Product stories

Why the origin of proteins is so important

It’s common knowledge for the majority of cat owners: the cat is a strict carnivore and proteins should be at the centre of their diet. It’s important to keep that in mind whilst choosing a new product. Whether you’ve always stuck to the same brand or you’re switching it up regularly, always read the label before your purchase in order to ensure that the product contains enough animal protein.Some of the most frequently asked questions revolve around the quality of our food. This is completely understandable and despite clear labelling one could still wonder whether it’s enough to read a label and go by a percentage. Are there any other factors to consider, is the origin of the protein really that important?

Yes, the origin and quality of proteins is really that important

Because not all proteins are created equallyIf you were to imagine proteins as a train…Each carriage that makes up the train is an amino acidThere are different trains that are made up by different types of carriages that fit on different kinds of tractsTake vegetable proteins for example, proteins found in peas, potatoes, oats, and so on. These train carriages will travel fast and smooth on the digestive tracts of herbivores, ensuring the nutrients arrive at the muscles efficiently. Vegetable proteins are ideal to nourish cows or goats. But the digestive tracts of a cat (a strict carnivore) is very different and the train will trudge to its destination: it will take longer, consume more energy and because of that, produce more waste that has to be eliminated by the kidneys.

This is why vegetable proteins are anything but ideal for feeding a feline

Animal proteins found in chicken, tuna, and beef (only considering the most valuable cuts) will have trains traveling at high speed on the cat's digestive tracts, reaching their destination without consuming too much energy and without overloading the kidneys, because digesting these produces little waste. The carriages of these trains are composed of taurine and other amino acids essential for the cats life and its physical constitution.Even though cats have been domesticated and lived with humans for many years, their protein requirements have never changed. Animal proteins that are present in meat and fish need to be at the centre of their diet because they cannot produce them on their own , the organism needs to get them from their diet. The higher the quality of the animal proteins, the faster the train. It’s therefore essential to include HFC products in their daily diet. By choosing HFC, you guarantee the best quality animal proteins.HFC means that the fish or meat was originally fit for human consumption and used in our cat food instead. The food contains 75% meat or fish that was cooked in their own broth and preserved naturally without the use of any additives. HFC satisfies their carnivorous nature and provides the most valuable portions of meat and fish that are highly digestible. And just as important, the moisture of the products keeps them hydrated to help prevent or reduce the occurrence of urinary problems.

Almo Nature tip:

Give two small portions of wet food and one portion of dry food a day. Make sure these are given at different intervals, allowing for multiple small meals. The average cat will need 110 grams – 140 grams of wet food per day combined with 35 grams of kibble.