Pet Food Score - Petfood Advisor

Basics of cat nutrition • Can cats digest carbohydrates even though they are carnivores?

2026-05-26T16:33:23+00:00

Hello everyone,

I have a question about the place of carbohydrates in cat nutrition. Since cats are known to be obligate carnivores, I often read conflicting information about whether they can actually digest carbs properly or not.

Could you explain to what extent cats are able to digest and use carbohydrates (especially cooked starches in kibble or wet food), and how this fits with their physiology as carnivores? Do you think carbs can be a useful energy source for cats when used in reasonable amounts, or should they be kept as low as possible because of potential digestive or metabolic issues?

Thank you in advance for your explanations and experiences.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:33 pm

Fear-based claims • Why do so many people share “toxic kibble alerts” on Facebook?

2026-05-26T16:31:49+00:00

Hello everyone,

I have noticed that there are a lot of “toxic kibble alerts” being shared on Facebook groups and pages, sometimes with very alarming messages about certain brands or recipes. These posts are often widely shared and commented on, which can create a strong feeling of fear and confusion among pet owners.

I would like to understand why so many people rely on and share these alerts instead of using more neutral or professional sources of information, such as veterinary nutritionists or official analyses. Do you think these Facebook alerts are helpful to raise awareness, or do they mainly spread anxiety and sometimes misinformation about pet food?

Thank you in advance for your opinions and experiences.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:31 pm

Label reading • Why aren’t carbohydrate levels displayed for pet food?

2026-05-26T16:30:46+00:00

Hello everyone,

I have a question about how information is shown on pet food packaging. In animal nutrition (for farm animals, for example), carbohydrate values are usually provided in a clear and standardized way, but for dog and cat food these carb levels are almost never displayed directly on the label.

Do you know why manufacturers do not indicate carbohydrate percentages for pet food, even though this information seems important and is commonly available in other areas of animal nutrition? Is it because of regulations, industry habits, or because these values would only be approximate? I would be very interested in your explanations and any sources you might have.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:30 pm

Ingredient analysis • I prefer ingredient lists over carbohydrate levels

2026-05-26T16:29:43+00:00

Hello everyone,

Personally, I do not rely on carbohydrate percentages at all when I evaluate a pet food. I know these values are often estimated and can be quite unreliable, so I do not use them as a real decision criterion.

Instead, I focus on the ingredient list and try to understand the quality and origin of the ingredients used, as well as their proportion in the recipe. For me, this gives a clearer and more concrete picture of what my pets are actually eating than an approximate carb calculation.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:29 pm

Basics of dog nutrition • Why do people rely on carbohydrate levels if they are said to be unreliable?

2026-05-26T16:28:34+00:00

Hello everyone,

I often see people comparing pet foods based on their carbohydrate percentage, even though many sources say that these values are not very reliable because carbs are usually calculated “by difference” from incomplete label data. This makes me wonder why carbohydrate levels are still used so much as a decision factor.

Could you explain why so many people continue to rely on estimated carbohydrate percentages when choosing pet food, despite the fact that these calculations can be inaccurate and do not distinguish between different types or qualities of carbohydrates? Do you think these carb-based comparisons are still useful as a rough indicator, or should they be considered too unreliable to base feeding decisions on?

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and experiences.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:28 pm

Common misconceptions • Why create a petfood-score ABCDE if label data are unreliable?

2026-05-26T16:27:30+00:00

Hello everyone,

I have a question about the petfood-score ABCDE concept. If the information on pet food labels is often incomplete, unclear, or even unreliable, why do we still base an ABCDE scoring system on these data?

Isn’t there a risk that the score itself will be biased or misleading if the underlying label information is not fully trustworthy? I would be interested to know how this issue is taken into account, and whether there are ways to improve the reliability of the score despite these limitations.

Thank you in advance for your insights and explanations.

Frédéric Gonnot

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:27 pm

Why we do not rate pet food A-B-C-D-E • What are the rating criteria behind these ABCDE scores?

