[Moderator's note: Pam Grant sent this to Katie Fritz some time ago.  Pam
said it could/should be posted to the FML.  So Katie forwarded it to me.
Because it is such a large article I held it until a short issue - and
today's issue is the shortest we've had in a long time, hence the article.
 
One side note here, I think it's the "Association of American Feed Control
Officials" (or was it "Association of Animal Feed Control Officials"?) that
publishes the definitions of food ingredients (e.g. stuff like if poultry-by-
products can contain heads and feet.  (They can, by the way)).  I don't have
the phone number for them handy, but AAFCO publishes a handbook with all this
type stuff in it should any of you want to research the issue further.  BIG]
---- Forwarded Post: ----
 
WHAT IS YOUR FERRET EATING?
by Pam Grant, STAR* Ferrets
 
        Ferrets need a high protein (32% or greater) diet consisting mainly of
meat or animal byproducts rather than grain.  The amino acids in vegetable
protein are not readily used by a ferret's 3 hour digestive system.  Low ash
and low magnesium are important to a good ferret diet as well.  Quality dry cat
foods are available at feed stores, at a good pet shop, or your veterinarian's
office.  There are new ferret diets appearing on the market all the time, but
the ones which are fish based are not liked very well by ferrets, but preferred
by their cousin, the mink.  Most ferrets prefer shaped pieces of food and do
not care for pelleted foods for this reason. Try not to use most grocery store
brands of cat and kitten food because the dyes, fillers and preservatives used
are not good for your little ones, and they are low on meat protein.
 
        Some people really get into reading ingredients labels.  Manufacturers
are not required to tell you how much of something exists in their products,
but the ingredients are always listed "most in quantity" to "least in quantity"
on the label.  Then, especially on "health oriented" products, the consumer
will find a Guaranteed Analysis.
 
        Let's examine some of the more common ingredients of dry cat foods
(information from "Fresh and Whole, Getting Involved in Your Pet's Diet" by
Wysong):
 
By-products or Meals - In short, these are the ground up leftovers that humans
will not eat.  In meats, poultry and fish, this includes chicken and fish
heads, necks, feet, tails and intestines.  No hooves or feathers.  A wild
carnivore, when it catches prey, will usually eat everything, so these
ingredients are not bad in themselves.  The process used to cook and break down
the by-products rob some of the nutritional value and can be considered bad.
Grain meals and "fillers", something to hold the food together.
 
Animal Fat (with preservatives) - Obtained from the tissues of mammals in
commercial processes.  It's the preservatives some people object to.  Without
the preservatives though, there is no "shelf life" for the product and it must
be used as quickly as possible.
 
Rice/Soy flour - fine powdered material from the product after the removal of
most of the oil.
 
Kibbled/Ground corn - the entire corn kernel, ground or chopped.
 
Beet pulp - The dried residue from sugar beets extracted from the processing of
manufactured sugar; basically pure sucrose.
 
Wheat middlings - particles of bran, shorts, germ and flour and some refuse
from the mill.  Inexpensive "filler" type ingredients.
 
        Let's make a quick analysis based upon the first six ingredients of
several foods fed to ferrets.  To make this a little more scientific, the
ingredients will be broken into groups by classes, and then the first two
ingredients are worth 30%, the next two 15% each , and the last two 5% each.
 
MEOW MIX cat food - grain, grain meal, grain meal, animal fat preserved with
BHA, grain, chicken by-product meal.    80% grain product, 5% meat product, 15%
fat & preservatives.
 
IAMS Cat food - Poultry by-product meal, chicken, grain, grain, poultry fat
(preserved w/BHA), sugar.  30% grain, 60% meat product, 5% fat & preservatives,
and 5% sweets.
 
KATZ-N-FLOCKEN (natural cat food by Wysong) - grain, fish meal, grain, lamb
meal, grain, meat meal. 50% grain, 50% meat/fish product.
 
FORTI-DIET Ferret Food - Poultry meal, fish meal, animal fat (preserved with
BHT), grain, grain, sugar.  20% grain, 60% meat/fish product, 15% fat &
preservatives, and 5% sweets.
 
