Which is better, puffed cat food or baked cat food?

Owning a cat is never a question of what cat food is better, but what cat food is better for it. Today we look at what the specific differences are between puffed and baked food.

Differences in production processes

Puffed cat food is made by using high temperatures and pressure in a bulking agent and then passed through a mold to form pellets. After puffing, they go through a process of spraying grease. As a result, classic puffed cat food like Royal Canin will have a shiny, oily surface. However, many modern puffed cat foods no longer have as high a surface oil content.

Low-temperature baked cat food, as the name suggests, is baked and dried at a lower temperature, similar to the process of baking small cookies. This type of cat food does not require a subsequent spraying of grease, so its surface appears drier. Because of the non-greasy surface, it is thought to prevent and alleviate black chin problems in cats.

Dark chin problems are actually closely related to your cat’s body type. Some cats are prone to anxiety, and just like people, they are prone to fire, which can lead to skin problems. If you’re buying cat food to solve a dark chin problem, it may not always go as planned.

Differences in the proportion of fresh meat

Due to process differences, baked cat food can contain more fresh meat than puffed cat food while adding less starch. If you’re thinking of trying baked cat food, it’s recommended to check the ingredient list carefully to make sure it contains more fresh meat and is as low in starch as possible.

In addition, there are bacteria control issues with low temperature baked cat food compared to puffed cat food. This is because puffed cat food can kill most of the bacteria under high temperature and pressure, while low-temperature baking may not be able to completely kill the bacteria due to the lower temperature. Therefore, when choosing baked cat food, special attention should be paid to whether the total number of bacteria in its test report exceeds the standard.

Another common concern is whether or not there needs to be a transition period to switch from puffed cat food to baked cat food. My advice is that there must be a transition period. Due to the low-temperature nature of baked cat food, it involves the issue of starch pasting degree. A sudden change in cat food may put a burden on your cat’s body.

If your cat has not adapted to the new cat food within the ten to twenty day transition period and continues to have problems such as soft stools, it is recommended that you do not force it to adapt to this cat food.