We are often asked “what should I be feeding my pet?” and the answer to that question is a fairly broad one. There are so many different options out there, particularly for cats and dogs and it can be easy to be lured in with fancy packaging and gimmicks. It is important to look at your pet’s food labels to ensure it meets their requirements, but also to make sure you understand what those ingredients mean.
Feed a ‘complete’ diet
The one thing we recommend is to feed your cat or dog a diet labelled as ‘complete’; this is a legal definition which means it contains all the micro and macro nutrients your pets needs, according to regulated nutritional guidelines laid out by FEDIAF (the European Pet Food Industry). If a food is labelled as ‘complementary’ this means you must add other elements to provide nutritional balance.
Feed a diet suitable for your pet’s lifestyle and age
Puppies and kitten have different nutritional requirements to adults, they need a lot more energy and protein as well as smaller biscuits or meat chunks for their little mouths. Most dogs and cats will transition over to an adult diet at around 12-18 months of age, depending on their breed. Take a look at our puppy nutrition guide for advice about changing to a adult food. As your cat or dog ages you might consider a change to a ‘senior’ diet which can include added nutrients for joint or heart care.
What type of food should I feed?
Every pet and owner is different, so the form their food can take depends on their eating habits and what’s convenient for you as an owner. A dog or cat that likes to graze when they’re hungry might be better suited to kibble as opposed to a raw or wet food which could spoil if left out. However, a cat that is reluctant to drink may benefit from a wet food to increase their water intake.
No one form is better than the other, the important thing is to choose an appropriate, good quality complete food that works for you and your pet.
Boutique brand or larger manufacturer?
As vets we prefer manufacturers who can supply lots of data to back up their claims about the nutritional value of the food they are producing. In the UK, these are larger companies like Royal Canin, Hills and Purina, who also produce prescription diets and invest in nutritional research, whilst offering knowledgeable support and advice for vets and consumers. They each employ a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, and meet all the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) recommendations for manufacturing appropriate diets for pets. That is not to say that smaller companies are not producing good quality, balanced food, this just needs to be backed up with scientific data so you can be sure that if you use a boutique brand, their claims are actually true. If their diet has been assessed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, they will put this on their website.
You’ll notice that most veterinary practices recommend one of the three brands we have listed here (usually just one because stocking 3 of each type of diet is quite a lot!); there are often rumours that this is done because of kickbacks they get from these big companies. Just to clarify, this is not the case, pet food sales are often confused with human drug sales in the USA rather than based on any business practice permitted in the UK. These diets are wholly recommended on the basis of their scientific evidence for their diets and the fact they meet the WSAVA requirements.
Homemade diets
Homemade diets can have their advantages; as an owner you know exactly what ingredients are going into your pet’s food and it can feel good to cook your pet’s food personally. However, creating a homemade diet that contains all the nutrients your pet needs is challenging. To be a ‘complete’ diet it must contain a specific 37 essential nutrients for dogs and 40 for cats, each of which needs to be in the exact right amount. A diet lacking in these nutrients can have serious health consequences; for example, a lack of taurine in a cat’s diet can result in vision and heart problems. Creating a homemade diet also means calculating calories and being consistent to ensure your pet is not being over or under fed. You will also need to consider things like fat content and salt. Unless you are ready to put some serious research and a lot of time into a healthy menu for your pet, together with getting input from a qualified veterinary nutritionist to be sure of your calculations, we recommend sticking to ready made diets.
Grain-free diets
“Healthy grain free diets” have become increasingly popular in recent years. While these diets may still be ‘complete’ and of good quality for your pet, it’s important to understand what grain-free actually means, especially as it often comes at an increased cost. A grain-free diet means that the food does not contain cereals such as rice, corn, wheat, barley, and oats. Grains are often erroneously thought of as an indigestible ‘filler’, however, these starchy grains are highly digestible in cats and dogs and also offer nutritional benefits such as complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, fibre, vegetable protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Grain-free diets are often marketed towards owners who are worried about allergies. Adverse food reactions are responsible for a relatively small number of skin allergies; environmental factors and parasites account for a much higher proportion of dermatological issues. In terms of diet based allergens, grains are low on the list; beef, fish and chicken are most common in cats and beef, dairy and chicken are most common in dogs. It is recommended you speak to your vet if your pet is experiencing any skin issues in order to narrow down the cause.
