Ingredient A-Z

Ingredients carry more reputation than they do analytical weight. This explains what each one is and how it gets discussed, without telling you what it does to your cat.

• Taurine

  amino acidAn amino acid that cats cannot synthesise in sufficient quantity, so it must come from the diet. It is added to essentially all complete cat foods in ...

• Chicken meal

  rendered proteinChicken with the water and much of the fat removed before inclusion. By weight it is denser in protein than fresh chicken, which is why it often sits ...

• Fish meal

  rendered proteinFish with most of the water and oil extracted, leaving a protein-dense powder. Named versions specify the species; unnamed 'fish meal' may come from a...

• Meat by-products

  rendered proteinUnder AAFCO definitions, the non-rendered clean parts of slaughtered animals other than prime muscle meat, such as organ tissue. It excludes hair, hor...

• Broth and processing water

  moisture sourceThe water, sometimes with dissolved solids from cooking meat, added to wet food to create the can's texture. It accounts for most of the weight in a t...

• Corn and corn fractions

  grainA cereal grain supplying starch for energy plus some protein and fibre, depending on which fraction of the kernel is used.

• Corn gluten meal

  plant protein concentrateThe protein-rich fraction remaining after corn starch and germ are separated out during wet milling. Substantially higher in protein than whole corn.

• Wheat gluten

  plant protein concentrate and binderThe elastic protein fraction separated from wheat starch. It serves double duty: raising protein while also binding the product together.

• Rice

  grainA cereal grain used mainly as a digestible starch source in dry food. Brewers rice is the smaller fragmented portion left after milling whole rice.

• Peas and pea fractions

  legumeWhole pulses or their separated fractions, contributing starch, fibre and protein. They are the carbohydrate backbone of most grain-free kibble.

• Pea protein

  plant protein concentrateProtein extracted from peas and added to raise the overall protein figure on the guaranteed analysis.

• Lentils

  legumeSmall pulses supplying starch, fibre and plant protein, used as the grain substitute in many grain-free kibbles.

• Potato and sweet potato

  root carbohydrateRoot vegetables providing highly digestible starch, used either whole or dried. Sweet potato additionally contributes beta-carotene.

• Tapioca starch

  starch binderStarch extracted from the cassava root, used mainly as a binder and texture agent with very little protein contribution.

• Starches

  starch binderPurified carbohydrate thickeners used to set the texture of gravies and loaves. They contribute energy and almost no protein, fat or micronutrients.

• Cellulose and purified plant fibre

  fibre sourceIndigestible plant material added to increase crude fibre deliberately, usually in weight-management formulas.

• Carrageenan

  thickener and gelling agentA polysaccharide extracted from red seaweed, used to bind and thicken wet food so it holds structure in the can.

• Sunflower seed oil

  fat sourceA plant oil supplying linoleic acid, which cats require from the diet.

• Named and unnamed animal fats

  fat sourceRendered fat used to raise energy density and supply the fatty acids cats cannot make themselves. Named fats specify the source species.

• Flaxseed

  plant oil and fibre sourceA seed supplying alpha-linolenic acid along with mucilage fibre, typically ground so the oil is accessible.

• Natural flavors

  palatantA catch-all term for flavour compounds added to make the food more appealing to the cat. The specific composition does not have to be disclosed.

• Tomato pomace

  fibre sourceThe pressed skins, pulp and seeds left after tomatoes are processed for juice or sauce, used primarily as a soluble fibre source.

• Vegetables in cat food

  vegetable and minor inclusionWhole vegetables or purées added at low levels, contributing fibre, moisture and micronutrients rather than significant macronutrition.

• Tricalcium phosphate

  mineral supplementA calcium and phosphorus supplement used to bring the mineral profile into balance, particularly important given how little bone material many wet for...

• Menadione sodium bisulfite complex

  vitamin supplementA synthetic form of vitamin K used as a supplement.

• Mixed tocopherols

  preservativeVitamin E compounds used to slow fat oxidation, keeping fats from going rancid.