Yeah Lola, no paws. But they should ALL be in red!
By-products look to be the much lesser of the evils when we really think about it though -- especially when specific meat sources are named (not "meat" or "poultry" or "animal" by-products...)
The Doctor is not saying to run out and buy stuff with by-products, but we're also talking corn and other high-carb, most species inappropriate ingredients.
<<<By-products are always a controversial subject but it makes much more sense to feed animal-based by-products to a cat than it does to feed grains. ... Therefore, do not shy away from the more economical foods like Friskies or 9-Lives if you cannot afford the more expensive canned foods without by-products.
I would much rather see a cat eat an all-by-product canned food than any dry food. This is because even the cheaper canned foods have the 'Big Three' covered:
1) high in water
2) usually low in carbohydrates
3) the protein is from animals - not plants
"This is an area of controversy and there are no clear-cut answers as to whether to feed products containing them because the quality and quantity can vary with each company and batch of food. ... It also makes more sense to include some animal-derived by-products in a carnivore's diet than it does to add potentially hyperallergenic, high carbohydrate grains like corn, wheat, rice, or soy."
We already know about the corn but should also consider --
"Soy contains phytoestrogens and soy also negatively influences the thyroid gland. Given how common hyperthyroidism is in the cat, soy has no business being in cat food. Unfortunately, soy is a common ingredient used by pet food manufacturers because it enhances their profit margin..."
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=cannedfoods#By-products >>>
When we look at the most common maladies in cats, the ingredients Susan does NOT have in red do more harm to more cats than parts of animals not fit for human consumption do.