It’s easy to assume that any cat food you can buy equals your cat getting the nutrition they need, right? Sure, most all commercial cat foods have to meet minimum standards set by AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). And yes, these guidelines include nutrient profiles specific for felines. Is this enough for our cats to live their healthiest life?
In our recent conversation with the amazing and insightful Dr. Susan Recker, a veterinarian and feline nutrition expert, she broke down exactly what cats truly need in their diets… and shared a few things many people may have never been told.
Here are some of the most powerful takeaways from our talk – straight from Dr. Recker.
“Cat’s are obligate carnivores. They have to have a meat-based diet.”
Understanding the nutritional requirements for species needs is foundation to their health.
Cats don’t just “do better” with animal protein – it’s a part of cat nutrition they require:
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For amino acids, muscle maintenance, organ function, energy and metabolism, and for nutrients they simply can’t get from plants
And here’s the part most people miss: “They have really high protein requirements… and they need that protein from animal sources.”
This doesn’t mean they can’t have any plant ingredients. But it does mean their diet should be built around meat, not starch or fillers.
“Kibble is always high in starch – it has to be.”
Dr. Recker doesn’t kibble-shame, and she shares our compassion toward all cat parents feeding within their means. A fed cat is alway better than a starving cat.
But she is clear about the facts:
“You can’t make kibble without starch. It’s what holds it together. That alone makes it less ideal for cats.”
High starch = low moisture = a poor match for feline biology.
If kibble is all you can do right now, just remember it’s most important that your cat is fed. And you can still upgrade the bowl (more on that below).
“There is so much more to food than just nutrients on a label.”
Pet food companies want you to focus on the guaranteed analysis or the nutrient percentages. But as Dr. Recker explained:
“You can make a diet that is all synthetic vitamins and amino acids and no actual food… but that’s not what the body is designed for.”
Why?
Because real foods contain:
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Co-factors
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Enzymes
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Fibers
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Polyphenols
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Protective compounds we haven’t even discovered yet
Nutrients don’t exist in isolation in nature, they are part of a food matrix – and Dr. Recker calls this the “dark matter of food.”
And that dark matter is what makes real, minimally processed foods so powerful.
Check out Dr. Susan Recker’s full interview👆
“Cats can’t make up for dehydration by drinking more water. They don’t go to the water bowl and make up for what they’re missing. They’re just dehydrated.”
Kibble is only about 5-8% moisture.
Cats need about 60-70% moisture in their diet to maintain hydration. This chronic dehydration is one of the reasons so many cats struggle with kidney issues later in life.
Fresh food – raw, cooked, freeze-dried (rehydrated), or canned – gives them the hydration their bodies were built for.
In fact, when it comes to hydration: “If any cat suddenly starts drinking more than they have before… ding ding ding. Something’s going on. It’s a red flag”
Possible causes:
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Kidney disease
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Diabetes
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Hyperthyroidism
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Urinary issues
Bottom line: Sudden increased thirst is a sign to call your vet.
So – is your cat getting the nutrition they need?
Here’s Dr. Recker’s ideal diet summary for our cats:
✔️ Meat-based
✔️ Moisture-rich
✔️ Complete and balanced
✔️ Made from real food
✔️ As minimally processed as possible
✔️ Adjusted to what your individual cat thrives on
And you don’t need to change everything overnight. Especially if kibble is your only option right now, start simple and small by adding some fresh, real food to your cat’s bowl with:
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One sardine
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One spoonful of fresh meat
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One hydration boost
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One gently cooked topper
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One rehydrated freeze-dried meal
Every step towards fresh, real food should be celebrated. And your cat’s body – their coat, eyes, energy and overall health – will thank you.
Ready to go Full Fresh?
This interview with Dr. Recker wasn’t just full of valuable information, she also provides one of the most incredible resources for us cat parents. If you’re interested in making a home-made diet for your cats, you know it comes with some big bonuses – and some concerning challenges.
Bonuses: Home-made diets cost about half of a commercially pre-made fresh or raw food. There are no worries about sourcing, because we are choosing these ingredients ourselves – from human-grade options. We also have the freedom of choosing the variety of ingredients we’d like our cats to enjoy.
Challenges: An unbalanced diet is a big problem.
Cats need:
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Calcium
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Taurine
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Omega-3s
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Vitamins & minerals
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Organ meats
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Trace nutrients
This is where most home-made diets fail. Misunderstanding the delicate balance of balancing these essentials will have a devastating impact on a cat’s health. It’s also one of the main reasons most conventional veterinarians are so opposed to these diets.
Using a recipe that has been created by a feline nutrition expert removes these concerns – and this is why Dr. Recker created the Animal Diet Formulator.
This is the tool Dr. Recker uses to create balanced raw and cooked diets for:
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Healthy cats
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Cats with kidney disease
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Heart disease
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GI issues
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Allergies
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Seniors
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And everything in between
And yes – the consultation requests for these special diets go directly to Dr. Susan Recker.
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