"Ashes in my cat's food, and what's next?!"
We see you panicking!
Don't worry, we're not talking about cigarette butts or charred paper, but about minerals found in our cats' food, which remain after the complete combustion of a food, hence the term "ashes".
How is the ash content calculated?
"Crude Ash", "Mineral Matter", or "Minerals": These three terms, which appear on the labels on the back of packaging, refer to the total amount of various minerals present in a food's composition. The mineral matter is mainly represented by calcium and phosphorus, but also contains sodium chloride, potassium, and magnesium.
If a percentage of calcium and phosphorus is also listed, it is additional information, but they are already counted in the crude ash.
The calculation of the ash content in a food is done in a laboratory. The food is heated to a very high temperature until completely burned. The remaining ashes are mainly composed of mineral matter that remains after this combustion. In short: it's what "remains" when the food has been entirely burned.
What are the main minerals and trace elements?
In the ash content, there are macroelements, which are present in relatively large quantities in the food, and trace elements, which are found in small quantities.
The Macroelements
- calcium (Ca)
- phosphorus (P)
- potassium (K)
- sodium (Na)
- magnesium (Mg)
- chloride (Cl)
The Trace Elements
- iron (Fe)
- zinc (Zn)
- manganese (Mn)
- copper (Cu)
- iodine (I)
- selenium (Se)
What is the role of minerals in my cat's diet?
Minerals and trace elements in our cats' food play a major role:
- They ensure the growth and maintenance of hard and soft tissues and also preserve tissue integrity.
- They help regulate biological and physiological processes of the cells. For example, calcium ensures the functioning of the nervous system, blood clotting, and muscle contraction... Iron guarantees the binding and transport of oxygen.
- They are essential for the production of enzymes and hormones.
The ash content should not be too low or too high in your cat's food.
Too low or, conversely, too high a micronutrient intake can have a negative long-term impact. We should be cautious about both underdosing and overdosing.
Ash Content, an Indirect Indicator of Quality
In a complete food, the crude ash content is a good indirect indicator of quality. A minimum amount is required to meet needs, but a very high amount indicates a high amount of carcass with bones.
We aim for a crude ash percentage of 6 to 10% of dry matter. This means approximately 5.5 to 9% in dry food like kibble, or 1.25 to 2.5% in wet food like pâté.
Avoid choosing foods with more than 12% crude ash (of dry matter). A food rich in ash (and therefore in carcasses or Mechanically Separated Meat) can lead to very hard white stools or even constipation.
Example of the analytical composition of a well-balanced mineral food, Ziggy Sterilized Adult Cat Food - Grain-Free - Fish:
Example of the analytical composition of a supermarket pâté with more than 2.5% crude ash:
| Crude protein | 9.5% |
| Crude fat | 4% |
| Crude fiber | 0.8% |
| Crude Ash | 3% |
| Moisture | 82% |
| Estimated carbohydrates | 0.7% |
Does your cat suffer from urinary problems? Watch the ash content in their food
If your little companion suffers from urinary issues, it will be important to pay attention to the "mineral matter" or "ashes" in their food.
In a cat with urinary problems or kidney stones, the goal is to dilute urine through a wet food diet and avoid high mineral content, as these can aggregate into crystals and then stones.
Choose food with a controlled and stable mineral composition (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, phosphorus).
Choose food with less than 5% ash content of dry matter. This means less than 4.6% in kibble with around 8% moisture, or less than 1.1% in wet food with 78% moisture.
Finally, don't forget that by choosing the right food for our cats, we can prevent certain diseases, keep them healthy, and avoid high vet bills.
Are you a cat nutrition expert? Test your knowledge with our quiz!
Bonjour Dominique,
Merci pour votre commentaire. 💛
Nous proposons une pâtée spécifiquement adaptée aux chats souffrant d’insuffisance rénale.
Formulée par notre vétérinaire spécialiste en nutrition clinique, le Dr Vétérinaire Géraldine Blanchard, notre pâtée IRC a une très faible teneur en phosphore et un excellent ratio phosphocalcique pour soutenir la fonction rénale en cas de maladie rénale chronique.
Elle contient, comme toutes nos autres pâtées, des protéines de qualité et présente une excellente digestibilité pour préserver au mieux la masse maigre de nos petits compagnons ayant un appétit réduit. Elle est également enrichie en EPA & DHA (Oméga 3 à chaîne très longue), pour ralentir la progression de la maladie. Nous avons veillé à ce qu’elle soit aussi très appétente pour nos chats malades, dont l’appétit peut être capricieux.
N’hésitez pas à nous contacter directement à hello@ziggyfamily.com si vous souhaitez en savoir plus ou si vous avez d’autres questions sur l’alimentation de votre moustachu. 😻
Plein de caresses à votre chat. 😺
L’équipe Ziggy
Bonjour, mon chat est insuffisant rénal de stade 2.
Il n’aime pas du tout l’alimentation humide rénale, et n’en mange pas ( j’ai essayé pas mal de marques mais sans succès). Je suis donc à la recherche d’un produit humide de qualité avec très peu de phosphore. Avez vous quelque chose à me proposer ? Avez vous des échantillons afin de tester ?
Merci d’avance
Bonjour,
Vous pouvez retrouver notre pâtée Ziggy Vet pour les chats souffrant d’insuffisance rénale juste ici : https://ziggyfamily.com/products/patee-chat-adulte-irc
Si vous avez la moindre question, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter à hello@ziggyfamily.com. 😺
Bonjour,
Comment peut-on commande OCCASIONNELLEMENT de l’alimentation rénal pour mon chat.
Merci de m’envoyer le lien vers la page du site
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