Amino acids, minerals, ash content... It can be hard to understand all the terms used in our cats' diets!
To help you make sense of it, we've put together a little glossary to better understand the contents of your little companion's food bowl.
Organ Meats
There are two categories of organ meats: "noble" organs or red offal, and white offal (tripe, ears, and stomach).
Among the noble organs, you'll find examples like beef tongue, liver, kidneys, or cheek. Noble organs are ideal for our cats as they have a high protein content. While these organs are considered fit for human consumption, the food industry doesn't value them for commercial reasons, which is why they are often used in pet food.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are essential macronutrients for bodily functions (immune system, growth, digestion, reproduction...) and for the structure (bones, skin, muscles, fur) of our little companions.
Among the twenty amino acids commonly found, eleven are essential for cats: these are the essential amino acids.
These include taurine, arginine, phenylalanine, methionine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and histidine.
To learn more about amino acids, don't hesitate to check out our article on taurine in cat food.
Complete Food
It's important to make a clear distinction between "complete food" and "complementary food".
A complete food must cover all of the cat's nutritional needs for which it was formulated. You can feed it as the sole food to your cat, along with a bowl of fresh water.
Complementary Food
Unlike complete food, complementary food cannot be given as the only food because it doesn't cover all of our cats' nutritional needs.
It is therefore useful to consult the manufacturer for the recommended daily quantities to ensure a balanced diet.
Starch
Starch is a "complex carbohydrate (sugar)". It generally comes from rice and corn and is always present in kibble, even grain-free ones because it is necessary for the extrusion process. In fact, starch is what gives kibble its light, crispy texture.
Palatability
Our little companions are very sensitive to the palatability of food. For example, the consistency, temperature, and smell of food strongly influence how much our cats accept it. Our cats, for example, prefer food at room temperature, ideally between 20°C and 35°C.
Many cat food manufacturers have understood this and use sensory additives to modify the visual appearance (colorants) or organoleptic qualities (flavor enhancers) of the food.
Strict Carnivore
Our cats are what we call strict carnivores. That means they cannot do without meat in their diet. The fact is that our cats can only meet their nutritional needs through animal tissues.
However, this does not mean they should eat only meat, as an "all-meat" diet is highly unbalanced and leads to many deficiencies.
Animal Meals
Animal meals in our cats' food are made from meat mechanically separated from the carcass. This meat-bone mixture is then processed into meal form.
In lower-quality kibble, meals are richer in bones as it costs the manufacturer less.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are sometimes called "hydrates of carbon". They are substances made up of simple sugars. These sugars form molecules of varying complexity and properties.
As strict carnivores, our cats' metabolism of carbohydrates differs from that of omnivores. Carbohydrates are non-essential in their diet. However, in small amounts, they can provide a good energy source, especially if the starch is properly cooked.
Neophobia
When faced with novelty in their food, your cat may be repelled. This is called neophobia.
Neophobia often develops in older cats whose eating habits have become firmly established. It is also common in cats that haven't been exposed to a varied diet in the early weeks of life, as they tend to be more neophobic.
Neophilia
In contrast, some cats are attracted to novelty. For example, cats that have access to the outdoors tend to be neophilic.
As mentioned above, what a kitten eats in the first few weeks of life, as well as the diet of its mother, will impact its food preferences.
Minerals
The term "minerals" refers to inorganic matter in your cat's food. There are macro-elements such as calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), and chloride (Cl).
There are also trace elements present in smaller amounts, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iodine (I), and selenium (Se).
Animal Proteins
These are the fuel for our cats! They cannot do without them in their diet.
However, not all animal proteins are the same! For example, elastin, collagen, and keratin have very low protein effectiveness due to their poor digestibility and amino acid imbalance. Plant proteins in our cats' food mostly come from cereal grains (wheat, rice, corn, barley).
A cat with insufficient protein intake may end up in poor physical condition or have a dull coat.
Ash Content
This refers to the total amount of minerals in the food. The ash content should neither be too low nor too high. Too little or too much micronutrient intake can have long-term negative impacts.
In food, the ash content can be a good indirect indicator of quality. There needs to be a minimum to meet requirements, but a high ash content indicates an excessive amount of carcass material.
Dietary Transition
We recommend dietary transition at Ziggy!
The dietary transition is probably the best method to help your cat accept a new food. It involves gradually introducing a new food alongside their current diet. The goal is not to upset their digestive system.
You can read our article to discover the steps and tips for a successful dietary transition.
Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM)
Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM) is a product "obtained by mechanically removing the meat from poultry bones or carcasses. After deboning, this product may contain bone, cartilage, or marrow residues, unlike minced meats or meats for mince".
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