Buyer Beware

---Article by Dr. Karen Becker --- Pet food companies are marketing new formulas of cat food as “preventive” diets available “over the counter.” Many are grain free and canned – which means they have higher moisture content than kibble (this is a good thing). Several include novel proteins (not a good thing). These diets are advertising they “prevent” many of the diseases that afflict cats who’ve been fed a lifetime of inexpensive, low quality, grain filled diets – many produced by the same companies now offering the new health care diets. Curiously, pet food marketers are comparing their new cat foods to veterinary prescription formulas, thus the over-the-counter spin. What’s odd is some of the new cat foods are actually more species-appropriate than prescription diets, so it’s curious why they are being advertised as an alternative, when in fact they’re better nutrition. It’s buyer beware when it comes to pet food marketing claims. Savvy pet owners are educating themselves about proper nutrition for their cat or dog and aren’t being misled by clever promotional campaigns. The worst thing pet owners can do is count on pet food brand marketers to inform them about the nutritional quality of the food they sell. The best way to insure good nutrition for your cat is to feed a balanced, species-appropriate diet, either homemade or a high quality commercial formula. Check out kittycatorganics.com for a very high quality organic cat food.