What Makes a Premium Pet Food?
With so many pet food brands on the market it is easy to feel confused over what you should feed your furry friend.
The best most nutritious diets offer our animals so much more than just a tasty dinner. The right diet will do wonders for the health of our pets, promoting glossy coats, firm stools and better breath.
To help you navigate the world of pet food, here are 5 things to look out for:
1) Meat Content
Firstly, it is important to look for named ingredients. The golden rule when looking at the composition you should be able to understand every ingredient listed.
Look for named meat such as Lamb Meat Meal, Fresh Chicken and Dried Insect. These are clear and transparent terms that allow you to understand exactly what is making up a majority of your pets diet.
Remember our dogs and cats are carnivores (read more about this here) and as such they need a high level of meat in their diets. Ingredients lists go in descending order, so meat should be named and high up on the composition.
2) Easily Digested Carbohydrates
Look for a digestible and slow releasing carbohydrate sources. Some dogs and cats work better off grain free diets, whilst others benefit more from grain based diets.
Ingredients such as White Rice, Oats, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin are all easily digested and provide steady slow energy.
Dental ingredients are essential, as many pets suffer from issues. These aid in keeping teeth clean, by softening and removing plaque. Some diets use specialist ingredients such as Seaweed supplements and minerals to fight off plaque bacteria.
3) Healthy Oils & Fats
Oils provide much needed Omega 3 & 6. These support brain development, can reduce inflammation and promote healthy shiny fur.
Named oils and fats such as Salmon Oil, Chicken Fat and Insect Oil not only promote overall health and wellbeing. These oils are also extremely palatable, making the food taste even better to your dog or cat.
4) Joint Care
Joint Care is essential for all dogs and cats. These supportive ingredients play a vital role in keeping joints healthy and preventing future issues.
Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM work together to rebuild damaged joint cartilage, protect the joints and reduce inflammation.
For more information about these joint cares, read our guide to Joint Care Ingredients.
5) Prebiotics
Lastly, look out for supportive digestive ingredients. Prebiotics play an important role in our pets’ diets. However, many brands will not include these.
Prebiotics help to strengthen and feed the friendly bacteria present within the gut. This friendly bacteria is essential for a healthy gut and they help to fight off disease, stop inflammation and boost the immune system. Look for Prebiotic FOS and MOS on the ingredients listing.
We specialise in creating super premium and super palatable diets. Our trusted ranges are preserved naturally and contain everything a cat or dog needs to thrive.
Want more help understanding pet food? Check out our Beginners Guide to Pet Nutrition.
Wanting to understand how to navigate pet food better? Check out Pet Food Expert. This unbiased pet food comparison site will give you all the tools you need to compare dog and cat food.