Is Iams Good for Cats?

Before you decide on the perfect food for your cat that has all the nutrition it needs, It is important to weigh the pros and cons of different cat foods. One of the most famous and common brands of cat food is Iams. Iams claims to be good for cats in terms of nutrition, quality, and total energy composition. But to what extent is iams actually good for your cat?

In this article we will be weighing the pros and cons of Iams for you as well as other aspects you should consider, so you can be one step closer to making the perfect diet decision for your cat.

What kind of food is good for cats?

If you want your cat to stay active throughout the day and have a good diet, there are many things that you need to look into before you choose the right cat food for your cat.

While the composition of cat food will differ based on the age and breed of your cat, there are a few things that are fed to all cats.

You should aim to feed your cat foods that are high in levels of animal protein, the right combination of wet and dry food, as well as moderate amounts of fatty acid.

Basically, any food that isn’t a vegan diet and is given according to the age of your cat with your vet’s consultation, should do just fine. For example for older cats vet usually prescribes liquid cat foods.

But do Iams fulfill this criterion for your cat? Let’s look into more detail about iams and if it’s good for your cat.

Types of iams cat foods

Iams offers different types of cat foods that are meant to be fed based on your cats’ suggested diet.

Some of the most widely available products are:

• Iams ProActive Health Adult Original with Chicken Dry Cat Food (Dry)
• Iams ProActive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball Care Dry Cat Food (Dry)
• Iams Perfect Portions Indoor Tuna Recipe Grain-Free Cat Food (Wet)

Your vet will recommend the best products based on your cat’s situation, that is whether it is an outdoor or indoor cat, active or lazy, and based on it’s breed.

Let’s look into these in more detail to see if it’s a good fit for cats.

Ingredients in iams cat foods

Iams ProActive Health Adult

This variation of Iams cat food is rich in chicken meat which provides cats all the proteins it needs. Other lists of ingredients that are included are as follows:

• Corn
• Chicken Fat
• Dried vegetable extract
• Egg products
• Fish Oil
• Other preservatives and vitamins for cat growth

Besides these, some natural and artificial flavors are added so your cat can eat the food comfortably.

Since it’s dry cat food, it doesn’t have a very high level of water. It is rich in proteins, fiber, and fat, all the things your young that your adult cat may require to stay active throughout the day.

It also contains a balanced proportion of fat carbs and proteins. Beware if your cat’s protein need is not fulfilled you may find your feline eating cobwebs.

Iams ProActive Health Indoor Weight & Hairball

This version of Iams is good for indoor cats and is comparatively lower in fat so the indoor cats stay in shape and avoid throwing up hairballs. It is also lighter for cats to consume, meaning it has a lower calorie count.

The main ingredients this version of Iams cat food contains are:

• Chicken and chicken fat
• Dried Peas
• Whole grain
• Fish oil
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Food coloring
• Other vitamins and preservatives

Similar to the adult Iams variation we mentioned above, this cat food has different flavors and meats such as turkey and chicken to provide the ultimate source of protein to your cat.

It has a low moisture content (because it is dry food), a good amount of protein which is more than the fat and fiber content of the food overall.

However, there are a few ingredients that can be a little harmful to cats. We will talk about them later in this article.

Iams Portions Indoor Tuna Recipe

As mentioned in the name, this type of wet cat food contains fish, specifical tuna. To balance out the fat level in this cat food, sunflower oil is added instead of fish oil. other ingredients included in the list are as follows:

• Fish Broth
• Tapioca Starch
• Carrageenan
• Guar Gum

This type of Iams cat food has an overall low amount of fat as compared to proteins and carbohydrates. It also contains a high level of thickeners and preservatives which can be a little harmful to cats if eaten regularly.

Since this is wet cat food, the moisture content exceeds the level of fiber fat and protein combined. The amount of fiber is also almost negligible, which is not very good for your cat.

Should you feed your cat iams?

Finally, it’s time to get answers. Now that you know the different types of Iams cat foods, should you feed your cat these?

To understand this, we are going to look at the pros and cons of using Iams for your cat.

Iams ProActive Health Adult

If we talk about Iams ProActive Health Adult Dry Food, it has a good amount of fatty acids incorporated, which help cats stay healthy without becoming obese. The protein content is good and it is overall suitable if you are considering a balanced diet for your cat.

However, a drawback of this food product could be that it contains corn which is processed and added as many different ingredients. Some cats are allergic to corn and if they happen to ingest this product, then the consequences could be severe.

Iams ProActive Indoor Weight & Hairball

This product contains sufficient fish oils as well as a good amount of chicken and turkey which is a good source of protein for your kitten or cat.

The drawback for this is that there are a large number of carbohydrates and it can be difficult for your cat to digest them. It also contains food coloring which isn’t the best for your cat to ingest. Moreover, a vegan diet for cats isn’t encouraged, but if it has to be added then it should be of good quality.

This product does not have the best quality vegan ingredients and is also made with animal byproducts, which should be avoided. Egg ingredients can also cause allergies in cats.

Iams Portions Indoor Tuna Recipe

This Iams product has a good amount of fish composition, and can also be addicting if your cat likes to fish. It is also made without using any animal byproducts, unlike the weight and hair loss Iams product.

On the other hand, it contains more amount of carbs than other wet foods with a similar function, and also contains chemicals like carrageenan.

Moreover, vets do not recommend feeding your cat fish-based diets for a long period. An excess amount of fish or fish oil can cause obesity and addiction and maybe a big problem for both you and your cat in the future.

Should you feed iams to your cat?

Based on the pros and cons of each product, You probably have a general idea about whether Iams is good for your cat.

While Iams products do tick many boxes about dietary conditions you would like for your cat, other problems are not negligible.

Overall, if we sum up the pros and cons of the products we’ve mentioned above, then it is best to avoid Iams cat food and switch to another company completely.

This would also depend upon whether your cat has allergies from certain ingredients or if your vet says that your cat needs high amounts of carbohydrates and fish oil.

Finally, if you have already fed your cat Iams cat food, and you see some sort of side effects or allergies in your feline friend, then you should take it to your local vet immediately.