Selecting the right cat food can be tricky. There are no ‘one food suits all cats’ kind of cat food, so you will have to find what suits your cat(s) the best. You also have to keep one thing in mind your dietary requirements are different from the ones of your cat, so you can’t feed it the same food that you eat. To find out which cat food is most suited for your cat, you need to check out consumer reports best cat food reviews and then, a comprehensive guide explaining what your cat needs to stay healthy and what you should not serve your cat. So, without any further delay, let’s dive straight into the reviews.
Reviews Of 5 Best Cat Foods
1. Purina Fancy Feast Gravy Wet Cat Food
Here is one of the most popular wet cat foods available on the market. This cat food contains the flavors of freshly acquired beef and poultry that your cat is definitely going to like, plus it will give them the nutrition they need to get going for the entire day. The packet contains tender cuts, which are slowly cooked for exceptional texture and taste. Your cat will get all the necessary vitamins and minerals to ensure good health for a long period. The cat food comes in a delicious gravy, which will create a flavor-filled experience. The food is packed in eco-friendly recyclable cans, which makes it safe for the environment.
2. Meow Mix Original Choice Dry Cat Food
Here is another highly nutritious cat food from Meow Mix, which comes in dried form. The cat food consists of all the nutrients that your cat needs to stay active and healthy. Introducing this cat food to your cat’s diet will allow her to have balanced and complete nutrition. The cat food contains top-quality protein, which helps keep the cat’s muscles healthy and promotes good health. The cat food is ideal for cats when they are fully grown, as it has everything that they need to keep them in top shape. This is a US-made product, which has undergone all the tests before being rolled out in the market.
3. Purina ONE Natural, Low Fat, Weight Control, Indoor Dry Cat Food
Purina brings to you a completely natural and low-fat cat food in dried form, which contains many ingredients but mainly it’s Turkey, as it allows the cat to have the necessary protein to keep the muscles strong and also promote cardiovascular health. This cat food contains 10% less fat compared to its other blends, but the inclusion of real chicken helps the cat maintain a healthy weight. Introduce this food to your cat and witness a reduction in hair fall along with a better immune system, thanks to the presence of 4 antioxidants in the food. Besides being healthy, this cat food tastes good as well, as its crunchy bites offer a delicious taste without any artificial flavors or preservatives.
4. INABA Churu Grain-Free, Lickable, Squeezable Creamy Purée Cat Treat
If you are looking for delicious cat food, which consists of wholesome ingredients, then you can go with Inaba Churu grain-free cat food with creamy puree. The cat food consists of many healthy ingredients including farm-raised chicken and/or wild tuna. Each bite of this creamy Churu tube consists of 91% moisture and hardly any calories, which makes it one of the healthiest snacks for your cat. The best thing about this cat food is that it doesn’t contain grains, preservatives, and artificial colors. But the manufacturer has added things like Taurine that helps cats improve their health. If your cat is fed up eating the same bland food, then this cat food will add some variety to it, so you should definitely try it out.
5. Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Premium Natural Dry Cat Food
This is a dry cat food that contains farm-raised chicken, salmon, wholesome lentils, and a highly nutritious superfood blend that helps fulfill the diet-related requirements of your mischievous feline. The cat food also contains natural prebiotics, which has been acquired from pumpkin to keep the digestive tract active. The company has also added berries to the cat food, which are rich in antioxidants and offer a healthy immune system for the cats. Your cat will get all the necessary vitamins, amino acids, and minerals after regular consumption of this cat food.
What Is A Cat's Food?
A Balanced Diet
To stay in good health, the cat needs a balanced diet, adapted to its specific needs and given in sufficient quantity. Its intestine is rather short: about 1 meter for the small intestine and 20 to 40 centimeters for the large intestine. This anatomical particularity, typical of the hunter of small prey, explains why the cat must eat frequently but in small quantities (between 10 and 16 meals per day).
