Discrepancy between the composition of some commercial cat foods and their package labelling and suitability for meeting nutritional requirements

Gosper, EC; Raubenheimer, David; Machovsky‐Capuska, Gabriel E.; Chaves, AV

doi:10.1111/avj.12397

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Furthermore, labelling compliance was determined to be poor [35]. Unfortunately, these phenomena appear to be common within the pet food industry, with multiple accounts of commercial pet foods failing to meet labelling standards, guaranteed analysis, industry recommended nutrient profiles, or containing ingredients other than those listed on the packaging [89–91]. Thus, this does not appear to be an issue exclusive to plant-based diets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant-based (vegan) diets for pets: A survey of pet owner attitudes and feeding practices

Dodd¹,

Cave²,

Adolphe³

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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People who avoid eating animals tend to share their homes with animal companions, and moral dilemma may arise when they are faced with feeding animal products to their omnivorous dogs and carnivorous cats. One option to alleviate this conflict is to feed pets a diet devoid of animal ingredients—a ‘plant-based’ or ‘vegan’ diet. The number of pet owners who avoid animal products, either in their own or in their pets’ diet, is not currently known. The objective of this study was to estimate the number of meat-avoiding pet owners, identify concerns regarding conventional animal- and plant-based pet food, and estimate the number of pets fed a plant-based diet. A questionnaire was disseminated online to English-speaking pet owners (n = 3,673) to collect data regarding pet owner demographics, diet, pet type, pet diet, and concerns regarding pet foods. Results found that pet owners were more likely to be vegetarian (6.2%; 229/3,673) or vegan (5.8%; 212/3,673) than previously reported for members of the general population. With the exception of one dog owned by a vegetarian, vegans were the only pet owners who fed plant-based diets to their pets (1.6%; 59/3,673). Of the pet owners who did not currently feed plant-based diets but expressed interest in doing so, a large proportion (45%; 269/599) desired more information demonstrating the nutritional adequacy of plant-based diets. Amongst all pet owners, the concern most commonly reported regarding meat-based pet foods was for the welfare of farm animals (39%; 1,275/3,231). The most common concern regarding strictly plant-based pet foods was regarding the nutritional completeness of the diet (74%; 2,439/3,318). Amongst vegans, factors which predicted the feeding of plant-based diets to their pets were concern regarding the cost of plant-based diets, a lack of concern regarding plant-based diets being unnatural, and reporting no concern at all regarding plant-based diets for pets. Given these findings, further research is warranted to investigate plant-based nutrition for domestic dogs and cats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant-based (vegan) diets for pets: A survey of pet owner attitudes and feeding practices

Dodd¹,

Cave²,

Adolphe³

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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“…According to the literature data, the average SFA, MUFA and PUFA contents in commercial cat foods for the adult cat purchased from the Australian supermarkets or pet shops were 36.7%, 41.0% and 22.3%, respectively. The total PUFA content ranged from 5.1% to 47.1% for the wet foods [24]. In samples collected and studied in this study, the average amounts of these acids in fat extracted from appropriate samples are as follows: Presented results and statistical analysis show that fat chemical composition and shelf life do not directly relate to the price of a given group.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

The combined use of GC, PDSC and FT-IR techniques to characterize fat extracted from commercial complete dry pet food for adult cats

et al. 2020

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This study aims to compare the quality of fat extracted from different priced dry pet food for adult cats through classical and instrumental methods: pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) or gas chromatography (GC). Fat extracted from pet food was examined for induction time (IT), fatty acid composition, free fatty acid (FFA) content and peroxide value with the use of PDSC, GC, acid–base and iodometric titration, respectively. FT-IR data from the selected spectral regions correlate with the value of oxidation IT or the content of FFA. This resulted in construction of a reference model for IT with the following statistical features: Rcalibration = 0.917 (RMSEC = 28.0) and Rvalidation = 0.841 (RMSEP = 34.6). For fatty acid content, model statistics were as follows: Rcalibration = 0.912 (RMSEC = 0.61) and Rvalidation = 0.856 (RMSEP = 0.75). Discriminant model that uses spectral data alone, calculated with performance index 83.7 allowed distinguishing the studied pet food samples due to the price. Studies conducted proved PDSC and IR as reliable analytical techniques to control and monitor the quality of dry pet food for cats. Considering quality of the studied samples, it was proved that low-priced pet foods can be stored longer than premium-priced ones, while former is nutritionally more beneficial for adult cats.

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“…1,2 Dietary deficiency can occur with diets that are poorly stored (eg, high temperatures), have inadequate antioxidants to prevent rancidity, or are homemade and imbalanced; deficiency may also be caused by long-term use of commercial weight management diets in some patients, or commercial diets not meeting their nutritional label claims. 1,3 Other, very rare dietary deficiencies (eg, protein, vitamin [A, E, B2, B6, biotin] or mineral [zinc, phosphorus]) may result in skin or haircoat changes. 1…”

Section: The Cat With a Dull Unkempt Haircoatmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…commercial diets not meeting their nutritional label claims. 1,3 Other, very rare dietary deficiencies (eg, protein, vitamin [A, E, B2, B6, biotin] or mineral [zinc, phosphorus]) may result in skin or haircoat changes. 1 Reduced ability to groom A range of chronic systemic problems can reduce grooming ability, which may impact normal skin and haircoat appearance.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Skin as a marker of general feline health: Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease

Vogelnest

2017

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery

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Practical relevance: Although most skin lesions occur due to diseases primarily affecting the skin, some reflect important systemic diseases. Such lesions may relate directly to the systemic disease, or may occur due to secondary skin diseases that develop because of immunosuppression. Early recognition of skin changes as a marker of systemic disease will maximise patient outcomes. Clinical challenges: In older or clearly debilitated cats presenting with skin disease, the potential for underlying systemic disease is often readily apparent. Similarly, cats presenting with severe ulcerative or multifocal nodular skin lesions, or with concurrent signs of systemic illness, will more instinctively prompt systemic evaluation. More challenging is the cat presenting with alopecic, scaling, erythemic and/or mildly crusted skin disease, with or without pruritus; hypersensitivities and infectious dermatoses are the most common considerations, but occasionally systemic disease underlies the skin changes. Knowing when screening laboratory testing, body imaging or other systemic diagnostics are indicated is not always straightforward. Evidence base: This article reviews cutaneous presentations of systemic diseases reported in the veterinary literature, and discusses important differential diagnoses. The author draws on clinical experience, published data on disease prevalence and case evaluations, and expert opinions on approach to common systemic problems to provide guidance on when investigation for underlying systemic disease is most appropriate.

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Discrepancy between the composition of some commercial cat foods and their package labelling and suitability for meeting nutritional requirements

Cited by 11 publications

References 20 publications

Plant-based (vegan) diets for pets: A survey of pet owner attitudes and feeding practices

Plant-based (vegan) diets for pets: A survey of pet owner attitudes and feeding practices

The combined use of GC, PDSC and FT-IR techniques to characterize fat extracted from commercial complete dry pet food for adult cats

Skin as a marker of general feline health: Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease

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