How to choose pet food
Criteria and evidence — not a brand ranking. Marketing words (“natural,” “premium,” “holistic”) are unregulated marketing in many contexts; useful decisions start with the nutritional adequacy statement and the manufacturer’s transparency.
Sources: AAFCO Reading Labels · FDA Pet Food · WSAVA Selecting Pet Foods (PDF)
1. Find the nutritional adequacy statement
AAFCO calls this “perhaps the most important part of a label” — it matches the product to a species and life stage. Look for wording along these lines (exact legal phrasing varies):
- Formulated to meet AAFCO Dog/Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for a named life stage.
- Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate complete and balanced nutrition for a named life stage.
Snacks/treats are often exempt when labeled as intermittent or supplemental — those are not complete diets.
2. Life stage, not vibes
AAFCO profiles cover growth, reproduction, and adult maintenance (and “all life stages,” which must meet the more demanding growth/reproduction minima). There is no separate AAFCO “senior” nutrient profile — so “senior” on a bag is not the same kind of claim as an AAFCO adequacy statement.
3. Guaranteed analysis & calories
Guaranteed analysis lists minimums/maximums for crude protein, fat, fiber, and moisture (and sometimes other nutrients). It does not by itself prove completeness. Calorie content (kcal) helps prevent overfeeding; WSAVA notes calorie information is required on U.S. labels and should be obtainable from the manufacturer elsewhere.
4. Ingredient lists — order rules, limited meaning
Ingredients are typically listed by weight before cooking/processing. AAFCO and WSAVA both warn that the ingredient list alone does not tell you ingredient quality or whether the finished diet is complete. Use it as one signal — not the whole decision.
5. Ask the manufacturer (WSAVA questions, paraphrased)
WSAVA’s Global Nutrition Committee publishes guidelines on selecting pet foods. Paraphrased themes (see the PDF for the full toolkit language — we do not reproduce it wholesale):
- Who formulates the diets, and what nutrition credentials do they hold?
- Are diets substantiated by AAFCO feeding trials, by formulation to nutrient profiles, and/or by analysis of the finished product?
- Where are foods manufactured, and what quality-control / recall processes exist?
- Can the company provide typical nutrient analyses and caloric density on request?
Full document: WSAVA Selecting a pet food (updated 2021).
Educational only — not veterinary advice. Diet changes for sick or at-risk pets belong with your veterinarian (and a board-certified veterinary nutritionist when homemade or complex diets are considered).