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Hi, I'm wondering if raw , home cooked or wet store bought cat food is best?
The AAFCO statement has nothing to do with health. It does indicate that the meal can be considered nutritionally complete. But it has no bearing on the quality of it.So at the very basic level, if you're buying canned food, reading the labels is key. You have to look for certain phrases to make sure it's a complete and balaned meal. This exact phrasing probably depends on where you live... The food I give my cats says, "FORMULATED TO MEET THE NUTRITIONAL LEVELS ESTABLISHED BY THE AAFCO CAT FOOD NUTRIENT PROFILES FOR ALL LIFE STAGES." AAFCO is the Association of American Feed Control Officials; if you're outside the US, you should look for your local equivalent. If a label doesn't say that it meets those standards, then it is not a "complete" meal, ie it is missing nutrients that your cat needs. A lot of cat treats fit that category. Good for the occasional snack, but not for a daily meal. You couldn't live just on candy, and your cat can't either.
You also want to look at the ingredient list and eliminate anything with too many ingredients that aren't meat. Many companies put "fillers" into their food to make it less expensive (meat is more expensive than veggies). But my cat would not eat grains, peas, carrots, rice, corn, etc. if she were feeding herself, so I avoid getting food that contains those things. I also avoid anything with too many "byproducts." I want to feed my cats high quality meat, not secondary leftovers.
Even if you're buying raw, you still need to make sure it's properly formulated. If you want to make it yourself, you should do research beforehand to make sure you're doing everything safely and that your cat is getting all the proper nutrients.
I'm aware. I said that was the bare minimum you want to look for.The AAFCO statement has nothing to do with health. It does indicate that the meal can be considered nutritionally complete. But it has no bearing on the quality of it.
raw food can be contaminated and wont last long. Home cooked,lots of research. I would worry about forgetting to add in an ingredient that cats need, so I by canned or freeze dried.Hi, I'm wondering if raw , home cooked or wet store bought cat food is best?
Okay, thanksraw food can be contaminated and wont last long. Home cooked,lots of research. I would worry about forgetting to add in an ingredient that cats need, so I by canned or freeze dried.
Cooked and highly processed food can also be contaminated.raw food can be contaminated and wont last long. Home cooked,lots of research. I would worry about forgetting to add in an ingredient that cats need, so I by canned or freeze dried.
This true, but I would worry more about leaving out raw food than cooked. Not just because my cat but my apt. I have forgotten about canned food left on the counter so raw I would too.Cooked and highly processed food can also be contaminated.
I would be weary of putting your full trust in pet feed companies. Many, many, recalls of commercial food (and unfortunate deaths of animals) have occurred due to someone just 'forgetting' to add an important ingredient.