How safe is grain-free cat food?

Pet parents these days are quick to fall prey to marketing tactics. The primary reason why pet owners believe marketing material to be true is because they want the best for their furry friends. But what is marketed is often not the healthiest for animals.

A big drawback

The biggest problem is that animals cannot tell you what they like and what makes them feel the best, so you have to understand the signs and signals to tell if your cat is really healthy.

The biggest fad in the pet food industry today is grain free food. In fact, a grain free diet is also very popular among humans. However, a grain free diet may not be the best for your cat.

It's a different scenario if your cat is allergic to certain grains or to gluten, but food allergies are very uncommon among animals and there is no reason to switch your kitty to grain free cat food for no reason.

It has been recently found that cats that mainly eat a grain free diet are more at risk for developing heart diseases later. The same applies to dogs as well. In the last few years there has been an increased incidence of dilated cardiomyopathy.

The focal point

This is a serious cardiac disorder in animals caused by nutritional deficiency. Veterinarians and pet experts connect the increased incidences of dilated cardiomyopathy with exotic and grain free diet.

Both dry and canned cat food are available in grain-free varieties, and are often touted as healthier than regular cat food. But if you ask your veterinarian you will find out there is no evidence to prove that grain free cat food is better than other varieties.

Unless your cat is specifically allergic to some kind of grain or to the protein found in grains called gluten, there is no reason to switch to grain free food in the hopes that it will be healthier for your kitty.

Too many carbs

The truth is, grain free cat food often contain low-grade fillers like potatoes and peas, which are more harmful than a small amount of grains or gluten. While a diet low in carbohydrates is essential for cats, these low-grade fillers in grain free food are often higher in carbohydrates than grains.

Before you put your cat on a new diet, make sure to ask your veterinarian about healthy cat food. Your cat's diet should be according to her health condition and not depend on marketing ploys.