# Cat Food Central

## Scoring System

- [Introduction to our Score Calculation Methodology](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/intro-to-our-scoring-system.md): Our scoring methodology provides a systematic approach for evaluating and comparing dry cat foods based solely on their ingredients and nutritional composition.
- [Food Composition and Nutrition Values](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/guaranteed-analysis.md): Dry cat foods comprise several basic nutrition components crucial to a cat's overall health and well-being. Let's review them.
- [Dry Matter Basis Calculation](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/dry-matter-basis-calculation.md): The dry matter basis calculation is a crucial concept in understanding the nutritional content of cat foods. It allows for a direct comparison of the nutrient levels in different pet food products, regardless of their moisture content.
- [Ingredient order and relative weight](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/ingredient-order-and-relative-weight.md): One of the most critical factors when evaluating dry cat food is the order and relative weight of the ingredients listed.
- [The nine score calculation rules](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/explanation-of-the-nine-score-calculation-rules.md): The nine score calculation rules provide a comprehensive method to evaluate and compare dry cat food brands based on their nutritional content and ingredient quality.
- [Rule 1: Amount and Quality of Carbohydrates](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-1-amount-and-quality-of-carbohydrates.md): Carbohydrates are a controversial component of a cat's diet.
- [Rule 2: Amount of Protein](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-2-amount-of-protein.md): The baseline for protein content in dry cat food is set at 50% of dry matter protein.
- [Rule 3: Non-Meat Protein (Plant or Vegetable)](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-3-non-meat-protein-plant-or-vegetable.md): Plant proteins, such as gluten, soy, and other vegetable-based proteins, are often used as inexpensive fillers and protein sources in dry cat foods.
- [Rule 4: Source of Meat and Fat Ingredients](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-4-source-of-meat-and-fat-ingredients.md): The source and quality of meat and fat ingredients play a crucial role in determining the overall quality of dry cat food.
- [Rule 5: Chemical Additives](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-5-chemical-additives.md): This rule addresses the presence of potentially harmful chemical additives in dry cat foods and deducts points accordingly.
- [Rule 6: Additional Source of Animal Protein](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-6-additional-source-of-animal-protein.md): This rule awards points for the presence of an additional source of animal protein in the ingredients list, based on its position relative to the main meat.
- [Rule 7: Quality and Location Impact of Meat Ingredients](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-7-quality-and-location-impact-of-meat-ingredients.md): This rule awards points based on the presence and position of high-quality, fresh, or minimally processed meat and fish ingredients in the ingredient list.
- [Rule 8: Natural Source of Taurine](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-8-natural-source-of-taurine.md): This rule awards points for the presence of natural sources of taurine in a dry cat food's ingredients list.
- [Rule 9: Chelated Minerals](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/rule-9-chelated-minerals.md): This rule awards points for the presence of chelated minerals in the ingredients list of dry cat food.

## Nutrition

- [Nutritional Requirements for Cats in Dry Food](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/nutritional-requirements-for-cats-in-dry-food.md): Cats have distinct nutritional needs that reflect their evolutionary diet. Based on current veterinary research, let's review the essential nutrients required
- [What is Crude Protein?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/crude-protein-in-dry-cat-food.md): Crude protein is the total amount of protein in dry food, including both digestible and indigestible forms.
- [What is Crude Fat?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/crude-fat-in-dry-cat-food.md): Crude fat is the total amount of fat in the food, including all lipid components.
- [What is Crude Fiber?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/crude-fiber-in-dry-cat-food.md): Crude fiber refers to the indigestible portion of plant material in the food.
- [Essential Fatty Acids](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/essential-fatty-acids.md): Essential fatty acids are types of fats crucial for various bodily functions but cannot be synthesized by the body itself, hence the term "essential."
- [Calories and Metabolizable Energy in Dry Cat Food – Everything You Need to Know](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/calories-and-metabolizable-energy-in-dry-cat-food.md): Everything you need to know about Calories and Metabolizable Energy in Dry Cat Food
- [How do you determine if a cat is not getting enough nutrients?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/how-do-you-determine-if-a-cat-is-not-getting-enough-nutrients.md): It is important to ensure our feline companions receive all the necessary nutrients to maintain optimal health. Recognizing the signs of nutrient deficiencies can help us take prompt action to address any issues and keep our cats thriving. Let's explore the key indicators that a cat may not get enough nutrients.
- [What are the consequences of not meeting a cat's nutritional requirements?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/what-are-the-consequences-of-not-meeting-a-cats-nutritional-requirements.md): When a cat's nutritional requirements are unmet, it can lead to a range of adverse consequences that can significantly impact their quality of life.
- [AAFCO Nutrient Requirements For Cats](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/aafco-nutritional-guidelines.md): Choose the best dry cat food based on AAFCO Nutritional Guidelines (and FEDIAF)

