Which Cat Food Do Veterinarians Recommend

If you're wondering which cat food do veterinarians recommend, you are in good company. This is a question asked by cat owners everywhere. Those who own cats (or is it the other way around?) want to give them the healthiest diet to help their feline friend stay healthy and live a long life.

Actually, every veterinarian has a different idea about which foods are best for cats. Some veterinarians take a holistic approach and recommend a diet as close as possible to what the cat would eat in nature. This might include some raw foods, but the diet would be a very high in protein. However, because cats have very specific nutritional needs and require specific vitamins and nutrients (in particular taurine), this type of diet needs to be closely monitored by your veterinarian.

Some brands that provide this type of diet in a safer package that includes all needed nutrients are:

• Wild Kitty
• Rad Food
• Feline Future

Other vets caution against a raw diet, expressing concern over any ground bone meal or lack of specific nutrients your cat might need. However, which food is the best seems to be up for debate. Unfortunately, some vets seem to recommend the brand that provides them the most incentives to sell it in their office, and some of these brands are very well known. While these foods likely won't harm your cat, they may have many fillers and grains that a cat doesn't necessarily need. The lesson here is to really check the label on any cat food your vet recommends. If you see ingredients like by-products and corn in the first five ingredients, it's probably better to select another brand that provides real meat protein.

Below is a table that lists some of the features of the different high quality cat foods out there. You won't find some familiar brands listed because they are full of fillers. While an occasional treat of these foods is probably fine, using them as your cat's staple diet is probably not a good idea if you want your pet to live a long and disease-free life.

These are just a few of the more popular brands that veterinarians recommend. There are many different companies out there. Since you will receive conflicting advice between veterinarians, breeders and pet supply store associates, it is important to have a few rules of thumb in mind when choosing a food for your cat.

• Customize: Take into consideration your cats unique nutritional needs. What is the age of your cat? Is he or she prone to any urinary tract issues, crystals or kidney stones? Are there any other health issues to consider, such as sensitive skin, hairballs or diabetes? Different manufacturers offer different foods to address specific health needs.

• Cost: Although most owners would love to give their cats the very best food possible, if it costs more than the family's weekly grocery budget it is probably not a food your cat will stay on long term. Many high quality cat foods can be purchased for around $10.00 for a three or four pound bag. This pricing will vary if your cat has special needs and from store to store and product to product. Try to choose the highest quality food you can afford so your cat can stay on the same food for the long haul.

• Ingredients: Take a good look at the label. Try to avoid fillers such as corn meal or wheat gluten. If these items are in all the foods you are looking at, try to get the one that has the least amount of it. If the bag doesn't list the ratios, you can phone the company and get more details. A good tip here is that the first ingredient is the majority ingredient and it dwindles as you work your way down the list.

• Availability: Are you going to be able to find this food on a Saturday night when you've run out and your cat is howling because she is hungry? If not and you need to order the food online or make a trip to a special retailer, be certain to plan ahead so you don't run out.

Spending a little extra time researching the perfect food for your cat and a few extra dollars can reap big rewards in the health and well-being of your favorite companion. Do the work yourself and you won't need to rely on anyone else's opinion.

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