Dr. Jean Hofve has more than 30 years of veterinary experience, and is a respected authority on holistic pet health and nutrition. Her books, articles, and videos on pet food and nutrition have appeared around the world. She has been an official advisor to AAFCO, the organization that sets standards for pet food for almost 25 years. She has long been a voice for animals and against the powerful pet food lobby.
There's a ton of cat feeding advice on the internet, and books galore, but if you want the real why and how to create the best plan for you, "What Cats Should Eat," by holistic feline veterinarian Dr. Jean Hofve, gives you the key to your cat's optimal health!
FINAL UPDATE 12/27/22 The FDA has closed its investigation into this matter, saying there is "insufficient evidence" to establish a causal link between diet and DCM in dogs. They will not be providing any further updates. NOTE: We now know that, as suspected all along, the purported link between grain-free pet foods and heart disease was entirely speculative. I can say with confidence that grain-free foods DO NOT cause heart disease in dogs or cats. There was and is no scientific evidence to support FDA's original theory, much less its naming ...
I admit, it really irks me when companies who know nothing about feline nutrition give bad advice to their customers. This is the case with Assisi Animal Health, which manufactures a device called the Assisi Loop. Now, the product is a good one and I've heard great reports about it. But they should stick to what they know! Here are a few of the things they got wrong in a recent article published by Business Insider. "Your first look at a bag of cat food should ensure that it has the American ...
Updated 11/13/25 With 80 zillion products on store shelves, you've probably gotten the message about Omega-3 fatty acids. But did you know that they're just as important for pets as for people? The anti-inflammatory effects of Omega-3s EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) have been thoroughly researched, and are abundantly proven to be beneficial for dogs and cats. (If you'd like more background info, please click here for a more general article on Omega-3s.) I've been a big fan of Omega-3s for many years. In fact, I even served ...
The fish used in pet food may contain all kinds of toxins and drug residues, including persistent organic pollutants that actually stop the body from eliminating it and other toxins. Another common toxin, domoic acid, may be an unrecognized factor in chronic kidney disease.
Many thanks to Susan Thixton at TruthAboutPetFood.com for letting us reprint her excellent article here, which applies 100% to cat food as well as dog food. The multiple rounds of heat processing that pet food undergoes causes many deleterious changes that can harm our pets. And it's worse than most people even imagine. How many times are Ingredients cooked in Kibble Pet Foods? Do you know the processing involved in the manufacturing of kibble pet food? How many times are the ingredients cooked? The answer might surprise you. Pet food ...
Updated 4/29/26 Questions about coconut oil keep coming up, so I want to explain why I don't recommend giving it to cats. Cats Need the Right Fats The carnivore's natural diet is high in both protein and animal fat. There are only three essential fatty acids that cats must obtain from their diet: linoleic acid (LA), alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and arachidonic acid (AA). Adult cats can benefit from many other fats and oils, particularly EPA and DHA (which kittens require), but they aren't necessary for survival. Coconut oil is ...
Updated 3/23/18 As part of my duties as an AAFCO advisor and member of several Working Groups, I attend numerous webinars and teleconferences. In one group, the discussion centered around the use of 4D meats and other rotten junk in pet food, and the consensus was that as long as these things are rendered (heat-processed) to kill pathogens, they're perfectly fine for pet food. Well, that just isn't true. So I put together the following document to show that there are MANY potential toxic principles in pet food that need ...
Many thanks to our good friend Mollie Morrissette for her excellent reporting on this issue. This is one more reason for why it is so important to have consumer representatives at AAFCO meetings--we provide a layer of protection (and a warning to these guys that we are watching!) when feed suppliers want to use harmful or non-edible feed materials. A similar ingredient ("Fat product, feed grade") was discussed at the last two meetings, and despite opposition from industry, was finally banned. Company warned to stop using revolting feed additives: Industrial grease, ...
Photo credit: Jean Hofve Updated 6/6/20 There have been a few myths about the desert plant Yucca schidigera floating around the internet. In particular, some are suggesting that yucca is not safe as a daily supplement, even though it's present in many pet foods. So it's time to set the record straight! Yucca is an extremely versatile and useful plant, but in large doses it is seriously irritating to the entire GI tract. There's a lot of it growing wild around my Colorado home, and it's definitely not ...
Changing diets at least every 3-4 months, to a food with different protein and carbohydrate sources, may prevent your cat from becoming allergic or intolerant to a food in the first place.
Multiple studies have revealed that pet food manufacturers aren't careful about handling their ingredients; and some are deliberately fraudulent. This has serious implications for pets with food allergies.
Tests show that pet food labels aren't always truthful. One study found that, “Only in two pet foods... did the results of both analyses match the ingredients listed on the label.”
Updated March 2024 Holistic veterinarians agree that the very best diet for your animal companion is one that you make yourself. A homemade diet, carefully balanced nutritionally, and using raw and organic foods, is closest to what Mother Nature intended. However, many of us do not have the resources to make our pets’ food, especially for multiple animals or large dogs. So, for those of us who rely, partially or entirely, on commercial foods for our animals. To make wise selections, the primary tool is the pet food label. It ...
Updated 8/7/24 Carrageenan is a seaweed derivative that is commonly used as a food additive in a wide variety of products. There has been a lot of controversy about this ingredient, so let’s take a look at it in more detail. Carragreenan is an edible red seaweed. Sounds good, right? Many seaweeds contain lots of trace minerals and are very nutritious. “Carraigín” has been made from Irish Moss in kitchens for hundreds of years, to create the base for a pudding-like dessert. When cooked, carrageenan takes on a nice gelatinous texture. ...