2026-05-26T16:26:12+00:00

Hello everyone,

I have seen that there are many different ABCDE scoring systems for pet food, and it looks like each one uses its own method and criteria. This makes it difficult to understand how the final grade is calculated and to compare products fairly.

Could you please explain which criteria are usually taken into account for these ABCDE scores (for example: ingredient quality, meat content, additives, processing level, nutrient balance, etc.)? And is there any way to know in detail how each system weights these factors, since there are many different approaches?

Thank you in advance for your explanations and for helping to clarify how these ratings actually work.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:26 pm

Petfood-Score methodology • Which petfood-score ABCDE version should I use?

2026-05-26T16:25:08+00:00

ello everyone,

I have noticed that there are many different versions of the petfood-score ABCDE system, and I am a bit confused about which one I should use. Some ratings seem to differ quite a lot from one version or website to another.

Could you please tell me which version of the petfood-score ABCDE you consider the most reliable, and why? Are these rankings generally trustworthy, or should they be taken with caution and always checked against other sources (such as ingredient lists and veterinary advice)?

Thank you in advance for your feedback and recommendations.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:25 pm

Member introductions • Frédéric Gonnot, I live in Switzerland

2026-05-26T16:23:52+00:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Frédéric Gonnot, I live in Switzerland and I am new to this forum. I have a cat and a dog, and I am currently exploring Petfood Advisor.

I would like to know if it is possible to create and manage several different profiles on this platform (for example, one profile for my cat and another one for my dog), or if each account is limited to a single profile only.

Thank you in advance for your help and any information you can share.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:23 pm

Forum rules • Question about creating multiple profiles

2026-05-26T16:21:29+00:00

Hello everyone,

My name is Frédéric Gonnot and I have a quick question about Petfood Advisor.

Is it possible to create and manage several different profiles on this platform (for example, one for each of my pets), or is each account limited to a single profile only?

Thank you in advance for your help and any clarification you can provide.

Statistics: Posted by Frédéric Gonnot — Tue May 26, 2026 4:21 pm

Decision support tools • Re: Why did you create Petfood Advisor?

2026-05-21T16:23:31+00:00

Hello Emily,

Thank you for your thoughtful question.

Petfood Advisor was created because the world of pet nutrition has become increasingly confusing for consumers.

Over the years, more and more pet owners have been exposed to:

* contradictory information,
* viral social media content,
* influencer rankings,
* emotional marketing,
* simplified “good vs bad” classifications,
* and automated scoring systems that often reduce complex nutrition topics to a single letter or number.

At the same time, many consumers genuinely want to better understand what they are feeding their dogs and cats, but quickly discover how difficult it is to find transparent, contextualized, and balanced information.

The idea behind Petfood Advisor was therefore not to create another simplistic “Top 10 best kibbles” website.

The goal was to build a more educational and analytical platform focused on:

* transparency,
* measurable information,
* critical thinking,
* evolving databases,
* comparison tools,
* and contextual interpretation.

One of the major observations behind the project is that pet nutrition cannot realistically be reduced to a universal A-B-C-D-E score.

Two animals may have completely different physiological needs depending on:

* age,
* activity,
* sterilization,
* digestion,
* lifestyle,
* ingredient sensitivities,
* or health conditions.

A food considered interesting in one situation may become completely unsuitable in another.

Petfood Advisor was therefore designed around a different philosophy:
instead of telling consumers what to think, the platform tries to give them better tools to understand and compare information themselves.

Another important motivation behind the project was the lack of transparency surrounding certain nutritional topics online, especially:

* carbohydrates,
* ingredient quality,
* digestibility,
* manufacturing methods,
* and the limitations of simplified scoring algorithms.

Many online discussions became increasingly polarized:
either “everything is dangerous,” or “everything is perfect.”

Reality is usually far more nuanced.

The long-term vision of Petfood Advisor is to progressively develop:

* evolving nutritional databases,
* customizable comparison systems,
* advanced filtering tools,
* educational resources,
* contextual ingredient analysis,
* and more personalized decision-support features.

