Reading Cat Food Labels: Protein, Fillers and Additives
A cat food bag is a marketing surface as much as an information panel. Once you know how to read the small print, you can see straight past the friendly front-of-pack claims.
1. Ingredient order is everything
Ingredients are listed by weight, heaviest first. You want a named meat or fish — “chicken”, “tuna” — right at the top, not buried under cereals. If the first ingredient is a grain, the food is built around filler.
2. Beware vague wording
“Meat and animal derivatives” can mean almost anything from almost any animal. Named ingredients are a sign of a brand that knows — and is happy to tell you — what’s in the bag. It’s also essential for halal sourcing.
3. Check the protein, and where it’s from
Look at the “analytical constituents” for crude protein. Higher is generally better for cats, but only if it comes from animal sources — see why 35% protein matters.
4. Spot the fillers and additives
- Fillers: wheat, soya and excessive cereal bulk out cheap food — more in grain-free cat food.
- Additives: artificial colours and preservatives add nothing nutritionally and can bother sensitive cats.
- Sugars: rarely necessary in cat food.
5. Look for proof, not just promises
Claims like “premium” and “natural” aren’t regulated tightly. Independent marks — like HMC halal certification — are worth far more because someone has verified them.
Our recipes are built to pass this test: named protein first, 35% protein, grain free, no artificial additives, HMC certified. See for yourself on the chicken and tuna pages, or register your interest.
