5 Things No One Ever Told You About Feeding Your Cat

But by the way, what does my cat eat?

More and more of you are concerned about your pet's diet.

Unfortunately, this awareness often comes as a result of a health problem or, in the saddest cases, the premature death of your previous cat.

For others, this desire to better feed your kitty is probably the reflection of a personal trend towards healthier consumption and the intention to feed them as well as the rest of the family.

Whatever the reason for this choice, it's probably the best decision you can make to give our cats the beautiful, happy life they deserve.

Because while we have suffered from poor diets for decades now, unfortunately our cats are far from spared! Diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, urinary and kidney problems... none of these diseases should occur with quality food.

Like our own diet, the diet of our cats has evolved over the last ten years, becoming increasingly processed, more convenient, and more economical.

To the point where we sometimes hear (often): « You should get a cat, it doesn't cost much to feed and you can leave for the weekend without worrying about it! ».

Unfortunately, and obviously, that's not true.

A cat is a living being, an extra mouth to feed, and a strict carnivore. And as we know, meat, when it's of good quality, is one of the most expensive foodstuffs.

So, when we buy a bag of kibble for 3€ per kilogram, there's probably more wheat, corn, and sugar than meat in it.

But if we save a few years on food expenses, the veterinary costs of just one of these diseases could quickly make us regret our choice.

Today, many brands claim to sell the best food for our cats.

While some of these claims are sincere, we realize that for many of them, they are just marketing arguments, often misleading and with no real benefit.

And while more and more consumers are informed, enlightened, and no longer fooled, we wanted to help you in this approach, so you don't get trapped by the first well-polished slogan.

#1 - 100% Natural Doesn’t Mean 100% Healthy

"Natural" is probably the term we hear the most these days!

It's normal, natural reassures us.

A few photos of plants and a "wild jungle" design, and we feel like we're feeding our cat like a predator from the desert!

The difference is that kibble doesn't grow on trees and doesn't run very fast.

We're the first to be reassured by what is natural. Cosmetics, food, decor... natural is everywhere! In fact, a Mediaprism-60 million consumers study shows that "the demand for natural food has become essential for 83% of consumers." But have you ever wondered what a natural diet really means for our cats? We'll let you think about that...

To answer this question, we referred to the "Code of Good Practices of Fediaf" and here's the definition of a natural food:

"The term 'natural' should only be used to describe the components of pet food (from plants, animals, microorganisms, or minerals) free of additives and that have not undergone any physical treatment other than those that make them compatible with pet food production while maintaining their natural composition. Among these treatments, dehydration, smoking, pelletizing, certain enzymatic processes, grinding, and extrusion are accepted."

Since we don't consider the addition of nutritional or technological additives when using the term "natural," and since manufacturers no longer use or list GMOs (unless their presence is mandatory), we can say that pretty much EVERYTHING is natural...!

That said, while we enjoy using natural creams on our faces or natural deodorant under our arms, does eating "natural" make us healthy?

Apparently, if we take these three foods: fries, pizza, cheeseburger – all three are natural (and let's face it, pretty tasty)!

But consumed daily, they're far from healthy (sorry to burst your bubble, guys, but potatoes are still not a vegetable).

So when we look at a kibble or a pâté that's made up of 40% carbohydrates (sweet potato, corn, pea flour, beet pulp, sugar, or soy) – we can call that "100% natural," but for our cats, it's actually unnatural!

For all these reasons, at Ziggy, we've removed the word "natural" from our packaging. It's tempting, and we often use it by reflex, but it doesn't add anything except false reassurance.

We prefer to prove to you, through scientific analysis and arguments that our pâtés are healthy. And in the end, what's the point of lying? Sooner or later, the benefits or harm will be clear in your cat!

#2 - Grain-Free Doesn’t Mean Carbohydrate-Free

In recent years, we've seen more and more kibble and pâté for dogs and cats bearing the "grain-free" or "grain-free" label, and it has become a major selling point for many of us.

After all, what could be more natural?

Our domestic carnivores are not chickens, so we don’t want to feed them wheat, corn, or oats... they might start clucking!

But... a kibble is essentially a little cookie? And without flour, it's difficult to make a cake (personally, we've never succeeded)!

It is indeed impossible to make kibble without "starch." Starch is a "carbohydrate stored by plants in the form of granules, which, when ground, provide a paste." The paste? That's the glue that allows your cookie or kibble to hold its shape.

