Dr. Judy Ranks Cat Food! What to Look For & Avoid in Cat Food
Dr. Judy Ranks Cat Food! What to Look For & Avoid in Cat Food
The most important ingredient in pet health is food. “You are what you eat” and “Food is the foundation of life” are two of my favorite quotes. Without proper nutrition, health fades.
Join me in discussing what to look for in cat foods, what to avoid in both dog and cat foods, and my recommended list of cat foods that I personally have fed to my kitties and approve of.
Not all pet owners have easy access to high quality food made by caring companies. While it is all well and good to recommend feeding only organic, grass fed, pasture raised, antibiotic and hormone free, non-GMO, locally sourced food, this is just not always possible.
For some pet guardians, financial constraints limit their ability to feed the highest level of nutrition to their pets. For others, product availability may be a limiting factor. Many pet owners are uncomfortable with the idea of handling and feeding raw meats to their pets, while others are unable to feed raw diets due to limitations placed by pet therapy, boarding, veterinary, or training facilities.
However, within these constraints, it is possible to improve the diet of all pets. Pick the best food you can using the criteria I explained. If you can’t feed a 100% fresh food diet, then feeding even a small amount of whole foods, like real meat, eggs, fruit, and vegetables, can bring vast improvement to pet health. By incorporating one or two meals made with whole foods each week or by making a healthy topper to mix with processed food, pet health and longevity can be improved.
►Dr. Judy Approved Cat Foods List:
Dr. Judy Approved Cat Foods List
►Kick the Kibble: How to Feed Your Cat course: https://www.drjudyu.com/offers/6zxZEhzc/checkout
►Transitioning a Cat to a Different Diet: The Ultimate Guide course: https://www.drjudyu.com/offers/xYPHFFRd/checkout
►Susan Thixton: https://truthaboutpetfood.com/
►Kick Kibble to the Curb blog: https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/kick-kibble-to-the-curb-revisited-kibble-an-inappropriate-diet-for-cats?_pos=4&_sid=b48565114&_ss=r
►Synthetic Vitamins and Minerals in Pet Food blog: https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/synthetic-vitamins-and-minerals-in-pet-food?_pos=1&_sid=792d59165&_ss=r
💚 Don’t Miss a Video, Subscribe, it’s FREE ► https://www.youtube.com/DrJudyMorgan/
Need more knowledge? VISIT Dr Morgan’s WEBSITES:
👉 https://naturallyhealthypets.com/
👉 https://www.drjudyu.com/store
💯 FREE | OVER 20 RECIPES ► https://drjudymorgan.com/pages/recipes
📧 ► https://drjudymorgan.com/subscribe
📲 LET’S CONNECT:
-Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/drjudymorgan
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM/
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjudymorgan/
-Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjudymorgan?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
-Twitter: https://twitter.com/integratedpets/
-Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/NaturallyHealthyPets/
-Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjudymorgan/
🤝 Partnerships, Collaborations & Sponsorships:
*DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this video is to educate and to inform. It is no substitute for professional care by a veterinarian, licensed nutritionist or other qualified professional. You‘re encouraged to do your own research and should not rely on this information as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Dr. Judy and her guests express their own opinions, experience and conclusions, and Dr. Judy Morgan’s Naturally Healthy Pets neither endorses or opposes any particular views discussed here.
🐾 FIND a Holistic Vet Near YOU ► https://www.ahvma.org/
key words: dr judy morgan, naturally healthy pets, holistic vet, veterinarian, natural, holistic, pet lovers, pet, dog, canine, nutrition, cat, feline, food, raw, homemade, diet, recipes, food therapy, gut health, tcvm, natural pet products, allergies, hot spot, flea, tick, heartworm, parasite, dental health, spay, neuter, training, behavior, vaccine, skin health, heart, kidney, bladder, urinary, senior, hospice, liver, anxiety
If nothing else feed your cat canned food instead of kibble. That right there is going to save millions of cats. Yes Raw is the best but some people just can’t or won’t do it. At least feed canned wet food and skip the crackers.
My cat Quentin has IBD and he seems to be doing pretty well on low-dose of steroids every three days and SMALLS, smooth pig wet food and INSTINCT limited ingredients rabbit food.
He had the PU operation in 2020 due to urinary tract blockages , I was feeding wet and dry food at the time to 6 house cats , I suspect he was living off the dry.
I feel terribly guilty for not having educated myself better and finding a food that Quentin will eat and not throw up has been so difficult.
