Every cat parent wants to make sure that their cat lives a long and happy life. For this to come true, it’s important to provide a healthy diet full of essential nutrients. But with so many different kinds of cat food on the aisles, how do you know which one to choose? With trendy labels such as vegan, vegetarian, organic, freeze-dried, and grain-free cat food, it can be a tough choice for pet parents to make.
One type of label that has everyone’s attention is the “grain-free cat food” label. If you’re interested in buying this cat food, read this blog post. Here we’ll help you to understand what it means, whether or not your cat needs it, and the benefits.
What is Grain Free Cat Food?
Grains are classified as the fruit of grass plants and include the following:
- Barley
- Corn
- Wheat
- Rice
- Oats
- Rye
If you do not see any of these ingredients on the food packaging label, it means that the cat food is grain free.
Grain free cat food, to put simply, is food that has no grains. This type of cat food usually contains protein and carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables.
Do Cats Need To Be On A Grain Free Diet?
Absolutely not.
You might be under the impression that cats do not need grain, as they are carnivorous animals. However, this is not true— cats can benefit from grains in their diet. What’s important is that your cat is getting the right nutrients from a balanced diet that meets all of its needs.
Now you might be asking: “What about cats with grain allergies?” Do they need to be on a grain-free diet?
If a cat has been diagnosed by a professional veterinarian with a grain allergy, then yes, it should be on a grain-free diet.
Luckily, the chances of this happening are quite rare. In fact, PetMD states that; “most allergies in cats aim toward beef, fish or chicken.” Chicken, for example, can cause an overreaction in the immune system because of the protein found in chicken.
If, however, you believe that your cat is allergic to grains, it’s essential to notice common signs and symptoms such as:
- Skin lesions
- Hair loss
- Itching and scratching
- Intestinal issues
- Sneezing and coughing
The signs and symptoms listed above can be indicative of other medical issues, so it’s important that you take your cat to the vet for a proper diagnosis. The vet will also inform you of proper pet nutrition practices and if grain-free cat food is necessary.
What Are The Benefits of Grain-Free Cat Food?
There are numerous benefits of grain-free cat food. Let’s take a look at some of the most common benefits.
- High meat content: Grain-free cat food usually has a higher content of meat than regular cat food. This means that your cat gets more protein and nutrients to keep them healthy.
- Aids in indigestion: The high meat content also aids in digestion. Since cats are carnivores, their digestive system works more efficiently with proteins and fats from meats.
- Improves overall health: Grain-free cat food can help cats with allergies stay healthy and avoid reaction-triggering ingredients.
- Lower carbohydrate content: Carbohydrates are not found as much in grain-free cat food, which makes the food easier to digest and helps ensure that your cat does not gain extra weight.
- Maintenance of oral health: Tartar build-up can occur in cats, just like it does with humans. Grain-free cat food can help keep your cat’s mouth healthy and free from plaque by providing essential nutrients and vitamins that help keep teeth clean.
Grain-Free Cat Food At Absolute Pets
Cat health is essential to us, so we carry a selection of grain-free cat food for cats with allergies or those that just have a preference. We stock Lokuno’s No Grain Cat Food and a variety of other premium cat food suited for every budget.
Browse our collection online or in-store today!