How Do I Choose a Food for My Cat?
High-quality commercially prepared cat foods have
been scientifically developed to give your cat the
correct balance of nutrients and calories. Basic minimum
nutritional requirements for cats have been
established by the Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE)
Subcommittee of the Association of American Feed
Control Officials (AAFCO), and pet-food manufacturers
use these standards in producing cat foods.
When you’re shopping for a healthy food for your
cat, reading the nutrition label on the packages is the
best way to compare foods. Pet-food manufacturers
are required to supply certain nutrition information
on the package. Labeling regulations are established
by the AAFCO (www.aafco.org) and the United
States Food and Drug Administration. All pet
foods that carry an AAFCO approved nutritional
guarantee, often referred to as the “AAFCO statement,”
are considered to be complete and balanced.
These standards were formulated in the early 1990s
by panels of experts on canine and feline nutrition.
A food may be certified in two ways: (1) by meeting
AAFCO’s published standards for content, or (2)
by passing feeding tests or trials. Most researchers
agree that feeding tests are superior in assessing the
nutritional adequacy of a food.
Throughout a cat’s life, there are stages in which
the cat requires different nutrients. These stages
include kittenhood, adulthood, pregnancy, and lactation.
The nutritional claim on the cat-food label
should state the stage of a cat’s life cycle for which
the food is a complete and balanced product. It
should also state that it meets the requirements of
the AAFCO. Feeding a cat a product that does not
have a nutritional claim on the label cannot guarantee
a complete and balanced diet for the animal.
Often owners will find products that say they have
been formulated for “all life stages,” which simplifies
things for owners with multiple cats of different
ages or circumstances.
