The food you give your cat significantly affects their longevity and health. Feeding low-quality cat foods to your pet can increase their risk of developing certain health conditions, which can adversely affect the quality of their life. The wrong cat food can also make your cat lethargic and prevent them from being their natural playful selves.
And because there are plenty of cat foods available today, picking the right one can be tough. This is especially true if you’re unaware of what to look for in the labels. This article will help you narrow down your options by discussing what fillers are, why you should avoid these ingredients, and what are the best filler-free cat foods you can buy.
Table of Contents
What Are Fillers?
Why Should You Avoid Fillers?
What Are the Most Common Types of Fillers in Cat Foods?
- Meat, Fish, and Poultry By-Products
- Corn
- Wheat
Best Cat Foods Without Fillers
- Instinct Original
- Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Formula Dry Cat Food
- Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food
- Petcurean Go Fit + Free Cat Food
- Open Farm Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food
What Are Fillers?
According to experts, fillers are any carb-rich, bulky, starchy, or animal by-product ingredient that could have been replaced by a higher-quality ingredient. Cat food fillers are less expensive, low in quality, and don’t have any nutritional value.
Why Should You Avoid Fillers?
Fillers in cat foods make your pet feel fuller but have little to zero nutritional value. Regularly feeding your pets with fillers can lead to nutritional deficiencies and unhealthy weight. Both of these problems can trigger a plethora of short- and long-term health problems.
What Are the Most Common Types of Fillers in Cat Foods?
Fillers are harmful to pets, but it’s difficult to determine which cat food contains these ingredients as they’re not always labeled as “fillers.” This is the reason why it’s important to learn about the most common types of fillers in cat food. Being equipped with this knowledge will make it very easy for you to choose the best cat food for your feline friend.
Here are some of the most common fillers found in cat foods:
Meat, Fish, and Poultry By-Products
As defined by the American Association of Feed Control Officers (AAFCO), meat by-products include but are not limited to blood, bone, brain, kidney, lungs, spleen, and partially de-fatted low-temperature fatty tissues. Intestines and stomachs freed of their contents also fall under this classification.
Poultry by-products have a similar definition but include feet, head, viscera, free from fecal content and foreign matter except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice.
All of these ingredients aren’t nutritious. As mentioned, these will only make your cat full and prevent them from eating healthier, more nutrient-dense foods.
Corn
Corn is a common ingredient in many low-quality cat foods. Aside from not having any nutritional value, corn can also cause your cat’s blood sugar to rise at abnormal rates. Corns are also empty calories that can cause excessive weight gain and obesity in cats.
Wheat
Wheat shows less frequently in cat foods than corn but isn’t any better. In general, wheat used in cat foods is leftovers from the human food industry. Similar to corn, wheat adds “empty calories” to your cat’s diet and puts them at risk of obesity.
Best Cat Foods Without Fillers
Cat foods that contain fillers are common, which is why you should be cautious in choosing what to feed to your feline friend. In pet nutrition, the cheapest option isn’t always the best.
We’ve listed some of the best cat foods without any filler below, so you don’t have to exert too much time and effort looking for one.
The Instinct Grain-Free Wet Cat Food Pate comes in a variety of flavors, allowing you to choose one that suits the unique palate of your pet. This cat food contains 95% cage-free chickens and 5% vegetables. It’s also packed with protein to support stronger, leaner muscles.
Here are other features the Instinct Grain-Free Wet Cat Food Pate has to offer:
- Offers complete and balanced nutrition to support your cat throughout their life stages.
- Ideal for all breed types and sizes.
- Free from grain, potato, wheat, corn, soy, by-product meals, and artificial preservatives.
Aside from being free from fillers, Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Formula Dry Cat Food deserves a position on our list because 90% of its protein source is from animals. It doesn’t contain any fruits, vegetables, or carbohydrates, ideal for cats because they’re natural carnivores.
Your kitties will also enjoy these from Dr. Elsey’s Cleanprotein Formula Dry Cat Food:
- Comes in two flavors: salmon and chicken.
- Ideal for all breed sizes.
- Contains gluten-free omega-3 fatty acids.
If you’re looking for nutritious dry food for your feline friend, choose the Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food. This cat food contains 98% cage-free chicken, organs, and bones. It also has probiotics and taurine that support healthy digestion among felines.
You can also add water to the Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food to improve the hydration of your pet. This makes this cat food highly versatile, perfect if you want to alternate feeding your cat with wet and dry foods.
Buy the Stella & Chewy’s Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food today and get to enjoy the following:
- Provides complete nutrition to your cat.
- It’s free from fillers, grains, antibiotics, and added hormones.
- Supports better health, improves skin and coat health, and boosts stamina.
The Petcurean Go Fit + Free Cat Food is grain-free and contains 46% of meat proteins. It uses a good amount of fish and meats, such as turkey, duck, salmon, and trout. It contains chicken as an energy source for cats and deboned turkey for protein.
One of the best things about the Petcurean Go Fit + Free Cat Food is that it contains less carbohydrates than other cat foods. This makes Petcurean a great option for cats who are overweight or prone to obesity.
Here are other features the Petcurean Go Fit + Free Cat Food has to offer:
- Contains prebiotics and probiotics that aid in your cat’s digestive health.
- Has taurine that supports a healthy heart and vision.
- Features omega oils for better skin and coat.
Are you still on the lookout for nutritious filler-free wet cat food? The Open Farm Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food might be the solution to your problems. This grain-free premium cat food is made using tender cuts of meat and pure broth from chickens without any additives.
Your cat will also enjoy these from the Open Farm Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food:
- Ideal for cats in all stages.
- Contains soft cranberries, dried kelp, and dandelion greens to support healthier urinary tracts.
- It’s free from corn, wheat, grain, and soy.
Ask Help From Your Vet
Making sure that your cat’s food is free from any type of fillers can improve their health in the long run. This allows them to live a healthy, active life for years.
But to ensure your cat’s health and safety as their transition to a new diet, ask for pieces of advice from your vet. Felines naturally have sensitive stomachs, and abruptly changing their diets can trigger symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. Talk to your vet first to learn how you can safely introduce filler-free foods to your pet. This will also put your mind at ease knowing that you’re not putting your pet in any danger.