I have spent several thousand and wasted food that he wouldn’t eat and at the vet, saving his life.
What bothers me the most is that he has had to go through all of this suffering.
What do you think of the 2 foods I am feeding him.
Companies should be required by law to test each batch for nutrition.
As a cat mom to 10 rescue cats I greatly appreciated watching your video. Very informative. Thank you❤❤❤
Hi Dr. Judy, thank you for an informative video. I’d love to know your thoughts on “Smalls” natural kitty foods? I order this every month and it’s delivered frozen. My cat loves it, but I’d love your point of view.
Also, I feed my kitty dry food. I always thought he needed it for tooth health and the crunchy factor that brings that satisfaction you can’t get from wet food. Is this a bad idea? Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I assume it is with cats just like with humans.
In humans there is ghrelin and leptin which are the hunger and satiety hormones respectively. Only fat will trigger the satiety hormone, carbohydrates will not.
Meaning cats will overeat when fed carbohydrates.
My boy is just 2 and has already had 2 kidney issues…
What about the sachets of "wet" food? Two questions: 1) what is in the regular pea-sized sponge-bits in these sachets? 2) why are the foods "in gravy" so hard to get, while the versions "in gelatin" are easily available? Is it ONLY cost saving for the manufacturers?
❤thank you
Can you just give me the names of a couple good brands of cat food I can buy for my cat?
So…
I don’t have the heart to switch my older cats away from their favorite kibble. I’ve tried, and they won’t eat anything. My newer, younger rescues I feed canned, and try to look fur minimal ingredients, etc, although it’s hard to get them to eat the really healthy kind.
I switched my dogs over to gently cooked and raw meat, eggs, fish, organs, and bones in 2018, and that was easy, but my cats, UGHHHHH.
On a positive note, my cats usually live to their 20’s. No vaccines, catios galore, and t they are the rulers of my hpme, so that must be working ❤
Thank you, Dr. Judy. For this valuable information. I love your book!!
#allanimalsownmysoul
Which mushrooms?
Any opinions on vital essentials or ziwi peak food?
Money is my problem. With a multi pet household, buying the high dollar food, isnt an option. Sadly, Fancy Feast is what they get, and that is costing a fortune, with some human food once in awhile.
I’ve tried making homemade cat food but my cats wouldn’t eat it. I’m on a low fixed income I’d really like to know which brands of cat foods that aren’t exorbitant are the next best to buy
Is that a tattoo on your arm?
So where can her recommended brands be found and purchased? I can’t find them. Hope someone can help. Thanks
One of my cats won’t eat wet cat food. I have managed to get her to eat one of those licks le treats a day. She is on a urinary tract prescription food which she hates, but will eat. She won’t touch raw food at all.
So mushrooms are good for cats?
This lady gives wonderful information. 😀 Thank you.
I have been making cat food for my boys since 2017 but still love to keep up on information regarding best feeding practices. Their diet is mainly chicken but they do get turkey, sometimes pork or beef but all human grade. I am lucky to have a store near me that has hearts and livers! It takes me about an hour to prepare and weigh out food for 9 days. They love their partially raw food. I love this and will definitely be sharing with people I know who strictly feed kibble. I have recipes for them but they just don’t see the need and I hope for their pets health this helps them see kibble is bad! One of my boys is 21 and just diagnosed with CKD but we didn’t adobt him until he was a senior so now my vet wants him on a low phosphorus food diet and he’s probably going to suggest some of the brands that I don’t want to use for my cat. I’m glad to see carrageen is being removed from many wet cat foods but I still see a lot of gums and "meat" products.
I want to get my overweight cat off dry kibble……
I’m 90% sure my cat eats healthier then I do lol 😂
I’ve been following these guidelines for years. I do like to add that another big offense against our cats’ nutritional needs is the small amount of Taurine AAFCO allows as a minimum. I’m not a vet, but I have seen so many cats passed away from cardiomyopathy or heart conditions in the shelters I’ve helped out at. I always add extra taurine to each meal.
I was told the pet food is irrated is that true?
At some point my budget may allow for 100% raw/homemade for my dogs and cat but for now I supplement my dog kibble with various "real" food and hydrate it with broth normally. After learning how much more delicious a cat’s system is I am going to prioritize the new kitten getting more wet food/homemade but for now will probably do 50/50 with a soaked dry food. Thankfully the cat will be significantly smaller than my big dogs so easier to feed it "properly" within my budget.
