About Me, and CatFoodDB

Hi! My name is Tammy, and I've been evaluating and reviewing cat food since 2015. Over the last 8 years, I have read thousands of cat food ingredient labels, guaranteed analysis percentages, and have captured that information, along with my personal unbiased analysis, here on CatFoodDB.com.

My interest in pet nutrition, particularly for our feline friends, began after a visit to the pet store one afternoon. Earlier that day, I had been to my vet's office, and during the conversation, she listed several ingredients she believed my cats should steer clear of.

While at the pet food store, I spent a significant amount of time reading tiny ingredient lists on various cat food cans, trying to find ones without the offending words. At the time, I only had a vague understanding that carbs were generally less desirable in cat food and that I should be looking for foods higher in protein.

I left the store that day empty-handed, as I couldn't decide on the "best" food for my three beloved black felines that aligned with my vet's suggestions. When I returned home, I sought help from my reliable friend, the internet.

Google directed me to many articles, some very opinionated, on the subject of feline diets. They explained what was beneficial, what was harmful, why certain brands were superior, and others inferior. Some even touted raw food as the best and condemned all commercial options (for the record—they're not all bad). However, what I struggled to find was a straightforward way to determine which commercial cat diets did or did not contain the specific ingredients I was instructed to avoid.

This led me to create the initial version of CatFoodDB.com. My aim was to build a fully searchable database that could help me identify products without, for instance, seafood or soy (not that there's anything wrong with these; they're just common allergens for some cats). As a web developer by profession, I felt uniquely poised to create such a site.

The response to CatFoodDB.com was encouraging. However, a common query emerged: "This site is helpful—but what food is the best?" That's not an easy question to answer. I've realized there's no one "best" food; it depends on the specific cat, their health, and various other factors. Moreover, even the highest quality food isn't any good if your cat refuses to eat it—we all know how selective cats can be about their meals sometimes! But, equipped with my research and data for all these different products, I began to identify trends that indicated some options were quantifiably superior to others. I wanted to share my insights with others who might be searching for similar information, and that's how CatFoodDB evolved into what it is today. It now includes not just the raw data but also a fact-based review and analysis of that data for each product I've evaluated.

It's important to clarify—I am not a vet, nor do I have any veterinary training. My experience comes from owning, fostering, and caring for many cats over several decades. I doubt there are many others who've dedicated as much time as I have to understanding and evaluating cat food nutrition labels. While I don't consider myself an expert in pet nutrition (yet?), I've definitely invested substantial effort in thinking about how to fairly assess pet food products, working with the limited information that labels provide. I am grateful to know that many have found my efforts valuable over the years. Thank you for your continued support!

~tammy