[Alain Stevens – Petfood Advisor]

When pet owners compare kibble or wet food, they often focus on one number first: the protein percentage. Products advertising “high protein” formulas usually appear more attractive and are frequently promoted by scoring apps or online rankings.

But there is an important detail that many simplified pet food charts fail to explain properly:

A high protein percentage does not automatically mean that the animal can actually use those proteins efficiently.

In animal nutrition, digestibility is just as important as quantity.

Digestibility refers to the ability of the dog or cat to break down proteins during digestion and absorb the amino acids needed for muscles, organs, immune function, skin, and overall metabolism. If proteins are poorly digested, a significant portion may simply pass through the digestive system without delivering the expected nutritional benefits.

This means that two foods displaying similar protein levels on the packaging may perform very differently biologically.

One recipe may contain highly digestible animal-based proteins adapted to carnivorous metabolism, while another may rely more heavily on lower-quality ingredients that are harder for the body to process efficiently.

The challenge for consumers is that pet food labels rarely provide a direct “digestibility score.” Most packaging simply lists crude protein percentages without explaining how usable those proteins truly are inside the animal’s body.

Because of that, owners often need to look for indirect clues.

Ingredient transparency is one of them. Recipes using clearly identified protein sources are often easier to evaluate than vague formulations with generic descriptions. The origin and processing of ingredients can strongly influence nutritional quality.

The animal’s response to the food also provides valuable information. Digestible proteins are often associated with better stool quality, improved coat condition, stable digestion, and more consistent energy levels. On the other hand, frequent digestive discomfort or unusually large stool volume may sometimes suggest lower nutrient utilization.

Industrial processing is another important factor rarely discussed in simplified scoring systems. Excessive heat, aggressive extrusion methods, and ingredient degradation can alter protein structure and reduce nutritional efficiency. Yet barcode-scanning apps generally cannot evaluate these hidden technical details.

This is one reason why many simplified ABCDE-style pet food scores can become misleading. Algorithms often reward impressive protein percentages without being able to fully measure the real biological value of those proteins.

There is also no universal answer that works for every animal. Digestive tolerance varies greatly between dogs and cats. Some pets handle certain ingredients very well, while others react poorly to the exact same formula.

For that reason, experienced pet owners increasingly look beyond simple numerical ratings and try to understand the overall nutritional context of the food instead.

In pet nutrition, the most important question is not only “how much protein is inside the bag,” but also “how well can my animal actually use it?”

[Auteur]

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