Most people think that the best cat food they can buy is the most expensive commercial cat food, often those sold at veterinarians, or in little individual packets.
Then they wonder why their cat seems to be hungry all the time.
In this article, I want to take you on a journey, perhaps a journey of discovery. It may not read as the most pleasant journey you have been on, but it may be the most informative one.
An abattoir is where animals are slaughtered, for food or leather or both. Most people are aware of this, but prefer not to think about it too much. The pretty packs of meat in the supermarket hide the real story behind meat production.
If you're already cringing, and thinking of putting this article down, I promise to make it as informative as possible without making you too upset - just enough to take action, perhaps? After all, you do want to find the best cat food, or you wouldn't be reading this.
If any animal comes in for slaughter who is suspected of Mad Cow Disease, because they can't move when stimulated to, many countries in the world will not allow the meat from this animal to go into the human food chain.
Likewise for any animal who is showing certain signs of serious illness, such as cancers, abnormal body discharges, skin lesions, infested with maggots, respiratory problems, too thin, etc.
However, these same animals may be used in pet food. The animal may be euthanased with a lethal drug and then dyed and 'denatured' with carbolic acid or a strong disinfectant.
Then they are taken to a rendering plant, possibly some distance away. So they can be exposed to hot summer weather for hours, possibly days.
A rendering plant takes in anything from road kill to dead farm animals, to euthanised pets, horses or zoo animals.
And it's from a rendering plant that many, if not most, pet food manufacturers buy their raw material. The ingredients may tell you. Typical ingredients from a rendering plant include meat by-products, animal fat, meat meal, bone meal.
Soap manufacturers also buy their raw material from rendering plants.
Many countries don't insist on pet food listing all their ingredients. In this world, pet and animals have no rights and don't matter. Why list something that will make people put your product back on the shelf, unless you have to by law?
Does your cat matter to you?
Would you willingly feed your cat rotten meat, diseased meat, meat containing acid, disinfectant, a lethal drug or a lot of fat?
Even if you tried, it's likely your cat would refuse it.
So why doesn't she refuse the commercial cat food, ostensibly the best cat food money can buy, which contains all this? Why are cats addicted to dried food?
I don't know the reason for this for certain, but I can guess. Most cats adore tuna. Cats can become tuna junkies. I suspect that most commercial cat food contains tuna flavouring, either natural or more likely, synthetic.
If you're looking for the best cat food to ensure your cat remains as healthy as possible, commercial pet food just doesn't make sense.
I'm not suggesting that all commercial pet food is the same. But I think most are, especially the big names. Some smaller ones may be doing their bit to improve the image, but would you know if they sold to someone less ethical?
If you were fed low grade food, would you be hungry all the time? You bet! Why? Because low grade food has few nutrients. It is nutrient poor.
So your cat may be well fed on what you consider to be the best cat food you can buy, but if she's hungry all the time, you can be sure she is lacking in something vital to her ongoing good health. Probably several somethings.