Have you ever wondered why one cat food is named chicken dinner and some is named chicken cat food?
It’s based on standards set forth by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). You’ve probably heard of them because they’re mentioned on every pet food label in a statement of nutritional adequacy. But AAFCO doesn’t just set forth guidelines for nutritional profiles in pet food; they also outline labeling guidelines that the manufacturers are to follow. Those labeling guidelines include how the product is named.
Cat Food
If a cat food is named “chicken for cats” or “tuna cat food,” at least 95% of the product must be the named protein, not counting added water and other condiments. If you count added water, 70% of the product must be the protein in the name.
If there are two ingredients listed on the cat food name, such as “salmon and chicken cat food,” the two ingredients combined must be 95% of the total weight of the product, not counting water. The first ingredient must be the one there is more of by weight, so a cat food can’t be mostly chicken and be named “salmon and chicken cat food.”
Cat Dinner or Entree
If the ingredient in the product name is at least 25% of the weight of the product (not counting water for processing) but less than 95%, the name of the product has to include a qualifying descriptive term, like “dinner,” “platter,” “entree,” “formula,” or “entree.” If you count added water, the named ingredient must be 10% of the product. This means that “tuna formula for cats” only needs to include 10% tuna.
This highlights why it’s important to read the label of any cat food you buy. A product named “chicken dinner” could contain more fish than chicken and still be within AAFCO guidelines. The product name isn’t necessarily a good guideline to helping you know what’s actually inside the can or the bag.
If the product has two ingredients in its name, such as “chicken and rabbit entree,” those two ingredients need to comprise 25% of the product’s weight (excepting water weight). The second ingredient mentioned must be at lest 3% of the product.
With an Ingredient
If a product uses the word “with” in the product name, such as “cat food with tuna,” the ingredient is only required to be 3% of the product by weight.
Take a few extra minutes when you’re buying your cat food to read your cat food label carefully to be sure you know what your kitty is eating. It can help avoid surprises later.
Reference and further reading:
FDA, Pet Food Labels – General
US Government Publishing Office, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Chapter 1, Subchapter E, Part 501 – Animal Food Labeling
Photo credits:
Brian Leon on Flickr
Beverly Pearl on Flickr
My human always reads the ingredients and stuff on the cat food cans before she buys any of it! She is very picky, but in a health way, not in a cat way.
Interesting! We didn’t know this. The mom usually reads the label on the cat food cans…but sometimes the print is too small. 😉
That’s really interesting! Nothing about feeding cats is easy LOL…
We didn’t know that. Only humans could complicate something that should be simple.
I think you have your proteins swapped when you say “The first ingredient must be the one there is more of by weight, so a cat food can’t be mostly chicken and be named “chicken and salmon cat food.”” Don’t you mean it cannot be named “salmon and chicken” if it is mostly chicken?
Freyja, Gabby, and Noodles
PS. I love salmon way more than chicken.
You’re right! Thanks for catching that. We fixed the error.
Pierre likes salmon way more than chicken, too, so you aren’t alone!
We don’t mind what cat food Mum brings as long as it’s chicken.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Never knew any of this. Very complicated…yet brings home the point…read the label
Very Interesting. I did not know this. Thank you.
it really is quite shocking what the labeling allows them to ‘get away with’ because people just don’t understand. Great information.
That is excellent information! THank you for sharing it with us!
We didn’t know this either…thanks for the info.
The Florida Furkids
I didn’t know that either. My mum reads the labels for ingredients and percentages. I will only eat three flavours, trout, turkey or beef. I wasn’t allowed to have beef when Eric was here because it caused him constipation problems.
Very informative. We mostly like tuna, and tuna in combination with something.
I always check the cat food labels. You wouldn’t believe what they sneak fish into, and fish is poison for Carmine and Milita. Thank you for explaining what the different wording on labels means.
Oh what an informative post…..well written
Hugs madi your bfff
That’s really interesting ! We always wondered if there were rules for food names. Purrs
guys….thiz bee a grate post; manee thanx for sharing…..we troo lee dinna noe thiz stuff & neither did de food serviss gurl…..♥♥♥ 🙂
We didn’t know that, thanks for the info!
Have a happy Thursday…
Noodle and crew
Wow, that’s very interesting! We had no idea!
Yeah, TBT is pretty fussy about our food. Our basic meals are all canned with all real stuff in them. He researched it all some years ago and bought a few each of many brands what had real meats (no by-products or bad grains). There were several that were purrfectly good, but we decided we liked Wellness.
Very interesting, I need to read the labels more carefully.
Cat food labels are so tricky! I wish they would adopt a more transparent way of labeling foods. Thank you for spreading the word about the real meaning of the names on cat food labels.
This was really interesting – great post! I wonder how similar or not Australian labelling laws are for cat food? *Sharing*
I’ve been waiting to find time to read this thoroughly. Very informative. We didn’t know this and wondered what the difference was. Sad to think the tuna feast I love doesn’t have that much tuna in it but the gut rot does.