The project is still evolving, and many tools are currently being improved and expanded step by step.

The objective is not perfection, but creating a more transparent and intelligent environment where consumers can move away from fear-based marketing and simplistic viral rankings.

In the end, Petfood Advisor was created because many pet owners deserve better tools than emotional social media debates and opaque algorithms when making decisions about their animals’ nutrition.

Thank you again for your interest in the project.

Statistics: Posted by petfood advisor — Thu May 21, 2026 4:23 pm

Decision support tools • Why did you create Petfood Advisor?

2026-05-21T16:17:47+00:00

Hello everyone,

I recently discovered Petfood Advisor while searching for more reliable and transparent information about pet food nutrition.

After reading several discussions on the forum, I realized that the project seems very different from many pet food ranking websites or social media influencer accounts.

This made me curious about the origins of the project.

Why did you create Petfood Advisor?

Was the goal mainly to help consumers better understand pet food labels and nutritional data? Or did the project begin as a reaction to the growing amount of misinformation, simplistic scoring systems, and viral “good food vs bad food” content circulating online?

I also noticed that the platform appears to focus more on:

* transparency,
* critical thinking,
* contextual analysis,
* and comparison tools,
rather than emotional marketing or universal A-B-C-D-E rankings.

That approach feels much more serious and educational than many pet nutrition discussions found on social media today.

I would love to learn more about:

* the philosophy behind the project,
* how the databases are built,
* the long-term vision,
* and the future tools currently being developed.

It also seems that Petfood Advisor is trying to create something more dynamic and customizable than traditional pet food scoring systems.

As a pet owner, I honestly find this very interesting because nutrition appears much more complex than many simplified apps suggest.

Looking forward to learning more about the story behind the project.

Emily

Statistics: Posted by j.channasse — Thu May 21, 2026 4:17 pm

Label reading • Re: How do I evaluate carbohydrates using Petfood Advisor tools?

2026-05-21T16:15:57+00:00

Hello Emily,

This is an extremely important topic because carbohydrates are one of the least transparent areas of commercial pet food labeling.

In many countries, manufacturers are not required to display carbohydrate percentages directly on the packaging. Most labels only provide:

* proteins,
* fats,
* fibers,
* ash,
* and moisture.

As a result, consumers often cannot immediately see the estimated carbohydrate content of a kibble, even though carbohydrates may represent a significant part of the recipe.

This is one reason why carbohydrate discussions have become so controversial online.

Petfood Advisor tools help users approach this issue more objectively by allowing them to analyze recipes through evolving databases, comparative tables, filters, and search tools rather than through simplistic universal scores.

Instead of relying on a “good” or “bad” algorithm, users can isolate and compare estimated carbohydrate levels between products according to their own priorities and their pet’s specific needs.

The platform also encourages a more contextualized interpretation of carbohydrates.

For example:
a lower carbohydrate percentage does not automatically mean a food is nutritionally superior.

Protein quality, digestibility, ingredient sourcing, fat levels, mineral balance, fiber composition, manufacturing methods, and the overall nutritional profile also matter enormously.

One of the goals of Petfood Advisor is therefore to avoid the simplistic shortcuts frequently seen on social media such as:
“low carb = automatically healthy”
or
“high carb = automatically dangerous.”

Nutrition is much more nuanced than that.

Another important point is that carbohydrate estimation itself often requires calculations because the values are not explicitly declared on the label. This is why many comparison tools and databases calculate estimated carbohydrates from the analytical constituents provided by manufacturers.

Today, there are even free-access applications and online tools that allow consumers to estimate and compare carbohydrate levels between recipes. Premium subscriptions and advanced databases may also provide deeper analysis tools, comparison systems, contextual interpretation, and continuously updated nutritional data for thousands of products.

Petfood Advisor follows this philosophy by focusing on transparency and structured analysis rather than emotional rankings or viral scoring systems.

