| | | | | | Comparing Pet Foods
"Why do you make so many pet foods?" is a question we are frequently asked at the Purina Pet Care Center. We are providing this information to answer that question and to help pet owners decide which kind of diet is appropriate for their pets.
How Pet Foods Began
Commercial dry dog foods were introduced in the United States during the late 1890’s in the form of baked biscuits made from blended grains, vegetables and meat. The first canned cat foods began as an offshoot of the fishing industry and were manufactured on the east and west coasts where fish were readily available. Many of the early pet foods were collectively labeled "dog and cat food diets," and little was known about the individual nutrient requirements of each species.
Pet Food Research Results In Various Diets
As animal nutritionists began to study the nutritional needs of dogs and cats, certain unique nutrient requirements were established for each species. Cats, for example, require a higher protein level in their diet than dogs.
Advances in pet food research led to the development of various types of diets for dogs and cats. The main categories are dry, semi-moist, soft-dry and canned.
These categories vary in a number of characteristics including cost, palatability and the amount of nutrition delivered per pound of food. Evaluating a pet food diet should include consideration of all these factors.
With today’s advanced technology, all types of dog and cat foods can be formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition for different life stages. Look for this information on the package label.
Pet Foods To Meet Special Needs
Many pet foods are formulated to meet certain specific nutritional needs of dogs and cats. For example, diets designed specifically for puppies and kittens usually contain higher levels of nutrients they require during their period of rapid growth and development.
Some dog foods are formulated to have higher levels of protein and calories to provide the extra energy dogs need when they are hunting or working. Other dog foods are formulated to be lower in calories and fat to help less active and older dogs maintain normal body weight.
Flavor Preferences
Like people, dogs and cats have flavor preferences. This is why so many flavor varieties are available for pet owner selection. The texture of the food also helps determine an individual pet’s preference. For this reason, a variety of textures as well as flavors is offered.
Information On The Package Label
The feeding instructions, ingredient statement and guaranteed analysis on pet food labels provide basic information about individual pet foods.
The guaranteed analysis and the ingredient statement are not intended to serve as specific measures of the nutritional content of a pet food. However, they may serve as indicators of the overall value of the diet. To get additional information to help you evaluate a pet food, contact the manufacturer.
Dry Pet Foods
Most dry dog foods contain 16 to 27 percent protein, 7 to 12 percent fat, less than 12 percent moisture and 35 to 50 percent carbohydrates (also expressed as N.F.E. or nitrogen-free extract). These diets deliver between 1,400 and 2,000 digestible kilocalories per pound of product. Generally dry cat foods contain 30 percent or more protein, 8 to 12 percent fat, less than 12 percent moisture, and have 1,500 to 1,700 digestible kilocalories per pound of product.
Dry pet foods also include super premium foods which usually contain higher levels of protein and fat. These foods generally offer more concentrated nutrition in dense particles, which means that a pet can be fed less than most other foods to meet its nutrient requirements.
Dry pet foods can also play an important part in a pet’s dental health. The chewing action employed while eating a dry food acts like a toothbrush as the particles scrape against the teeth to help remove plaque and tarter build-up. If left unchecked, this build-up can lead to inflammation of the gums and subsequent dental problems.
Usually dry pet foods are more economical to feed than the semi-moist and canned varieties, and are more convenient to serve and to store.
Semi-moist
Diets Semi-moist pet foods usually contain 16 to 25 percent protein, 5 to 10 percent fat, 25 to 35 percent carbohydrates and 25 to 34 percent water. Quality semi-moist foods offer high palatability, are convenient to serve, and store easily without requiring refrigeration. They are usually more expensive to feed than dry diets.
Soft-dry Diets
Soft-dry dog foods offer unique combinations of dry and soft textures. These foods contain approximately 20 to 24 percent protein, 8 to 10 percent fat, and 12 to 14 percent moisture. They are generally more palatable to dogs than a dry food. No refrigeration is needed.
Canned Diets
Canned pet foods usually contain between 8 to 15 percent protein in dog food diets and 10 to 20 percent protein in cat food products. Both types of diets contain 2 to 10 percent fat, depending upon the type(s) and amounts of animal tissue use
These diets, particularly with high meat/meat by-product levels, usually offer the highest palatability. Total food consumption is high, usually two to three times that of a dry diet, because of the low dry matter (or caloric) content. The nutrient balance is dictated by the type of formulation.
Canned diets have the highest cost per serving when compared to the dry and semi-moist categories.
Once a canned pet food is opened, the unused portion should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. Bring this stored portion to room temperature before feeding to enhance the palatability.
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