Is all cat food created equal?

I am a little picky when it comes to nutrition in my patients.  So come with me on this quick little journey.  I'm going to list the first few ingredients in three different cat foods (and on the previous post we examined dog food) and before you scroll to the bottom to see what brands they are, pick which one you would like to feed your kitty at home.




1. Poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, wheat flour, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of vitamin E)


2. Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Corn Grits, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp


3. Chicken, Chicken Liver, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots

Well?  What do you think a wild, carnivorous cat would prefer?  Remember, cats have always been carnivores and many may have difficulty digesting carbohydrates.  If you let a kitty outside what do they leave on your doorstep, a cob of corn or a dead mouse?  

1. Dry Cat Chow
2. Dry Iams ProActive Original with Chicken
3. CANNED Wellness Chicken


Yes, I would love it if all of my kitty patients could eat #3 but yes, it is the most expensive of those listed.  That said, out of the most reasonable cat foods sold in all grocery stores I would choose #2 and the canned Iams is even better!

My other favorite cats foods are Nature's Variety Instinct, Purina ProPlan Selects, Innova, and Before Grain.