Ingredients You’ll Never Find in Our Pet Food (and Why)
Pet parents care just as much about unsafe ingredients in pet food as they do about the nutritious ones. Knowing what not to feed cats and what not to feed dogs is an essential part of keeping them safe, healthy, and thriving. At Pet Krewe, we believe that transparency builds trust, which is why we’re shining a light on the harmful pet food ingredients that never make their way into our recipes.
Our commitment is simple, we craft food with natural, high protein ingredients while leaving out anything artificial, unnecessary, or questionable. Think of it like how Whole Foods set higher standards for people food, only here we are doing it for our furry friends. The goal is to help pet parents learn how to read pet food labels, recognize ingredients to avoid in pet food, and demand healthy pet food standards that make a real difference.
Artificial Preservatives That Don’t Belong in Pet Food
Artificial preservatives in pet food are used to extend shelf life, but many of them fall into the category of toxic pet food ingredients that cause more harm than good.
While some natural preservatives such as vitamin E or vitamin C can help keep food safe, synthetic chemicals like BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin have raised serious health concerns. Here’s everything you need to know about artificial preservatives that do not belong in pet food:
BHA
BHA in pet food is often used to prevent fats from spoiling, but studies suggest it is linked to cancer and reproductive problems in animals. This ingredient is one of the most widely criticized additives, and it is one of the first examples you will find on any list of ingredients to avoid in pet food. While regulations may still allow it in small amounts, the real question is whether pet parents want any cancer linked preservative in their cat’s or dog’s bowl.
BHT
BHT in pet food serves a similar role to BHA, preventing fats from turning rancid, but it is also a suspected carcinogen. Beyond pet food, BHT is often found in packaging materials and even in cosmetics, which tells you it functions more like an industrial chemical than a natural preservative. For those learning how to read pet food labels, spotting BHT is an easy red flag. Including it in meals is unnecessary when safer, natural options exist.
Ethoxyquin in Dog Food
Ethoxyquin in dog food was once used widely to preserve fat, but it has been banned or heavily restricted in places like the European Union and Australia. Research links it to liver damage, kidney toxicity, and even cancer. While some products may still include it in small amounts, any brand that cares about safety should not take the risk.
Artificial Colors That Add Risk, Not Value
Artificial colors in pet food are cosmetic only, meant to please people rather than pets. Cats and dogs do not care about food color, and dyes like Red 40 in pet food or other food dyes in cat food offer no nutritional value. These additives are widely considered harmful pet food ingredients and are best left out of any diet.
Red 40 in Pet Food and Other Dyes
Red 40 in pet food is one of the most commonly used dyes, and while it may brighten up kibble, it has been associated with cancer and behavioral issues in lab animals. Alongside Red 40, dyes like Yellow 5 and Blue 2 are all examples of food dyes in cat food and dog food that provide no nutritional benefit and only increase risks.
Reading labels carefully is the best way to spot these ingredients to avoid in pet food, and Salty Cat makes it easier by simply never including them. Pets thrive on protein rich diets, not artificial coloring.
Unsafe Additives and Industrial Chemicals
Some ingredients in pet food are not food at all, they are industrial chemicals. From the melamine in pet food recall to sodium tripolyphosphate found in detergents, these dangerous chemicals in pet food have no place in a healthy diet.
Melamine in Pet Food Recall
The melamine in pet food recall of 2007 is one of the most infamous events in pet nutrition history, resulting in thousands of cases of kidney failure and even pet deaths. Melamine is an industrial chemical used in plastics and fertilizers, not a food ingredient, yet it was illegally added to boost protein readings.
This tragedy highlighted the risks of unsafe ingredients in pet food and made pet parents far more aware of what not to feed cats and dogs. To this day, melamine serves as a warning sign of why transparency and strict standards are necessary in the industry.
Sodium Tripolyphosphate in Pet Food
Sodium tripolyphosphate in pet food may appear as a preservative or texture enhancer, but in reality it is a chemical more commonly found in detergents and cleaning products. Many countries have banned its use in food, recognizing that it belongs in industrial products rather than pet meals. Including this ingredient in cat food is both unnecessary and risky, and it directly contradicts healthy pet food standards.
Propylene Glycol in Cat Food
Propylene glycol in cat food has been banned by the FDA because it can cause anemia and other health problems in cats. While it may be considered somewhat safe for dogs in small amounts, it is still not worth the risk. Any substance that poses harm to one species should not be used casually in pet foods. Reading labels and looking for propylene glycol is one of the easiest ways to protect cats from toxic pet food ingredients.
Questionable Fillers and Animal By-Products
Fillers in pet food and animal by-products are often used to bulk up recipes without adding real nutrition. These ingredients can lead to obesity and other health issues, which is why they are among the most common ingredients to avoid in pet food.
Meat Meals in Pet Food
Meat meals in pet food are often produced from rendered scraps, which may include low quality parts of animals unfit for human consumption. The problem is not just the origin of these meals, but also the lack of transparency. Without clear labeling, pet parents have no way of knowing what the actual source is, which makes it difficult to assess quality. This is why meat meals are consistently listed as ingredients to avoid in pet food.
Animal By-Products in Cat Food
Animal by-products in cat food can range from organ meats, which may offer some nutrition, to low quality scraps like feathers, beaks, or hooves that add no value. The lack of clarity around what counts as a by-product makes it an unsafe choice for pet parents who care about transparency. For those searching for safe vs harmful pet food ingredients, by-products clearly fall into the harmful side when left undefined.
Corn Syrup and Sugars
Corn syrup and sugars in pet food are often overlooked, but they are among the harmful pet food ingredients that contribute to obesity, diabetes, and unhealthy weight gain. These fillers in pet food are considered empty calories that provide no lasting benefits. For pet parents learning how to read pet food labels, spotting added sugars is an important step in protecting their cats from long term health issues.
Why Our Standards Matter
When it comes to safe vs harmful pet food ingredients, the best standard is simple, eliminate everything that does not support health and only include what cats truly need. At Pet Krewe, we hold ourselves to this philosophy every day, offering foods made with limited ingredients, pure proteins, and absolutely no unsafe ingredients in pet food.
We never compromise with artificial preservatives in pet food, food dyes in cat food, or fillers in pet food that reduce nutritional value. Instead, we focus on natural alternatives to pet food additives that are proven safe and effective.
Our community driven approach means pet parents can feel confident that every recipe we create supports healthy pet food standards. Want to see what goes into your cat’s bowl instead of wondering what is left out? Explore our Salty Cat and Ella’s Best collection here for high-quality and safe pet food for your furry friends.
Conclusion
Pet parents deserve peace of mind when feeding their cats, and that begins with knowing which harmful pet food ingredients to avoid. From BHA in pet food to artificial colors and dangerous chemicals, these toxic pet food ingredients should never appear in meals meant to nourish our furry friends.
Share this list with fellow pet parents, check labels carefully, and always demand higher standards in the food you choose. When it comes to not feeding cats and dogs, Pet Krewe makes it easy, safe, and joyful.