8 questions you need to ask before buying cat food

Besides price, what should you be looking for in a cat food?    Pet food companies spend BILLIONS of $$$ on marketing and advertising.  So no matter what you hear on TV about trust and nutrition,  the bottom line is that pet food companies are in business to make money.  Period.  As an informed consumer, I want you  to look past the glossy pictures of fresh salmon and feel good words like ALL NATURAL and GRAIN FREE.  I recommend getting into the habit of reading the back of the bag (or can label) before making you best choice.

 Do you know what parent company makes your choice of cat food?  Did you know that  Iams Cat Food Co. is owned by Procter and Gamble?    Do you know what mega company owns Science Diet?  (Colgate- Palmolive).  It is important to know WHO is making the food you are feeding, because in the end, you are trusting that this company is offering you a safe and healthy choice for your cat.    Iams and Science Diet have been in business for decades, but when they were bought out by billion- dollar corporations, the quality of their products declined.  Makes you think, doesn't it...


 What are the major ingredients in the food you are feeding?  The front of the food bag may state "using only farm-raised chicken", but the primary ingredients may be (and often are) something completely different.   The ingredient list on the bag (or can) is required to be listed by weight.  Ideally I want you to chose a food that has a recognizable meat source like chicken  listed as the first 2 or 3 ingredients. It's helpful to know what you cat's preferences are before trying a new brand.  Most cats have a real preference for one specific meat source.  Do you know what your cat loves???


How much protein should your cat's food contain?  You are feeding a carnivore, so only pay for meat-based foods.   You will find the protein % listed under the  "GUARANTEED ANALYSIS."  Some dry products on the market are as low as 28% protein. In my opinion, this is an unsafe level of protein for health.   My hope is that you are feeding a dry product with AT LEAST 40% protein or higher.   If you add the protein% and the fat % together and subtract from 100, you will approximate the carbohydrate % in the dry food.  Again, carbs are not listed on the label, because I would suspect that the company does not want us to know, but keeping the carbohydrate % low is in the best health of your feline family.

What about canned foods?  Protein % in canned foods will be based on how much water is in the can, so in general I want you to chose a canned food with a protein level of 10% or greater.  Also, as a wise consumer you want to be aware of the % moisture in the canned food.  Water is an inexpensive ingredient, one you can add at home before serving.  If you compare 2 brands that are both 6 ounces, the one with less water will have more nutrition and calories, and be more economical.

Should you  feed as much as the bag tells you to feed?  In a word, NEVER.  Pet food companies want you to buy more food, and so they  recommend over feeding. You may think this sounds cynical, but it is also true.   Know that the average 10# cat should be eating 200-250kcals total per day.  If you have questions on how much to feed your individual cat, please contact us and we will be glad to help you.  Always bring specific diet related questions with you for your cats annual wellness exam, a perfect time to discuss nutrition specifics for you cat. 

How many calories are in the foods that you are feeding?  This important information is usually available on the pet food web site only.  Most companies do not print calories on their labels, because this in not required by law.  Dry food formulations can vary from between 300- 600 kcal per cup! Why is this important to know?  It is really the only way to know how much food per day you should be feeding to prevent obesity. 

Is grain free important?  The short answer is yes and no.  Ideally, I want you to look for a LOW CARBOHYDRATE, high protein food.  The term "grain-free" implies this, but in reality many of these foods are full of non-grain carbohydrates like potato flour, pea flour and other starches.  The only way to know what you are buying is to read the ingredient list.

Do you want to explore this topic further on your own?  Here is a link to Dr. Lisa A Pierson's webpage that has a very useful comparison chart of the nutritional value of many popular cat foods  and is really worth checking out:  nutritional chart pdf. 

