Complete and Balanced Pet Food

April 23, 2024 Nicole Groshek Read Time: 6 min

A complete and balanced diet is the cornerstone of good health for dogs and cats, just like people! Understanding exactly what “complete and balanced nutrition” means for dog and cat food will help you feel confident when choosing a diet that will help your pet thrive.

What Does Complete and Balanced Mean for Pet Food?

According to the FDA, for a dog or cat food to use the term “complete and balanced” in their nutritional adequacy statement it has to pass at least one of these three criteria:

The food successfully passes an AAFCO recognized feeding trial for the appropriate life stage(s)
The food meets the nutrient requirements of the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles
The food is similar to another food within the same product family that has met one of the above standards.

According to AAFCO’s website, “complete” means the dog or cat food includes all required nutrients, while “balanced” means the food has the right ratios of those nutrients.

The requirements are different for dogs and cats, and they also depend on the animal’s life stage:

Gestation/lactation (aka reproduction, meaning pregnancy and nursing)
Growth (puppies & kittens)
Maintenance (adult dogs & cats)
All life stages (all of the above)

It’s important to keep in mind that AAFCO doesn’t regulate the pet food industry (that’s the FDA’s job). They establish standards for ingredients, nutrient profiles and labeling that are used in most state pet food regulations, but AAFCO as an organization doesn’t inspect or enforce pet food standards.
Dog and cat foods that don’t meet either of the complete and balanced criteria can still be sold in stores, but the label has to say that the product is only meant for intermittent or supplemental feeding (you’ll typically see that on treats and supplements).

Complete & Balanced Nutrition for Dogs

AAFCO’s nutrient profile for dogs covers two categories of life stages: adult maintenance and growth/reproduction. It includes minimum and sometimes maximum amounts of macronutrients (protein & fat) as well as micronutrients (vitamins & minerals). These values can be percentages based on Dry Matter with a caloric density of 4000 kcal ME/kg or grams and milligrams per 1000 kcal ME..

Adult dog maintenance macronutrient minimums:

Protein 18%
Fat 5.5%

Puppies or pregnant/lactating dog macronutrient minimums:

Protein 22.5%
Fat 8.5%

The AAFCO nutrient profile for dogs gets even more specific with unique requirements for individual essential amino acids and fatty acids. Carbohydrates are not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles which is why there are no minimum or maximum requirements for them in the profiles (however, you'll find maximum crude fiber on the Guaranteed Analysis because it is required to be included.)

Vitamins and minerals included in the dog nutrient profiles are:

Calcium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sodium
Chloride
Magnesium
Iron
Copper
Manganese
Zinc
Iodine
Selenium
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Thiamine (vitamin B1)
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
Folic acid (vitamin B9)
Vitamin B12
Choline (an essential nutrient similar to B vitamins)

Many Stella & Chewy’s dog food recipes and mixers/toppers provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs of all life stages. Dog treats do not provide complete & balanced nutrition, nor do human foods that are safe for dogs to eat.

Complete & Balanced Nutrition for Cats

AAFCO’s nutrient profile for cats includes two life stages: adult maintenance and growth/reproduction. It includes minimum and sometimes maximum amounts of macronutrients (protein & fat) as well as micronutrients (vitamins & minerals).These values can be percentages based on Dry Matter with a caloric density of 4000 kcal ME/kg or grams and milligrams per 1000 kcal ME.

Adult cat maintenance macronutrient minimums:

Protein 26%
Fat 9%

Kittens or pregnant/lactating cat macronutrient minimums:

Protein 30%
Fat 9%

The AAFCO nutrient profile for cats also breaks down unique requirements for individual essential amino acids and fatty acids. Carbohydrates are not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles which is why there are no minimum or maximum requirements for them in the profiles (however, you'll find maximum crude fiber on the Guaranteed Analysis because it is required to be included.)

Vitamins and minerals included in the cat nutrient profile are:

Calcium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sodium
Chloride
Magnesium
Iron
Copper (extruded)
Copper (canned)
Manganese
Zinc
Iodine
Selenium

Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Thiamine (vitamin B1)
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
Folic acid (vitamin B9)
Biotin
Vitamin B12
Choline (an essential nutrient similar to B vitamins)

The AAFCO nutrient profile for cats also includes the amino acid taurine, which isn’t included in the nutrient profile for dogs. This is because unlike dogs, cats can’t synthesize enough taurine on their own.

Stella & Chewy’s cat food recipes with complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages include:

Stella & Chewy’s recipes that that provide complete and balanced nutrition for adult cats only include:

Marie’s Magical Dinner Dust for cats does not provide complete & balanced nutrition, nor do human foods that are safe for cats to eat.

How to Choose the Best Complete & Balanced Pet Food

There are plenty of websites claiming to list the best complete and balanced dog or cat foods, but the truth is these collections are typically sponsored - meaning a brand won’t appear on the list unless they’ve paid the publisher. The best way to choose a brand of complete and balanced dog or cat food is to talk to your vet about your pet’s nutritional needs and ask what they recommend. You can also learn more about dog and cat food nutrition labels to feel confident in selecting a complete and balanced pet food.

The important thing is not to rely on marketing messages alone when shopping for pet food. Brands that are doing it right won’t be afraid to share the details of how their foods are formulated, how ingredients are sourced and the type of quality controls they use to ensure proper nutrition and safety.

Complete & Balanced Diets Pet Parents Can Trust

Stella & Chewy’s products are formulated by an animal nutritionist and reviewed by a veterinarian to assure they meet appropriate AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition. We rely on our expert formulation team, including veterinarians and an animal nutritionist with their PhD in animal nutrition, to deliver products designed to meet the safest and most nutritious dietary standards and we have a 21-year track record of making quality pet food. We use the world’s finest ingredients from suppliers we know and trust. From our responsibly sourced animal proteins, to organic fruits and vegetables, we are passionate about providing the absolute best for pets.

We’re proud to make all of our frozen and freeze-dried raw foods and baked kibble diets in our very own Wisconsin kitchen, which has earned SQF Food Safety Certification. We’ve always had a unique food safety procedure in place, including a high-pressure processing (HPP) step, to guarantee the safety of our raw products, in addition to sending every batch to be tested for pathogenic bacteria. Stella & Chewy’s remains committed to food safety and making sure pet parents feel confident bringing our product home to help their pet thrive. Keep reading to learn what really makes a pet food better, and what a veterinarian has to say about pet nutrition and when to reevaluate your dog or cat’s diet.

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