Article: Cats are obligate carnivores and they need meat-based protein to thrive. Check the ingredients list on cat food to confirm the first ingredient is a meat like chicken, tuna, beef, or turkey. Good cat food will list a specific meat as the first ingredient, rather than 'meat by-products' or 'poultry'.. If the label just says “meat” or “meat by-product,” it may not be very high quality. Make sure the type of animal protein is specified on the label. Many cat foods will contain grains like corn, barley, or wheat. These grains provide carbohydrates for cats, which will give them energy. Ideally, the top 5 ingredients in the food should be meat first, organs second (such as liver), followed by grains and plant matter. Meat should always come before grains and vegetables. These ingredients are essential to maintaining your cat’s health. If the cat food contains high quality meat content, it should contain taurine and arachidonic acid. If the cat food does not contain taurine or arachidonic acid, it likely does not contain animal sources of protein. Avoid cat foods that have plant sources of protein instead of animal sources of protein. Look for vitamins like vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, and vitamin B12 in the food. These vitamins are essential to keeping your cat healthy. Minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, sodium, and zinc should also be listed as ingredients in the cat food. These minerals help your cat maintain healthy joints, bones, and teeth. Most cat foods will contain animal by-products. If the food is high quality, it may contain animal by-products like liver, and lungs. These are fine for cats to consume. Lower-quality foods may have animal by-products (such as fur or feathers) that are hard for cats to digest. Avoid lower-quality cat foods with lots of unspecified by-products.  By-products should appear before the list of grains, plant matter, vitamins, and minerals. They are highly nutritious and come with great benefits. Some cat food brands will list the by-products, such as "animal liver or lungs" while other brands may just say "animal by-products." Try to pick a food that specifies the by-product. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulates pet food and helps to ensure pet food is to industry standards. Look at the label on the food to confirm it has been certified by the AAFCO. This means the food has been independently tested and deemed safe for pets.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Check for meat proteins. Look for high-quality grains in the food. Check the taurine and arachidonic acid content. Confirm there are vitamins and minerals in the food. Check for by-products. Check if the food has been certified by the AAFCO.