Why Most Cat Food is Rubbish (Yes, Even the Ones They Love)

Understanding Pet Food Labels – Cat Edition

Let’s just say it: most commercial cat food is totally inappropriate for cats. It’s cheap, carb-loaded, and packed with fillers, sugars, and flavourings that trick your cat into eating something their body was never built to process.

And the worst part? The foods they seem to love the most are usually the worst ones. We’re talking about many of the biggest UK brands. This blog breaks down why most supermarket cat food is total rubbish, and how to start feeding your feline what they were actually designed to eat.

🐈 Cats Are Obligate Carnivores – Full Stop

Cats aren’t just meat-eaters—they’re obligate carnivores. Their digestive system is built for meat, organs, and animal fat—not rice, cereal, beet pulp, or plant protein.

They don’t need carbs. They can’t digest grains well. And they get most of their moisture from raw meat, not a water bowl. So when your cat’s food is loaded with cereals, vegetable protein extracts, and sugars, it’s doing absolutely nothing for their health—and often making it worse.

🥩 What Should Be In a Cat’s Food?

Here’s what your cat needs—and what wild cats eat naturally:

• Muscle meat and organs (like heart and liver)

• Animal fat for energy and skin/coat health

• Taurine, naturally found in raw heart and other meats

• Moisture, ideally from raw meat or a broth-based wet food

• A high meat content — not 4%, not 14% — think 70%+

🚫 What’s Actually in Most Supermarket Cat Foods?

Take a look at ingredient lists on popular brands like Felix, Whiskas, or Go-Cat, and you’ll see a very different picture:

• Meat and animal derivatives – usually just 4%, and you won’t even know what animal it came from

• Cereals – grain-based fillers with zero benefit to cats

• Vegetable protein extracts – cheaper than meat, and totally unsuitable for a carnivore

• “Various sugars” or caramel – yes, actual sugar in your cat’s dinner

• Artificial colours and flavourings – added for human appeal, not for your cat’s benefit

• Gravy/jelly bulked out with thickeners – not real broth, just texture-enhancers

🎯 “But My Cat Is So Fussy!”

Yes, cats are famously fussy. But let’s be honest—we’re all fussy once we’ve tasted junk food. The reason they love supermarket sachets is because they’re engineered to be hyper-palatable. Loaded with flavour enhancers, sugars, and chemical smells designed to keep them addicted.

Sound familiar? It’s the same reason most of us love crisps and takeaways. But just like us, cats can absolutely learn to enjoy healthier food—you just need to give them the chance.

🥩 Raw Feeding for Cats: Simple and Surprisingly Affordable

The ideal food for cats? Raw, or as close to it as possible. Specifically:

• Single-protein 80:10:10 raw minces (80% meat, 10% bone, 10% organ)

• Gently cooked or freeze-dried options with very high meat content

• Wet food with clearly listed, named meats and no cereals or thickeners

And here’s the bit most people don’t realise:

💸 Feeding a cat on raw 80:10:10 is often cheaper than buying supermarket sachets.

Cats eat small portions—many will only need 80–120g per day. A decent 500g tub of raw mince can last 4–5 days for one cat. Compare that to 3–4 sachets a day at 60–80p each, and the raw diet wins both nutritionally and financially.

🚩 What to Look for in a Proper Cat Food

Skip the marketing. Flip the pouch and check the list.

✅ Named meat first (chicken, beef heart, lamb, etc.)
✅ 70%+ meat content in wet or raw foods
✅ No cereals or grains
✅ No vegetable proteins or soya
✅ No added sugars, caramel or glycerine
✅ No artificial colourings or preservatives
✅ Short, honest ingredient lists

Final Takeaway: Don't Let the Branding Fool You

If you’re feeding your cat based on what they “like,” and not what’s actually in the packet, it’s time to rethink. Your cat might prefer junk food now—but once they’ve detoxed from all the additives, they’ll adapt just fine.

And more importantly? They’ll thrive. Better digestion, cleaner teeth, improved coat, healthier weight, and fewer long-term issues.

Forget the shiny pouches and clever slogans. Cats need meat—not marketing.

👉 Need help getting started with raw or high-meat feeding for cats?
Drop us a message. We’ll help you pick a no-nonsense, biologically appropriate option that suits your cat—and your budget.