As of right now, our records indicate that Merrick uses roughly 143 different ingredients. Protein derived from chicken, pork, whole eggs, dried whole eggs, turkey, ducks, etc., is the best source of nutrition for cats. Ingredients in dog and cat food are listed by weight in descending order. 3 While most of the food supplied comes from within the US, the FDA ensures that standards are met within our borders even when components come from countries with less stringent ideas of safety or label integrity. Ingredients to Avoid in Cat Food Some controversy surrounds these food additives – so do your own research and talk to your veterinarian. Purina offers an array of cat food formulas designed specifically for your cats’ unique needs and preferences. Some cat experts believe that canned food is healthier than dry food. The most common 2nd ingredient is chicken liver, followed by pea protein, split pea, and chicken heart. They are water proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. To achieve the right balance of nutrients pet food manufacturers blend mixtures of ingredients including meat and fish, vegetables, cereals, vitamins and minerals to produce foods that will satisfy the nutritional requirements of your cat. W e researched 50 brands of dry cat food and canned cat food to determine which is the healthiest for your cat. Each of Orijen’s recipes feature whole meats that your cat would eat in nature. The following list contains the dry cat foods which first 5 ingredients are either meats or meats & fish or meats & fish & eggs.The first 5 ingredients represents the biggest proportion of the formula so this is a good indicator of the cat food’s quality.Also, these formulas inform the 11 essential amino-acids cats need.. Common sense would seem to dictate that keeping healthy foods in their natural state, without adding chemicals or additives would be better for both human and pet: Sodium Acid Pyrophosphates (SAPP) – This food additive is used to make pet food taste better – it’s a … Others argue that cats do well on both types of food and a pet owner should be able to choose what is most convenient. by Katie Finlay. So don’t leave a pet that died at the vets, because the vet puts them in the freezer and once a week the pet food rendering service will send trucks out on a route to pick up any dead pets left at vets office to be turned into pet food. One of the biggest points of confusion over the ingredient list comes when trying to decipher the terminology. However, most dry foods depend on carbohydrates as the "fillers" needed to hold the other ingredients together. Orijen – Cat and Kitten grain-free dry cat food is unparalleled in high-quality ingredients. The FDA double standard of food. Common Pet Food Ingredients (Listed Alphabetically): *Note: Several ingredients indicate that they may come from “4-D” sources. It's important to read the labels carefully. Canned foods do offer the advantage of having a higher moisture content, which can be important for cats who aren’t attracted to drink water readily. What to Look for in a Good Cat Food for Sensitive Stomach. Some cat food ingredients really shouldn't be in cat food. Understanding cat food ingredients can be a challenge. Many pet food manufacturers inside on adding grains or fillers like beet pulp, brewer's rice, cornmeal, corn gluten, and wheat flour to cat food. This legislation is laid down by Europe and also applies to imported commercially prepared pet foods. Any pet owner who is interested in obtaining further information on the ingredients of a specific pet food product should look at the label on the packaging. Ingredients to Avoid in Cat Food. The enquirer can also contact the company directly, using the name and contact details on the packaging, to ask which additives it contains. ; The broadening knowledge of pet nutrition and food technology has transformed the pet food industry remarkably over the years. There is also strict legislation governing what ingredients can be used in the manufacture of pet food. Both meat protein and vegetable protein play a vital role in the growth and development of a healthy cat. Protein provides amino acids that help a pet build and maintain its muscles, bones, blood, organs, immune... Carbohydrates.