How to choose hypoallergenic cat food? Tips from experienced cat owners

1. Cat food allergy symptoms in cats

If your cat has food allergies, you may notice the following signs:
  • Vomiting or diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Soft stools
  • Itchy and swollen skin
Food allergies are extremely dangerous, can cause life-threatening reactions, not just vomiting or diarrhea, pet parents should find a solution in a timely manner.
Methods of veterinarian allergy testing
15% -20% of cats are allergic to some kind of food.
The veterinary advises that pet undergoes an intradermal test (IDAT) or a blood test or serological test to identify allergens which can be avoided.
  • An Intradermal test (IDAT). Its results are the best basis for diagnosing allergies, similar to acupuncture performed on humans.
  • A blood test or serological test. The test, while also accurate, may have a higher false-negative rate than a skin test.
  • Allergens detected in allergy testing include: Plants, trees, grass, mold, and indoor allergens (dust mites, dander, etc.). While each test method has its pros and cons, the ultimate goal of all allergy testing is to identify an "allergen serum" (ie: allergen-specific immunotherapy, or ASIT) to help desensitize your pet to certain allergens and reduce its clinical symptoms.
Pet testing is an accurate way to deal with food allergies, but it does take a lot of time and money. A simpler and more effective way is that if we find that the cat has allergies, we can choose "hypoallergenic and healthy cat food".
When choosing hypoallergenic cat food, pet owners often have the following questions
- Which foods are most likely to cause an allergic reaction?
- How do I identify allergens from the ingredients list?
- Hypoallergenic cat food maybe limit the choice of ingredients, will it lead to a lack of proper nutrition?
My name is Patricia, my good boy Caudill is a British Shorthair, who is a brand ambassador of NatureBridge. About "hypoallergenic cat food", I interviewed a number of vets, other experienced pet parents, and based on my own experience, I would like to share with you how to choose a "hypoallergenic and healthy" cat food.
My good boy Caudill

2. 8 Tips for Choosing A Hypoallergenic Cat Food For Your Cat

For cats, the most common food allergens are beef, lamb, dairy products and gluten-containing grains, which account for nearly 90 percent of food allergy symptoms and cases.

1）Avoid red meat such as beef, lamb and pork

  • Red meat such as beef, lamb and pork are considered to be the ingredient with the highest proportion of allergies in cats. According to a survey of adverse food reactions (AFR) in cats, based on 65 published AFR-related food ingredients conducted in food challenge tests, red meat allergies accounted for the highest proportion of allergic reactions (66/238, 27.7%).[1]
  • It contains galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose in the cell membrane of red meat such as cattle, sheep and pigs, which is the main cause of cat allergies.
Allergic reactions of cats to these meats are mostly reflected on the skin and
stomach, manifested as itchy, swollen skin, rash, diarrhea, nausea and
vomiting.
🌏 Environmental Tips
This is because the feeding process consumes a lot of resources and produces more greenhouse gases. The following data comes from the report " LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW Environmental Issues and Options" by the Food and Agriculture Organization （FAO）[2]
  • The methane produced by cattle and sheep animal husbandry contributes 1/5 of the global greenhouse effect;
  • Methane has 28 times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide;
  • 15,415 liters of water per kilogram for beef and 8,763 liters of lamb;
  • Animal husbandry, mainly cattle, sheep and pigs, consumes 70% of the earth's water resources every year, while human drinking water only accounts for 10%;

2) Why is chicken the best choice?

  • The galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose that causes cats in meat is mainly present in the cell membranes of mammals, while chickens are birds, so the cat allergy caused by chicken is the least of all meats;
  • The nutrition provided by chicken and beef is equivalent, their protein is about 20%, and the amino acid composition is basically the same;
  • Chicken is easier to digest because it contains more soft connective tissue than beef;
  • Chicken fat contains four times more polyunsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid (omega-6) than beef, which are important for preventing obesity in cats, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and promoting brain function. [12]
  • Chicken has three times the calcium content of beef, which is more helpful for cats' bone health. [13]
🌏 Environmental Tips
Chicken is also a better choice for our planet.
The following data comes from the report " LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW Environmental Issues and Options" by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations [1]
  • Save 11,000 liters of water per kilogram of chicken compared to beef;
  • The greenhouse gases produced by cattle and sheep husbandry are about 5 times that of raising chickens;
  • Each kilogram of beef requires 13 kilograms of feed, and each kilogram of chicken saves 60% of the feed compared to beef;

3) Adequate amount of fish

The benefits of adding fish to pet food:
  • Fish are not mammals, do not have galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose in cell membranes, and are less allergenic than cattle, sheep and pork;
  • The cat's sense of smell is 30 times that of humans, and the fresh smell of fish can increase the cat's appetite;
  • Cat night vision needs to be supplemented with a lot of taurine, and the content of taurine in fish is 10 times that of meat;
It is not recommended to use fish as the main ingredient of pet food:
  • Deficiency of thiamine, vitamin K, and vitamin E in fish may lead to ataxia, metabolic disorders, and yellow lipemia in cats;
  • The histamine acid in fish will turn into histamine after leaving the water, and excessive histamine may lead to allergies or even poisoning;
  • Insufficient calcium and iron in fish can lead to mineral imbalance
NatureBridge Beauty Series has chosen chicken and salmon as the main ingredients to provide cats with a hypoallergenic and high quality protein.

