Is This Food Ok To feed My Cat?
This question came from a client looking for help with her cat, diagnosed with a kidney condition and showing signs of decline: weight loss, retreating to under the bed, lethargy, etc.
We evaluated the cat food label and found the first ingredient to be corn. Cats are 90% omnivores and require mostly a high-protein diet containing muscle meat, organs, glands, and bone. Cats don’t eat corn, and neither is it digestible for them.
Here are more of the ingredients listed in order on the label: chicken fat, pork digest, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, pea fiber, fish meal, natural flavors, dried chickory root, wheat gluten, fish oil, vegetable oil, powdered psyllium seed husk followed by a long list of synthetic vitamins.
Understanding the ingredients in your pet’s food is crucial for their health and well-being, and terms like ‘corn gluten,’ ‘wheat gluten,’ ‘pork digest,’ and ‘fish meal’ raise concern. When you see ‘meal’ on a label, it typically indicates that the product could include a variety of parts or by-products that may not meet the standards we set for our own diets. This raises an important question.
Would you choose to consume these ingredients? The reality is that many components deemed unsuitable for human consumption should also be questioned when it comes to our pets.
Taking a moment to reflect on your own dietary choices can help you draw parallels to the nutrition you provide for your animal companions, reinforcing the deep bond you share with them. At Happy Tails, we believe that every pet deserves high-quality nutrition, and we aim to empower pet owners to make informed decisions for their beloved animals.
The cat for whom the question was asked is a cat with diagnosed kidney issues, and this particular food was prescribed. This cat food (we’ll leave it un-named) would not complement the health of this cat.
Cat nutrition is vital to health and well-being, and particularly for pets that are compromised in any way. Animals require proper nutrition just as much as people do. Optimal nutrition is also vital for mental health and can prevent anxiety, worrisomeness, depression, and a long list of common problems we see today.
Cats eating a natural and biologically appropriate diet greatly reduce the occurrence of many common health conditions. Just as important as prevention is the concept of thriving and living a great quality of life. A good quality diet helps your pet shine in every way.
If you need help in creating the optimal diet approach for your pet, we are available for consultations and happy to help get your pet on track. 
