The Brothers Complete Cat Food Formula uses Fish as its main source of protein, specifically Salmon Fish Meal and Menhaden Fish Meal. Salmon fish meal is a highly digestible protein source produced by cooking salmon at high temperatures, extracting the fat, and drying the remaining meat. Because it is a meat protein, salmon meal provides essential amino acids, Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals for muscle development and energy. Menhaden fish meal is an excellent source of high–quality fish protein and Omega 3 essential fatty acids including EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and arachionic acid; fatty acids associated with preventing coronary artery disease and protecting against arteriosclerosis. Omega 3 fatty acids are also associated with improved immune response and are potential anti-inflammatory aids.  A good portion of chicken and turkey meal is included for added animal protein. Because fish has a low ash content, this formula allows for high absorption of nutrients.

The tapioca, or more correctly the tapioca starch, is obtained from the roots of the cassava plant (manihot esculenta) and is a natural source of very low glycemic carbohydrates. The tapioca starch used in Brothers does not contain the additional ingredients (like sugar and milk) normally added to tapioca for human consumption. This low glycemic starch allows Brothers to formulate a food that is closer to a cat’s historic diet which is based predominantly on animal protein, fat, and bone. Additionally some studies have shown that up to 50% of the tapioca starch survives the digestive process and gets to the colon where it feeds and encourages the growth of  the good bacteria there that is so vital for a healthy robust system.

Most pet foods today contain large quantities of grain and/or white potato and these ingredients are causing numerous problems in dogs and cats who were designed to eat meat and process animal protein and fat – not grain and potato. Numerous skin conditions and allergy-related symptoms have been associated with grain and white potato in cats.

In the last few years, some commercial pet food manufacturers have eliminated or restricted the use of grains but have substituted white potato instead. White potatoes have a higher glycemic index than white sugar (80 to 100 versus sugar at 65) so it puts a strain on the adrenal and pancreatic systems when it spikes the blood sugar and produces a large insulin response every time the cat eats. The high glycemic property of the white potato also feeds the Candida Albicans yeast in the colon which becomes a fungus whose rhizomes grow into the mucosal lining of the intestine and cause “leaky gut” which leads to a host of skin conditions and allergy-related problems.

Under perfect conditions, white potatoes contain the chemical solanine in small amounts. Under less than perfect conditions (when too old or spoiled, sprouting small roots, exposed to heat above 50 to 65 degrees F for too long, or exposed to too much light), potatoes will generate too much solanine which is a nerve toxin that is extremely toxic. It causes many conditions that parallel allergy symptoms.

Another possible problem when potatoes are heated to high temperatures is the production of acrylamide which is a recognized carcinogen. For these four reasons alone Brothers Complete Cat Food is grain and white potato free.

Brothers Complete products, like most high-quality cat foods these days, are preserved naturally with mixed tocopherals (Vitamin E). Because Vitamin E is light and heat sensitive, we package our food in light-proof foil and keep it in a dark, air-conditioned storage facility until the day it is shipped to you. Brothers is the only dry cat food we are aware of that stores their food in air-conditioned storage facilities.

Most cat foods spend two to four months or longer in hot warehouses before reaching the marketplace. Then they may sit on shelves in pet food stores for several more months before being purchased by the customer.  At Brothers Complete, two days after our food is made it is put in a dark, air-conditioned storage facility where it stays perfectly fresh until it is shipped to our customers or sold in our store. Brothers manufactures only small batches and we sell directly to the consumer. There are no middle men. The extra expense that would normally support the middle men goes into our high-quality cat food.