9 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Seafood Cat Foods

I know, cats can be finicky eaters...and they always seem to go for the seafood flavors, right? It's because they are really smelly and to a cat this is enticing. Pet food manufacturers know this. They know that if they just add some type of fish to their foods, the cats will go for it. In fact, I have discovered that some entire lines of can cat foods contain fish in the ingredients, even when it doesn't state so at all on the front of the label. It might say something like "beef dinner in gravy" or "chicken dinner in gravy" on the front of the label, along with "grain free" and "gluten free", so you think you're getting some quality food without fish in it.....wrong! Read the list of ingredients on the back and you will find fish among the top 5 ingredients!

9 reasons why you should avoid 

giving fish or seafood flavor foods (can or dry!) to your cats:

1    They contain PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl) and PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) which are flame retardant chemicals that are also derived from marine organisms. PCBs and PBDEs are endocrine and thyroid disruptors.

2    They most likely contain elevated levels of heavy metals including mercury. The FDA advises women of child bearing age and children to avoid certain fish entirely for this reason. If they are dangerous for children, cats are at an even higher risk!

3    Fish is one of the most highly allergic foods for cats, which causes inflammatory conditions.

4    It's not a species appropriate diet for cats.

5    Fish fed in high amounts can lead to thiamine deficiency.

6    Fish fed long term can deplete vitamin E and vitamin E deficiency causes a painful condition called steatitis, which can be life threatening.

7    Seafood is a rich source of iodine and cats are not designed to process a lot of iodine.

8    Magnesium content in fish has been linked to urinary tract diseases in cats; a diet with too much magnesium can cause ammonium phosphate crystals or struvite crystals.

9    Pet food regulations require menadione sodium bisulfite to be the ONLY vitamin K source for a fish based cat food. There is no other vitamin K source approved (regulations) for a fish based cat food. This is a synthetic form of vitamin K3, which for humans is known to be hazardous to our health if ingested and that prolonged exposure to it can produce organ damage. So how could it be okay for our pets to eat, especially when they are fed the same thing for every meal over long periods of time?


For more details on why you should stop feeding your kitties fish or fish-flavored cat foods please read this article written by holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker  by clicking here. 

For more details on menadione sodium bisulfite and other unwanted pet food ingredients please read this article by Susan Thixton at TruthAboutPetFood.com on How Safe is Pet Food?