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Your cat is one of a kind, so it stands to reason that you want to choose a cat food that accounts for their unique tastes, age, breed and health concerns. But with thousands of pet foods available, how do you pick the one that’s right for your cat?
First, it’s important to understand your cat’s nutritional needs. Then, you’ll need to think about your cat’s life stage, lifestyle and any health issues, and do a bit of research on cat food types, ingredients and cost. That may sound complicated, but we’ll make it easy for you — just keep reading.
Good nutrition is as important to your cat as it is to you — but their nutritional needs are quite different! Unlike humans, a cat needs a high-fat diet with less fiber. And even if you prefer a vegetarian diet, keep in mind that cats are carnivores. They need nutrients from animal protein and fat for optimal health, and they benefit from fiber for a healthy digestive tract and carbohydrates for energy.
Kittens, adult cats, nursing mothers and mature or senior cats are all examples of life stages, and each has different nutritional requirements. All cat foods should state which life stage they are recommended for — as an example, IAMS™ Proactive Health™ Mother and Kitten as well as IAMS™ Proactive Health™ Healthy Adult include the intended life stage right on the package.
Nutritional needs also vary depending on your cat’s lifestyle. A cat whose primary activity is guarding the couch doesn’t need as much energy as one who enjoys roaming outside.
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Because cats need the nutrients found in animal sources, it’s best to pick a food in which a primary ingredient (one of the first ones listed) is an animal-based protein source such as chicken, lamb, fish, egg or one of their by-products. These ingredients contain all the essential amino acids your cat needs, including taurine, which isn’t found in a plant-based protein source. Foods that include a combination of carbohydrates in your cat’s diet, such as corn meal or barley and grain sorghum, ensure efficient absorption of nutrients and help maintain energy levels. And beet pulp is an excellent fiber source that promotes a healthy digestive tract.
For a soft, thick coat and healthy skin, your pet needs fatty acids like those found in vitamin-rich fish oils and quality fat sources such as chicken.
Cat food labels provide limited information on the nutritional value of your pet’s food because labeling regulations do not allow manufacturers to describe the quality of ingredients on the package. A reputable pet food manufacturer can explain how they evaluate and ensure the quality of their products.
When choosing cat food, the saying “You get what you pay for” definitely applies. A low price may indicate cheap ingredients or ingredients that change as manufacturer costs fluctuate. So while price is an important factor, it shouldn’t be the only one you consider.
Plus, many lower-priced products recommend higher daily portions to provide the same amount of nutrition found in a high-quality diet. To get a better idea of cost, it is the cost per feeding, not the total cost, that counts.
To figure out the cost per feeding for a cat food, divide the total cost by the number of days the product lasts. When compared closely, high-quality pet foods tend to come out on top, from both a nutritional and a cost standpoint.
Nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals are important players in the skin and coat health of dogs and cats. To understand their role, it is necessary to first understand skin and hair.
The purpose of skin and hair is to block things (such as water or heat) from leaving, or things (such as viruses and bacteria) from entering the body.
The hair coat is composed almost entirely of protein. If an animal's diet doesn't contain adequate protein quantity and quality, hair may fall out, or become dry, weak, and brittle.
Skin is made up of squamous cells, which are flat cells tightly packed together. These cells have tough membranes that are composed of proteins and fats. Without proper amounts of these nutrients, cell membranes weaken, allowing water to escape and bacteria and viruses to enter more easily.
Proteins are found in both animal-based and plant-based ingredients. Animal-based proteins contain all the essential amino acids cats need, whereas plant-based proteins may contain only some essential amino acids. Cats need animal-based proteins to achieve optimal health.
Fats also can be found in both animal-based and plant-based ingredients, and they are incorporated into skin cells as fatty acids. There are two essential fatty acids for skin and coat health. Linoleic acid maintains skin and coat condition in dogs and cats. Without enough linoleic acid cats may experience dull, dry coat, hair loss, greasy skin and increased susceptibility to skin inflammation. Cats also require arachidonic acid for normal skin and coat health.
Both of these essential fatty acids are omega-6 fatty acids and are found in animal tissues such as chicken fat. Linoleic acid is also found in some vegetable oils, such as corn and soybean oils. Most commercial cat diets contain more than adequate amounts of omega-6 fatty acids.
Because these fatty acids can be converted to compounds that increase susceptibility to skin inflammation, it is important to balance the amount of omega-6 fatty acids in the diet with omega-3 fatty acids, which do not reduce susceptibility to inflammation.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oils from fish and some plants (canola and flax).
IAMS™ research has found that combining fat sources in the diet at a ratio of five to 10 omega-6 fatty acids to one omega-3 fatty acid results in excellent skin and coat health.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the development of healthy skin and hair coat. The best way to provide these nutrients is through a complete and balanced diet containing appropriate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals rather than through supplements.
Vitamin or Mineral | Important for Skin and Coat Health |
Vitamin A | Necessary for growth and repair of skin |
Vitamin E | Protects skin cells from oxidant damage |
Biotin | Aids in the utilization of protein |
Riboflavin (B2) | Necessary for fat and protein metabolism |
Zinc | Necessary for fat and protein metabolism |
Copper | Involved in tissue, pigment, and protein synthesis |
Diet is often believed to be a factor when changes in skin and coat condition are noticed. The most common causes of these changes, however, are season and life stage.
As cold weather approaches, most dogs and cats grow a thick coat to help keep heat in and cold air out. As the weather begins to warm up, they shed the thick, heavy coat.
Most kittens are born with soft, fuzzy hair, but as they age, a coarser coat grows. Pregnant or lactating cats also may experience a change in coat condition or hair loss.
