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Cat/dog owners -

Are you a dog or cat owner? Are you confused about what constitutes safe and healthy pet food? Then read on!

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What is pet food? -

Pet food—or, more generically, animal feed—is food usually specific to the type of animal, such as dog food or cat food. But what exactly are pet foods?

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Specialty food -

Pet food is a specialty food for domesticated animals that is formulated according to their nutritional needs.

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Pet food recipes -

Pet food recipes are also based on the breed of animal, as well as size, age, and lifestyle. And there are all sorts of options to cater for any and all preferences.

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Dog food -

Dogs are typically not fussy eaters and will wolf down a bewildering variety of food, given half the chance. Your responsibility as a dog owner is to make sure your dog eats the right kind of food. There are many different types of dog's dinners out there.

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Complete diet -

Ideally you should provide your dog with what's known as a complete diet (this also goes for cats, too). This high quality option contains every nutrient required by your pet pooch to be healthy.

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Wet or dry food? -

Both wet and dry food can provide your cat or dog with all important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, provided the ingredients are of high quality. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages.

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Wet dog food -

Wet foods are very popular. Wet food tends to be more intense in smell and taste and has a higher water content, thus providing the body with a lot of liquid. One of the main disadvantages of wet food, however, is its relatively low calorie content: dogs must eat twice or three times as much wet food in order to reach the same calorific value as dry food.

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Dry dog food -

Dry food, which is more concentrated and compact, tends to have a high energy content. It may also help to keep your dog's teeth clean as the kibbles can help prevent the buildup of plaque on your pet's teeth, which can lead to gingivitis.

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Combining wet and dry dog food -

Owners should ideally choose just one type of food to feed their dog. However, there's nothing wrong with combining wet and dry food occasionally as long as you don't mix the two types of food, and serve them at different times.

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Cat food -

Cat owners should also make sure they feed their pets complete food, designed to be the main part of your feline's diet and, again, formulated according to their nutritional needs, breed of animal, as well as size, age, and lifestyle.

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Wet cat food -

Wet cat food can be sold as a mousse, loaf, chunks in gravy, or in jelly. A cat's propensity towards dehydration means that the high water content in wet food can be beneficial. Water does not contain calories, so wet food can also assist in weight management.

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Dry cat food -

Similar in composition to dry dog food, dry cat food has a high energy density, which is useful in providing cats with choosy appetites the vitality they need. Wet food may also help to slow down plaque accumulation.

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Combining wet and dry cat food -

As with dogs, occasionally providing your cat with a choice of wet and dry food, served separately and at different times, can be beneficial to its health and happiness.

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Pet food ingredients -

The nutritional health of your four-legged friend is vital if your pet is to get the best out of life. But what is pet food made of, and what kind of nutrients does your cat or dog require?

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Raw materials -

The Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations (GAPFA) points out that there are several different types, or formats, of manufactured pet food. These include wet (can, pouch, tray), dry (extruded or baked), and complementary treats, such as chews and biscuits. The method of pet food production and the ingredients used varies according to format.

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Primary ingredients -

The primary ingredients in pet food are described as animal or fish derivatives, or byproducts. In other words, parts of the animal that are surplus to the requirements of the human food industry.

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Byproducts -

Examples of animal byproducts include liver, kidney, spleen, intestines, bone, and stomach tissue.

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Cereal grains -

To improve the consistency of the product, cereal grains including soybean meal, corn meal, cracked wheat, and barley are often used.

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Liquid ingredients -

Liquid ingredients may include oils and fats, meat broth, or blood. Water is also frequently added to facilitate processing and to give the food its final form and texture.

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Additional ingredients -

In addition to these principal ingredients, salt, preservatives, stabilizers, and gelling agents, including bean and guar gums, and cellulose are often necessary to allow greater homogeneity during processing and also control the moisture.

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Healthy dog -

According to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association, a dog requires 37 essential nutrients. These are classified into six main nutrient groups—water proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

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Healthy cat -

Similarly, your cat will thrive as long as it receives these same essential nutrients.

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What are you feeding your pet? -

Pet owners have a right to know what they are feeding their animals. But how do you know the food you are giving your pet is safe and healthy, and contains all the necessary nutrients?

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Food safety -

The FDA has the primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of all foods offered for sale in the United States, including pet food and pet food ingredients. Pet food labeling is regulated at two levels.

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Properly identified and labeled -

All animal feeds should be properly identified, with each label clearly indicating net quantity statement, manufacturer's name and address, and proper listing of ingredients. And the definitions are strict.

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Strict definitions -

For example, with regards to meat content, the FDA rules that "meat" is defined as the "clean flesh of slaughtered mammals..." On the other hand, "meat meal" is "the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents."

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Doubts? -

If the criteria governing the safety of animal feeds is questioned, or if scientific data presented show a health risk to animals of an ingredient or additive, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) can act to prohibit or modify its use in pet food.

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Seek expert opinion -

If in doubt about what to feed your cat or dog, seek expert opinion from an informed consumer choice website such as Which?

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TLC -

And remember, making sure your pet eats properly is just one component in taking overall care of your cat or dog. Regular checkups at the vet, plus loads of tender loving care, are equally important.

Sources: (Pet Food Processing) (Pet Food Institute) (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) (All About Dog Food) (International Cat Care) (Global Alliance of Pet Food Associations) (Zoo Plus) (Pet Food Manufacturers' Association) (Feline Nutrition Foundation) (FDA) (Which?)

See also: Tips to improve your pet's dental health

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