Choose Natural Pet Food for Healthy Animals

Enlarge Image Image Gallery WALTER CHANDOHA

We are what we eat. Now, many people are applying this principle to their pets. More than a dozen brands of natural and organic cat and dog food are available, as well as some foods for smaller animals such as birds and ferrets. Expect to pay up to twice as much for these premium foods, but you (and your pets) will get what you pay for.

Natural pet foods generally are minimally processed and are preserved with natural substances, such as vitamins C and E. Whereas “natural” should mean food is free of chemical preservatives and artificial colors, it’s an undefined and unregulated distinction. “Certified organic” pet foods must meet strict standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that spell out how ingredients are produced and processed. These standards do not allow the use of most pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, artificial ingredients or genetically engineered ingredients.

Besides pesticides and hormones, natural and organic pet foods are free of other undesirable ingredients such as hair, blood, waste and “meal,” which come from the rendered carcasses of livestock animals.

"The major problem with the content of conventional pet foods is the use of ‘animal byproducts,’ which are low-grade wastes from the beef and poultry industries," says Dr. Andrew Weil, a longtime advocate of holistic medicine who helped start Pet Promise, a line of dry and canned foods for cats and dogs.

Weil says the optimum nutrition for pets comes from meat, poultry and fish of a quality similar to what we would eat. It should be “raised in sustainable, humane ways without added drugs and hormones, and with quality grains, fats and macronutrients.”

Nutrition is just as significant for dogs and cats as it is for humans. “It is one of the most important determinants of health and resistance to disease,” Weil says.

He says some of the most expensive “scientific and veterinarian-formulated products” are not the best options, so pet owners should to learn to interpret ingredient lists.

Avoid pet foods that contain byproducts, chemicals and synthetic preservatives. If "meal" is listed, it should be from a specific animal; be wary of “byproduct meal.” A specific form of meat or meal, such as chicken or turkey, should be the first ingredient listed. A good sign is a reference to the use of “human-grade ingredients.”

For more information, see Natural Pet Foods in the Aug/Sept 2006 issue of Mother Earth News.