Percentages

Question:
I am interested in your new product called UnCanny. I was wondering if you had any "as fed" nutritional information about the product to include % kcal from Protein/fat/carbohydrates and also mg of phosphorus. I have several cats with dietary restrictions (diabetes, pancreatitis, and CRF) so I need to know the food content before feeding.

Answer:
Thank you for your recent e-mail. Please click on this link for the PDF of the label for the UnCanny's™: http://www.wysong.net/products/documents/labels/legacy2/UNCANNY.pdf. The only current analysis values available for the UnCanny's™ are printed on the label.

Also, Wysong does not recommend feeding pets based upon percentages of components of food, even for those with specific health conditions. Ancestors of today's pets thrived for thousands of years by eating a varied, natural diet; not by calculating the exact amount of each component in their food. Minute percentages are inconsequential when feeding a varied/rotated diet, which would include not only healthy diet choices, but also fresh meats, fruits and vegetables. I have attached an article that further explains the myth behind feeding pets based upon percentages of food components (Does my pet need a percent of something).

Question:
Thank you for your quick response. But unfortunately I can't feed your food without the correct nutritional breakdown. While your statement about exact components is very true for pets without health problems, it is not true for pets with health problems. The ancestors of today's pets did not have diabetes in the wild and were not receiving insulin. It is not possible to keep a diabetic cat regulated when the carbohydrate content of the food varies too much, insulin and ingested carbs work together. Until you can provide breakdowns for your food, I will not be feeding it. The difference between 5 and 10% carbs can mean a big difference in my cat's blood glucose levels. I know this from years of experience measuring his BG levels. I am not asking for minute percentage differences, but approximately the percentage of carbs. Other pet food companies are providing this information to concerned caretakers, you should consider it too.

Question:
I understand from members of the felinediabetes.com forums that Wysong has refused to provide nutritional information on your foods, in particular the new UnCanny. The response from Wysong was flippant to say the least,claiming that our pet's ancestors did not choose food based on nutritional counts. No, of course they didn't, Neither do my cats. However, I DO. And I am your Customer, not my cat. Because one of my cats has diabetes I must feed him very low carbohydrate food. I rely on information from pet food companies to make those decisions. If you won't provide the information, I will not buy your product. You should also know that our website has a food list that provides the basic nutrition breakdown that we need to make food decisions for our cats. This list is linked to many feline health forums and websites and is distributed by many vets to the clients who own diabetic cats. Many pet food companies have provided nutrition breakdown information when requested, in particular carb content because the other information is usually on the package. Some companies have not provided info and various members have worked out the numbers based on what is provided on the package. We are moving to remove those foods from our list and note that the company would not provide the information. Be assured that we will be boycotting Wysong because you are not providing the information. The only reason we can think of that you are not providing the information is that you have something to hide. This is very similar to the stonewalling from several companies last year when the pet food recalls started due to poison in the food. Your food could quite possibly be an excellent food for diabetics, but we will not buy it if we don't know for sure. By the way, it's news to me that my cats' ancestors ate fruits and vegetables. There are pet owners that know their animals don't eat people food. Sheila Macomber

Owner of a diabetic cat who will only feed wet or raw diets to ALL my cats from now on.

Answer:
UnCanny™ diets are very new and are comprised of unique ingredients processed in a unique way and that is the reason a more complete analysis is not yet available. I will contact you when it is. For diabetes you might also consider the Epigen™ line which is starch free See: www.wysongepigen.net.

Even when such analytical information is available, we stand behind our previous comments about the unwise practice of attempting to feed by percentages. Nutrition is not a completed science anymore than chemistry, physics, or biology are. That means nobody knows for certain what exact percentages any particular creature needs for optimal health (see: http://www.wysong.net/pet-health-and-nutrition/the-100-percent-complete-pet-food-myth.php). When given a choice between trusting nature or trusting arbitrary percentages, the former is the best course.

This advice is not to "hide" anything, it is to impart understanding of health fundamentals. Without this, people are simply tossed to and fro with the latest ingredient do or don't and latest "official" percentage requirements. Meanwhile, the chronic degenerative diseases keep marching on for both humans and animals.

Felines in the wild eat primarily herbivores and by consuming their ingesta they are eating all the things a herbivore may eat--fruits, vegetables, seeds, grass, etc.-- albeit in small amounts (as in UnCanny™).

We would agree that varying the diet and feeding raw meats and organs is wise. Wysong originated the concept and has taught it for some 35 years.

Question:
Either my math is wrong - or your math is wrong - 60% protein

and 60% meat total 120% - what gives??????

Answer:
60% meat refers to ingredients; 60% protein refers to the amount of protein in those ingredients.