Cats are unable to convert certain vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids into those required in their diet. These include taurine, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, vitamin A and thiamine (vitamin B1). Serious problems could occur in the eyes, heart, skin, liver, nervous and reproductive systems if these ingredients aren’t provided in their diet.   

Cats also have higher fat and protein requirements than most other species. A healthy adult cat requires at least 2.0g of protein per kg of body weight daily and the recommended fat intake for cats is twice that of a dog. This has an important effect on the palatability of your cat’s food.

Although most cat foods are complete and balanced and contain the above requirements (check for AFFCO feed trial proof on the label), premium foods contain more consistent, high quality ingredients that tend to be more digestible and provide more nutritional value per serving.