The objective is not simply to expose carbohydrates, but to help consumers understand how carbohydrate values fit into the overall nutritional balance of a recipe.

That difference is very important.

A nutritional analysis should always be interpreted globally, not reduced to a single percentage or a single marketing argument.

Thank you for raising this topic because many pet owners are actively searching for more transparent and reliable ways to understand pet food composition.

Statistics: Posted by petfood advisor — Thu May 21, 2026 4:15 pm

Label reading • How do I evaluate carbohydrates using Petfood Advisor tools?

2026-05-21T16:08:09+00:00

Hello everyone,

I keep hearing that carbohydrates are one of the most controversial topics in pet nutrition.

At the same time, many people online claim that the pet food industry hides the real carbohydrate content of kibble because these values are often not displayed directly on the packaging.

This made me wonder:

How do I evaluate carbohydrates using Petfood Advisor tools?

I noticed that many labels show proteins, fats, fibers, ash, and moisture, but rarely provide a clear carbohydrate percentage. Yet carbohydrates seem to play a major role in many online debates about kibble quality.

How does Petfood Advisor estimate or analyze carbohydrate levels when manufacturers do not always display them clearly?

I also read that some websites and influencers use simplified “low carb = good” shortcuts, while others completely ignore carbohydrate estimation altogether.

Can Petfood Advisor help users:

* compare estimated carbohydrate levels,
* understand dry matter values,
* interpret the context behind these numbers,
* and avoid misleading conclusions based only on marketing claims or viral social media posts?

I would also like to know whether carbohydrate analysis should always be interpreted together with other criteria such as protein quality, digestibility, fat levels, mineral balance, and ingredient composition.

It sometimes feels like carbohydrates are either exaggerated or intentionally hidden depending on who is discussing pet food online.

Looking forward to understanding how experienced members approach this topic more objectively.

Emily

Statistics: Posted by j.channasse — Thu May 21, 2026 4:08 pm

Petfood-Score methodology • Re: How can I customize Petfood Advisor criteria for my pet?

2026-05-21T16:06:57+00:00

Hello Emily,

This is actually one of the main goals behind the Petfood Advisor project.

Unlike applications that impose a fixed and opaque universal ranking, Petfood Advisor is designed to help users build their own interpretation based on their pet’s specific needs and priorities.

The project is still evolving and many advanced customization features are currently under development, but the philosophy is already very different from traditional “one score for everyone” systems.

The idea is simple:
instead of forcing all foods into the same algorithm, Petfood Advisor aims to provide evolving databases, comparison tables, filters, and analysis tools that allow you to focus on the criteria that matter most for your own animal.

For example, users can already begin comparing products according to measurable values such as:

* proteins,
* estimated carbohydrates,
* fats,
* fibers,
* minerals,
* ingredient composition,
* dry matter values,
* calcium/phosphorus ratios,
* or specific nutritional characteristics.

This approach is important because every pet has a unique profile.

An active working dog, a sterilized indoor cat, a growing puppy, a senior animal, or a pet with digestive sensitivities should not automatically receive the same nutritional interpretation.

Rather than producing a simplistic “good” or “bad” verdict, the goal is to provide a contextualized analysis showing both strengths and limitations of a recipe.

For example:
a kibble may appear interesting for its high protein level, while another tool may help users notice that the quality or origin of certain raw materials deserves closer examination.

The objective is therefore not to replace consumer judgment, but to improve it through transparent information and flexible comparison tools.

In the future, the platform aims to become even more personalized, allowing users to progressively refine searches and evaluations according to:

* lifestyle,
* age,
* activity level,
* nutritional priorities,
* ingredient preferences,
* digestion,
* and other individualized criteria.

Petfood Advisor is still a growing project, and many features are being tested and improved continuously. The long-term ambition is to create a decision-support ecosystem centered on transparency, critical thinking, and personalized analysis rather than viral scoring systems.

Thank you for this excellent question because it touches the core philosophy of the platform.

Statistics: Posted by petfood advisor — Thu May 21, 2026 4:06 pm