Dry fat food is the most common type of kibble made for pets, and it can be a great choice for cats with sensitive stomachs. But it is important to understand that dry fat food does contain more carbs than wet food. Carbs are necessary to maintain the form of a protein, but they should be sourced from healthy ingredients such as meat, fish, or poultry byproducts.
A diet that contains a high amount of carbohydrates can cause weight gain, so it’s important to choose a food with less than 10% carbohydrate. A low-carb diet can help your cat manage their weight and improve overall health.
The glycemic index of carbohydrates is the measure of how quickly they raise blood sugar levels. Foods that have a higher glycemic index, such as corn, are more likely to cause diabetes in dogs and cats than foods with a lower glycemic index.
Most dry food is highly processed, and this process destroys many of the natural enzymes that aid in digestion. Enzymes are vital to the function of the pancreas, which helps regulate blood sugar. When the pancreas is forced to make up for those lost enzymes, it can become stressed and enlarged, leading to life-threatening pancreatitis.
These processes also affect the quality of the protein and fats in the best dry fat food. The heat processing of the food can denature the proteins and destroy their nutritional properties. This can result in an imbalance of essential nutrients in the diet, and can lead to a number of different health problems for your pet.
Some of the most common dry food is manufactured in a process called extrusion. The ingredients are mixed and cooked at high temperatures before being shaped into a kibble. Then the kibble is put in a dryer to remove any remaining moisture.
When choosing a dry food, look for foods that are made from meat, meat byproducts or seafood, as these are likely to have the essential amino acids and fatty acids that your pet needs. A complete and balanced diet is important for all stages of a cat’s life, but it is especially important for growing kittens.
This is because they need to build up muscle mass and a good amount of protein is critical for this process. This will also help prevent your cat from developing kidney disease later in life.
Other important factors to consider when choosing a dry food are the amount of protein, fat and fiber in the food, as well as the amount of water in the food. The amount of water in a dry food will show up on the label, usually as a percentage of the total weight of the food.
The moisture content of a dry food is also important, since it will determine the nutrient values listed on the label. Generally speaking, dry foods have a 10 to 12 percent moisture content, while wet foods typically have 75 to 78 percent. This will be reflected in the Guaranteed Analysis (GA) on the pet food label.