## Ingredients

- [Common Ingredients in Dry Cat Food](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/common-ingredients-in-dry-cat-food.md): Dry cat food, known as kibble, is popular among pet owners due to its convenience and long shelf life. While they may vary between brands and formulas, sever...
- [Dried Meat vs Fresh Meat: All You Need to Know](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/dried-meat-vs-fresh-meat.md): Dried Meat vs Fresh Meat: Learn how each affects nutrition, quality scores, and your cat's health in your dry cat food
- [Animal Plasma and Spray Dried Animal Plasma in Dry Cat Food: Everything to Know](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/animal-plasma-and-spray-dried-animal-plasma-in-dry-cat-food-everything-to-know.md): Everything you need to know about Animal Plasma and SDAP when used in dry cat food
- [Chemical Additives and Their Effect on Cat Food Scores](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/presence-of-chemical-additives-preservatives-colors.md): Chemical additives, including preservatives, colors, and antioxidants, are often used in dry cat food to extend shelf life and enhance visual appeal. However, some of these additives can have negative health effects on cats.

## Feeding Guides

- [Importance and Benefits of Dry Cat Food in Feline Nutrition](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/importance-of-dry-cat-food-in-feline-nutrition.md): When considering feline nutrition, choosing between wet and dry cat food is a key decision that can significantly affect a cat's overall health and well-being.
- [What are the risks of feeding cats just wet food?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/what-are-the-risks-of-feeding-cats-wet-food.md): While wet food offers many benefits, it's important to understand the potential risks of feeding cats a wet-food diet.
- [Grain-Free Dry Cat Food: 15 Questions, Answered](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/grain-free-dry-cat-food-15-questions-answered.md): Grain-free dry cat food is a specialized type of cat nutrition that excludes grains such as wheat, corn, rice, and barley from its ingredients.
- [Life-stage appropriate foods (Kitten, Adult, Senior)](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/life-stage-appropriate-foods-kitten-adult-senior-2.md): Just like humans, cats have different dietary requirements at various stages of their lives:
- [Can Cats Take Vitamins? A Guide to Feline Vitamins and Supplements](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/can-cats-take-vitamins.md): Wondering if your cat needs vitamins? Discover essential insights on feline supplements and their benefits. Read the guide to keep your cat healthy!
- [Cat Body Condition Score (BCS): 5 Insights to Keep Your Cat at a Healthy Weight](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/what-is-cat-body-condition-score-bcs.md): Understand your cat's Body Condition Score (BCS) and learn how to assess weight, adjust dry food portions, and support long-term feline health
- [How should I transition my cat from one dry food to another?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/how-should-i-transition-my-cat-from-one-dry-food-to-another.md): Transitioning your cat from one dry food to another requires careful planning and patience to ensure a smooth and successful change.
- [Nutrience Dry Cat Food: 3 Product Lines, Compared](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/nutrience-dry-cat-food.md): Complete guide to Nutrience dry cat food. Compare SubZero, Grain Free, and Original recipes, with insights into ingredients, nutrition, and which formula suits your cat best.

## Can Cats Eat...?

- [Can cats drink cow's milk?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/can-cats-drink-cows-milk.md): Top 3 truths: most cats are lactose intolerant, milk adds no nutrition, water is always best
- [Can Cats Eat Rice? 6 Essential Safety Takeaways](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/can-cats-eat-rice-6-proven-safe-feeding-guidelines.md): Clear facts on cooked vs. uncooked, white vs. brown, how much to serve, risks and limits, plus how rice appears in dry cat food
- [Can Cats Eat Raw Eggs? 8 Essential Facts Parents Should Know](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/can-cats-eat-raw-eggs.md): Learn the risks of raw egg, why a cooked egg is better, and how eggs are used in dry cat food, based on feline nutrition science.
- [Can Cats Eat Raw Salmon? 5 Important Reasons to Avoid](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/can-cats-eat-raw-salmon-5-important-reasons-to-avoid.md): Can cats eat raw salmon? Not recommended. Learn why (parasites, thiaminase), what's safe when cooked, and how salmon shows up in dry cat foods
- [Can Cats Eat Bacon? 6 Practical Facts and Safe Feeding Guidance](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/can-cats-eat-bacon.md): Learn if cooked bacon is safe, why raw bacon is risky, how much is too much, and healthier dry-food treats for your cat.