Grain free diets have recently been potentially linked to an increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. While investigations are still ongoing, it is believed there is correlation between instances of non-hereditary DCM and diets high in legumes (lentils, peas, beans etc) which are often used in place of cereals in grain free diets.
If you prefer to feed a grain free diet, there are lots of options on the market but don’t assume that ‘grain free’ means ‘healthier’. Be sure to check the ingredients and quality of the product to ensure your pet gets the nutrients they need.
Hypoallergenic diets
Many diets now are labelled as ‘hypoallergenic’, this is a very general term so it’s vital to understand the ingredients listed and whether this is an appropriate diet for your pet. If your pet suffers with skin allergies or gastrointestinal sensitivities, you may think a hypoallergenic food is the right choice, but it’s important to first establish if your pet actually has an allergy to a specific protein. The best way to do this is with an elimination diet trial, whereby your pet is fed a food containing a single source novel protein which they have never had before (things like rabbit, venison and goat). If they continue to have symptoms after 6-8 weeks of being fed solely that diet, it is likely the source of their reaction is not food based. If their symptoms subside on the novel protein diet, other common proteins like beef and chicken can be added in one at a time to establish the cause of the allergy. The process takes time and dedication and relies on very strict feeding (limited treats, chews etc) in order to produce results.
Alternatively, pets with allergies or sensitivities can be offered a hydrolysed protein diet, which are also called hypoallergenic diets. Food adverse reactions occur when a large protein molecule interacts with a cell’s surface and causes two receptors to cross link. Hydrolysis of a protein reduces the molecular weight, making it smaller and less likely to cause this cross linking. The more hydrolysed the protein, the smaller the molecule and the better the effects. These diets offer a complete and balanced diet without the need to find a novel protein (there really aren’t that many goat based diets out there!) and may eliminate the need for an intense diet trial. Hydrolysed diets are also less likely to contain contaminants due to their strictly controlled manufacturing process and often contain added support for skin and gut health.
Be wary when buying a ‘hypoallergenic’ diet as most of those commercially available carry this label simply because they contain a single common animal protein and eliminate things like wheat, dairy and soya and whilst this may be good for pets who have an established allergy to specific ingredient, it may not be beneficial to a pet with undiagnosed allergies or sensitivities. Hydrolysed protein diets will specify that they contain a hydrolysed protein in the ingredients list. If you need more advice about hypoallergenic diets, speak to your vet.
Prescription diets
Prescription diets are designed to support specific conditions, such as kidney disease, cardiac issues and diabetes. You don’t need a prescription to buy these foods, but it is recommended that you seek a veterinarian’s advice before feeding them to your pet. Diet can play a really important role in supporting pets with chronic illness, whether it’s providing a low fat diet for those prone to pancreatitis or feeding a urinary diet which actively helps to reduce urinary stones.
Some commonly used terms
Crude ash – This is a legal definition which refers to the mineral content of the pet food, it does not mean it contains ash!
Human-grade – An ambiguous phrase you may see on packaging as all animal products in pet food are from animals certified for human consumption, it’s usually just the parts we don’t commonly eat in the UK.
Superfood – A marketing term used for ingredients which contain a high level of vitamins and minerals, not necessarily ones which will be beneficial to your pet.
Natural – The term ‘natural’ should be used only to describe those pet food ingredients to which nothing has been added and which have been subjected only to such physical processing as to make them suitable for pet food production and maintaining the natural composition. Additionally all pet foods marketed as “natural” must only be made with natural ingredients and the food must not contain any chemically synthesised ingredients.
Gourmet – Another marketing term attached to foods, it has no legal definition, it just sounds fancy.
Vet approved or vet recommended – There is no legal definition as to what this label means. Typically, manufacturers making this claim have had their food reviewed by an independent, small animal vet. Beat in mind, this may be a single vet’s opinion and not reflective of an endorsement by the entire veterinary community.
Call us on 01435 864422 if you would like more information about choosing the right diet for your cat or dog.
