Birdie Cat Food Review: Colony Count Exceeds National Standard by 42 Times, Is It Worth Buying?
Birdie Cat Food Review: Colony Count Exceeds National Standard by 42 Times, Is It Worth Buying?
In recent years, the pet food market has grown rapidly, and cat food, as the daily staple for cats, has attracted much attention for its quality and safety. To help pet owners choose high-quality cat food, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of 12 of the best-selling cat foods on the market, covering nutritional indicators and hygiene safety indicators. How did Birdie cat food perform? Let's take a look.
Unmasking the "Tricks" in Product Packaging
First, we looked at the product packaging and analyzed the cat food's ingredient list and nutritional content.
1. Ingredient List: "Disguised" Carnivores
Cats are strict carnivores and need to get sufficient animal protein from meat. However, we found that the ingredient lists of some cat foods are dominated by grains, such as Royal No. 1 and Arl No. 5, whose protein comes mainly from plant protein, which is not suitable for cats' diet.
More alarmingly, some cat foods, in order to save costs, even add soy protein to act as a protein source, while meat ingredients are scarce.
When grains occupy the main position in the ingredient list, the cat food will naturally have insufficient meat flavor. To make up for this deficiency, some brands will add some flavoring agents and palatants to make cats think they are eating meat, thereby increasing their appetite.
2. Nutritional Content: Non-Standard Labeling, Cat Food Safety Concerns
We found that the nutritional content labeling of some cat foods is non-standard, with obvious loopholes.
For example, No. 4 Youyu cat food, according to regulations, the salt (water-soluble chloride) should include the minimum and maximum values, but No. 4 Youyu cat food only indicates the maximum value.
Another example is No. 5 Al cat food, the reasonable calcium-phosphorus ratio should be greater than 1.333, but the calcium-phosphorus ratio of No. 5 Al cat food is far below this standard. Excess phosphorus intake can not only affect calcium absorption, but also damage kidney health.
Detection Results Reveal the Truth
To more comprehensively assess the quality of cat food, we conducted professional testing on 12 cat food brands, including protein content, calcium-phosphorus content, taurine content, total colony count, heavy metal content, etc.
1. Nutritional Indicators: Low Protein Content, Imbalance in Calcium-Phosphorus Ratio
Test results show that the protein content of some imported cat foods is generally higher, but the protein content of domestic cat foods is generally lower.
It is noteworthy that the protein content of No. 3 Birdie cat food is only 26.5%, ranking last among all tested samples, even lower than No. 1 Royal and No. 5 Al.
The protein content of high-quality cat food is generally around 40%, but excessive protein content will lead to cat food being smelly, so it is necessary to choose the appropriate protein content based on the cat's age and physique.
2. Safety Indicators: Total Colony Count Exceeds Standard, Potential Health Risks
In terms of safety indicators, we tested lead, cadmium, aflatoxin B1, and vomitoxin in cat food. The results showed that the heavy metal content of most domestic cat foods met national standards and no harmful substances were detected.
However, the total colony count of No. 3 Birdie cat food reached 420,000 CFU/g, far exceeding the national standard limit of 42 times! This indicates that the cat food is seriously contaminated with bacteria, which may lead to diarrhea, vomiting and other health problems in cats.
In addition, we also found that No. 1 Royal, No. 5 Al, No. 7 Bernard Tianchun and other cat food samples contained BHA, an antioxidant with carcinogenic risks.
Insights and Experience Summary
Through comprehensive evaluation of 12 cat foods, we found some undeniable problems in the domestic pet food market.
1. The quality of domestic cat food varies greatly, and some products have quality problems
In order to save costs, some domestic cat foods have many problems in terms of ingredients, nutritional indicators and hygiene safety, and consumers need to choose carefully.
2. The quality of imported cat food is relatively high, but the price is also relatively expensive
The quality of imported cat food is relatively high, but due to tariffs and channel fees, the price is also relatively expensive.
3. Consumers should make rational choices and avoid blindly pursuing imported brands
When choosing cat food, you should pay close attention to the ingredient list, nutritional indicators and hygiene safety indicators. Don't blindly pursue imported brands, and don't be fooled by price and advertising.
Recommended domestic cat food:
No. 2 LA cat food: Both ingredients and nutritional indicators are the best, with the highest proportion of fresh meat and frozen meat ingredients, and very comprehensive nutritional indicators.
No. 6 Takano-ya cat food: The proportion of meat powder is relatively high, and the high protein content mainly comes from meat powder, with high cost-effectiveness.
No. 8 NetEase YEATION cat food: Fish-based, relatively cheap, can be considered.
