Much like humans, cats will benefit greatly from a balanced and healthy diet. What exactly a cat eats matters just as much as how frequently. In the case of buying cat food, it can often result in a confusing process for the uninitiated. It is easy to fall into the ‘all cat food is created equal’ trap if you don’t do enough research. Many mass-produced cat foods are filled with fillers and substances that aren’t all that great for your cat.
That is why many loving cat owners have made, or are making, the switch to organic cat foods. Being able to tell exactly what your cat is eating accurately, and how it is benefitting their overall health is a pretty big deal when it comes to ensuring that your little feline friend lives a long and happy life. However, there is a seemingly endless list of brands, ingredients, and options to choose from, even within the organic cat food market. Picking the right one is likely to make your head spin just trying to sift through it all.
Luckily, while we were researching the top 10 best organic cat foods to buy, we learned a few things along the way that we would like to share with you.
Stay tuned for our ten best organic cat foods reviewed, which is coming shortly.
FAQs: What to Look For in Organic Cat Food
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the essential areas you should be looking at to make the most educated decision when it comes to buying the best food for your little furry friends.
What is Organic Cat Foot?
First and foremost, let’s take a second to establish what organic cat food is. Organic cat foods undergo the same level of evaluation as organic foods for humans. That is, they must be 100% natural in every process. Organic foods are simply foods that do not contain any pesticides, herbicides, or any harmful chemicals or substances that are not naturally occurring. You would want to keep away from your cat or yourself.
Also, the process of crafting organic cat foods will not use any form of potentially harmful methods such as GMOs (genetic engineering), or ionizing particles. Mostly, organic cat foods are made as naturally as possible across the board.
In addition to the process of crafting the foods being natural, the ingredients themselves will be of a higher quality. In essence, organic cat foods will utilize real organic chicken breast or salmon, as opposed to processed leftover byproducts. You can be sure with organic cat foods that your little friend will be getting top quality ingredients and crafting methods.
Why Choose Organic Cat Food?
You may ask yourself why it is a good idea to feed your cats organic food. That’s perfectly normal, as it is often easy to assume that cats aren’t picky eaters. One thing to consider is the fact that cats cannot voice their opinions or even choose their food themselves. As a member of the family, under your care, you are responsible for determining what your cat eats.
Just like you would never want to feed your children or significant other low quality and bottom of the barrel foods, you wouldn’t want to do it to your cat either. This is the primary reason for choosing organic. However, there may be a few other reasons for going natural as well, such as:
- Organic pet foods are free from any harmful substances.
- Organic pet foods are also more dense in nutrition, as the ingredients themselves are of higher quality. This means a healthier cat in general.
- Organic pet foods are less likely to contain allergens that can harm your pet.
- Organic pet foods will contribute to better overall health for your cat, and can even extend their lifespan.
In short, choosing organic cat food carries with it a whole list of benefits and no drawbacks. So why wouldn’t you choose organic?
Things to Consider When Buying Organic Cat Food
In addition to the overall benefits of choosing organic cat food, there are a few things you should have a firm grasp on and understand when making your choice. Let’s take a look at some of those key considerations.
Is the cat food non-GMO?
When searching for the perfect organic cat food, you will often see on the label ‘non-GMO.’ GMO stands for ‘Genetically Modified Organisms.’ This process is when labs will take the DNA of individual plants or animals, and insert them into other cheaper plants or animals. This lends to cheaper-quality manufacturing of foods in general. However, GMOs can often bring various bacteria and even insects along for the ride. It’s best to avoid GMOs altogether and stick to cat foods that advertise being non-GMO.
Does the cat food contain carrageenan?
Carrageenan is a food-grade thickener additive that is used to alter the texture of the food itself. It is typically made from processed seaweed. Although it may seem organic, in actuality, it can cause some issues with your cat about their digestive tract. Also, it has been linked to other health issues such as cancer and inflammation. It’s best to avoid any cat foods with carrageenan.
Does the cat food contain any artificial ingredients?
Of course, this may seem like a no brainer. However, it should be noted that you are always advised to check and see if the food itself contains any artificial ingredients. Manufacturing companies can often be tricky and will try to use loophole words to get around organic regulations. Always read the ingredients list for yourself.
You should be checking for artificial coloring, flavors, or preservatives that would not occur naturally. Also, you should be making sure that the food does not contain any animal byproducts or rendered meals (such as a chicken meal). These are made by processing the parts of an animal that would not be eaten in the wild. You should always ensure that only natural products are present in the food.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right organic food for your cat is rather simple if you know what you are looking for. If you avoid any ingredients that are not 100% natural, you can ensure that your kitty is receiving only the best in nutrition. We all want what is best for our furry family members and going organic is one massive step towards making sure that your kitty has a long and happy life!
We hope that you enjoyed our top 10 organic cat food reviews, as well as this buyer’s guide. It is always our goal to provide useful and helpful information to our readers. We love to get feedback from our readers, and it is like getting a letter in the mail from a dear friend! If you have a personal favorite organic cat food you would like to tell us about, make sure to leave a comment below!
