Types of dog and cat food for every stage of life

The American Association for Public Feed Control (AAFCO) statement on the dog food label confirms that the food is a complete and balanced diet for:

• puppies or kittens;
• pregnant or lactating animals;
• adult animals;
• all ages.

Hills is an enthusiastic supporter of AAFCO’s testing programs, but we believe that no food is universal and equally suitable for all ages.

Key Points

• If you see the words “… for all ages” on the packaging, it means that the food is for puppies or kittens.
• Hill’s Science Plan is committed to the concept of different needs at every stage of life.

Growth and development

During the early stages of life, pets require increased levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to ensure proper growth.

Therefore, a pet food that claims to be “complete and balanced for all ages” must contain enough nutrients to support growth. Are nutrient levels in growth foods too high for older animals? We think so.

Too much, too little

The “one-size-fits-all” approach to pet food may sound appealing, but it runs counter to everything Hills has learned in over 60 years of clinical nutrition research. Foods that can be fed to a growing pet contain levels of fat, sodium, protein, and other nutrients that are too high for an older pet. Similarly, food containing reduced nutrient levels for older animals may not be adequate for growing puppies and kittens.

Everything for everyone

Today, many pet food manufacturers offer foods for a specific stage in their lives. They often advertise the benefits of their food for puppies, kittens, adult or senior pets and that these foods are perfectly balanced for each of these life stages.

That being said, many of these same companies also offer brands of pet food that purport to be “…complete and balanced nutrition for all ages”!

Do the companies that make these products really embrace the concept of different needs at every stage of life? The answer is obvious.

We have been following this principle for more than 60 years.

When choosing Hill’s Science Plan foods for every stage of your dog’s or cat’s life, you can be confident in your pet’s health as our company has over 60 years of nutritionally optimized nutrition.

Hill’s Science Plan is committed to the concept of the different needs of a pet at every stage of life. You won’t find the words “…for all ages” on any Hill’s Science Plan product.