Why All the Fuss About Cat Food?

With an estimated 137.5 million dogs and cats in American households (2002 figures), it's no surprise that the pet food industry is a multi-billion dollar "cash cow." Retail cat food sales alone accounted for an estimated 8.2 billion dollars in 2002, according to Ann Gurkin, writing for the Petfood Industry magazine.

It is therefore unfortunate that some of the top-selling pet foods may be doing cats an injustice, and in some cases, may actually be harming them.

Warning: This article contains some graphic written description of things that may produce revulsion in some readers. It is my opinion that this information is vital to the understanding of the ongoing crisis in the pet food industry, and to help my readers make educated food choices for their cats. However, if you are squeamish, either hold your cat on your lap and try to remember that you are reading for his sake, skip over the "bad parts," or skip the article entirely.