Top 6 Cat Diet Myths Debunked: What You Need to Know!

One: How much is chicken or fish per pound, and how much is cat food? Isn't it better to just buy meat directly?

Apologies, but that's not feasible! Even though cats are carnivores, they still require a general framework for nutritional balance.

When it comes to the calciumtophosphorus ratio, chicken breast meat contains 0.11 mg of calcium per gram and 1.9 mg of phosphorus per gram. However, cats need a calciumtophosphorus ratio of approximately 1.1 to 1.2. If you were to feed your cat only chicken breast meat, it might meet the standards for protein and fat, but the calcium and phosphorus intake would be unbalanced, potentially leading to urinary system issues in your feline friend. (This could be the case if the cat food is overly rich in calcium and phosphorus, as seen with certain premium brands.)

Two: Is grainfree cat food truly grainfree?

Grainfree cat food doesn't mean it's completely free of grains, but the absence of grains isn't just a marketing ploy. Cats and humans differ significantly, with a large portion of the cat population being sensitive to certain ingredients like corn, soy, and wheat. Adding grains that cats are not sensitive to can increase the ash content (calcium/magnesium) and fiber in the cat food.

Three: Can cats digest grains or carbohydrates?

Yes, they can! While cats are carnivores, they can digest some carbohydrates.

Cats, unlike humans, have almost no salivary amylase, which means they rely on pancreatic amylase and brush border membrane enzymes in the epithelial cells to digest starches and other carbohydrates. However, these enzymes are low in quantity and activity, so they can't digest carbohydrates in large amounts.

Therefore, a lowcarbohydrate diet is preferable (which can also indicate that the ingredients include less meat and fewer vegetables and legumes).

Four: Is it better for cat food to have a higher protein content?

Not necessarily! As previously emphasized, cats are meateaters and cannot or can only digest small amounts of plant proteins like soy and wheat. They can, however, digest and absorb animal proteins in meat in large quantities.

Thus, higher levels of animal protein in cat food are generally better (indicating a higher proportion of meat in the ingredients), while lower levels of plant protein are preferable.

Five: Is it better for cat food to have a higher fat content?

Absolutely not! Just like humans, cats can gain weight if they consume too much fat, but necessary fats are still essential!

Six: Can cats not eat salt?

No, they can't! Cats' urinary systems cannot tolerate excessive salt, but inorganic salts are an indispensable part of life and must be consumed. Necessary salts are essential for a cat's life processes.

The national standard requires that watersoluble chloride in cat food be no less than 0.3%, and prescription foods can have 1% to 2%. A lack of salt can lead to edema or low blood pressure in cats.