5 Ingredients That Should Never Be in Your Cat’s Bowl

If you’ve ever turned a cat food bag around and struggled to understand the ingredients, you’re not alone. Pet food labels can hide a lot behind nice packaging.

Here are five ingredients that should never be in your cat’s bowl:

1. Vague Meats

   Watch for generic words like meat meal, animal by-product, or poultry.

   
   

   Cats need specific, clearly named proteins. When labels are vague, it’s usually a sign of poor quality or mixed sources.

   Look for:

   ✅ Real, named meats like chicken, beef, or kangaroo

   ❌ Avoid anything that just says meat meal or animal fat

   💡 Tip: Named meats mean transparency and consistency in nutrition

   
   

2. Fillers and Grains

   Many cat foods rely on cheap carbohydrates to bulk up the product.

   
   

   Cats, being obligate carnivores, don’t need grains or plant starches — they need meat.

   Common fillers to avoid:

   ❌ Corn, rice, wheat, soy, or potato

   ❌ Peas and lentils used as cheap protein substitutes

   
   

   Too many fillers can cause:

   ● Digestive issues

   ● Weight gain

   ● Lower protein absorption

   
   

3. Artificial Colours and Flavours

   If it looks too bright or smells fake, it probably is.

   These additives appeal to humans, not cats, and offer no nutritional value.

   
   

4. Lack of Organ Meat

   Cats in the wild instinctively eat organs first — that’s where most essential nutrients are found.

   
   

   Organs provide:

   🧠 Taurine for heart and brain health

   💪 B vitamins for metabolism and energy

   🩸 Iron and zinc for immune support

   
   

   Real organ meat delivers nutrients in their most natural and bioavailable form.

   
   

5. Long Ingredient Lists

   The shorter the list, the better. Long ingredient lists often mean hidden fillers and unnecessary additives.

   
   

   Check for:

   ✅ Simple, whole ingredients you can pronounce

   ❌ Complicated chemical names or preservatives

   
   

   Why simple matters:

   ● Easier digestion

   ● Fewer allergy risks

   ● More real nutrition in every bite

A Better Way to Feed

Feeding your cat shouldn’t be confusing.

At Cat Snacks, every topper and treat is made from a single ingredient—100% Australian meat that’s gently freeze-dried to keep nutrients intact.

👉Try the Beef Offal Blend or Beef Liver Topper to bring organ nutrition back to your cat’s bowl.

No fillers. No secrets. Just real food.