What is the best food for my cat?

Cats are obligate carnivores — a biological fact that must drive every food choice you make. Unlike dogs, cats cannot thrive on a plant-heavy or balanced-omnivore diet. They lack certain metabolic pathways that other mammals use to synthesise essential nutrients from plant sources.

What cats must get from animal tissue

- Taurine — essential for heart function and vision. Cats cannot synthesise adequate taurine from other amino acids. Taurine deficiency causes dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and retinal degeneration. All commercial cat foods must be supplemented with taurine.
- Arachidonic acid — an omega-6 fatty acid found only in animal fat
- Vitamin A (retinol) — cats cannot convert beta-carotene from plants into vitamin A
- Vitamin D3 — must come from animal sources, not D2 (plant-derived)

What makes a good cat food

1. Named animal protein as the first ingredient (chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, duck)
2. Taurine explicitly listed in the ingredients
3. AAFCO complete and balanced statement for the appropriate life stage
4. Moisture content: ideally 70%+ (wet food) or supplemented with water if dry
5. Low carbohydrate — cats have limited ability to digest carbohydrates efficiently

Dry vs. wet: the moisture argument

Cats evolved from desert ancestors with a low thirst drive — they are designed to get most of their water from prey (which is ~70% water). Dry kibble is only 8–10% moisture. Chronic low water intake in cats fed exclusively dry food is strongly associated with urinary tract disease, kidney stones, and chronic kidney disease.

Avoid

- Dog food — lacks taurine and is protein-deficient for cats
- Plant-based or vegan cat diets — nutritionally dangerous for obligate carnivores
- Onions, garlic (toxic), grapes, raisins, xylitol, raw salmon and tuna as staples (thiamine-depleting)

Flovvi tip

Track your cat's weight monthly in Flovvi — cats are masters at hiding weight loss, which is one of the first signs of serious illness including hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and cancer.