I am going to look into befriending a butcher to get some "off cuts" they will like that most humans don’t.
I’m not able to find the list of cat foods you consider appropriate.
ty
I thought psyllium husk is good for cats? I give mine abit to ensure they don’t get constipation. My cat was diagnosed with CKD two years ago. Then subsequently lung tumours and osteoarthritis. She was on a fully raw diet for a few years before the diagnosis. Now I adjust her diet with can food and raw meat mix. I’ll give her whatever that she’s willing to eat, as long as it makes her happy
Thank you for this. I have been buying Smalls – can you comment on them. Mail order wet food that they like but they still want their Kibble.
Please give me the names of cat food besides homemade that aren’t filled with toxic ingredients. My vet is always pushing hills science diet but it’s loaded with junk ingredients
I appreciate the information you have given us. However, i have watched a bunch of videos over years trying to educate myself and I have learned a lot of horrifying things about pet foods. I have spent HOURS reading labels on cat and dog foods. I wish someone would just give us a LIIST of companies who make suitable foods, canned and dry that we can start with. I do the best I can on my budget and truely, if I wanted to feed the best food i would have to give up half of the animals I now care for. I cannot find a cat or dog food that does not have some nasty binder ingredients. I do feed cooked chicken to my cats and dogs in combination witht the canned and dry. I cannot do this every day. One of my cats will not eat any wet food, just kibble, I have offered her everything. She doesn’t even want tuna or salmon. One day the cats will eat a certain food, 3 days later they won’t touch it. I am at my wits end here. I want them to have the best but my budget is not able to. Isn’t there some middle ground here?? After reading so many labels I think there must only be two or three really "ideal" foods out there. My vet is no help. They all want to push Hill’s science diet. My cat at that for years and ended up with kidney disease AND hyperthyroid disease and died from it. I feel helpless and hopeless on this subject.
This videos are informative, but hope they’re not meant to shame pet owners who provide the best diet within their means. Sure if I could afford it, my cats would have the best there is, but equally important they have a loving and safe home.
Bottom line- Make your own
How about Fussie Cat?
The RSPCA told me to feed my cat dry kibble only, they are sponsored by a dry kibble company, the same company they recommended 😢
My cat died from kidney disease 😢
Have you looked at smalls cat food?
Thank you ♡ I love my babies too much
I add water to their wet food
Enjoyed your comments. I hope our human food gets changed as well considering so much of our food is so highly processed. or otherwise unclean.. I think I’ll start buying meat from the local butcher and add whatever else they need.
What are you trying to do? Having us declare bankruptcy? we have 10 cats and that possibly cost way more than we eat per months.
Why can’t you check the cat food that we can afford?
What food would you recommend for five cats that is affordable and really healthy.. and although I am all about the wet food these days is there any kind of dry food that can be given as a treat? What do you think of the NULO limited ingredients chicken dry food?.. is there any real nutritional and value in that or is it just going to cause stones, crystals and allergies?
Thank you so much for this content. I was hopeful to hear what would be the best canned food to feed. I cannot have any type of raw in my house and want to give my cats the best. Canned food is my only option with the constraints I am under. Any ideas from views or you Dr. Morgan? Thank you so much.
I’m considering fostering as i am tnr in it
Neighborhood but most rescues feed kibble which depresses me. I gave 2 kittens i cant keep but I’m feeding them high end canned plus ground turkey and chicken with probiotics. A few grains of kibble. Always at least high end canned but I also have 7 of my own so $ always a challenge. My sisters cat lived till age 22 on 9 lives and friskies canned so even clean can be better than kibble.
Excellent video. The Holy Trinity of kibble, often list “meat” byproducts, instead of lamb heart, beef liver, etc. Why? Defenders say, just call them and ask. I should not have to contact a pet food company to find out what is in my cat’s food. All cats, including domestic cats are members of the Felidae family. Lions, tigers, leopards and cheetahs, etc. They all share 95% of their DNA. A species appropriate diet applies to all of them. None of the big cats eat dry food. Neither should our house cats.
Goat milk is ok?
Thank you for the most enlightening video on cat food/diets that I have seen.
I was shocked to find out even the wet vet food I was buying for adults and seniors had an ingredient that causes kidney disease
You mentioned mushrooms as been good. I dehydrate mushrooms and add them to my pets food. But then I heard that mushrooms are very high in oxalates. Now I don’t know which way to go!
I just recently went to the vet and all she did was criticize me on freeze dried food and mention bird flew over and over and over