Choosing the right dog or cat food is one of the most important decisions pet owners make. The quality and composition of food influences not only their pet's health but also their well-being and longevity. There are many different food manufacturers on the market today, each offering both dry and wet food, with different ingredients and intended uses. Therefore, choosing the best food for your pet can be truly challenging. So, what should you feed your dog or cat, and what should you consider when buying food? This article will provide you with some practical tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, wet, dry, and semi-moist foods are available. Each will differ not only in water content but also in taste, consistency, production method, and storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commercially available foods can also be divided based on their intended use. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before purchasing dog or cat food, it's essential to check its ingredients. Food manufacturers are required to include them on the packaging label, along with the analytical composition. In Europe, food labeling guidelines are defined by the "Code of Good Practice for Pet Food Labeling" developed by FEDIAF, an association of manufacturers. Based on these guidelines, food manufacturers should create labels that are uniform, transparent, and provide consumers with as much relevant information as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, pay attention to the ingredient list. Manufacturers are required to list ingredients on the label in order of quantity used. For both healthy dogs and cats, it's important that the protein source, such as meat or fish, be listed first. The description should be clear and precise, indicating the specific protein source, e.g., "chicken" or "beef." Lower-quality foods may include more general information, such as "meat meal" or "animal products." In this case, we don't know what's actually ending up in our pet's bowl, as this term covers not only meat but also offal, bones, and other animal parts such as hides, feathers, horns, and hooves. Labels on very low-quality foods may include "animal by-products," which are animal-derived materials not intended for human consumption or that humans don't consume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please note that the amount of meat listed in the ingredients refers to the weight of the raw materials before processing. During production, most of the water evaporates, which means the final weight of the meat in the finished food is lower than in its raw state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to animal-based ingredients, pet foods also contain plant-based ingredients. These often serve as sources of carbohydrates in pet foods. These include grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of the ingredients list we usually find additives, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
sensory additives \u2013 such as dyes or flavors that improve the appearance, smell or taste of the food,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
nutritional supplements \u2013 supplementing the diet with essential ingredients, e.g. vitamins, macronutrients, amino acids, fatty acids,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 technological additives \u2013 facilitating the production process, ensuring the durability and stability of the food; this group includes preservatives, stabilizers, antioxidants,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 zootechnical additives \u2013 which support the proper functioning of the animal body, e.g. probiotics or digestive enzymes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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According to the Code of Good Practice for Labeling Pet Food for Dogs and Cats, developed by FEDIAF based on EU regulations, the analytical composition of pet food labels is mandatory. This information describes the content of individual nutrients in a given product. These values are expressed as a percentage (%) and include protein, fat, fiber, and ash. The moisture content of the food must also be stated if it exceeds 14%, which applies to wet and semi-moist foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we want to compare specific foods, we need to convert their composition into dry matter; special calculators available on the Internet are helpful in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You won't find them listed directly in the "analytical ingredients" section on food labels \u2013 they are not legally required. However, you can calculate their approximate amount by subtracting the sum of protein, fat, fiber, ash, and moisture from 100%. Does it make sense to list them in food? Yes, absolutely! Dogs, as facultative carnivores, can handle a moderate amount of these in their diet. The opposite is true for cats \u2013 they are obligate carnivores. Their carbohydrate requirement is minimal, and excess carbohydrates can burden the pancreas, leading to obesity or diabetes. Their content in cat food should not exceed 10%, preferably up to 5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On dog and cat food labels, we often see terms like "with beef," "rich in chicken," or "salmon flavored." While these terms sound appetizing, the Code of Good Practice clearly regulates what these terms mean and how much of each ingredient should actually be included in the food. Below are a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we can see, buying food with "salmon" or "rabbit" doesn't necessarily mean it's the main ingredient; it usually only makes up a few percent of the total. To make an informed choice about the right food for your dog or cat, it's crucial to read product labels carefully and extract key information. Labels offer a wealth of valuable information that will help you choose the best food for your pet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n