What should you look for while buying cat food
Buying food for your pets can be challenging, with many brands and pet food supplements available in the market. Your pets are like family, and you want to give your family the best there is, which is of particular importance when it comes to food and drink. Cat food especially should be a perfect blend of more meat and less grain among the top ingredients used, should not contain any corn, wheat or soy substitutes which are rich in carbohydrates.
Canned cat food should not contain any preservatives even if it reduces the shelf life of food and most importantly, cat food reviews suggest that canned product must have a good safety record to ascertain quality and compliance with various regulatory guidelines.
Labels will display information about the type of product which is why it is a good idea to understand the different labels of cat food which is canned or packaged. There are guidelines set by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) when it comes to manufacturing and marketing pet food.
These include labels like product name, best quantity statement, manufacturers name and address, list of ingredients used, guaranteed analysis, nutritional adequacy statement, feeding and usage directions, calorie statement, other labels and of course a summary which includes the details.
Labels will tell you more about a particular product, but here are a few generic things you should know when it comes to choosing the best product for your cat based on a number of cat food reviews online.
Dry versus canned food: The ongoing debate about which is best can be quite confusing since both are good and not suited at the same time. Some veterinarians suggest dry cat food while others say cats need wet food. This is again dependent entirely on your feline which is why it is a good idea to consult with your local vet as suggested by many cat food reviews to find out which food is best suited.
Raw versus prepared food: Frozen raw foods and even dehydrated raw foods are best suited for these furry, fuzzy felines according to cat food reviews from popular websites. The raw food will mimic a cat’s natural prey which makes it more appealing to eat compared to canned and prepared alternatives.
What if the food has byproducts: Byproducts are not so much of major concern because cats are accustomed to killing and eating prey out in the wild which will have by-products like fur, bones, internal organs among others.
Budget: Ultimately everything will depend on how much you are willing to spend, but taking into account the factors mentioned above.