       This is in NO WAY an accurate analysis (% wise) of the contents of these
foods. It is just a simple way to compare for an idea of what your ferret (or
cat) is consuming.  So you say, "The Guarantee Analysis panels on these foods
should yield those results!"  Well, yes and no.  Ferrets need high protein, we
all know that now.  Do we all know what this first word "crude" means?  Crude
means existing in a natural state and unaltered by cooking or processing OR
tabulated without being broken down into classes.  In this case, we know the
by-product ingredients our pet foods are processed, so what the word "crude"
here is telling us is the % of something in general.
 
        Ferrets have a hard time processing fiber.  This does not mean that they
can not eat it, it just means their systems do not break it down well enough to
absorb the vegetable protein within their 3 hour digestive track.  Whole grains
contain more protein and can be better absorbed into the body than grain meals.
Ferrets eat more food when their body absorbs less of the ingredients in an
effort to make up the difference in protein.  Therefore, the higher meat
product foods are digested more by a ferret and this means less consumption and
less stool.  So maybe the grocery store cat foods seem less expensive, but in
the end you are spending just as much because the ferret eats more and "wastes"
more.  Then there are the health considerations.  This is where reading the fat
content plays a role.  Two of the above products have high fat percentages.
Kitten varieties of cat foods always have a higher fat content, so one way to
help your ferret slim down is to switch him to the "adult" version of your
brand of cat food.  Another is more exercise or mixing a low fat food with your
regular brand.  Another health consideration is low ash and low magnesium, both
recommended for cats and believed for ferrets as well.
 
        Now what you all have probably been waiting for: "So what is the best
thing to feed my ferrets?"
 
        What have my adoptees shown me?  SHAPE:  Ferrets like shapes that are
easy to pick up with their teeth.  Smaller shapes, traditionally in kitten
varieties of dry cat food, are easier for kits and older ferrets to chew due to
the piece not being a mouth full.  Some ferrets, when eating adult dry cat
food, can get a piece lodged in the roof of their mouth and will paw at their
face and mouth trying to remove it.  I've had this occur with Pro Plan Adult on
many occasions.  Just take a retractable pen or other thin, blunt object and
give the food a little push away from the front of the mouth.  DO NOT use your
finger because the ferret can still bite down and is not working with you in
trying to dislodge the food.  Also do not worry about chocking the ferret with
moving the food piece towards it's throat.  If it's big enough to get stuck,
it's too big to slide down the throat.  The best shapes to avoid the
roof-of-the-mouth problem are triangles.  If the food does get stuck and no one
is around to help the ferret, don't worry too much.  The ferret might be
uncomfortable for awhile, but the food will become moist in the mouth and
eventually come out on its own.
 
        Ferrets also like variety and can prefer one "flavor" or brand of food
over another when they are feeling ill, pregnant, getting old, etc.  The color
of the food determines the color of the stool.  Red food dyes make feces look
bloody and can stain carpeting.  Taurine is thought to be good for the eyes.
Brewer's yeast is a good vitamin B supplement.  Too much vitamin A can cause
organ damage.  A whole raw egg eaten once a week is good protein and makes
coats shine.  Raisins make good treats - fructose vs. sucrose.  Bananas are fun
to eat, as is peanut butter.  Try different things out in very small quantities
and remember - this is a treat and not an alternative to quality food.  Do not
feed your ferret dairy products (can cause diarrhea) or chocolate and caffeine
products.  The ferrets may beg for these things, but what doesn't bother our
system can kill a ferret.
 
        Kaytee says that it's food "meets 100% of nutrients required by
ferrets".  According to their product, ferrets need 31.82% crude protein and
18% crude fat.  What I recommend is that owners go to feed stores, pet shops,
and health centers and pick up free samples.  If within the first few
ingredients are meat/poultry items, the crude protein is 32% or above, and the
ferrets eat it, buy it and mix it with other foods that meet the same
requirements.  Of course, if someone donates a bag of grocery store cat food
for the ferrets at my shelter, it can act like the "junk food" that we people
thrive on and never seem to come to harm with (in moderation).
[Posted in FML issue 1167]