When it comes to choosing a meal for your cat, there are a lot of possibilities.Although there are many ways to group these meal options, “conventional” and “alternative” are typically the two basic categories. Although most cats may benefit from a traditional diet, certain cats may thrive on a different one, or the pet owner may choose a different feeding method.
Whether the chosen food is full, balanced, and suitable for the pet is ultimately the most crucial factor to take into account.
What is complete and balanced cat food?
At the very least, cats need to consume food that provides them with a number of vital nutrients. When buying conventional and alternative diets from a store, it is important to check the pet food label for a nutritional adequacy, or AAFCO, declaration.
According to the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), this statement informs the consumer that the food has either been put through a feeding trial or has been prepared to satisfy the nutrient needs for a certain species and life stage. This remark is not required, and without it, we cannot be certain that a food is balanced (in the right amounts) and complete (contains all necessary nutrients).
“For conventional and alternative diets that are purchased from a retail location, the pet food label should be inspected for a nutritional adequacy, or AAFCO, statement.”
The ingredients are often not as significant a factor unless there is a food allergy because these nutrients can originate from a range of substances and combinations.
Smaller businesses that might not conduct feeding studies or nutrient analysis produce a large number of different diets. Compared to a standard diet, an alternative diet is more likely to lack a nutritional adequacy declaration.
In the case of homemade alternative diets, unless a recipe has been developed by a veterinarian, board-certified veterinary nutritionist, or nutritionist specifically for that pet, the homemade diet is probably lacking in a number of vital elements.
What are conventional diets?
Conventional diets consist of the usual canned or dry kibble that most”Cat food” is what people think of when they hear it. These diets are produced in a manufacturing facility and distributed by a number of merchants, including big-box stores, pet stores, and grocery stores. They often include a dense carbohydrate (mostly grains), sometimes some fruits and vegetables, and one or more animal protein sources (typically chicken, beef, hog, or fish). In addition, they contain vitamin and mineral supplements and oil (to offer vital fatty acids).
Byproducts of the production of human food are used to make the majority of conventional, commercial pet feeds. Byproducts can be extremely nutrient-rich and improve the quality of pet food, despite the widespread misconception that they are negative. What is permitted as a byproduct for animal consumption is subject to stringent controls. Roadkill, dead carcasses, and anything tainted with excrement are prohibited. On the other hand, organ meat is acceptable.
What are alternative diets?
Alternative diets cater to cats or their owners who have specific needs or preferences when it comes to cat food. This alternative category includes, for example, plant-based, grain-free, raw, freeze-dried or dehydrated raw, fresh food, and handmade diets. In order to lessen the impact of food allergies, they might also use restricted ingredients, such as just one protein and one carbohydrate. A brief explanation of each of these diet types and crucial factors to take into account is provided below.
Grain-free or gluten-free
Although some grains, such as barley, wheat, and rye, contain the protein gluten, other grains do not. Grain-free does not equate to gluten-free. While not all gluten-free cat meals are grain-free, all grain-free cat foods are gluten-free.
In an attempt to lessen gastrointestinal distress or skin irritation that may be linked to a food allergy, some pet owners may opt for grain- or gluten-free products. Grain and gluten allergies are quite uncommon in cats. The idea that grains have no nutritional value and are only utilized as fillers is another widespread fallacy. This is untrue; grains can actually be a great source of iron, calcium, and a number of B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.
Plant-based
Plant-based diets do not use any animal-based ingredients. While it is true that cats need nutrients, not ingredients, and they can get those nutrients from a variety of ingredient combinations, there is no strong research investigating the cat’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients from plant-based ingredients. Cats are obligate carnivores and have specific nutritional idiosyncrasies that make them quite different from dogs. They may not be able to thrive on a plant-based diet.
Raw, dehydrated raw, and freeze-dried raw
These diets mostly consist of meat and may or may not contain carbohydrates. Raw refers to food that has not been cooked; pet shops and other retail establishments sell a variety of commercially accessible raw diets. According to a policy statement from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), there are now more hazards associated with giving raw diets than advantages. Dehydration and freeze-drying are regarded as equally dangerous as diets containing raw meat since they do not produce a decrease in the pathogen burden.
Fresh diets
A few businesses are now producing fresh food diets for cats, and this is a more recent alternative diet that has been gaining favor. Similar to a homemade diet, a fresh diet is manufactured by a business and bought by the pet owner from a store. These diets vary in their nutritional sufficiency and offer a wide range of ingredient selections. Another question is whether a company producing this kind of diet is adhering to any food safety regulations to guarantee that the diets are free of toxins or pathogens.
Homemade diets
With this kind of alternative diet, the owner of the pet buys the ingredients and prepares the meal for their cat themselves. If your cat has particular nutritional needs, homemade diets might be a terrific option because they give you total control over what they eat. Without assistance from your veterinarian, an animal nutritionist, or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, making a homemade diet for your pet on your own can be dangerous. A study that looked into online recipes for cats and dogs discovered that almost all of them lacked one or more vital nutrients.
Limited-ingredient diets
These diets are intended for pets with suspected food allergies and usually contain just one animal protein and one high carbohydrate ingredient. Keep in mind that cat foods supplied over-the-counter (non-veterinary diets) are likely to be susceptible to cross-contamination during manufacture if you are thinking about giving your cat this kind of diet. The food may have come into contact with various protein sources even though the label only names one. Considering a person who is allergic to peanuts is a useful way to think about this. If a food was not produced in a facility free of peanuts, it may still induce a reaction even if it doesn’t contain peanuts.
When would an alternative diet be a better choice?
In certain cases, your cat might benefit from switching to a different food.
1#A different diet with fewer ingredients can be a good option if your cat has potential food allergies.
2#Some cats can be intolerant to one or more of the components used in conventional pet diets, which contain preservatives and other additives to keep the food fresh in the container. A homemade or freshly prepared diet may be more tolerable in certain situations.
3#For religious, personal, or other reasons, pet owners may have certain dietary requirements for the foods their animals consume. More control and involvement over the ingredients used is possible when feeding an alternative diet.
4#A freshly created or handcrafted diet may be more appealing to extremely picky cats, but this may not be the case for cats who have never consumed human food.
5#A homemade diet can be an excellent choice for pets with certain medical disorders where nutrition may play a part. This allows for the creation of a special, customized cuisine.
How else can I tell whether the diet I have chosen is right for my cat?
These extra considerations can assist you in determining whether a diet is suitable for your cat in addition to being comprehensive and well-balanced.
1#Is the diet suitable for the species and stage of life (e.g., adult maintenance, growth)?
2#Is your cat able to keep a healthy weight and in good physical condition, meaning they are neither overweight nor underweight?
3#Is there no decrease of muscle mass in your cat’s body?
4#Are frequent, well-formed bowel motions free of mucus or blood?
5#Is the skin and hair coat of your feline healthy and glossy?
6#Is your feline a reasonably active person?
7#When food is presented, does your cat consume it without leaving a lot behind?
8#Does your feline have any medical issues that might need adjusting their intake of certain essential nutrients?
As of right moment, no published study has discovered any advantages of providing alternative diets to cats in general as opposed to traditional diets. Certain case reports describe a single cat (or multiple cats, if the case series is a case series) with particular medical concerns for which a different kind of diet, typically homemade, has been recommended because there was no suitable conventional option available. However, these case reports are unique to the feline in question.
To find out which options might be ideal for your particular cat, see your veterinarian if you believe your kitty would benefit from a different diet.
