Healthy Eating for Cats

Complete and Balanced

• Check the label for "complete and balanced." This is not just a throwaway statement -- cat food is regulated by government agencies, so companies can't just put completely made-up statements on their cat food. It's a good indicator that food is nutritionally balanced, but don't just be satisfied with these words.

AAFCO Approval

• Cat food cans without an AAFCO statement should be disregarded.

  Look for a statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officers on the label. The AAFCO rigorously tests cat foods, so a statement from this organization approving the food is very important. Though, consider it a minimum standard and continue to examine the label.

Animal Protein

• Animal protein, such as fish, should be the first ingredient on the label.

  Check the first ingredient. It should be chicken, liver, beef, fish or some other animal protein. If anything comes before that, set the can or pouch down and keep on searching. Cats need a protein-rich diet and anything listed before animal protein means that there's likely more filler than protein. If animal protein is listed as the first ingredient, go ahead and check the protein levels on the label. It should be at 26 percent or more.

Life Stages

• Kittens need food specifically designed for kittens in mind.

  Select a food that's right for your cat's life stage and condition. Kittens need more protein and cats with a history of urinary tract infection might need special food to help guard against a reoccurrence. Senior cat foods will have less calories and more fiber to help older cats maintain a healthy weight. The life stage should be listed on the cat food as "kitten," "adult" or "senior." Cat food for specific conditions will be labeled as "hairball control," "feline lower urinary tract disease approved," "oral care," "sensitive stomach" or "sensitive skin."