Merrick introduces 21 new cat food recipes as part of ‘Real Food Revolution’

Merrick Pet Care is continuing its “Real Food Revolution” with the introduction of its new Purrfect Bistro menu of 21 recipes offering a variety of high-protein, canned and dry cat foods.
Purrfect Bistro recipes are formulated to nourish kittens, adult and senior cats, featuring deboned meat as the number one ingredient, in flavors such as chicken, salmon, tuna, duck, turkey and beef. The recipes contain no poultry byproducts or ingredients from China, and they are grain free with essential fatty acids, like omega 6s and omega 3s. Recipes are available in paté, shredded and sliced varieties.
“We know our cats need a high-protein, moisture-rich diet and that’s why our Purrfect Bistro menu is expansive in the number of high-quality options across both dry and canned recipes,” said Greg Shearson, Merrick Pet Care’s chief executive officer. 
Merrick’s new recipes will be available in summer at independent pet specialty stores, Petco and select online retailers.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, PetMD to launch online cat nutrition tool

Hill's Pet Nutrition is partnering with PetMD for MyBowl for cats, an interactive tool that shows the proper proportions and specific benefits of essential nutrients that cats need.
Launching April 2, MyBowl for cats will be available as part of PetMD's Cat Nutrition Center that offers a variety of educational resources for pet owners. In celebration of the launch, during the month of April, cat owners can take an interactive cat nutrition quiz and be entered for a chance to win one of four US$2,500 pet retailer gift cards and a rebate for new Hill’s Science Diet Ideal Balance pet food for cats.

European Pet Food Industry Federation revises pet nutrient guidelines

The European Pet Food Industry Federation, FEDIAF, has revised its nutrient guidelines for dogs and cats. These nutrient guidelines are often used by pet food manufacturers when formulating recipes.  

For the 2011 edition, available for download on the FEDIAF site, the federation collaborated with scientists in the academic world to form the Scientific Advisory Board. The board will advise FEDIAF on how to further improve its guidelines to ensure they reflect the most current scientific data and research.

Felix Kitten Factor contest reveals most popular kitten names of 2010

Felix Kitten Factor held a photo contest for cute kittens, in which nearly 10,000 entrants were surveyed to find the most popular kitten names of 2010.
The survey found that the most popular male kitten names in 2010 were Charlie, Felix, Alfie, Oscar and Jasper. The most popular female kitten names in 2010 were: Poppy, Bella, Daisy, Millie and Lily.

9Lives finds cats not getting proper nutrition

A survey commissioned by 9Lives of US cat owners found that 94% are confident they feed their cats the most nutritious meals possible. However, 48% admit they’ve fed their cat table scraps, which do not provide the essential nutrients cats need.
In order to help owners be aware of the nutrition cats need, 9Lives is offering its online Nutrition Simulator, which provides nutritional advice and information on selecting the proper peffood for a cat.