Has anyone ever taken the time to explain the difference in pet foods to you?
It's a question we ask every day at Pet Planet, because eating well is essential to you pet's health.
Comparable to human junk foods, grocery brand pet foods and treats are full of sugar, fat, dyes, artificial flavours and chemicals. They also contain fillers that provide absolutely no nutritional value for your pet, such as bone meal, animal ‘digest’ and by-products.
Persuasive and expensive advertising campaigns are designed to convince pet guardians that grocery brand foods are “premium”. The package may show pictures of meat and vegetables, but as 2007's pet food recall tragically illustrated, what’s inside the bag can be a completely different story. We cannot assume that all pet foods are healthy or even safe for our pets, despite big budget advertising and marketing claims. So how can you be sure you trust the food you are feeding your pet?
When choosing a food for your pet look for a pet food company that owns their manufacturing facility. They should source all of their own ingredients and put them under very rigorous testing before they are used within the food. Many pet food manufacturers do not own their own facility and are therefore bound by a co-pack contract, which substantially heightens the risk of sub-standard ingredients and foods.
When it comes to pet food, you get what you pay for. Cheap grocery brands are focused on reducing the costs of production of their foods and therefore may compromise the quality of the ingredients that are used. Ironically, cheaper foods are actually more expensive to feed because more of that food must be fed for a dog or cat to get the nutritional benefit. A high quality food uses no fillers (ingredients that provide no nutritional value and increase the risk of contamination), is highly digestible and costs the same or less as the cheap grocery/ department store brands.
Like children, your pets rely on you to make safe and healthy choices for them. If your pet is currently living on a “junk food” grocery brand diet, it’s time to visit Pet Planet to learn about the healthier and safer choices you can make for your best friend. You will truly be surprised at what you learn about pet food.
Because if he could talk, he would tell you that “I don’t do grocery”!
Canned Food
Cats do not have a very strong thirst drive, which leads to chronic dehydration when dry food makes up the bulk of any cat’s diet. Cats have better overall health when they are fed a quality moist (canned or pouch style) food in addition to dry kibble. A cat on a dry food diet does drink more water but when water from all sources is added together (what’s in their diet plus what they drink), the cat on dry food only consumes approximately HALF the amount of water compared with a cat eating moist foods. This is a crucial point when considering how common kidney and bladder problems are in the cat.
However, with the recent tragedies of the pet food recall, how can you be sure you are truly providing your cat with a safe and healthy moist food? Quality foods, whether raw, canned, pouch or kibble, start with human grade meats and ingredients. Poor quality grains, chemicals, preservatives and by-products inhibit proper digestive function and significantly increase the risk of poor health. In many cases, you do get what you pay for. The grain by-products such as millings, flours and gluten that have been at the centre of 2007’s recall are inexpensive fillers that have no nutritional value.
When looking for a moist food for your cat or your dog, look for a food that uses no fillers and is highly digestible and absorbable – it will cost you the same or less to feed as the cheap grocery/mass brands. Ensure your choice of food is produced by a high quality premium pet food manufacturer who manufactures their own products under a strict quality control environment who ensures the ingredients in their formulas are human grade, fresh and chemical free.
If like many pet guardians you are confused about making the right moist food choice, please don't hesitate to stop by your local Pet Planet. At Pet Planet we focus on the quality of the food rather than the marketing and mass appeal of the product. We would be happy to provide you and your pet with a free, no obligation nutritional consultation, and help you understand the differences between grocery and premium pet foods. Whether you are looking for a new canned or pouch food, or would feel more comfortable switching both your pet's wet and dry food needs to a premium brand you can have confidence in, our knowledgeable Animal Ambassadors can provide you with the information you need to make an educated decision for your best friend.