Why Go For Feline Natural Diet - Shopping the Whole Foods Markets for Your Cat

If you’re a frequent shopper of Whole Foods Markets, you probably understand the value of a holistic, organic diet for yourself, but have you considered one yet for your cat?

For years, people have been making the switch to the organic diet because it is thought to contribute to better wellness. Many organic consumers also believe that their pets can derive similar benefits.

The term “holistic” concerns the whole body. A holistic diet would have foods that are good for whole body health and are thought to be a crucial part of preventive care. “Organic” refers to food raised or grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, preservatives or hormones and not processed by irradiation. A certified organic product must meet stringent requirements set by the USDA’s National Organic Program.

Organic food proponents feel that chemical residues of artificial additives, antibiotics and growth hormones from conventional food can accumulate in the body and be stored in fat, with the potential to contribute to disease or exacerbate existing conditions. Supporters of organic agriculture take the “you are what you eat” statement literally.

Is organic food any healthier than conventionally grown food? Probably not in the sense of nutrient content; however, organic pet food typically uses higher quality sources for proteins and carbohydrates. So, the pet food can be, but may not be, healthier and more easily digestible than a non-organic competitor. You’ll have to compare the ingredient labels to know for sure.

The USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. According to the agency, organic food differs from conventionally produced food in the way it is grown, handled and processed.

Pet food manufacturers interested in seeking a USDA certified organic label voluntarily submit to the USDA their facility for inspection.

The USDA’s National Organic Standards Organic Pet Foods Task Force recently submitted draft standards for public comment. These standards describe the labeling as “organic,” must be 95% made with organic ingredients; “100% organic” must be 100% organic; and “made with organic ingredients” must be made with 70% organic ingredients. In these cases, the manufacturer cannot use some organic and some not organic elements of the same source. In other words, a manufacturer cannot have some organic beef and non-organic beef, but it can have organic chicken but not organic beef as long as the label expresses this fact, as in “made with organic chicken.”

Products labeled “organic” cannot contain non-organic ingredients if the organic equivalent exists.

Several organic cat food manufacturers exist, and they note which ingredients are organic on their pet food labels: Newman’s Own Organics Premium Cat Food, Castor and Pollux Organux Feline Formula, Natural Balance Cat Food and PetGuard’s Organic Cat Food, just to name a few.

Some people elect to make homemade organic meals cooked and/or raw for their pets by using organic meat, oats, fruits and vegetables sold for humans. However, some oppose the raw food diet because they feel that there is a potential for the cat to suffer food poisoning.

Organic food for your cat sounds good so far, doesn’t it? What’s the drawback? In a word—cost. Organic people and pet food are more expensive than their conventional competitors. Organic cat food can cost double that of its commercial competitor. But some feel the expense is worth it if they avert the cost of treatment and maintenance for health condition that could have been avoided by feeding a natural, organic diet.

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