Why Cats Love A High Protein Diet

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I love my cats, but they couldn’t be more different. Carl is an older guy, so he’s pretty chill despite showing signs of kidney problems (that’s pretty common for cats), and Ralph is a hyperactive one-year-old who’s all over the place. So when I noticed that Ralph wouldn’t stop scratching himself, I figured he was just being his usual crazy self. After he kept at it for a week, though, I decided to bring Ralph to the vet for a checkup.

I’m glad I did: The vet said that Ralph might be having an allergic reaction, and thought it might be related to his food. I felt terrible thinking that the food I bought to nourish my cats could actually harm them. Could that have played a role in Carl’s kidney issues, too? It was a horrible thing to consider. 

My vet recommended upgrading both Ralph and Carl to foods high in moisture content and high in protein – the high moisture content could keep Carl hydrated through his kidney problems, and protein is what cats naturally want to eat. Plus, better food might make the litterbox finally stop smelling like death, another sign that Ralph and Carl could be in better health.  My vet said grains and other carbohydrates found in most cat food is just filler. Turns out those carbs do nothing good and can’t be digested by Ralph and Carl so they stink up the litter box.

I popped into PetSmart on the way home from the vet to look for some options, but I walked out empty-handed. The high-moisture-content, pure protein food was way out of my budget. Frustrated, I hit the internet to find something better, but most cat foods I saw came in huge boxes that I couldn’t know would work for my guys. Ralph and Carl, like all cats, are really picky – if they didn’t like the food I bought them, I’d be stuck with a ton of food they wouldn’t eat.

I was about to give up when I encountered a solution that would be risk-free if the cats didn’t like it: Smalls. As I scrolled through the site, I found a phrase that solved my problems: “Try first. Commit later.” I could buy Smalls’ human-grade, high protein wet food and get a refund if Ralph and Carl don’t like it.

Smalls’ made-from-scratch recipes are protein-heavy since cats are obligate carnivores that can’t metabolize carbs (another reason to avoid grains!). All Smalls meals are human-quality, too (I’ll pass, though – it’s still cat food!). But it was the moisture content in Smalls’ health benefits that won me over: By cooking the food gently, Smalls preserves its moisture content, a great boost of necessary water for older cats like Carl that struggle with kidney problems as they age. 

With my exact health and commitment issues addressed, I filled out Smalls’ cat survey and selected recipes I thought Ralph and Carl would like the most (for those who can’t decide, Smalls’ cat nutritionists can recommend a meal for you). I’d then get one to two weeks of food in a sampler so Ralph and Carl could have a test run without fully committing to a new diet. If my precious babies didn’t like Smalls, I could get a full refund or try switching to Smalls’ dry kibble. I was thrilled when Ralph and Carl finished their bowls of animal nutritionist-formulated chicken, kale, and peas, mixed with a blend of supplements cats need for optimal health. Ralph finished his food so fast that he tried to grab a bit of chicken from Carl’s not-yet-empty bowl, but Carl snagged the last bite before Ralph could land his big move. 

Within the first full week of switching to Smalls, I noticed that Ralph’s scratching plummeted! I caught him a handful of times per day, down from a few times an hour. The litterbox smell subsided, too, going from an unbearable stench to a manageable one. Plus, the guys both seem to have a bit more pep in their step, and nowadays, I even catch old man Carl playing with his long-forgotten toys every now and again. All these changes happened even before my follow-up appointment with the vet, so when I head there in a few days, I can’t wait to learn the results. If everything goes as well as I expect, I’ll have Smalls to thank.

If you also want healthy, rejuvenating food for your precious cats, give Smalls a try. The sampler is a low commitment way to try it out, but chances are your cats will gobble it up! Plus, with 25% off your first Smalls box, you’ll get better food – and healthier cats – for the most affordable prices around.