Here are 10 USA pet food brand names:
- Blue Buffalo
- Hill’s Science Diet
- Purina Pro Plan
- Wellness
- Taste of the Wild
- Merrick
- Nutro
- Canidae
- Orijen
- American Journey
Pet food brands:
The US market has seen an incredible growth in pet food brands, following the record sales of 65.8 USD billion in 2024 alone. This shows that the USA food market is booming day by day, as more and more pet owners start to rely on these brands to feed their pets.
Established brands in the USA follow AAFCO( Association of American Feed Control Officials), thus have better quality control and nutritional sourcing.
Different categories of pet food brands:
The following are different food brands catering to various pet diets.
Premium brands:
These brands support veterinary research and strictly follow the AAFCO guidelines, and are recommended by vets. They are more expensive than others(except organic brands) due to quality checks, and pet parents can face issues of affordability.
Organic brands:
These brands use natural ingredients and avoid fillers, additives, and preservatives to meet the fresh food criteria for pets. They follow USDA( 100% or at least 95% organic food) and stick to organic ingredients and avoid harmful chemicals, flavors, and fillers. They are comparatively expensive, because they meet organic food standards for pet’s diet.
Budget-friendly brands/ commercial brands:
They are most common among pet owners because they are affordable for everyone. They use chemicals, fillers, additives, and preservatives that are harmful to your pet’s health. They are suitable families managing tight budgets to meet the basic nutritional needs of pet.
Specialized brands:
They are available for pets with medical conditions and are prescribed by vets. They are not for general pets that have no disease or specific condition. They are provided under medical conditions to pets like food allergies, sensitivities, obesity, urinary issues, and digestive problems.
Things to consider before choosing any food brand:
The following are factors to consider before going for any brand.
- Nutritional quality: AAFCO qualified or not.
- Transparency: label details and sourcing info.
- Brand reputation: Does the brand have the customer or not?
- Vet approved: Does your vet approve it or not?
- Money value: Does the food brand actually provide the same value for your money?
Dog food vs cat food:
Dogs are natural omnivores, which means that their body is designed in such a to digest food sourced from both animals and plants. They can also synthesize specific nutrients like Vitamin A and taurine. They have lower protein requirements, according to AAFCO it is about 18%(protein requirement) for adult dogs.
Beacuse of thier inner biology( being omnivores in nature), they respond well to a balanced diet that includes meat from animals and carbohydrates, grains and vegetables from plants. Their digestive system can deal with fillers and additives better than cats.
Cat, on the other hand are obligate carnivores, their body is dependent on protein sourced by animals only. Unlike dogs, they can make their own nutrients like taurine and Vitamin A, so they need to get these from their food. Cats have protein requirements ranging from 25% to 30% percent, which reflects their predatory nature. With a small digestive system and limited enzyme supply, they are unable to process plant matter.
Being carnivores in nature, they respond well to protein sourced by animals, and can not adapt mechanisms to fillers, additives, and plant matter. When given a meat-rich diet, cats digest proteins, amino acids, and fats, better than dogs, resulting in stronger muscles and a healthier coat.
