What are the 3 main scoring criteria?
Every score is built on three pillars: protein amount, carbohydrate amount, and the quality and source of ingredients.
🥩 Protein Amount
Cats are obligate carnivores - they need animal protein to survive and thrive. Foods with higher protein content from animal sources score higher. The baseline is 50% dry matter protein, reflecting a cat's natural diet.
🌾 Carbohydrate Amount
Cats have no dietary requirement for carbohydrates and process them poorly. Lower carb content is always preferred. The baseline is 5% dry matter carbohydrates - close to what a cat would consume in the wild.
⭐ Ingredient Quality
Not all protein is equal. Whole named meat sources score higher than by-products, plant proteins, or unspecified meals. Fat sources, additives, and mineral forms are all evaluated here too.
These three criteria work together. A food can have high total protein but still score poorly if most of that protein comes from plants rather than animal meat.
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Last updated 4 days ago