So, if there are no cereals in the kibble, we still need starch.

In grain-free foods, we often find sweet potato, potatoes, pea flour, chickpea flour, lentils, tapioca (cassava), and sometimes even quinoa, yes, quinoa.

While grain-free diets are a source of reassurance for many of us, it’s still important to analyze and calculate the carbohydrate content of your cat’s kibble or pâté.

It’s very likely that a grain-free food containing 30% to 50% carbohydrates is just as harmful, if not more harmful, than a food containing a little rice or wheat.

At Ziggy, we chose to keep things simple and healthy, and we don't include cereals, starches, or legumes in our pâtés, let alone quinoa. So, no starch, no problem!

By the way, we provide you with a detailed list of all the ingredients we use here.

#3 - There’s no chicken fillet in the kibble

This will probably be your biggest disappointment.

No, the chicken fillet on the packaging of your kibble is not the same chicken that’s in your kibble.

More often than not, it’s actually meat meal, dehydrated meats, or proteins.

We know wheat flour, but what exactly is meat meal??? Well, it’s a “powder obtained by cooking, degreasing, sterilizing, grinding, and sieving animal by-products,” definitely not as appetizing as the Sunday roast chicken they sold you, right?

You might say, “But in the kibble I buy, there’s fresh meat .” And that’s a good point!

But let’s not fool ourselves, it’s still not the Sunday chicken. It’s closer to the meat you find in fast-food nuggets or in supermarket meat (with a bit of carcass thrown in). Stop salivating, we see you!

This meat is called VSM.

What? What’s that?

VSM stands for “Mechanically Separated Meat.”

What? Doesn’t sound too appetizing, does it?

VSM is a product that is “obtained by mechanically removing the meat from the bones or carcasses of poultry. After deboning, this product may contain bone, cartilage, or marrow residue, unlike ground meat or meat for minced dishes”.

Often by the percentage of minerals present in the food, also known as the “Ash Content”. Carcasses and bones both add a lot of minerals (calcium and phosphorus, among others).

So make sure to read the ingredient list carefully and check that the mineral content isn’t too high.

We’ve made the decision to banish all these types of meat from our pâtés. The only animal protein present in our pâtés is muscle meat and offal. We leave the rest to others.

#4 – No, your cat doesn’t need mango, cranberry, chia seeds, or spirulina to be healthy

(and still no quinoa)

What do all these ingredients have in common?

They are very photogenic, they are “superfoods,” but mostly they are “super marketing ingredients.”

All of these ingredients are typically quite expensive, and they are appreciated by humans for their various health benefits: mango and chia are rich in antioxidants (polyphenols) and help protect our cells from free radicals. Cranberry has a disinfecting effect on the urinary tract, and spirulina is very concentrated in plant-based proteins (60-70%).

Another thing they have in common? They literally come from the other side of the world.

Chia from Mexico, mango from tropical countries (mainly Asia), and cranberry from North America.

Exotic! But not really useful.

While they beautifully decorate the packaging of kibble and pâtés, they are by no means essential to our cats’ health.

And often (almost always), you’ll find only 0.00001% of… mango skin in your kibble.

To add fiber to our recipes, we decided to prioritize French vegetables, a bit basic, we admit: carrots, zucchini, and green beans. Less sexy, yes, but we guarantee your cat won’t hold it against you. It just won’t be posting its pâté on Instagram.

#5. “Knowledge is Power”

What’s the moral of the story?

Understanding what your cat eats every day is just as important to its health as knowing what goes on your own plate.

The less transparency there is, the more doubt there is!

Thank you for reading this article! Don’t stop here, keep reading, researching, and comparing!

Ask questions and demand answers. From all brands. Ours included.

And more than ever, take care of yourself and your cat 😻

Want to learn more? We’ve prepared a selection of articles that may interest you:

You should give pâté to your cat, here’s why

A cat shouldn’t eat only kibble!

Complete or complementary pâté? Be careful of the confusion!

Ziggy, the revolution in your cat’s bowl

And if you’re convinced and want to change your cat’s diet, you can introduce them to our healthy and complete food, formulated with love by Dr. Géraldine Blanchard, a feline nutrition specialist.

A dietary transition may be necessary, especially if your cat tends to be "picky" with food. But we promise, we’ll be available to guide you and answer all your questions.

Are you a feline nutrition expert? Test your knowledge with our quiz!