4) Avoid dairy products

  • Some cats cannot drink milk because of lactose intolerance, which is the lack of lactase enzymes that degrade lactose;
  • Each 100 ml of milk contains about 3 grams of protein, including casein and whey protein. Both proteins have the potential to cause allergies.
  • When a cat's immune system mistakes its normal intake of milk protein for an invading enemy, it triggers a cascade of immune responses against the "enemy," which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, swollen skin, asthma and other symptoms.

 

5) Avoid gluten-containing grains

  • Many cats are allergic to gluten, not all grains.
  • Gluten, also known as gluten protein, is not a plant that can be seen and touched. It is mainly composed of two proteins, alcoholic protein and gluten. It is stored in some grains. Barley, wheat, and oats contain gluten;
  • Cats have relatively short intestines (especially the small intestine) and are not suitable for digesting gluten-containing grains;
  • Grains such as rice and corn are gluten-free.

 

6) Choose a gluten-free Cat Food

Carbohydrates are essential ingredients for hypoallergenic dry cat food:
  • As a supplement to meat, it can provide an equivalent source of energy for cats;
  • It ensures that the various ingredients in the cat food are mixed and formed, so that the cat food particles remain in shape and are not easily broken; [7]
  • It can supplement iron, and the iron content of hypoallergenic meat (chicken, fish) is lower than that of highly allergic beef;
  • In the process of making dry cat food, the digestion and absorption rate of carbohydrates in cooked rice and corn can reach up to 100% [3,4,5]
"Grain-free" ≠ "No Carb" "Grain-free" dry cat food, is not "No Carb ", they usually use potato starch, tapioca starch and other raw materials to replace grains, these refined starches can not provide grains contain crude fiber and other nutrients, may reduce the nutritional value of food, at the same time, it may also make the content of carbon and water in pet food higher than meat.
Therefore, when buying hypoallergenic cat food, you only need to pay attention to the "gluten-free" on the packaging, and the recipe uses rice and corn as gluten-free grains.
🌏 Environmental Tips
Although meat is a cat's habit, we can make it more environmentally friendly
  • Cats have a carnivorous nature, but over thousands of years of living with humans, domestic cats have evolved physiological adaptations for carbohydrate digestion and absorption [1,2]. In the process of making dry cat food, the digestion and absorption rate of carbohydrates in cooked rice and corn can reach up to 100% [3,4,5].
  • For each hectare of land, 20 people can be fed by growing food, while only 2 people can be fed by raising cattle and sheep. The energy coefficient (density) of both protein and carbohydrates is 4.0kcal/g. So, supplementing meat with the right amount of carbs can provide the same amount of energy for cats, but save 10 times the land.
NatureBridge Beauty Series is gluten-free hypoallergenic, high-quality cat food.

7) Avoid chemical food attractants

In order to make the pet food produced by some pet food manufacturers look delicious, pet food manufacturers will turn their attention to compound flavors. As long as a small amount is added, the palatability (and sales) can be greatly improved, the nutrition is up to standard, and the cost is still low.
The more common ones are as follows:
  • Sodium pyrophosphate
Adding too much Sodium pyrophosphate will accelerate the oxidation of oil in pet food, which will lead to nutrient loss and deterioration, causing pets to get sick. When choosing pet food, you should pay attention to check whether the ingredient list contains acidifiers such as sodium phosphate. If so, try not to buy it, or eat less.
  • Glycine
Glycine produces sweetness. It is a sweetener. It can also mask bitterness and improve the palatability of pet food. Excessive addition can cause diarrhea in pets, it is best not to eat or eat less.
  • Putrescine
This gaseous substance is a preferred scent for cats... Pet food does add this gas to stimulate the appetite of cats and dogs, but because it's not an ingredient, it doesn't appear on the ingredient list.
  • In addition to these chemically synthesized flavors, there are actually some natural " Appetite Stimulants " that do not appear in the name of obvious " food attractants " or "flavor enhancers", but they can significantly improve the palatability of pet food, and adding them is also good for health.
NatureBridge Beauty Series has two black technologies “Nitrogen protection”and “seaweed coating” to enhance the umami taste of pet food.

8) Avoid artificial preservatives

In order to prevent rapid oxidation of cat food after opening and improve the shelf life, most cat food contains preservatives, such as: α-tocopherol, acerbic acid, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, citric acid, etc.
Artificial preservatives can also cause food allergies in cats, among which Butyl hydroxy anisole (BHA) and Dibutyl hydroxy toluene (BHT) can definitely cause cat discomfort. When preservatives are sensitized, cats will experience such as vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis, itchy skin, hair loss, etc.
Pet owners try to choose pet foods that use natural preservation methods.
NatureBridge Beauty Series rejects artificial preservatives and uses “Nitrogen protection”black technology.

