[Alain Stevens – Petfood Advisor]

In the pet food industry, “high protein” has become one of the strongest marketing arguments. Many dog and cat owners automatically associate a higher protein percentage with superior nutrition, and some brands proudly display impressive numbers on the front of the bag to attract attention.

At first glance, the logic seems simple: more protein should mean better food.

But in reality, things are far less straightforward.

A kibble can contain a very high protein percentage and still raise legitimate concerns among experienced consumers, breeders, or nutrition-focused communities. The reason is that protein quantity alone does not reveal the full nutritional picture.

One major issue is the source of the protein itself.

Two products may both advertise 40% protein while using completely different raw materials. One formula may rely on highly digestible animal proteins suited to carnivorous metabolism, while another may increase its protein level through lower-cost ingredients with a very different biological value.

The label may show the same percentage, but the nutritional outcome inside the animal’s body can be very different.

Processing methods also matter more than many people realize. Industrial manufacturing techniques, high-temperature extrusion, ingredient oxidation, and nutrient degradation can all influence the final quality of the food. A product that looks excellent on paper may not perform as well nutritionally after heavy industrial processing.

Another important factor is overall balance.

A formula extremely rich in protein may also contain very high fat levels or excessive caloric density. For active working dogs, that may be perfectly appropriate. For sterilized indoor cats or sedentary pets, the same formula may contribute to weight gain or digestive issues if not adapted to their lifestyle.

This is why context is essential in animal nutrition.

There is no universally “perfect” kibble that works equally well for every dog or cat. Age, activity level, metabolism, sterilization status, digestive sensitivity, and health history all influence how a food should be evaluated.

Online debates often oversimplify these realities. Social media rankings frequently reward products with the highest protein numbers while ignoring digestibility, ingredient quality, mineral balance, or adaptation to specific physiological needs.

On the other side, some critics attack high-protein foods without distinguishing between genuinely well-formulated recipes and products that simply use protein-heavy marketing strategies.

Digestibility remains one of the least visible factors for consumers. A food with slightly lower protein percentages but excellent nutrient absorption may ultimately provide better nutritional support than a more extreme formula that the animal struggles to process efficiently.

This is one reason why simplified ABCDE-style scoring systems can become misleading. They often encourage people to compare isolated numbers rather than understanding the complete nutritional structure of the food.

In the end, pet nutrition is not a competition to find the highest protein percentage possible.

The real objective is finding a balanced, digestible, and biologically appropriate formula adapted to the specific animal eating it.

[Auteur]

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