The Quest for Quality Cat Food in Lebanon
What is right for your cat?
Does your cat give you a hard time with his or her food? If you are a cat parent, you definitely know that cats are notoriously picky when presented with different foods, but did you know that this pickiness might not be entirely your cat’s fault? Not all cat food in Lebanon is created equal. So, how do you go about finding a high-quality cat food that checks all the boxes and satisfies your feline’s finicky palette?
Read through to learn more about your cat’s nutritional needs, what goes into cat food, and how to choose the right one for your kitty.
CATS ARE OBLIGATE CARNIVORES
An obligate carnivore is an animal whose diet consists of at least 70% meat. This means that cats cannot digest plants very well, and therefore the majority of the foods they eat will need to be animal-based.
Knowing this, you should NEVER attempt to put your cat on a vegan or vegetarian diet! Instead, purchase a high quality cat food in Lebanon that caters to your feline’s natural needs.
THEY DON’T DO CARBS
Since cats cannot digest plant-based foods very well, this means that most commercial cat foods which are high in carbs will cause them digestive upset and numerous side-effects such as weight-gain. As with dog food, lower quality brands of cat food in Lebanon will have cheaper “grain fillers” forming the bulk of the food to cut on costs, since meats are more expensive.
With that being said, certain high-fiber vegetables, fruits, and legumes are actually great for cats’ digestive systems in moderation. These include broccoli, pumpkin, peas, carrots, green beans, bananas, and blueberries.
In summation, pay careful attention to the ratios of the ingredients in any commercial cat food in Lebanon that you purchase. The first ingredient listed (with the highest percentage) should be a high quality protein.
THE STAR OF THE SHOW: PROTEIN
As stated before, this should form the bulk of a cat’s food. It is preferable for the sources to include animals that cats would naturally be able to hunt, such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, and fish. Beef and lamb are often added as well, but cat parents who wish to maintain a more natural diet for their pets might prefer to opt for the former sources listed. Organ meats and meat by-products are also completely fine, and sometimes contain vitamins and minerals that are vital for your cat and that lean meats often lack.
In any case, make sure that any cat food in Lebanon that you are choosing for your feline incorporates an adequate source of protein.
HEALTHY FATS
Fats are an incredibly important component in both cat and dog food. Our pets cannot survive without this macronutrient. Among others, fats are essential for skin, joint, and fur health.
Fish oils, algal oils, and flaxseed oils are considered great sources of omega-3 fatty acids for both cats and dogs.
Animal fats and certain vegetable and nut oils can provide omega-6 fatty acids for pets.
Ensure that any pet food you purchase contains both omega-3 and omega-6 sources.
SUPPLEMENTS AND ADDITIVES
Additional vitamins and minerals are commonly put in by pet food companies to make sure that your cat’s needs are being met. These will often be listed separately from the main ingredient list.
Cat food manufacturers may also add probiotics, paraprobiotics, arginine, and taurine to cat food. The first two help your cat with digestion, while the latter two are essential amino acids that cats need to obtain from their food.
ANALYTICAL INGREDIENTS
These are also featured in a separate list. It is useful to pay extra attention to these because they reveal the true percentages of the macronutrients and key components of the cat food.
In a high quality brand of cat food in Lebanon, protein should be the highest percentage, fat the second, with ash and fiber coming in last.
LIMITED INGREDIENTS
The best pet foods are the simplest ones. If you are having trouble recognizing the ingredient names, or the ingredient list is excessively long, with colorants, chemicals, and additives, then the food shouldn’t be entering your cat’s body at all!
Look for a straightforward and transparent ingredient list. Your cat shouldn’t be consuming something that looks like a chemistry experiment!
HIGH QUALITY CAT FOOD
At Charity Shop, we sell premium quality pet food with 100% of proceeds going to help animals in need.
- Royal Canin, our most highly reviewed pet food, is also the priciest, with the highest cost coming in at $29 for a 2 kg bag of Royal Canin Urinary Care dry cat food, and the lowest being $21 for a 2 kg bag of Royal Canin Hairball Care dry cat food.
- Vitalin is also a very high-quality but expensive brand, with a 1.5 kg bag of Vitalin dry cat food costing an average of $17.
If that is not within your budget, don’t fret! We believe every cat deserves the best, so we have plenty of more budget-friendly options at Charity Shop that maintain the integrity and quality of the ingredients and recipes:
- Felicia, another premium quality pet food brand we sell at Charity Shop, costs an average of $16 for a 2 kg bag of dry cat food in Lebanon.
- Josera, a well-reviewed and regarded brand, costs between $14 and $15 for a 2 kg bag of dry cat food in Lebanon.
- Equilibrio, another very high quality brand, costs an average of $14 for a 2 kg bag of the brand’s non-special needs dry cat food in Lebanon.
- Ownat, another excellent choice for your cat, runs between $10 – $12 for a 1.5 kg bag of dry cat food in Lebanon.
Hopefully now you have all the information you need in order to make the best choice for your cat’s food. So, is your cat picky? Now you might know why! Have you given any of the brands above a try? If not, check them out here and make your first purposeful purchase to keep your cat healthy and happy AND help animals in need.
Best regards,
The Charity Shop Team