3. Natural Cat Food with Hypoallergenic and Balanced Nutrition for Cats- NatureBridge Beauty Series

1）Health is Beauty，From the Inside Out

The Beauty series of NatureBridge pet food is inspired by the 'Oriental Health Food Philosophy', which states that one cannot achieve true beauty through grooming, it must come from a healthy body and spirit.
Therefore, the philosophy of NatureBridge Beauty Series is, "Health is Beauty, From the Inside Out".
We practice Beauty's design concept from the following 6 aspects:
or We practice Beauty's design philosophy in six ways：
  • NatureBridge: We are a bridge, connecting people and nature, pets and pet parents, food and technology;
  • Healthy ingredients: the selection of ingredients is based on scientific research rather than "experience", avoiding food with safety risks and using mainly agricultural and livestock products from European growing environments that are safe.
  • Effective absorption: The ingredients are only 50%, and the other 50% should help pets absorb effectively. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the main material with a small burden on the gastrointestinal tract, and also increase the green accessories that help digestion and absorption;
  • Comprehensive and balanced: life needs comprehensive nutrition to grow, and pet food ingredients should also be balanced;
  • Natural preservation: avoid using chemical food attractants, do not use hidden chemical preservation process;
  • Sustainability: The growth of pets in Europe has surpassed that of human newborns. Pets bring us joy and company, but do not increase the burden on the earth, and use sustainable ingredients and production processes to protect our only home.
2) Beauty uses hypoallergenic meat from Europe to provide cats with sufficient protein
Hypoallergenic cat food should also ensure that cats have sufficient protein intake. The first item in the Beauty recipe is chicken from the Netherlands, and salmon from Norway is also selected to ensure that the crude protein content of pet food exceeds 32%.

3)Improves digestion, boosts immunity, reduces allergies

In addition to the selection of hypoallergenic ingredients, but also to improve the cat's digestion and absorption capacity, to avoid excessive gastrointestinal burden, or functional disorders caused by allergies.
  • Beauty Recipe, using hypoallergenic easily digestible chicken and salmon;
  • Gluten-free grains are rich in fiber, which energizes the gut microbiome, improves gut function, and reduces the risk of soft stools in cats;
  • Inulin provides prebiotics, improves nutrient absorption and energy conversion efficiency;
  • Alfalfa, known as the "king of fodder" is rich in vitamins, amino acids and dietary fiber, and supports gastrointestinal movement.

4) Eliminate allergy to food attractants, and use natural seaweed coating to add umami to cat food

  • NatureBridge refuses to use artificial food attractants;
  • Beauty uses natural seaweed to provide cat food with natural umami;
  • Seaweed is rich in amino acids and can also promote the health of cat coat;
  • At the same time, we use the black technology of coating, so that each kibble is wrapped in the umami taste of seaweed;
5) Eliminate allergy to artificial preservatives, and adopt nitrogen protection black technology
  • NatureBridge has also mastered a patented preservation technology that does not use preservatives - nitrogen preservation.
  • By filling with colorless, odorless and pollution-free, completely safe nitrogen, the oxygen in the food is driven away, thus isolating the oxidation reaction of pet food and locking in nutrition and deliciousness.
  • Nitrogen also forms a "nitrogen seal". Equivalent to vacuuming, the physical method cuts off the oxidation reaction, the process is healthier, there is no artificial chemical synthesis component, and the use of antioxidants is reduced. It is the healthiest and most effective technology, and will not breed bacteria.
In addition, it adopts a four-layer aluminum packaging design and is equipped with a secondary seal, which allows the Beauty pet food to retain more fresh-keeping nitrogen after opening, so that the product remains fresh, healthy and crispy for a longer time.
6）Keeping the planet from becoming allergic
NatureBridge, as his name suggests, builds a natural bridge. Thanks to efforts in sustainability. keeps cats from becoming allergic while keeping the planet from becoming allergic. NatureBridge received an invitation from Amazon launchpad, with its aim to seek sustainable innovation brands, which do positive things for people and planet. We hope we can not only keep our pets away from allergies, but also keep our earth away from "allergy" through your wise choice.
We have prepared three £ 5 gift cards for you. You can use them yourself or share with a friend who has the same needs. Now choose hypoallergenic, tasty and nutritionally balanced food for your 4-legged kids.
References
1.《LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW Environmental Issues and Options》by FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS. Rome, 2006. https://www.fao.org/3/a0701e/a0701e00.htm
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7. A certain level of starch must be included for proper processing of dry product. The main function of carbohydrates in the processing of extruded dry diets is to provide structural integrity to the kibble (Verbrugghe & Hesta, 2017).
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