The truth about cat food

1. Proteins are the most important building blocks for a cat’s health

Cats can't live without protein, and it's the same for us humans. Proteins build bone structure, muscle tissue and are essential for a strong immune system.

But not all proteins are equal. We want our fur babies to have high quality proteins with a high biological value, because they're naturally packed with a variety of amino acids. And they're the easiest to digest. So, what does a high biological value mean exactly? Here's the science bit: of the 22 types of amino acids a cat needs to live a healthy life, 11 of them come directly from food. A high biological value means that the protein (or combination of proteins) contains all of the 11 essential amino acids.

Fact: proteins from fresh meat and fish are really high quality because they're naturally packed with a variety of amino acids and are easy to digest. And yes, you can find them in our recipes!

2. A high protein or meat/fish percentage doesn’t mean it's healthier

Many pet parents choose which cat food to buy based on the percentage of protein. But what really matters is the quality of the proteins and whether they have a good amino acid profile (see the first paragraph if you're getting confused!). For example, two kibble bags can have the same protein value, but the quality of one bag might be much higher than the other.

Most manufacturers prefer not to release this information. So, how can you understand which product is best for your kitty? We’ve made it easy for you, because we use lots of fresh meat & fish in our food. Each delicious recipe contains only high-quality proteins with an excellent amino acid profile. So there's no need to worry - we've got all the scientific stuff sorted.

3. A high percentage of crude ash doesn’t automatically mean it’s low quality food

Before we delve our paws deeper into this one, it's important to understand what crude ash is. Crude ash basically refers to the mineral content in our diets; such as calcium, phosphor, and other vital minerals. So when you see 'crude ash' on our ingredients list, it doesn’t mean our products contain added ash!

If you're feeling experimental and fancy burning one of our recipes, you'd find that most nutrients - such as proteins, fats and carbs - will burn down. All that's left behind would be the minerals - the inorganic elements. Mmmm on second thought, maybe don't try this at home.

Minerals are key to a well-balanced, healthy diet. Your kitty needs minerals for so many processes that occur in their body; such as blood-coagulation, muscle growth, and bone and tooth development. In fact, these fur-midable ingredients are essential for survival.

At Edgard & Cooper we're proud to include lots of fresh meat in our kibbles, ranging from 60% to 65% for cats. Fresh meat and fish from carefully chosen muscle cuts, liver, kidney and heart is extra rich in minerals like iron, zinc, selenium, sodium, and potassium. That's why a high percentage of ash can be a sign of high quality, not poor quality.

4. When looking at the amount of phosphorus, the phosphorus/calcium ratio also matters

Lots of people ask us about the amount of phosphorus in our food. Phosphorus is needed for the body to make protein for growth, maintenenace and repair of cells and tissues. It’s an essential mineral for many metabolic processes, but the quality of the phosphorus depends on it coming from natural sources. Unlike many other brands, our fresh meat recipes have no artificial phosphorus added. They're purr-fectly natural.

So, where does calcium come in? We have to consider phosphorus content in relation to calcium content, because the ratio needs to be right. In fact, if a recipe doesn't have an ideal ratio of 1-2:1, it can cause bone and development problems.* But with Edgard & Cooper, you and your fur baby can relax: we ensure we meet all the European FEDIAF guidelines when it comes to our recipes.

It's important to point out, that if your cat has kidney issues or CKD our food may not be right for your furry friend. Have a chat with our Customer Happiness team if you're concerned about this, or unsure about anything. We're always here to help.

5. Ingredients that are gently cooked once retain their nutritional value

Good news! We cook all our kibbles with extra special care to give your furry friends the very best. We purposely keep all our fresh fish and meat cold until it's made into food. And so - unlike many other kibble brands - our fresh ingredients are only cooked once. And they're cooked gently, to preserve the natural goodness from farm to bowl. Making them as nutritious and yummy as possible.

*Source: https://www.waltham.com/importance-phosphorus-levels-cats-diets