Ingredient index
Every ingredient the catalogue references, what it does, and why it might matter. 121 entries.
Beneficial
Fat source and palatant
No species named. Commonly preserved with BHA or BHT unless stated otherwise.
evidence: moderate
Palatant
Legally vague, and synthetic. You cannot tell what is in it.
evidence: moderate
Neutral
Beneficial
Neutral
Use with care
Beneficial
Clumping agent
Creates dust; the debate around ingestion is more contested than either side admits.
evidence: moderate
Synthetic preservative
Classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Permitted in pet food at limited levels; natural alternatives such as mixed tocopherols exist.
evidence: moderate
Synthetic preservative
Long-standing safety debate in the published literature. Natural alternatives such as mixed tocopherols exist.
evidence: moderate
Artificial colour
Colour exists entirely for the human buying the bag.
evidence: moderate
Caution
Carbohydrate source
A milling by-product rather than whole rice, and a lower-cost bulking ingredient.
evidence: high
Neutral
Beneficial
Neutral
Thickener and stabiliser
Degraded forms have been linked to intestinal inflammation in laboratory studies. Whether food-grade carrageenan behaves the same way is actively disputed.
evidence: low
Beneficial
Beneficial
Protein source
Nutritionally variable batch to batch, and the label cannot tell you what went in.
evidence: moderate
Beneficial
Beneficial
Antiseptic
Effective and widely used, but a product built around it is a therapeutic choice, not a cosmetic one.
evidence: high
Neutral
Neutral
Cleansing and foam booster
Reported as a contact sensitizer in a minority of cases.
evidence: high
Beneficial
Beneficial
Beneficial
Carbohydrate source
Inexpensive bulk. Nutritious in context, but often used to displace meat.
evidence: high
Sweetener and humectant
Added sugar. It makes the treat appealing and contributes empty calories.
evidence: high
Neutral
Neutral
Beneficial
Beneficial
Neutral
Beneficial
Scent
Contents undisclosed, and essential oils vary enormously in pet safety.
evidence: low
Synthetic preservative
Contested for decades and frequently not declared on the bag when it arrives inside fish meal. Restricted in several jurisdictions.
evidence: moderate
Concentrated protein source
Names fish, but not which fish. Less specific than "salmon meal".
evidence: high
Beneficial
Adds scent
May irritate sensitive pets, and you cannot tell what is actually in it.
evidence: moderate
Added for joint support
Added at low levels in food. Evidence for benefit at dietary levels is mixed, and the label itself notes AAFCO does not recognise it as an essential nutrient.
evidence: low
Beneficial
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Caution
Processing agent
A processing chemical that appears on some labels and not others, even for similar products.
evidence: low
Beneficial
Caution
Beneficial
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Beneficial
Scent
Essential oils are concentrated; cats in particular metabolize many of them poorly.
evidence: moderate
Caution
Caution
Binder and carrier
A rapidly digested starch with little nutritional contribution.
evidence: moderate
Protein source
No species named, so there is no way to know what this is or to avoid a protein your pet reacts to.
evidence: moderate
Synthetic vitamin source
A synthetic analogue used in place of natural vitamin K. Its use in pet food is debated.
evidence: low
Neutral
Beneficial
Unspecified cleansing
Tells you nothing about what is actually in the bottle.
evidence: low
Palatant
Legally vague. It can cover a wide range of substances, and you cannot tell which.
evidence: moderate
Beneficial
Caution
Fibre source
A separate listing of the same base ingredient as peas and pea protein.
evidence: moderate
Plant protein source
Raises the crude protein number on the analysis without adding meat.
evidence: moderate
Carbohydrate source
A separate listing of the same base ingredient as peas and pea protein.
evidence: moderate
Neutral
Insect repellent
Documented as seriously toxic to dogs and cats. There is broad agreement it does not belong in pet products.
evidence: high
Disinfectant
Cats are particularly poor at clearing phenolic compounds. Widely cautioned against in homes with cats.
evidence: high
Neutral
Caution
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Fibre source and bulking agent
Adds bulk and fibre with little nutritional contribution.
evidence: moderate
Humectant and solvent
Topically well tolerated in dogs; restricted in cat food, which is where most of the confusion originates.
evidence: moderate
Humectant
Banned in cat food in the United States because it causes Heinz body formation in feline red blood cells. Permitted in dog food.
evidence: high
Neutral
Long-lasting chew
A well-documented choking and intestinal obstruction hazard: it softens and can be swallowed in large pieces. Processing may involve chemical treatment that the label rarely describes.
evidence: high
Artificial colour
Colour exists entirely for the human buying the bag. A pet does not care what its food looks like.
evidence: moderate
Neutral
Descaling agent
Appropriate in medicated formulas but can irritate; not for casual use.
evidence: high
Beneficial
Beneficial
Neutral
Beneficial
Neutral
Palatant
Vague term. It exists to make the product appeal to the owner as much as the pet.
evidence: low
Neutral
Beneficial
Neutral
Disinfectant
Irritating to airways and skin; must be fully rinsed and dried before pets return to the surface.
evidence: high
Caution
Beneficial
Cleansing agent
Can be drying and irritating, particularly on already-sensitive skin.
evidence: high
Neutral
Sweetener and humectant
Can cause digestive upset in quantity. Not xylitol, which is the genuinely dangerous one.
evidence: moderate
Caution
Plant protein source
Common allergen in some dogs; also a cheap way to raise the protein figure.
evidence: moderate
Caution
Neutral
Beneficial
Antimicrobial and scent
Widely documented as toxic to dogs and cats at high concentrations. Improper use, especially undiluted, is a well-known cause of poisoning cases.
evidence: high
Artificial colour
Banned as a food additive in the European Union following a 2021 safety re-evaluation. No nutritional function.
evidence: moderate
Beneficial
Neutral
Neutral
Carbohydrate source
A low-cost bulking ingredient and a recognised sensitivity in some dogs.
evidence: moderate
Plant protein and binder
Raises crude protein without animal ingredients.
evidence: moderate
Astringent
The alcohol content, not the witch hazel, is usually what dries the skin.
evidence: moderate
Neutral
Sweetener
Extremely toxic to dogs even in small amounts. Should never appear in a pet oral product.
evidence: high
Artificial colour
Colour exists entirely for the human buying the bag.
evidence: moderate
Read this before you trust the number
This application is intended for educational purposes only. Scores are generated using publicly available product information and are not veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian regarding medical decisions.
A high score does not mean a product is right for your pet, and a low score does not mean it is dangerous. An individual animal can react to an ingredient that scores well here, and a product with a mediocre score may be exactly what your vet recommends.