Choosing the Best Grain Free Cat Food

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Need help choosing the best grain-free cat food? I am a Functional Health coach and teach my (human) clients to primarily eat foods we enjoyed before agriculture and factories changed our diets. I point people back to our historical diet.

The same is true for pets!

What Do Cats Eat in Nature?

• Cats are “Obligate Carnivores”. They eat meat and all that comes with it – organs, bones, (some) feathers, stomach contents, etc.
• Cats don’t graze on grass like herbivores. They take a bite or two in the summer to help with fur balls.
• If cats can stalk it, it looks like food to them.
• They don’t dig potatoes, fruits, lentils, nuts, or grains (grass seed).

Is Grain-Free Cat Food Good for Cats?

A fundamental premise of the Ancestral/Biological (Paleo) diet and lifestyle is that all creatures do best with the food they evolved to eat. In the case of humans, we ate lower-carb foods as hunters and gatherers, not high-carb diets that included bread, corn, and sugars.

Cats, wild or domesticated, are like humans – grains were never part of the human diet until agriculture began 15,000 years ago.

Have you ever seen a cat eating wheat in the field or stalking rice?

Why Grain-Free Cat Food is Better

One word: dehydration. Dry kibble contains 5 – 15% moisture, while wet food is 45 – 80% moisture.

Cats did not evolve eating kibble. They ate wet prey which provided them with moisture, organ meats, minerals, fiber, and fats.

Kidney and urinary tract diseases are the leading causes of cat death and discomfort. Male cats are especially prone to urinary blockages.

Cats eating kibble are prone to UTIs and other kidney issues caused by dehydration. Those dry pellets require a lot of water to be digested.

Choosing the Best Grain-Free Cat Food

Generally, I use freeze-dried cat food for my pets. Check out my article and my Primal Diet – Modern Health Podcast on “Freeze-Dried Foods for Healthier Cats” for more information.

Here are some options that are popular with my cats:

1. Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried, or, Primal Freeze Dried Cat Food. I moisten these as the label directs with water, bone broth, or juices from plain, cooked (pastured) meats.
2. Frozen, raw pet food (thawed at room temperature) that provides pastured ground meat WITH organs and bones.
3. Add in some canned grain-free cat food. Sometimes I mix canned grain-free cat food with the above.  Wellness Core, Instinct, and Tiki DARK are good choices. (Tiki DARK has organ meats added to the muscle meat.)
4. Put a kibble topper on any of the above to stimulate interest in the meal and keep costs down. I buy Open Farm kibble, the best available. This keeps costs down while adding taste and interesting texture.

Avoid Additives in Canned Cat Food

Select several grain-free cat foods, avoiding the cheaper national brands.

Study labels for the following:

• Avoid potatoes, peas, and lentils as major ingredients. These are too high in carbs.
• Gums which are used in many canned cat foods to make them “creamier”. These are not easily digestible. Find brands with only 1-2 gums and those which are farther down on the ingredient label.
• Look for a low percentage of carbohydrates.
• Generally avoid nationally advertised, medical, or discount brands which often contain colors, artificial flavors, sugar, excess carbs, and the cheapest quality of meats (non-human grade).

Adding Grain-Free Cat Food

• Introduce wet food slowly to your kibble pets. They may prefer it immediately or may need time to adjust from their flavored kibble (sprayed with artificial fish by-products).
• Experiment with different flavors and brands to note which are accepted best by your pet.
• Blend the wet and dry together, or offer them side by side.
• Never leave food outdoors for pets! Set a timer and remove the food when the time’s up. Cats do not browse for food all day in the wild – it’s not good for their weight or digestive systems to eat all day.

Healthier Kibble for Cats

• Choose grain-free kibble (free of wheat, corn, rice, and soy).
• Select kibble with no lentils and minimal, if any, potatoes.
• Check labels closely for preferred free-range meats, including poultry and wild (not farmed) seafood. This is the same advice I give to my human clients!
• Fats should come primarily from free-range meats and seafood, not corn or soy oil.

We all love our pets. Let’s offer them the best diet to keep them looking and feeling their best!