All over the world, there's a lot of attention being given to healthy food, as opposed to the regular food we have so long consumed. People not only want the healthy food for themselves but also for their own pets.
Natural pet food is in demand because humans have come to believe that it's the best diet not just for them but also for their furry companions.
Take cat food, for instance. These days, pet cats are not only fed natural cat food but also grain free and gluten free cat food.
Going gluten-free is a dietary fad that's being around for a while. Despite diet and nutrition experts all over the world raving about the benefits of a gluten-free diet, its benefits for those not allergic to gluten are yet to be proven.
Pet owners have started to believe that grain-free and gluten-free diets are good for their cats too, the reason behind the market getting flooded with cat foods without grains or gluten.
Difference between grain-free and gluten-free
Although the terms grain-free and gluten-free are used interchangeably, there's a big difference between the two.
While grain-free cat food will always be free from gluten, the foods free from gluten may or may not have grains. That's because gluten is present in only certain types of grains. Being gluten free doesn't automatically signify grain free.
Gluten is the protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. However, there are a greater number of grains that do not contain that protein.
Gluten isn't bad for those who can digest it. But there are certain animals and humans who are intolerant to this protein, and require a gluten free diet.
Does your kitty need to go grain-free or gluten-free?
Your cat's diet should be based on its health. If your cat is absolutely healthy and does not suffer from any medical conditions or allergies, then you can safely feed them food that's not grain-free or gluten free.
But if your cat is allergic to gluten or certain types of grains that do not contain gluten, you need me to switch do a grain-free or gluten-free cat food.
This change should be made after consulting your vet. If your cat is doing fine on his existing diet, then there’s no need to make a change in a hurry. Making frequent changes to their diet can make cats fussier about food.