I hope this blog has helped make your next trip to the cat food isle  less daunting.  Companies are regularly changing their ingredients, labels and the quality of their brands.  Being a cautious and wise consumer is our only defense when shopping for the best foods -for ourselves and our pets!
 As always, if you found this information useful, please feel free to share with your cat-loving friends.  Dr.  Maureen Flatley
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

Dr. Flatley's New Year's Resolutions

My cats got together and made a list of the things THEY think I should do for them in the 2015.  Can you believe it!   I thought that you might be interested in what I will be working on in 2015 to improve the quality of feline happiness in my home.  (SHARE this list with your own cats AT YOUR OWN RISK!!)

1-  Brand new and BIGGER litter boxes.  We are tired of the same old litter boxes -come on -we deserve REALLY BIG BOXES!!

2-  Could you PLEASE get us new toys on a more regular basis ?  OR AT LEAST ROTATE them weekly, so we think they are new?  Fresh cat nip toys would be really appreciated around here, as somebody (Peabody) can not control himself, and always chews them open within minutes!

3-  We appreciate that DAILY SCOOPING.  And thanks for NOT USING any air fresheners around the boxes.  How about if this year you try some of the cool natural cat litter choices?   Swheat Scoop, The World's Best Cat Litter, Feline Pine all sound interesting.  DON'T take the old litterboxes completely away, though, as somebody (Stringbean) ONLY LIKES gravel.

4-  We LOVE the canned food that we get every day, but can you PLEASE keep looking for more variety.  We really LIKE a different kind of food EVERY DAY.  And while we are at it, NO LEFT OVERS.  We hate it COLD from the frig -cut that out!

5-  We know that you already help several of the local area cat rescue groups in town  AND donate your time to CATS ANONYMOUS TNR program, but we think you should do more. We see how many homeless cats there are (on facebook) and it is scary-sad.

6-  I know that you tell us that annual blood work is important for you to know how healthy we are.  OK, we promise to be on our BEST BEHAVIOR for this, but ONLY if you promise fresh pieces of warm ROTISSERIE CHICKEN as a treat on all holidays, birthdays, Sundays and full moons!

Happy New Year to all of my followers.  Improving and enriching the quality of your feline family will make them healthier and happier, a recipe for a very HAPPY NEW YEAR indeed!

Dr. Maureen Flatley  and
Peabody, Posie, and Stringbean

Purina vs Blue -who is telling the TRUTH?

This week a client brought to my attention a law suit between Purina and Blue disputing the claims made by one company about the ingredients used by the other company.  Basically a"he said- she said" scenario.  OK I admit, this piqued my interest, so I googled for more information. 

As I followed the lawsuit story deeper, I came upon a webpage called Truth About Petfood.  It discussed  the need for TRANSPARENCY  by petfood companies (gee, what a great idea!).

 To date, the only assurance to actual quality/grade of ingredients pet food consumers have is the Pledge to Quality and Origin – a pet food transparency effort from their consumer group Association for Truth in Pet Food.  Pet food manufacturers can argue all they want through the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau, but the real truth in pet food lies in actual grade/quality of ingredients.  Are they pet grade or are they certified human grade?

 TRUTH is a word not usually  associated with pet food ingredients, so I needed to find out more.     The Pledge provides company name, address and website.  All ingredients in your pet foods/treats will be listed on the Pledge.  This includes all meats, organ meats, by-products, by-product meals, meat meals, fish, fish meals, oils, fats, grains, vegetables, fruits, flavorings, supplements, vitamins and minerals.  The quality information and origin information in provided in respective columns.  And the stated information will be signed by a CEO or President of the company as their Pledge.

 Here is the interesting part -there are currently only  22 companies that have signed the PLEDGE, and not one of them is a big name.  Not Science Diet.  Not Iams. Not Royal Canin.  Not Purina.  Not Nutro.  Not Blue.
Check it out for yourself:
http://associationfortruthinpetfood.com/the-pledge/

I commend these 22 companies, and am going to look closer at their products and encourage you to do the same.  We as consumers need to make a stand about the importance of SAFETY, QUALITY and transparency in the petfoods on the market.  I want HEALTHY choices for my patients as well as my own pets, not just marketing hooey with nothing to back it up. 


