later then.

 

[cheeser]

Hi cheeser I know I'm bringing back an old thred here but I'm wondering what did you ever hear back from the company? I've been wondering the very same thing. Confused the can says supplemental only, but it seems complete to me.

Alas, I never heard back from the company. But to be honest, it's been a bit crazy around here for a while, and it slipped off my radar screen. I'll give it another try, and if I get a response, I'll let ya know.