Petra’s Ingredient Awareness Guide
A practical guide to understanding diet-related irritation, sensitivities, and inflammation.
When pets struggle with itchy skin, digestive issues, recurring ear infections, or chronic licking, we immediately think allergies. But in many cases, what we’re seeing is the body reacting to poor-quality ingredients, inflammatory additives, excessive processing, or imbalanced diets—not true allergies to food itself.
This guide breaks down the most common dietary triggers commonly found in kibble and the ingredients worth watching for when choosing food for your pet.
01. Highly Processed Carbohydrates & Fillers
Carbohydrates aren’t inherently harmful, but the quality and quantity matter.
Many commercial pet foods—especially kibble—rely on fillers that can contribute to inflammation, digestive imbalance, and yeast-related issues.
Ingredients to watch for:
Corn (gluten meal, distillers dried, ground corn)
Wheat (wheat middlings, wheat flour, wheat gluten)
Soy and soy protein isolates
White rice, brewers rice
Potato starch/pea starch (in excess)
Lentils, chickpeas, beans as primary protein sources
Cats, being obligate carnivores, are especially sensitive to carbohydrate-heavy diets.
02. Low-Quality Animal Proteins
Protein should be at the centre of both canine and feline nutrition—but the quality of that protein matters.
Ingredients to watch for:
“Meat by-product”
“Meat meal” without a defined species
“Poultry meal”
“Animal fat” listed without a source
“Digest” or “animal digest”
Hydrolyzed proteins from unspecified ingredients
If the animal source isn’t named, you’re likely looking at a low-grade, highly processed ingredient.
03. Repetitive Protein Feeding & Sensitivities
When pets eat the same protein source for months or even years, they can develop sensitivities—not true allergies, but reactions caused by lack of variety and long-term overexposure.
Most commonly:
Chicken
Beef
Turkey
If your pet shows chronic symptoms, consider rotating to:
Pork
Lamb
Duck
Rabbit
Venison
Fish-based formulas
Cats especially thrive with regular rotation to support a diverse amino acid profile and prevent boredom or digestive fatigue.
04. Synthetic Additives, Preservatives & Colours
Many processed pet foods contain additives that the digestive and immune systems don’t love.
Ingredients to eliminate:
BHA/BHT
Ethoxyquin
Propylene glycol
Artificial flavours
Artificial colours (Red 40, Yellow 6, etc.)
Look for natural alternatives such as mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E) or rosemary extract.
05. Seed Oils & Oxidized Fats
Dogs and cats both rely on healthy fats for energy, skin health, and nutrient absorption. But poor-quality fats can lead to inflammation, itchiness, and digestive issues.
Watch for:
Sunflower oil
Canola oil
Soybean oil
Non-specific “animal fat”
Fats used in kibble are extremely prone to oxidation once exposed to air, light, and heat.
06. Yeast-Promoting or High-Glycaemic Ingredients
Pets experiencing chronic ear debris, paw-licking, or skin irritation often benefit from minimizing high-glycaemic, yeast-fuelling ingredients.
Ingredients to limit:
Sugars (molasses, cane sugar, caramel)
Corn
Wheat
White potato, tapioca
These ingredients can spike insulin, destabilize digestion, and contribute to systemic inflammation.
07. Synthetic Vitamin & Mineral Premixes
All kibble requires a synthetic premix to meet nutrient guidelines. Many pets—especially those with sensitive digestion—react to certain synthetic forms.
Common culprits:
Copper sulphate
Menadione (synthetic Vitamin K)
Excessive zinc
Certain iron forms
This is one reason dogs and cats often improve on raw or gently cooked or freeze-dried diets—fewer artificial compounds and more bioavailable nutrients.
What to Do Next: Refining Your Pet’s Diet
A few small shifts can make a big difference.
