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ingredients in these two dry cat food supermarket brands.
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What's in your cat food?
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*Based on a survey of vets at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress (April 2007). Voted No. 1 vet-recommended dry cat food brand available in supermarkets.
Vets know that quality ingredients help maintain your cat's well-being, but how can you be sure about what's in your cat's food? It's hard to decide which you prefer when you're not certain what the ingredients are, or what they can mean for the well-being of your cat. What's really in your cat food? can help you make the right choices, so you can confidently select what's optimal for your cat.
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Meat protein
Vegetable protein
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Procter & Gamble
© 2008 Procter & Gamble. All Rights reserved.
Number 1 vet-recommended dry food in supermarkets*
Iams Rich in chicken variety
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Chicken (>26%), Maize, Wheat, Animal Fat, Poultry Meal, Fish Oil, Poultry Digest, Dried Whole Egg, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, DL-methionine, Sodium Chloride.
Analysis:
Protein 32%; Moisture 8%; Oils and Fats 21%; Fibre 1.8%; Ash 6.5%; Calcium 1.1%, Phosphorus P 0.9%; Magnesium 0.095%; Vitamin A: 12000 IU/kg; Vitamin D2 900 IU/kg; Vitamin E (a-tocopherol) 140 mg/kg; Copper (added as Copper II Sulphate) 25 mg/kg.
Contains EC permitted antioxidant.
Taurine: none (as it occurs naturally in meat ingredients)
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Other dry cat food supermarket brand*
Cereals, Meat and Animal Derivatives, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Oils and Fats, Minerals
With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.
Vitamins: Vitamin A: 8500 IU/kg, Vitamin D3: 850 IU/kg, Vitamin E: 75 mg/kg.
Taurine: 1000 mg/kg.
Typical analysis:
Protein 32%; Fat 10%; Ash 8%; Fibre 3%; Calcium 1.2%, Phosphorus 1.2%; Potassium 0.7%; Magnesium 0.12%; Methionine 0.6%, Copper (as copper sulphate) 19 mg/kg.
* example ingredients
Cats are carnivores. They need high levels of meat in their diet. Meat-based proteins contain all the essential amino acids (including the amino acid taurine) that cats need to stay healthy, as well as supporting a lean body and muscle tone. These amino acids may not always be present in all plant-based proteins. Taurine would not be present naturally and would need to be added.
Find out more...
Plant-based or vegetable proteins may not individually contain all the essential amino acids that cats need to stay healthy, and will certainly not contain the amino acid taurine, which is essential for your cat's well-being.
Artificial ingredients make pet food more appealing to humans' but the real question is, 'Does it benefit your cat?' Possibly not, so if you want more natural benefits, look for a cat food that is free from added artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.
Find out more...
Antioxidants are added to cat food to stabilise essential fats and to prevent the food from going off. Iams foods use the antioxidant Vitamin E.
Most fibres provide bulk and help to move food through the intestines, but different fibres can perform different functions in your cat's body. Iams food uses beet pulp, which is a natural fibre that has an extra benefit: it is broken down by gut bacteria, aiding the digestive process and keeping your cat's digestive system well balanced. Other sources of fibre can be indicated by ingredients such as 'derivatives of vegetable origin'.
Cats use fat as their main energy source, as well as for many vital body functions; so it is essential to provide the right amount of fat in your cat's food.
Find out more...
Carbohydrates are not essential nutrients for cats, but they do perform several important functions. Starch is a digestible part of carbohydrates, providing fast and sustained energy sources. Fibre helps with nutrient absorption and digestion, and providing bulk to transport food through the intestines and promote proper stool formation.
Find out more...
The quantity of protein in your cat's food is important, and so is the quality. Quality of protein is determined by its origin (whether it is plant-based or meat-based) and how digestible it is for your cat (a protein that is indigestible to cats will provide little nutritional impact). European law requires that manufacturers give an average analysis for protein content. Check the individually listed ingredients on the label to see if the product contains protein from meat sources, such as chicken, lamb, fish or egg.
Look out for taurine, which is an essential nutrient for your cat. Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is found in meat, fish and eggs, so if your cat food contains high amounts of meat, you normally don't need to add taurine. A quality cat food with a high proportion of real meat usually contains enough taurine for your cat (cats need taurine to metabolise fats and maintain a healthy heart, good vision and reproduction). Cat food packaging doesn't need to list taurine unless it's been added, so you'll only see it as an ingredient on cat foods that needed to be supplemented.
Artificial flavours have no inherent nutritional value. Natural flavour enhancers, such as chicken fat, can just as well be used on the food to appeal to the cats' senses of taste and smell and so improve the overall flavour without adding artificial ingredients' it's tasty and it's natural!
Animal fats are easy to identify in cat food ingredients: chicken fat, other animal fat and fish oil are all good sources. Chicken fat is a source of omega-6 fat. Vegetable fats are found in plant oils, such as flax and vegetable oils. European law requires that manufacturers give an average analysis for fat content.
Fish oil and linseed (flax) are excellent sources of omega-3s (omega-3 fats). Omega-3s are needed for a number of important nutritional functions, including supporting brain development and function, promoting healthy skin and coat, and healthy joints.
Omega-3 isn't usually listed in the ingredients, so look for a product with fish or linseed ingredients. If the ingredients that contain omega-3s are not listed, then there might be an insufficient amount to give those benefits mentioned above.
Carbohydrates exist in cat food as starch or fibre. Starches are made up of different types of sugars and occur in grains like barley, rice, maize, wheat and sorghum. Starches give your cat a quick source of usable energy. Carbohydrates are also good sources of fibre, which is essential to maintaining the balance of your cat's digestive system.