Finally, we remind all pet owners to pay more attention when choosing cat food, carefully read the product packaging, buy from regular channels, and ensure the health and safety of your cat.
In recent years, the pet food market has grown rapidly, and cat food, as the daily staple for cats, has attracted much attention for its quality and safety. To help pet owners choose high-quality cat food, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of 12 of the best-selling cat foods on the market, covering nutritional indicators and hygiene safety indicators. How did Birdie cat food perform? Let's take a look.
Unmasking the "Tricks" in Product Packaging
First, we looked at the product packaging and analyzed the cat food's ingredient list and nutritional content.
1. Ingredient List: "Disguised" Carnivores
Cats are strict carnivores and need to get sufficient animal protein from meat. However, we found that the ingredient lists of some cat foods are dominated by grains, such as Royal No. 1 and Arl No. 5, whose protein comes mainly from plant protein, which is not suitable for cats' diet.
More alarmingly, some cat foods, in order to save costs, even add soy protein to act as a protein source, while meat ingredients are scarce.
When grains occupy the main position in the ingredient list, the cat food will naturally have insufficient meat flavor. To make up for this deficiency, some brands will add some flavoring agents and palatants to make cats think they are eating meat, thereby increasing their appetite.
2. Nutritional Content: Non-Standard Labeling, Cat Food Safety Concerns
We found that the nutritional content labeling of some cat foods is non-standard, with obvious loopholes.
For example, No. 4 Youyu cat food, according to regulations, the salt (water-soluble chloride) should include the minimum and maximum values, but No. 4 Youyu cat food only indicates the maximum value.
Another example is No. 5 Al cat food, the reasonable calcium-phosphorus ratio should be greater than 1.333, but the calcium-phosphorus ratio of No. 5 Al cat food is far below this standard. Excess phosphorus intake can not only affect calcium absorption, but also damage kidney health.
Detection Results Reveal the Truth
To more comprehensively assess the quality of cat food, we conducted professional testing on 12 cat food brands, including protein content, calcium-phosphorus content, taurine content, total colony count, heavy metal content, etc.
1. Nutritional Indicators: Low Protein Content, Imbalance in Calcium-Phosphorus Ratio
Test results show that the protein content of some imported cat foods is generally higher, but the protein content of domestic cat foods is generally lower.
It is noteworthy that the protein content of No. 3 Birdie cat food is only 26.5%, ranking last among all tested samples, even lower than No. 1 Royal and No. 5 Al.
The protein content of high-quality cat food is generally around 40%, but excessive protein content will lead to cat food being smelly, so it is necessary to choose the appropriate protein content based on the cat's age and physique.
2. Safety Indicators: Total Colony Count Exceeds Standard, Potential Health Risks
In terms of safety indicators, we tested lead, cadmium, aflatoxin B1, and vomitoxin in cat food. The results showed that the heavy metal content of most domestic cat foods met national standards and no harmful substances were detected.
However, the total colony count of No. 3 Birdie cat food reached 420,000 CFU/g, far exceeding the national standard limit of 42 times! This indicates that the cat food is seriously contaminated with bacteria, which may lead to diarrhea, vomiting and other health problems in cats.
In addition, we also found that No. 1 Royal, No. 5 Al, No. 7 Bernard Tianchun and other cat food samples contained BHA, an antioxidant with carcinogenic risks.
Insights and Experience Summary
Through comprehensive evaluation of 12 cat foods, we found some undeniable problems in the domestic pet food market.
1. The quality of domestic cat food varies greatly, and some products have quality problems
In order to save costs, some domestic cat foods have many problems in terms of ingredients, nutritional indicators and hygiene safety, and consumers need to choose carefully.
2. The quality of imported cat food is relatively high, but the price is also relatively expensive
The quality of imported cat food is relatively high, but due to tariffs and channel fees, the price is also relatively expensive.
3. Consumers should make rational choices and avoid blindly pursuing imported brands
When choosing cat food, you should pay close attention to the ingredient list, nutritional indicators and hygiene safety indicators. Don't blindly pursue imported brands, and don't be fooled by price and advertising.
Recommended domestic cat food:
No. 2 LA cat food: Both ingredients and nutritional indicators are the best, with the highest proportion of fresh meat and frozen meat ingredients, and very comprehensive nutritional indicators.
No. 6 Takano-ya cat food: The proportion of meat powder is relatively high, and the high protein content mainly comes from meat powder, with high cost-effectiveness.
No. 8 NetEase YEATION cat food: Fish-based, relatively cheap, can be considered.
Finally, we remind all pet owners to pay more attention when choosing cat food, carefully read the product packaging, buy from regular channels, and ensure the health and safety of your cat.
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