Is your food approved by AAFCO and has your food gone through an AAFCO feeding trial?

Our AAFCO statement: Young Again Cat Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

AAFCO has set standards and we comply with those minimum or maximum standards. For example, AAFCO states that the minimum protein level for an adult cat is 26% protein. Our foods range from 54% to 58% animal protein. A 55% protein diet is considered a carnivore diet and is what the average cat would consume in the wild. Generally, a 26% protein diet is considered an omnivore food and is similar to what people would generally consume.

We choose not to do an AAFCO feeding trial, it does not really give you any useful information and does not guarantee that a food is good for your cat for their entire life. The AAFCO test is only 26 weeks. At the end of those 26 weeks, a veterinarian evaluation along with blood tests are performed on trial cats. If everything is within standard veterinary medical parameters, the food passes the AAFCO test. This means that a cat food with 26% plant protein, 9% fat from plant sources and more than 50% starch could easily pass the 26 week AAFCO feeding trial. Few vets would make the argument that this type of diet would be a healthy food for the life of your cat. What about obesity or diabetes just to mention a few potential problems?

Long term monitoring is the most important consideration when determining if a diet is correct for your cat, not a one-time 26 week trial. Blood and urine testing are great tools to monitor your cat’s health along with annual veterinary exams. Young Again will continue to manufacture high protein, low starch foods the way nature intended your carnivore to eat.