Alfalfa

It is usually used in small amounts to give the food a natural look. Cats get little from it, since they cannot turn its beta-carotene into vitamin A and meat already supplies its other nutrients.

Alfalfa is a legume plant grown mostly as feed for horses and cattle, and some dry cat foods add it in small amounts. FDA includes alfalfa herb and seed in 21 CFR 582.10, its list of spices and natural seasonings with GRAS status for use in animal feed. That listing covers feed use in general and is not a cat study. If your cat has a medical condition, talk with your veterinarian about the ingredients in its food.

Source: govinfo.gov

In cat food, alfalfa is a dried green plant ingredient made from the leaves and stems of the alfalfa crop. It contributes plant fiber and some plant protein. Because it sits low on most ingredient lists, the amount in a recipe is usually small. The Pettings page describes it as a plant used to feed plant-eating animals such as horses and cows.

No, cats have no need for plant protein specifically. The Merck Veterinary Manual says cats must have some animal-based protein in their diet because plant proteins lack taurine, which cats require. Plant protein from alfalfa can add to the total protein number on the label, but it does not replace animal sources such as meat or fish in a cat's diet.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Alfalfa mainly adds plant fiber, so many shoppers group it with filler ingredients. The Merck Veterinary Manual states that dogs and cats have no dietary requirement for fiber. It adds that fiber can still have health benefits, while too much can interfere with nutrient absorption. How much alfalfa a recipe uses matters more than its presence on the label.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Pettings gives alfalfa 2 out of 5 and lists it as an herb or plant extract. It appears on 18 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. The score reflects that alfalfa is a forage plant with no known nutritional need in cats. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.