Maureen Flatley, DVM
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

Jack Sprat's Cat

Murphy's law states that if you have more than one cat (and don't we all?) then one cat will be thin and one cat will be fat.  But, how should you deal with this dilemma at feeding time?   The myth that one food is appropriate for both of these cats as in "multicat" food defies logic.  If it were that simple,  40% of my patients would NOT be overweight.   But, here are some innovative ideas that might help you to  help your cats!

Convert your feeding style from a shared free choice food bowl to feeding 2 or 3 times a day in MEALS.  Once the meal is done, the food goes away.    This discourages the cat that likes to overeat when there is nothing else to do.  It also allows you to feed the cats in separate rooms with a door between the fat cat and the skinny cat.  With this plan, you can feed each cat an appropriate food for their size.  This  will also allow skinny cat to eat at leisure and fat cat to cool his heels after the meal is gone. 

If you are concerned that skinny cat needs food out all the time to graze on, then try placing skinny cats food in an elevated location -like the top of the refrigerator- where fat cat can not physically access. 

Or, you can "build" a feeding box that has a skinny cat silhouette as a door, so fat cat can not enter.  This allows skinny cat to go in and out of the feeding box to graze whenever he wants.
 DIY Cat Feeding Box

It is sometimes hard to motivate a fat cat  to exercise.  Try playing "catch the kibble" at mealtime.  Toss one piece of food (from the meal portion) at a time down a hallway or stairway.  This is a fun game for fat cat as well as skinny cat, and will burn calories too.

There are some really COOL interactive feeding toys available for purchase.  This will challenge your cat, give them more of a hunting experience, and slow their eating down -all of which are beneficial  to both skinny cat and fat cat.

Select a low-carbohydrate food for weight loss, as a high protein food will increase energy expenditure.  (i.e.-carbs make cats sleepy, protein makes them more energetic).  See my previous blog on the importance of feeding high protein foods to cats:  Be Savy about your Cats Nutrition

If you are considering a weight loss program for your fat cat -please consult your veterinarian.  Fat cats are at risk for a liver condition called Hepatic Lipidosis, if they do not eat a certain number of calories per day.  The rule of thumb is a cat should never lose more than 1/2 lb per month, while dieting.  More weight loss would increase the risk of Hepatic Lipidosis in your cat.  How do you measure?   A scale and a written  record of bi weekly weight checks are very important.  Sharing this information with your cats veterinarian with allow them to be a partner in your cats weight loss program. 

As always, thanks for sharing this information with your cat loving friends.  Dr. Maureen Flatley
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

Be SAVVY about your cat's nutrition

I encourage my clients to  ask me questions about their cat's food because, as a consumer, making healthy choices  is not easy.  However,  it is SO very important to your cat.   Your cat DEPENDS on you for good quality nutritious food -and NOT ALL food on the market fits into this catagory. 

 Very few of the pet food manufacturers put useful information on their label.  The most important information, aside from the ingredient list, is calorie count.  How many calories are in each 8 oz cup or 5.5 oz can of your cat's  food?  The average 10# indoor  cat should be fed 200-250 kcal per day.  Without knowing how many calories are in the food you feed, you do not know how much to feed daily.  And PLEASE do not trust the chart on the bag that tells you how much to feed your cat!  These charts always encourage overfeeding!  (It is a sad fact that pet food companies are more concerned about the bottom line, than the health of your cat.)

 As many of you know, part of my annual exam appointment  includes a discussion of nutrition and  healthy choices, we calculate how many calories to feed , and the amount to feed based on YOUR food choices.  I do this because I am convinced that the way to keep your cat  healthy is by making healthy choices.  I also carry a variety of wellness diets in my practice that I have researched and feel comfortable recommending.  These are foods that I feed my own cats.  I know that many of you don't have time or the desire to do the necessary nutritional research before you chose your cat's food.   I have the calories per cup or can clearly posted on my shelves.  My staff can advise you on how much to feed to maintain a healthy weight.  I have recently posted the  percentages of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in these canned wellness foods.  Again, this information is not found on the label (without doing the math), but it is SO important.

