Catfish Meal
Our ingredient score: 5 / 5 · Named animal protein · How We Score
Catfish meal is catfish that has been cooked and dried, with most of its water and part of its fat removed. Because it is concentrated, it adds much more protein to dry food than the same weight of fresh catfish. It also brings calcium and phosphorus from the bones. The label names the fish, which tells you exactly where the protein comes from.
Common Questions
Why is catfish meal higher in protein than catfish?
Because most of the water is removed. Fresh fish is mostly water, so a pound of the dried meal holds much more protein.
Is catfish meal safe for cats?
Catfish meal is catfish that has been cooked and dried, with most of the water and part of the fat removed. AAFCO explains that rendering uses heat and pressure to remove most of the water and fat, leaving mainly protein and minerals. It is used as a concentrated protein in dry food. If your cat has a fish allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian whether a food with catfish meal is a fit.
Source: aafco.org
What is catfish meal in cat food?
Catfish meal is a dry, ground protein made from cooked catfish. Most of the water and some of the fat are taken out, which leaves a powder that is far higher in protein by weight than fresh fish. Dry cat food makers use it to raise protein without adding moisture. The ground bone in the meal also brings calcium and phosphorus.
What does meal mean on a cat food label?
Meal means the animal tissue was rendered, cooked and dried into a powder. AAFCO says that during rendering, heat and pressure remove most of the water and fat, leaving primarily protein and minerals. A named meal, like catfish meal, tells you the species. Meal is a processing term and has nothing to do with grain.
Source: aafco.org
Does catfish meal add calcium to cat food?
Yes, catfish meal adds some calcium. The meal is made from cooked fish that can include bone, and the ground bone supplies calcium and phosphorus along with the protein. That mineral content is one reason fish meals differ from deboned fish fillets. A complete and balanced cat food still adjusts its total mineral levels with the full recipe in mind.
How does Pettings score catfish meal?
Pettings gives catfish meal 5 out of 5 and lists it as a named animal protein. It appears on 1 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. The score applies to the ingredient only. Each food's page shows how that food scores overall, which also reflects its other ingredients.
How Foods With Catfish Meal Compare
Catfish Meal is on the label of 1 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.