What Should I Feed My Cat

What Should I
Feed My Cat

Cats are beloved members of our families, and naturally, we want to provide them with the best nutrition to support a long, healthy life. However, with the overwhelming amount of advice and opinions circulating online and on social media, choosing the right diet for your cat can feel confusing and stressful.

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At St.Francis Animal Hospital Brooklyn, our veterinarian can also guide you through life-stage nutrition—from kitten to senior cat—and address special needs such as weight management, allergies, or chronic conditions like kidney disease or diabetes.

Choosing the right food doesn’t need to be a guessing game. With professional advice and a focus on quality nutrition, you can feel confident in your cat’s diet and health.

A Complete and Balanced Diet for Cats

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they require animal-based proteins to meet all of their essential nutritional needs. Unlike humans and dogs, cats cannot synthesize certain amino acids (like taurine) from plant-based ingredients. Therefore, animal protein must be the foundation of their diet.

Why Animal Protein Matters

Higher protein levels

Moderate fat content

Very low carbohydrates

Essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids

These nutrients must be provided in the right amounts and ratios to support overall health, development, and disease prevention. A food that delivers all of this when fed in appropriate daily amounts is referred to as a complete and balanced diet.

AAFCO Guidelines: Your Assurance of Quality

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a non-profit group that sets nutritional standards for pet food. If a pet food says it meets AAFCO’s nutritional adequacy statement for your cat’s life stage (kitten, adult, senior), then it is considered nutritionally complete and balanced.

Is this food formulated for my cat’s life stage?

Look for diets specifically labeled for kitten, adult maintenance, or senior life stages. Avoid foods labeled for “all life stages,” as they may not provide appropriate nutrition for every cat.

Does the food company employ a full-time qualified veterinary nutritionist?

Ask who formulates the food and what their credentials are. Reputable pet food companies work with professionals who:
Hold a PhD in animal nutrition, or
Are board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) or the European College of Veterinary Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN)

What about grain-free diets for cats?

Unlike in dogs, there is no evidence linking grain-free diets with heart disease in cats. However, there is also no proven benefit of grain-free diets for most healthy cats. Grains are not harmful unless your cat has a rare allergy, which should be diagnosed by a veterinarian.

Where is the food manufactured, and how is quality controlled?

Ask whether the company:
Owns its own manufacturing facilities (preferred), or
Contracts third-party manufacturers (less control over quality)
The best brands have strict internal quality control and transparency about ingredient sourcing and production practices.

What about raw food diets?

We do not recommend raw diets for cats or dogs due to serious health risks, including:
Avian Influenza (H5N1): This virus has been transmitted to cats through raw poultry.
Bacterial contamination: Raw foods often contain harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Listeria, posing risks to pets and humans alike.

What about home-cooked diets?

Home-cooked diets are rarely nutritionally complete unless carefully formulated. Common issues include:
Nutritional deficiencies
Vague or outdated recipes
High cost of ingredients and supplements
If you’re considering home cooking for your cat, we strongly recommend working with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. A trusted resource is www.balanceit.com, which offers custom recipes developed by experts.

How was the food shown to meet AAFCO standards?

There are two ways pet foods can meet AAFCO’s nutritional standards:
Feeding Trials: The gold standard. These involve live animals eating the food over time to ensure it meets nutritional needs.
Formulated Foods: Based on lab analysis or nutrient profiles, not tested on live animals.
We recommend choosing diets that have undergone AAFCO feeding trials for real-world validation.

Can the company provide a full nutritional analysis and calorie information?

All pet food labels must list the manufacturer’s name and address. Many also include a customer service number.
You should be able to ask and get answers to:
Full nutrient profiles
Caloric content per measured amount (e.g., kcal per cup or can)
If a company is unwilling or unable to provide this information, it’s a red flag.

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At St.Francis Animal Hospital, we provide compassionate, lifelong care for your pets in Brooklyn and surrounding areas. Call or text us today to book your visit!

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7303 13th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11228

Phone: (718) 621-1629

Monday : 10 AM–5 PM
Tuesday : 10 AM–5 PM
Wednesday : Closed
Thursday : 10 AM–3 PM
Friday : 10 AM–5 PM
Saturday : 10 AM–4 PM
Sunday : 9 AM–2 PM