I recommend looking for a food that is at least  40% protein, whether you are feeding canned or dry food.  Watch the carbohydrate percentage -cats should not be getting more than 25% of their diet as carbs (and some nutritionists think that even this is too high.).  The first ingredient in your cat food MUST BE meat based protein, or DO NOT FEED IT.  I recently had a client bring a bag of Science Diet dry food in for me to evaluate, and I was shocked to see the first two ingredients were rice and corn.  Remember that companies change their ingredient list AT WILL.  They are not required to change the label or notify their customers in any way -so ALWAYS read the label with every purchase. And a reputable name brand does not ensure quality ingredients. 

Lastly,  evaluate the water content in your chosen canned food.  Water in canned food should be around 75-78%, and this is plainly marked on the label .  If the water content is 78%, then you are paying for 22% food.  Water is a great addition to canned food,  but you can always add more water before serving .   I have seen some quality canned foods as high as 87 1/2% water -so your cat is only getting 12 1/2% food.    If the water content is high, the calorie count is usually lower, but the PRICE MAY STILL BE HIGH -so READ THE LABEL.

The internet can be your friend, if you are wanting more facts about the food you feed your feline friend.  Or, feel free to bring your cat food bag/can in with your next annual exam.  We will be happy to do the research for you!
Dr. Maureen Flatley
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

Keeping your ca'ts food FRESH is essential

A patient I saw recently, a cute little 3 year old orange and white tabby, was brought in for her annual wellness exam.  I was shocked to see that she had lost 2 1/2 lb since I had seen her last  (20% of her weight!!). 

After inquiring about her eating habits and diet, I discovered some dangerous facts:  She was being fed from a food dispenser.  Her large bag of dry food was being stored for months at room temperature.  One can of food was being fed a tablespoon at a time over a 2 week period.  This poor little girl was starving for fresh food, but unknowingly the owner was allowing the food to become rancid...

Here are the rules of thumb that I gave to the owner:

-Never -ever-ever (ever) use a free choice "fill-er-up" food dispenser.  Feed the cat fresh food DAILY, and throw away any of yesterdays leftovers.   This keeps the food fresh AND allows you to monitor your cats food intake.

-Only buy one month's supply of dry cat food at a time.  The food, once it is opened, will not stay fresh beyond 30 days at room temperature.  Store dry food in a sealed rubbermaid always.  Scrub the rubbermaid out completely between EACH fresh bag of food.  Oils go rancid quickly, especially in "natural" brands of food.  A cat's sensitive nose will detect this off-smell LONG BEFORE WE WILL, and they will stop eating!

-Canned cat food is meat.  Meat does not keep refrigerated beyond 5 days before going bad.  It is best to only store opened canned cat food for 1-2 days, as most cats are not fond of "old leftovers". 

The bottom line is that every cat needs and deserves FRESH food daily.  Along with lots of loving, play time, head scratches, brushing, belly rubs, a super clean litterbox, a fresh cool bowl of water, and any and all additional forms of feline appreciation!!

I firmly believe that health starts with good nutrition! 

Hug the cat,

Dr. Maureen Flatley, Fox Valley Cat Clinic
If you found this blog helpful, please share it with other cat lovers.

The Scary World of Pet Food Recalls

We live in a global ecomony. What that means for pet food is that ALL pet food manufacturers are buying some  ingredients from inexpensive overseas suppliers.  And, just about EVERY CAT FOOD manufacturer has had at least ONE recall in the last 5 years.  That is a scary fact when you think about it.  They have left out  essential vitamins, they have  added  mineral at 10 times the recommended level, they have used ingredients that were laced with  toxic ingredients.  The most recent recall involved Salmonella contaminated meat. 

How can we protect our pets?  What can we feed that is safe?  I am now recommending to my clients to chose at least 3 or more reputable pet food companies (that are not owned by the same parent company) and rotating foods.  Specifically feed a different canned food every day if possible.  Rotate from one SMALL bag of dry food to another brand.  Consider rotating in a home made diet, or balanced raw diet.   Just rotating flavors from the same company is not enough.  Most of the recalls have included a large percentage of foods from the same company.  For example, the last wellness cat food recall, ALL their canned  cat food was lacking essential B vitamins except their 2 flavors of Wellness Core.