Protein As The Main Nutrient
The cat is a strict carnivore: The proteins contained in the cat food must represent the main nutrient. Cat’s body cannot synthesize an amino acid, Taurine, essential for proper muscle function, and whose deficiencies can have dramatic repercussions on its state of health (heart failure, blindness, etc.). Taurine is found only in proteins of animal origin. The cat cannot be vegetarian!
Meeting The Cat's Nutritional Needs
Whether industrial or household, in the form of croquettes or pâtés (or mixed), the main thing is that the cat's diet meets its strict nutritional needs, in proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, and mineral salts. It will have to be adapted according to each individual by considering their age, physiological status (sterilized or not), and way of life (indoor or outdoor). Some cats, due to their state of health (obesity, diabetes, kidney failure, etc.), may need a medical diet, prescribed by their veterinarian, an integral part of the treatment of their pathology. We must not, of course, forget the water needs of the cat which allow him to permanently maintain an optimal state of hydration and thus participate in its general well-being.
What Are The Nutritional Needs Of A Cat?
Protein Requirements
They must represent between 30% and 40% of its food ration. A 5 kg adult cat needs about 26 g of protein per day. They must be of good quality and mainly of animal origin.
Amino Acid Requirements
The cat does not know how to naturally synthesize taurine, essential for good muscle function and therefore for its survival, it must find it in its food. Taurine is found only in animal proteins, so the cat is a strict carnivore.
Carbohydrate And Fat Requirements
Carbohydrates should not represent more than 45% of dry matter and lipids more than 11%, otherwise overweight, obese or even diabetes mellitus will set in.
Vitamin Needs
The cat's food must include the vitamins necessary for its good health, in adequate quantities (neither too little nor in excess): vitamins A, B, D, E, K, and H; It can naturally synthesize vitamin C. The cat is unable to convert the carotenes contained in green vegetables or carrots into vitamin A. It is therefore essential to provide it in the form of products of animal origin (liver) or synthetic form. However, it can synthesize vitamin D in its skin (thanks to the action of solar UV) which it ingests by licking itself.
Mineral Salt Requirements
The diet of the adult cat must contain mineral salts to maintain its good health: Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper, Zinc, and Magnesium. This contribution must be balanced according to its specific needs, deficiencies, or excesses which can have serious consequences on its general state.
Fiber And Essential Fatty Acid Requirements
The fibers will facilitate its digestion and the essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) the beauty of its coat and its good general condition.
Water Needs
It is the first nutritional need of the cat. The cat must keep itself hydrated and concentrate its urine too much (with the risk of the formation of stones and kidney failure that a water deficit could cause).
What Foods Are Dangerous For Cats?
- Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.) can cause digestive problems in adult cats, which often no longer digest lactose once weaned.
- Bones are totally forbidden (even cooked) because small sharp splinters could get stuck in the respiratory or digestive tracts.
- Never give your cat chocolate: it contains toxic caffeine and theobromine, even in small doses.
- Grapes (fresh or dried) are very toxic to our cats, even in very small quantities, and can cause digestive disorders and severe kidney failure.
- Walnuts and hazelnuts and other dried fruits are not recommended because they promote the appearance of digestive disorders in cats.
- It is also necessary to avoid giving them garlic, onion, and leek, which can cause, in addition to digestive problems, anemia by the destruction of red blood cells, sometimes fatal.
- Lemon and vinegar can cause stomach pain and vomiting.
- Very salty foods can, when given in excess, promote hypertension and kidney failure.
- Avocado can cause stomach problems and even pancreatitis.
- Raw fish contains an enzyme that causes vitamin B deficiency in the cat's body. So, avoid tartar, sushi, or any other dish that contains raw fish.
- Raw potatoes and green tomatoes are toxic to cats, due to a toxic substance called solanine, which is destroyed by cooking and when the tomatoes are ripe.
- Needless to say, of course, alcohol is strictly prohibited!
Wrapping Up
Choosing the best cat food will not just ensure the good health of your cat, but will also deepen your relationship with it. So, if you love your cat more than anything, then don’t just feed it anything random, choose the best product from the consumer reports best cat food and see the difference in your cat’s health and activity.
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