Page 58 - Raw Diet References Book 2019

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FOOD CHOICES
TIDBIT
Cats don’t drink as much water as
Commercial cat foods come in a variety of forms.
dogs do, perhaps because of their The most common types are dry, semimoist,
evolution as desert animals. and canned. The moisture content of these foods
ranges from 6 to 10% for dry, 15 to 30% for semi-
moist, and 75% for canned. Most canned food
has relatively more fat and protein and fewer car-
bohydrates than dry and semi-moist food, and generally contains much
higher levels of animal products.

Pet food labels must list the percentage of protein, fat, fiber,
and water in the food. When reading labels, it is important
to remember that what may appear to be a big differ-
ence in the amount of a nutrient—for example, 8%
protein in a canned cat food vs. 27% protein in a
dry cat food—reflects the fact that there is more
water in the canned food.

PET FOOD ADDITIVES

Some other substances that might be found
in pet foods, which are not required nutrients,
are described below:

Chondroprotective agents are used by the
body to make cartilage and joint tissues.
Although chondroprotective agents may be
indicated for selected clinical conditions, wide-
spread inclusion in the diets of healthy popula-
tions may not be warranted at this time.

Antioxidants work to prevent oxidative damage to
nutrients and other compounds in the body and inhibit or
quench the formation of free radicals. At this time, data are
lacking to make specific recommendations beyond those for
the essential vitamins and minerals that are components of
antioxidants.

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