Pet food FAQs

We've asked pet-food experts to answer Consumer members’ questions and share their advice on feeding your cat or dog. We also give you tips on how to tell if your pet is healthy and the right weight.

Should I spend extra money on “premium” specialist food?

Unless your pet has dietary problems, is struggling to maintain its body weight or is very active (such as a working dog), you probably don’t need to buy a premium pet food.

Premium products tend to have a higher protein and energy content (so you’ll feed your animal less). They’ve often been evaluated through multiple or continuous feeding trials and so it’s easier to see whether they offer a complete and balanced diet. The downsides are that they’re usually more expensive than supermarket products and it may be easy to overfeed your pet on these energy-dense foods.

Pet food labels – what should I look for?

The first thing to look for is whether the food has undergone Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) feeding trials to prove it provides a complete and balanced diet. If it hasn’t, at least look for a statement such as “formulated to meet or exceed the nutritional requirements established by AAFCO.”

Second, read the ingredients list. It gives information about what’s in a product: ingredients are listed in descending order, by weight. But be aware that many lists itemise the individual cereals used in the product (this is called ingredient splitting). So it can look like meat is the biggest ingredient when it isn’t.

Does the name of a product help me work out what’s in it?

A pet food can’t be labelled “beef” unless beef is the main ingredient and the product contains at least 25 percent beef. If beef isn’t the main ingredient but still makes up 25 percent, it can be labelled “beef dinner” or “beef casserole”. If a product has between 5 and 25 percent beef, it can be called “dog stew with beef”. But if it just says “beef flavour”, the product is unlikely to contain any beef.

Wet or dry?

Wet foods contain about 75 percent water so you’ll need to feed your pet more of it to get the same number of calories that dry food has – so it’s more expensive. One concern with a solely dry diet is that your pet (especially if it’s a cat) may not drink enough water to make up for the lack of water in its dry food – instead it’ll increase its urine concentration to conserve water. A New Zealand study is looking at whether this has any long-term detrimental effects.

How important are age-specific foods?

AAFCO recognises that animals go through two life stages. The first is growth. Kittens, puppies, and pregnant and lactating pets have extra nutrient needs and a special food is recommended. The second stage is simply “adulthood”, when pets need to maintain their “complete and balanced” nutrient intake. Don’t be seduced by claims about older pets. Check with your vet first, to see whether your older pet needs age-specific food.

What do “premium”, “super-premium”, “gourmet” and “natural" claims mean?

There’s no legal definition for these terms, so the product may be no better or different from other products on the shelf.

What’s the best way to keep my pet’s teeth healthy?

A soft-food diet has been linked to dental disease, which is common in cats and dogs. While daily brushing of your pet’s teeth is the most effective treatment, an easier way is to supplement your pet’s diet with a regular supply of bones. Bones require gnawing and chewing which scrapes their teeth and prevents the build-up of plaque.

Never give pets cooked bones: these can splinter and get stuck in the mouth or digestive system. Make sure bones are big enough to be chewed but not able to be swallowed. Chewable toys, rawhide chews and dry food also help.

Some dry foods have a proven effect on aiding dental health. But vague claims such as “for healthy teeth” are usually unsubstantiated. Ask your vet if a diet that makes a dental claim is backed by evidence.

Can I make my own food?

Home-prepared diets aren’t generally recommended for the regular feeding of your pet. The main concern is that they’re often nutritionally inadequate because of deficient recipes, owner ignorance, and the tendency for “recipe drift”. They are also complex and difficult to prepare – most properly formulated home-prepared diets have up to nine ingredients. If you want to feed your pet a home-prepared diet, ask your vet for a suitable recipe.

Some vets will prescribe a home-prepared diet if your pet has a nutritional need (such as restricting its fat intake) or chronic kidney disease. A home-prepared diet may also be prescribed in the short term for non-specific gastroenteritis or as a way of diagnosing food sensitivity.

Are raw food diets better?

A raw-food diet contains the meat, bone, organs and stomach content of an animal, plus green non-starchy vegetable matter. Advocates for it claim the jaw structure of cats and dogs is designed to tear, rip and swallow chunks of raw food, not crunch their way through dry food. They also claim cats and dogs are primarily carnivores and should be fed accordingly.

There are arguments for and against feeding a raw-food diet. One of the obvious benefits is that raw bones are good for pets’ dental health. The protein digestibility of raw-food diets is often claimed to be higher than cooked meat. But according to Nick Cave, Senior Lecturer at Massey University Institute of Veterinary Science, the digestibility of premium commercial diets is still very high and “digestibility” is no reason to abandon them.

Like any home-prepared diet, some raw-food diets may not be nutritionally adequate – so it’s important you get advice from your vet before going down this track.

Lyn Thomson, vet and owner of Raw Essentials (a company that sells raw food products), says if you’re preparing raw food at home be aware of food safety – clean all utensils and surfaces with warm soapy water and always wash your hands after handling raw meat.

How can I tell if my pet is healthy?

A healthy dog will be alert and responsive with good stamina, and will have a clean glossy coat and clear eyes. It’ll also have a cold and damp nose when it’s outside, and a dry and warm nose when inside. A healthy cat will be alert and responsive (yet calm and contented most of the time), have a good appetite, and have a clean glossy coat and clear eyes.

Your pet is a healthy weight if:

• You can easily feel its ribs (but you shouldn’t be able to see them through its coat).
• It has a tucked abdomen and no sagging stomach.
• You can see its waist from above. The torso should resemble an hourglass.

How can I tell if my pet is overweight?

Your pet may be overweight if:

• You have difficulty feeling its ribs.
• It has a sagging stomach and you can grab a handful of fat.
• It has a broad flat back and no visible waist.
• It’s reluctant to exercise or is breathless after exercise.

Podgy pets have a higher incidence of arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and skin disease. If you’re concerned about the health or weight of your pet, talk to your vet. 

Report by Belinda Allan.