Food Review: Hound & Gatos

Cats are one of the pickiest eaters in the animal kingdom. One day they are totally into their food and then the next, they sniff their noses up at a $29.99, 12 oz bag of at food. What gives!?

Cats are particular about their cuisine. This phenomenon of selective eating is not unusual. An article on PetMD explains the reason why cats are picky eaters is based on their genetic composition. Cats do not have a specific gene that detects "sweet compounds" such as sugars and artificial sweeteners, therefore their diets in the wild consist of high amounts of protein versus carbohydrates which are found in veggies and fruits. Since cats don't have the ability to detect sugars through the sugar stimuli (us humans call it as having "a sweet tooth"), cats will tend to not eat foods that contain common cat food ingredients such as potato, corn, cranberries and banana. They will always prefer a food that has high amounts of protein and a small amounts, if at all any, of carbohydrates.

A cat food brand that I really enjoy is Hound & Gatos. They are a "Paleolithic" pet food company that has limited ingredients in their product.

Their food is 100% animal protein and 0% plant protein. Their meats range from game-type proteins such as rabbit and pacific northwest salmon to the typical beef and chicken. Lamb and rabbit is a popular meat in my household since I have an IBD kitty who is sensitive to fish, beef and chicken.

This brand is affordable compared to Wellness and Instinct brands which are found in Petco and Petsmart. Unfortunately, Hound & Gatos is only found at speciality food stores, but if you visit their website, you can order online through Chewy.com or other popular pet food stores.

Hound & Gatos - The Original Paleolithic Pet Food Company http://www.houndgatos.com

What's In This?!

Today I was in Petsmart, cruising the cat food aisle to pick-up some wet food cans and I saw a lady at the end of the aisle concentrated on the label of a bag of cat food. By the looks of it, it appeared as if she was reading the ingredients on the label. It's no surprise to see this at your local grocery store, but who reads the ingredients of cat food?!

If you don't, start today.... You see, what she was doing is not unusual or weird. It's responsible. It tells me that she cares about her cat's health and wellness. Researching different cat foods and fact checking the ingredients is a must. Many pet food companies these days add many harmful and unneeded ingredients into our pet's foods.

Cats require a specific diet and that diet is an all meat diet. They are called "obligate carnivores" and require meat to survive. Cats don't eat kale, cranberries, potato starch, sweet potatoes, corn, etc... common ingredients in major pet food brands.

I challenge you to go into your pantry and read the ingredients on your cat's food. What does it have? Meat, potatoes and maybe a side salad or just meat?

In my next blog post, I'll compile a list of the top cat-friendly foods on the market to help you find the right one for your kitty.

As always, consult with your veterinarian before changing your cat's food!