What protein percentage is best for cats? Is grain-free food needed?

If you would like to feed a homemade diet, I would recommend using a website like balanceit.com or discussing a recipe with a veterinary nutritionist. Completely meat diets won't be balanced for all of their micronutrient needs. Wet cat foods usually have higher protein concentrations than dry food. Purina Pro Plan makes a good dry cat food that has 45% protein, my cat loves it! In the wild, cats don't eat just meat. They will snack on grass and eat entrails of herbivores, which give them fiber and grains.

Unfortunately, I do not think you are going to get a consensus or simple answer to this question. The short answer is that we think the most biologically appropriate food for a domesticated cat is a mouse. And that is quite high in protein. In a young cat like Autumn wihout any health issues, I do not have a problem feeding a high protein food. Cats are obligate carnivores and generally thrive on a high protein diet. One thing you have to think about is that if the food is lower in protein, then it will have to be higher in carbohydrates and/or fat. Again, since cats are obligate carnivores, they are not able to utilize carbohydrates effectively and will often just gain weight on foods that are higher in carbohydrates. You also have to consider if you are comparing dry food or canned food. Dry food will "appear" to have more protein than canned food on the label, but often canned food is actually higher in protein. I feed my cats a rotation of different canned foods and Blue Buffalo is included in that rotation. I do not consider it too high protein for them. Please let me know if that was helpful. I am passionate about cat nutrition, so let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Cats need higher amounts of protein because they are obligate carnivores, and they should have 25-30% protein in their diet. As for carbs, the average dry food contains between 35-50% of carbs. Dried egg product is fine. I hope this helps!

As long as your cat is eating a diet that has undergone feeding trials or is formulated to meet AAFCO standards and is eating an amount of food in the range recommended in the feeding directions on the label for his weight, then he is likely getting enough protein. As long as he does not have any underlying liver and/or kidney problems it does not matter how much protein you feed him. Please know that feeding a diet that is higher in protein than cats need does not result in any health benefits. For a healthy cat, excess protein is unlikely to be harmful, either. The extra protein will just be broken down by the body and eliminated in the urine.

Great question! I actually recommend a food with grains in it. Grains are good for cats, and they provide a lasting source of energy and fuel. Grain free is a marketing ploy and fad, and there is no proof at all that grains are bad for cats. Having a diet with grains in it will provide Kitty with more fuel for his high energy life. Brands I recommend including Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Crude protein is just the name of the laboratory method used to chemically analyze and determine the amount of the protein nutrient. It does not refer to the quality of that nutrient. Look at the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the packaging for more information. If you can post again with the name of the food you are feeding we can maybe help you better. From what you described it sounds like the food you are feeding is just fine. Remember, these are pet cats, not wild animals. Their protein requirements would be lower than that of a wild cat.

I like EVO, Nutro and Avoderm brands. You ask 15 vets and you'll get 15 answers :) It is personal opinion for sure. I would try a brand and see if you cat likes it. If so, and it seems to agree with her then continue. If it doesn't seem to agree with her (diarrhea, vomiting, poor hair coat, less energy) then I would try a different brand until you find one that does agree with her. I hope this helps! Best wishes to you and Pitsy!