What does rotation do?  It reduces the likelihood that you will be feeding an unsafe food over an extended period of time.  The key is ROTATION and VARIETY.

More on home made diets and raw alternative diets next time.

If you enjoy my blog, please consider joining my email list!
Dr. Maureen Flatley
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY

This is the first of several short blogs on what every cat owner needs to be concerned about...
How healthy is  the CAT FOOD we feed.
Today I will expound on DRY CAT FOOD.  (Hang in there, this is exciting stuff!)

First the GOOD news:
 -Dry food is convenient.  It will stay fresh in the bowl for days. 
-Cats like dry food. All dry food is surface sprayed with a very 'tasty" coating.
-Dry food  is nutritionally complete.  Dry food contains all the needed nutrients that your cat needs to live.
-Dry food  is inexpensive when compared to canned food, homemade diets, raw diets.

Here's the BAD news:
-Dry food  is processed under very high heat.  This kills bacteria, viruses, molds etc, but also destroys and degrades the nutritional quality of the ingredients.
-Dry food is very refined.  Look at the ingredients and you will see "meat meals".  This is like meat flour. All dry foods use a meal form of meat in their formulas
-Dry food contains plant proteins.  Cats are carnivores -meat eaters.  Their systems are NOT built to process and utilize plant proteins.  But, plant proteins are a much cheaper ingredient. 
-Dry food contains a large amount of carbohydrates -even "grain free" diets.  Carbohydrates are what makes dry food crunchy.  Hi carb diets are also responsible in part for  feline obesity , diabetes and possibly thyroid disease.
-Dry food contains ALMOST NO moisture, which can lead to dehydration, urinary tract disease, and more.  Because of this, dry food should not be fed as a solo diet to any cat over 14 years of age.

The UGLY:
Many less expensive dry foods are LOADED with artificial flavors, colorants and preservatives, and are very high in carbohydrates.  That is why they are cheap!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOSING A DRY FOOD:  The first 2 ingredients should be meat based proteins.  Avoid foods that include corn gluten, wheat gluten, as these are plant proteins.  Try to chose foods that use complex carbohydrates.  Chose brown rice over white rice.  Chose sweet potatoes over white potatoes.  Stay away from corn -it is very undigestible (which means it ends up in the litterbox!).  The most important thing is to READ THE LABEL and know what you are feeding.

Coming up ...canned foods and more.
Dr. Maureen Flatley
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

Maxie is peeing on the rug.

Today Maxie peed on the rug by the back door.  She had done this once before, last week.  This time the owner called me for advice.
Cats pee out of the box for MANY different reasons.  But EACH cat has one very specific reason for starting this behavior.  The challenge is detecting the reason, and finding a solution.
I ALWAYS BEGIN with a physical exam and urinalysis to rule out a medical problem.  Medical problems do not go away, cause pain and can lead to a life threatening  urinary blockage.
If the urinalysis does not indicate crystals or blood or high protein or bacteria, and the physical exam is normal, then we are dealing with a behavior problem.  Maxie had completely normal urine and a very comfortable belly.
So, I put my detective hat on and asked the owner 20 questions. It turns out that Maxie's owner purchased a new dehumidifier last week, and set it up at the base of the basement stairs.  The litterboxes are in the basement, so Maxie, who is a nervous cat,  had to walk past the noisy, "scary new thing" to go to the bathroom.  Hmmmm!
I believe, in Maxie's case, adding a litterbox to the first floor, and putting the dehumidifier in an area far from the basement litterboxes will solve this particular mystery.  Now, Maxine can go back to being a perfect angel, and the owner can safely walk around his house in stocking feet without any suprises!

 Here is a fantastic link for anyone with this type of behavior problem.

The litterbox from Your Cat's Point of View

Next time:  What should I feed my cat?