FAQs

Natural ingredients help to keep pets happy and healthy – naturally. At Applaws, this is our core belief and at the heart of everything we do. We simply believe everyone, humans and pets, thrive better by eating natural food with no colors or flavors.

We had one aim when deciding to launch a dry food and that was quite simply to produce the best dry food we could. We worked with leading international vets, animal nutritionists, animal behaviourists and cat breeders. We decided to go back to basics and the Applaws team, spent time researching the type of healthy diet a cat would eat naturally in the wild. Cats are obligate carnivores and must have a high meat diet to thrive. The short gastrointestinal system of cats is adapted to metabolise a diet high in protein and fats from meat, and not the high level of carbohydrates and grains typical in other dry cat foods.

When our founders started Applaws, they discovered that most commercial cat foods contain high levels of cereals and grains which are cheap and filling but not necessarily beneficial to the health of our cats. Some can even cause allergies, itching and digestive issues. While cats are able to tolerate some level of grain, they are carnivores and their bodies are at their healthiest when they get their protein from meat and not cereals. The main source of protein in Applaws cat food is quality meat, like chicken breast or tuna. We make sure our recipes replicate your cat’s natural diet, as closely as possible, so you can serve happiness in every bowl.

Humans can get protein from grains but cats find it easier to digest the protein in their food from quality meat as opposed to the protein derived from grains. Not all protein is the same. Proteins are very complex in structure and proteins are required for all aspects of growth and development and are very important in structural makeup and the immune system.

Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of health and development. Cats require 22 amino acids 11 of these they can synthesize themselves. The remaining ones – which are called the essential amino acids they must get from their food otherwise health problems can occur. Applaws has been developed to ensure that your cats’ diet is naturally rich in all the essential amino acids to keep your cat healthy for longer.

Our Applaws Complete food is packed with protein and nutrients – it’s highly digestible and is concentrated goodness. As a result, your pet gets all the nutrients they need from less food. And less food means smaller firmer stools with less offensive odor – better for you, and your pets.

Our wet pet food is made in Thailand; sourced from human-quality food suppliers and prepared alongside big brands you will recognize from the supermarket shelves – all of our factories have been audited to British Retail Consortium Standards for Food Safety. We take great care to select our supply partners to ensure that Applaws food is always made to the highest possible standards.

Applaws is made to the highest food industry standard of ingredients, safety, and quality. Our dry cat food and dog food is made in the USA, using local ingredients wherever possible.

You lucky thing – we love taking care of kittens. From about 10 weeks, your kitten can eat solid food and should be fed as much as they want. We believe the best way to feed your kitten is with a natural diet that their bodies were designed for. Like the big wild cats, your little furry friend is also a carnivore. They need protein from meat (not cereals and grains) and essential vitamins from vegetables and fruits. This will support essential brain, bone and teeth development as part of overall health. That’s why Applaws recipes have been carefully crafted with natural ingredients. We only use the finest cuts of meat or fish in our wet food range and vitamins and minerals which exist naturally. The essential amino acids which kittens need from their food every day, such as taurine, are naturally occurring in the prime meat and fish we use in the Applaws wet cat food range.

Our dry food contains extremely high levels of meat and we have grain-free recipes too. We recommend serving your kitten complete dry food with a complementary wet food. They may like to have up to eight smaller meals a day – some of these could be in the middle of the night. We recommend a bowl of Applaws complete dry food be left out 24 hours a day. You can then top it up with Applaws wet cat food – don’t forget to always leave a bowl of fresh water out. If your kitten has special dietary requirements, or you are unsure about any aspect of feeding your kitten, speak to your vet to put your mind at ease.

We believe the best way to feed your cat is with a natural diet that their bodies were designed for. Like the big wild cats, your furry friend is also a carnivore. They need meat from protein (not cereals and grains) and essential vitamins from vegetables and fruits to stay happy and healthy. That’s why Applaws recipes have been carefully crafted with natural ingredients. We only use the finest cuts of meat or fish in our wet food range and vitamins and minerals which exist naturally. Our dry food contains extremely high levels of meat and we have grain-free recipes too. We recommend serving complete dry food with a complementary wet food to create your cat’s natural diet – don’t forget to always leave a bowl of fresh water out for your cat drink throughout the day. If your cat has special dietary requirements, or you are unsure about any aspect of feeding your cat, speak to your vet to put your mind at ease.

Size is the main difference. Small kittens need smaller pieces. That’s why we make our dry food into more manageable bite-sizes, with increased micronutrients for growth and development. Our wet food also contains softer, smaller pieces of tuna and chicken, compared to adult flakes, to make eating and digesting easier.

Complete pets foods such as Applaws dry contain all the vitamins and minerals your furry friends need to be healthy. If you only feed your pet complete food and provide lots of fresh water for them to drink, they will receive the all nutrition their body needs.

Complementary pet foods are not designed to be the only source of food for your pet. They are a great way to add variety, flavor and essential vitamins to their diet but should be served with some complete dry food.

At Applaws, our natural, wet complementary recipes contain real meat and fish. These prime cuts provide your pet with naturally high levels of vitamins, taurine and arginine and they are a great way to make dry meals more interesting.

