Table of contents

Below, cat food prepared with the TCfeline Original premix and cat food prepared with the TCfeline Special Formula premix are nutritionally compared to the nutrient profile of mice, the recommended nutrient allowances for cats published by the National Research Council (NRC), and the minimum nutrient profiles for cat food established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

The comparison is made on a per-100 g basis of food as fed (not on a dry matter basis). One hundred grams of mice and 100 grams of cat food prepared using either variety of TCfeline premix contain 140 kcal of energy. For a logical and direct comparison, the nutrient values provided by the NRC and AAFCO have been converted from their original units per 1000 kcal of metabolisable energy (ME) to units per 140 kcal ME.

To quote AAFCO:

“[…] formulating a product according to the [AAFCO Nutrient] Profiles is only one part of a nutritionally sound, scientific development that must consider all other aspects of the product. The fact that a dog or cat food is formulated to meet a specific AAFCO Profile should not deter or discourage the manufacturer from conducting appropriate feeding trials to further confirm and ensure the diet is nutritionally adequate for its intended use.”

Both TCfeline Original and TCfeline Special Formula premixes are prepared with fresh meat, according to instructions, and fed daily as part of an ongoing feeding trial involving a group of cats of all ages under my direct supervision. This long-term trial began in 1998 and serves both to demonstrate nutritional adequacy and to ensure quality control. Some cats join the group at birth or at eight weeks of age and remain until they pass on—some at up to 20 years old. TCfeline premix is formulated with AAFCO Profiles in mind, and where its nutritional values differ, they align with the Recommended Allowances published by the NRC, or to the nutrient composition of mice, or meet other unique requirements for well-considered reasons.

Nutrient Composition Comparison of wild mice analyzed for Feline Future Cat Food Company, cat food prepared using TCfeline Original Formula, cat food prepared using TCfeline Special Formula, Nutrient Requirements of Cats published by the National Research Council, and AAFCO nutrient profiles:

Data prepared by Natascha Wille for Feline Future Cat Food Company using 3rd party laboratory prepared Certificate of Analysis for Wild Caught Mice, 2010; Nutrient Composition of Whole Vertebrate Prey (Excluding Fish) fed in Zoos, 2002; 3rd. party laboratory prepared Certificate of Analysis for TCfeline Original Formula, 2024; 3rd. party laboratory prepared Certificate of Analysis for TCfeline Special Formula, 2024; USDA Nutrition Data for raw beef liver; USDA Nutrition Data for 90% lean /10% fat raw ground beef; and Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats by National Research Council of the National Academies, 2006; AAFCO Dog and Cat Nutrient Profiles, 2007, 2012.

• Carbohydrates
  • • Wild mice are higher in carbohydrates because their stomach contents were included in analysis.
    • Most cats avoid eating prey stomachs; if ingested, it’s incidental and not nutritionally significant.
• Calcium and Phosphorus
  • Wild mice contain higher levels of Calcium and Phosphorus than food made with TCfeline.
  • TCfeline Original includes limited bone to prevent constipation and excessive mineral excretion.
  • TCfeline Special Formula contains no bone to reduce dietary Phosphorus for kidney support.
  • Despite lower bone content, both formulas meet or exceed NRC Recommended Allowance and AAFCO Minimum for their target age groups.
• Suitability for kittens
  • TCfeline Special Formula is not intended to meet the Recommended Allowance for Calcium and Phosphorus required for kitten growth.
  • TCfeline Special Formula was specifically designed for adult cats with CKD or to support kidney health in older cats (12+ years).
  • TCfeline Special Formula does meet the Minimum Requirement for kittens for Calcium (182 mg per 140 kcal ME), but falls just short for Phosphorus (168 mg per 140 kcal ME).
  • It meets all Recommended Allowances for adult cats.
• Magnesium
  • Wild mice have roughly double the Magnesium content compared to TCfeline-prepared food, due to bone content.
  • Magnesium is deliberately limited in TCfeline to reduce risk of urinary struvite crystals.
  • TCfeline meets or exceeds NRC Recommended Allowance for Kittens and AAFCO Growth and Reproduction Minimum.
• Potassium and Sodium
  • Wild mice are lower in Potassium and higher in Sodium than TCfeline-prepared food. This is due to high Potassium content of retail cuts of meat, and absence of blood in retail meats that would otherwise supply Sodium.
  • TCfeline Original is fortified with Sodium Chloride to meet NRC Recommended Allowance for Kittens and AAFCO Growth and Reproduction Minimum.
  • TCfeline Special Formula is purposefully reduced in Sodium to meet low sodium diet requirements for cats with CKD.
• Vitamin A
  • Food made with TCfeline Special Formula matches Vitamin A levels in wild mice.
  • TCfeline Original exceeds these levels by 50% due to added Vitamin A, ensuring cats get enough even if liver, the primary source, is omitted contrary to instructions or when defatted freeze-dried liver is used as a substitute for fresh liver.
  • Total Vitamin A content from liver and supplement remains well within safe limits. The safe upper limit for Vitamin A is 100 x the recommended intake set by the NRC.
• Vitamin E
  • Both TCfeline formulas have higher Vitamin E levels than wild mice.
  • Vitamin E is added as a nutrient and a natural antioxidant preservative for the premix.

• Copper
  • Food made with TCfeline Original exceeds Copper levels of mice and of NRC Recommended Allowance and AAFCO Minimum. This is due to addition of beef liver. There is no available data on safe upper limit for dietary copper for cats. Long-term feeding trials in-house have established that Copper in this diet is well within safe limits to all age groups and is likely not 100% bioavailable due to the elevated levels of Zinc from natural sources in the food.

• Iodine
  • Food made with TCfeline Original and TCfeline Special Formula exceed NRC Recommended Allowance and AAFCO Minimum for Iodine with intend. Iodine content matches that of wild mice instead. A growing body of research suggests that the high incident of Hyperthyroidism is cats is linked to Iodine deficient diets. 40% of Feline Future study cats developed Hyperthyroidism on diets with Iodine levels matching NRC and AAFCO recommendations and prior to TCfeline premixes being fortified with Potassium Iodide in 2023.