I picked up the Core cat food for my kitty, but I had a question about the statement on their website. I know evo has 50% meat, as does serengeti, and orijen has 75% meat. I was hoping to compare, and I came across this:

CORE features the highest inclusions of meat possible in a dry cat food, with over 80% high-quality, animal protein ingredients.

So what exactly are "animal protein ingredients"? It seems like if it were actually meat, they just would have said meat.

So I emailed the company asking for a claficication and they gave me an even more confusing answer.

We are very excited about our new Wellness dry cat food Core. Wellness has redefined the world of grain-free cat food! CORE features the highest inclusions of meat possible in a dry cat food, with over 80% (actually 82% on an as feed basis) high-quality, animal protein ingredients.

They just danced around my question! Plus, correct me if i'm wrong, but everything besides water is LESS on an as fed basis, is it not? Something smells fishy. Can anyone help me make sense of this?

Here's the ingredient list if that helps.

Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Salmon Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Rosemary Extract.

So what exactly are "animal protein ingredients"? It seems like if it were actually meat, they just would have said meat.

There is "animal protein" such as meat, fish and so on...Then you have "plant protein" such as corn, rice, wheat and so on..:)

The main ingredients in this food is "animal protein"..

Jen

"Animal protein" in this case includes turkey, chicken, whitefish and salmon. It's an accepted (but confusing) term - "meat" isn't a word used for fish products. Plus, correct me if i'm wrong, but everything besides water is LESS on an as fed basis, is it not? Something smells fishy. Can anyone help me make sense of this?
I'm not completely sure I understand your question here - "as fed" includes the moisture content - but the only true comparisons among foods are the "dry matter basis" comparisons.

Maybe I didn't ask my question very well. I know the only comparisons are as fed and dry matter. What I meant was that if the 80% was on a dry matter basis, then how could the percentage of animal protein go up once transferred to an as fed basis, to 82%?

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/dm_1.jpg

See, in this food, when you have 45% protein on a dry matter basis, you add the moisture in and on an as fed basis, the protein "goes down" to 17%. How could it go from 80% to 82% going from dry matter to as fed?

Maybe I didn't ask my question very well. I know the only comparisons are as fed and dry matter. What I meant was that if the 80% was on a dry matter basis, then how could the percentage of animal protein go up once transferred to an as fed basis, to 82%?

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/dm_1.jpg

See, in this food, when you have 45% protein on a dry matter basis, you add the moisture in and on an as fed basis, the protein "goes down" to 17%. How could it go from 80% to 82% going from dry matter to as fed?Ah, I see - you were referring to the company response:CORE features the highest inclusions of meat possible in a dry cat food, with over 80% (actually 82% on an as feed basis) high-quality, animal protein ingredients.That's 82% "meat and fish" (including the moisture) going into the "as fed" product rather than the percentage of actual "protein" in the food. Just another case where the term "animal protein" serves to confuse rather than edify.;)

The 82% was meant to clarify the "over 80 percent" reference, but it just muddied the waters even more. 80% never referred to dry matter basis.

My eyes glazed as I read the science... but I was cheered to see a cat food containing so much meat. Do they make a canned variety? I'm still leery of dry food for cats.

My eyes glazed as I read the science... but I was cheered to see a cat food containing so much meat. Do they make a canned variety? I'm still leery of dry food for cats.Yes, it looks like a very interesting dry food! I don't see a canned food listed:

http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/wellness/cat_wellness_dry_core.html

But several companies have "95% meat" canned foods. Nature's Variety Prairie is one - also Nature's Logic, I believe.

Nature's Variety Prairie Brand Feline Rabbit Cans
Nature's Variety Canned Food (95% meat) contains fresh quality meat, organs, vegetables, fruits, chelated minerals, kelp, herb and fruit extracts, and added vitamins. It contains no grains and therefore does not contribute to the high levels of carbohydrates present in most processed diets. This variety of canned foods, with emphasis on the meat and organ content, offers an easy way to increase the meat content and variety of a pet's diet.

Yes, it looks like a very interesting dry food! I don't see a canned food listed:

http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/wellness/cat_wellness_dry_core.html

But several companies have "95% meat" canned foods. Nature's Variety Prairie is one - also Nature's Logic, I believe.

Tried them on the Nature's Variety Prairie back in CT and didn't go over well with them... although having said that I wonder if it was Prairie raw I tried them on... and which they rolled off their plate onto the floor in disgust.