- First check whether the food is complete or complementary.
- Ingredients are listed by weight before cooking, including their water.
- "Crude" protein and fat describe the lab method, not the quality.
- To compare wet and dry foods, convert to dry matter.
On this page
Complete or complementary
This is the most important line on the pack. A complete food provides everything a pet needs and can be fed on its own. A complementary food, such as many wet toppers and all treats, must be fed alongside a complete food. Every product page in our shop states which one it is.
The ingredients list
Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight at the time the recipe is mixed, and percentages in brackets show how much of a named ingredient is included. Here is the start of the label for Gosbi Exclusive Grain Free Duck Adult Medium:
Duck (36 %) (Dehydrated Duck (28 %), Freshly Prepared Duck (8 %)), Potato Starch (26 %), Fruits And Vegetables (14 %) (Fruit Pulp, Dried (Apple, Pear, Pineapple), Dried Beet Pulp, Dehydrated Carrot, Tomato Pulp), Chicken Fat, …
Two things to notice. "Freshly prepared" meat contains a lot of water, which cooks off, so it can sit high on the list while contributing less after cooking. "Dehydrated" or "dried" meat has had the water removed, so each gram carries more protein. Seeing both is a good sign: fresh meat for taste, dried meat for protein.
Analytical constituents
| On the label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Crude protein | Total protein, measured by a standard lab method. "Crude" is the name of the method, not a comment on quality. |
| Crude fat or fat content | Total fat: the most concentrated source of calories, and a major source of flavour. |
| Crude fibre | Indigestible fibre. Higher fibre helps with fullness and hairballs. |
| Crude ash or inorganic matter | The mineral content, such as calcium and phosphorus. It is not added ash. |
| Moisture | Water. Needed to compare foods fairly, see below. |
Compare on dry matter
A wet food with 9% protein looks much weaker than a dry food with 26%. But the wet food is 82% water. Remove the water and compare what is left: the dry matter.
Dry matter % = nutrient % ÷ (100 − moisture %) × 100
Gosbi Plaisirs Beef Stew: 9 ÷ (100 − 82) × 100 = 50% protein on a dry matter basis. Gosbi Exclusive Grain Free Duck, assuming the usual 8% moisture for dry food: 26 ÷ 92 × 100 = 28%. On a fair comparison, the wet food is the richer in protein.
If a dry food does not state moisture, use 8% to 10%.
Calories
Calories, shown as kcal per kg or per 100 g, are what decide the portion. Two dry foods can differ by several hundred kcal per kg, so the same scoop can mean very different amounts of food. Not every pack states calories. We list them on every product page in our shop.
Additives
Most of the additives list is nutrition, not chemistry: vitamins (often in IU, international units), trace elements such as iron, zinc and iodine, and amino acids such as taurine, which cats must get from food. Minerals described as "chelates" are bound to amino acids, a form that is well absorbed. The list ends with preservatives and antioxidants, which stop fats going rancid; many premium foods use natural ones such as tocopherols (vitamin E) and rosemary extract.
The feeding guide
The table on the back gives a daily range by weight. It is a fair starting point, but it covers many different pets, so most neutered or less active pets need the lower end. Use our dog and cat calculators for a figure for your pet.
Questions
Is grain-free food better?
Not automatically. Grain-free foods suit pets with a diagnosed grain sensitivity, but most dogs and cats digest grains well. In the United States, the FDA has investigated a possible link between some grain-free diets and heart disease in dogs without reaching a firm conclusion; most reported cases involved diets high in peas, lentils or potatoes. True grain allergy is uncommon: most food allergies are to proteins such as beef, dairy or chicken. If you are unsure, ask your vet.
Why does the first ingredient matter so much?
It is the largest by weight at mixing, but water content changes the picture. Look at the first few ingredients together, and at the protein figure on a dry matter basis.
What does "with natural antioxidants" mean?
The fats in the food are protected from going rancid with natural compounds, such as vitamin E (tocopherols) or rosemary extract, rather than synthetic ones.
This guide is general information for healthy pets, not veterinary advice. If your pet has a health condition, is pregnant, or is losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, talk to your vet.