Is there less meat in cat food now?

[BruhWhy]

My cats are suddenly starving!

They're fed wet and dry per the vet's recommendations, they get the right amount each day according to their weight.

I haven't changed their food. They haven't got worms. They have plenty of water which they drink.

They're just howling for more wet food which makes up 2/3 of their diet. Both of them!

When I do feed them they seem genuinely starving and wolf it down, but still want more.

DH said he reckons they've changed the recipe to include less meat, but there's no way of knowing for sure.

Anyone else noticing this with their cats or have mine just gained a whole new appetite after three years?

Which food is it?
Someone will probably know the usual meat content if you share which one it is.

Cats are obligate carnivores, so the contents will still be animal (check label?)

But it might not be good quality meat (rather random bits of carcass) and that might affect how filling it is

My cats' appetites can vary due to time of year/weather

Pack sizes seem to have shrunk over the summer. Or could it be that they ate less when it was warmer, and now it’s dropping temperatures they are more active?

Yes lots of cat food companies have reduced the pouch sizes without telling anyone, some by 25g! Shrinkflation. So yes they are probably hungry (even if it’s a little bit put on as well!)

I buy them the Sainsbury's chunks in jelly, the cans.

I'm now wondering if they've filled the cans with more jelly and less chunks, the cans are still 400g 🤔

It would be very easy for there to be more jelly than in previous cans. Do you have an older tin to compare the ingredients list to see if the percentages have altered?

Yes definitely. My cat has started to eat vegetables and crisps, which is really odd.

What brand is it op? I wonder if someone has an old can you can compare it to

Same, they're suddenly scrimmaging for food off plates and countertops.

I don't know about cat food but my dog can only eat one branded dog food without having a reaction to it. You are right about the reduced meat content, in this case, the weight is made up with set jelly. Which makes my dog ill. I fully expect the same with cat food. Was just thinking today that I'm going to have to start feeding him fresh food.

Weight them twice a week apart and check they haven't actually lost weight.

The can will tell you the meat percentage and maybe someone here will know if it used to be higher.

Many of the supermarket and well known cat food brands had very little actual meat content in them to start with, even before pack sizes were reduced, jelly content increased etc.

Read the label op it will tell you the meat content. Good quality food should have 80% meat and the rest vegetables.

Have they been checked by the vet recently? My cat's appetite changed and she had diabetes and hyperthyroidism, when treated it settled now

Pouches used to be 120g then 100g now some are 85g. I give 3 pouches between 2 cats one large male and one little female. The female eats about 1 pouch and male cat 2 pouches. Same at night. Sometimes I give them 1 pouch each at lunch time especially when it's cold. They have crunchies left out but neither are very keen. They eat a few then turn their nose up and I've tried several different brands. Your cat might just need an additional 1/2 pouch.

Once a week I let them share a tin of tuna in spring water and on Sundays I cook them chicken breasts. Obviously in place of pouches.

Ours definitely get hungrier at this time of year - they are laying down fat for the winter

They used to eat paté style food in tins but have got fussier in their old age. They are on Felix AGAIL now and the sachets have been reduced this year from 100g to 85g. And there is loads of jelly. With the paté type food it's harder to do this - wish we'd been able to stick with it!

Another example of shrinkflation i would say.

And the bloody jelly gives my pet diarrhoea. Stop adding to it please, manufacturers.