## FAQ & Help

- [What is Cat Food Central?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/about.md): A free, independent resource that scores and compares over 1,400 dry cat foods from more than 340 brands - based purely on ingredients and nutrition, with zero brand bias.
- [Who's behind Cat Food Central? Is it independent?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/independence.md): Cat Food Central is an independent project built by a cat parent who wanted a truly objective way to evaluate dry cat foods - and couldn't find one.
- [How many products does Cat Food Central cover?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/coverage.md): Over 1,400 dry cat foods from more than 340 brands - from supermarket staples to specialty and premium options.
- [Is Cat Food Central free to use?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/pricing.md): Yes - no paywall, no sign-up, no premium tier needed to access scores or comparisons.
- [Does Cat Food Central accept sponsorships or paid placements?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/sponsorships.md): No. Scores and rankings are never influenced by commercial relationships. A brand cannot pay to improve its score.
- [How is the quality score calculated?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/how-scores-work.md): Every dry cat food is scored using the same 9-rule methodology - evaluating protein, carbohydrates, and ingredient quality against what cats actually need as obligate carnivores.
- [What are the 3 main scoring criteria?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/scoring-criteria.md): Every score is built on three pillars: protein amount, carbohydrate amount, and the quality and source of ingredients.
- [What are the 9 scoring rules?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/the-9-rules.md): The score is built from 9 specific rules - each targeting a different aspect of nutritional and ingredient quality. Rules can add or deduct points.
- [What's the highest score a cat food can get?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/maximum-score.md): The theoretical maximum is 100 - representing a food that performs perfectly across all 9 rules. In practice, most dry cat foods score between 30 and 85.
- [Why did my cat's food score lower than I expected?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/low-score.md): Marketing claims and nutritional quality don't always align. Even foods labelled 'premium' or 'high protein' can score low for specific reasons.
- [Does a higher score mean it's the right food for my cat?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/score-vs-individual-needs.md): A higher score means better nutritional quality for cats in general - but the right food for your specific cat also depends on their individual health, age, and needs.
- [Does the score factor in taste or palatability?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/palatability.md): No - palatability is entirely outside the scoring methodology. A food can score very high and still be ignored by a picky cat.
- [What's NOT included in the score?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/score-exclusions.md): The score focuses purely on ingredients and nutrition. Several factors are intentionally excluded to keep the methodology objective and consistent across all products.
- [Does this scoring system apply to wet food or raw diets?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/wet-food-raw.md): No - the methodology was built specifically for dry cat food and doesn't translate to wet, raw, freeze-dried, or semi-moist formats.
- [What is dry matter basis and why does it matter?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/dry-matter-basis.md): Dry matter basis (DMB) removes moisture from the equation so you can compare cat foods fairly - regardless of how they were processed or how much water they contain.
- [Why is protein so important for cats?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/protein.md): Cats are obligate carnivores - unlike dogs or humans, they cannot produce certain essential nutrients themselves and must get them from animal protein. It's not a preference, it's biology.
- [Why are carbohydrates penalized in the score?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/carbohydrates.md): Cats have no dietary requirement for carbohydrates and their bodies are not built to process them efficiently. High-carb dry food is one of the biggest mismatches between feline biology and what's commonly sold.
- [What is Guaranteed Analysis and how is it used in scoring?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/guaranteed-analysis.md): Guaranteed Analysis is the nutritional panel on every cat food bag - listing minimum protein and fat, and maximum fibre and moisture. It's the starting point for every score calculation.
- [Why are meat by-products penalized?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/by-products.md): By-products are the parts of an animal not typically used for human food - and while not inherently dangerous, they signal lower ingredient quality and less transparency about what's actually in the food.
- [Why are plant-based proteins penalized?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/plant-proteins.md): Plant proteins like pea protein, soy isolate, and corn gluten meal inflate the protein percentage on the label but don't deliver the same nutritional value as animal protein for cats.
- [What about artificial colors and chemical additives?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/additives.md): Artificial colors, synthetic preservatives, and chemical flavor enhancers serve no nutritional purpose for cats and some have raised health concerns. The scoring system penalizes their presence.
- [Why does ingredient order matter?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/ingredient-order.md): Ingredients are listed by weight before processing - heaviest first. This tells you what the food is primarily made of, but there are important nuances that affect how to read it correctly.
- [What is taurine and why does it matter for cats?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/taurine.md): Taurine is an amino acid that is essential for cats - they cannot produce it themselves and must get it from their diet. Without it, cats develop serious and irreversible health problems.
- [What are chelated minerals and why do they get bonus points?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/chelated-minerals.md): Chelated minerals are bound to amino acids for better absorption. They're more bioavailable for cats than standard inorganic mineral forms - meaning more of the mineral actually reaches the cat's cells.
- [Is grain-free cat food automatically better?](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/faq/grain-free.md): No - grain-free doesn't mean low-carb, and it doesn't guarantee a better score. What matters is what replaces the grains, and the answer is often just as carbohydrate-dense.

## What's New?

- [2026](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/whats-new/2026.md): We're listening to your feedback and working hard to make Cat Food Central better and better. Here's what we're doing in 2026.
- [2025](https://kb.catfoodcentral.co/whats-new/2025.md): The latest updates to Cat Food Central - new features, new data, and important changes we've made during 2025.