For dogs you can feed a complementary wet meal by itself or as a topper or mixed in with their kibble. Dogs love the taste and variety that an Applaws complementary real meat diet brings to a complete kibble diet. Complementary diets should not be the sole food so always ensure you have a good complete food such as Applaws Complete Food to balance your pets’ diet.

Our broth adds texture, moisture and variety that your pets crave in their diet. Quality meat or fish is cooked in purified water to infuse it with flavor. We then pour the broth over the flaked meat or fish during the packing process. It’s 100% natural, with nothing added to it – simply delicious.

Digestibility measures the amount of nutrients absorbed into the body. These nutrients are needed for proper growth, stamina, reproduction and maintenance of overall good health and body condition.

Different types of grain gluten can cause a problem in some pets. The allergy can result in excessive scratching, hair loss and excessive body odor. Applaws complete is particularly suitable for cats that suffer from to gluten intolerance. However, if you have any concerns, please consult your vet.

We hope your pet is enjoying Applaws. Generally you should see an improvement within 6-12 weeks. Please speak to your vet if you would like more advice to put your mind at ease.

There could be many reasons why your pet scratches and their coat smells. Applaws Natural Pet Food can help to alleviate many common allergies but we would recommend you speak to your vet for more advice and to put your mind at ease.

Yes, there is a little salt in our dry food recipes – 1.134% to be exact which is the ideal amount for cats. Like us humans, cats need a little salt to stay healthy. Too little salt in your cat’s diet can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, or even an electrolyte disturbance, which can cause severe, even fatal, neurological problems. Drinking too much water with insufficient salt intake puts your cat at risk.

Sodium is one of the key elements in salt and is one of the primary electrolytes in the body (in case you’re interested, potassium and calcium are also very essential). Salt can also contain many other beneficial minerals including magnesium, iodine, and over 21 essential and 30 accessory minerals beneficial to your cat’s health.

Applaws Complete dry food is especially created to be Grain Free so we if your pet suffers from a wheat or beef allergy we would ask you to check the ingredients of the canned food before feeding.

We would also ask you to review the feeding guide if both products are complete and reduce appropriately to ensure that you are not over feeding your pet.

This is essential for your cat’s health. Taurine is a natural amino acid only found in animal-based meat protein. Many other cat foods have to add taurine to their recipes as they contain very little meat. Not true for Applaws wet cat food. With up to 80% prime meat content, Taurine is naturally occurring so you won’t see it listed on our ingredients.

We always recommend that our complementary wet cat foods are served with complete and balanced grain-free cat food to ensure your furry friend has a diet packed with the nutrition they need to thrive.

Not really. Carbohydrates are part of your pet’s natural, balanced diet. It is not possible to have a zero carbohydrate diet because even high protein meat contain some carbohydrate e.g. glycoproteins. Cats and dogs are carnivores and they make some carbohydrate from protein (gluconeogenesis) so that they have glucose and other sugars which are important energy resources for the brain. Carbohydrates in the form of fiber are also important for gut health both for prebiotic functions e.g. oligosaccharides and bulk volume to allow gut contents to move and avoid constipation. So, although your pet may not need a high carbohydrate diet, they need some in their metabolism to stay healthy.

Healthy pets need a little fat in their diet. Applaws natural food contains the correct amount of fat that is essential for:

(i) a concentrated source of calories to give your cat or dog sustained energy.
(ii) your pet to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, especially A and D.
(iii) supplying fatty acids, such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid, to maintain a healthy coat and skin.

Yes – natural is always best. When a cat is neutered, they will put on weight – more than they did before. The main reason why cats are overweight is not the fat content in their food but the high carbohydrate content, which turns to fat very quickly. We’re pleased to tell you that all of Applaws cat food range is ideal for neutered cats because they are low in carbs and packed full of tasty meat, fish and vegetables.

At Applaws we refuse to use such methods – we make our products as natural as possible.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved irradiation as a (allegedly) safe and effective means of processing dog and cat food products. We are aware that it is also used to make ‘safe’ contaminated packaging and that there is no legal duty to inform the public if any packaging has been treated in this way – just so you know too.

Applaws is a complete food and has been produced to give your cat or kitten everything they need for a long and healthy life. Homemade pet diets can result in a variety of problems:
• Raw foods carry a high risk of bacterial contamination as well as the possibility of transmitting diseases to humans
• Too much calcium can result in growth problems, particularly for kittens, but too little calcium can cause weak bones that are susceptible to breaks
• Mismanaged fat intake, can result in pancreatic problems
Another obstacle to homemade pet meals is in formulating diets that account for age, breed, size, and level of activity of the animal. According to the American College of Veterinary Nutritionists, Many recipes found on the web or elsewhere, even from well-meaning sources, may not be complete and balanced, creating the possibility of significant long-term harm to animals fed diets based on these recipes.

Pets need fresh water to stay healthy. It is extremely important that your pet can drink fresh water every day to prevent urinary tract problems in the future. However, some pets do not like drinking tap water because it often contains high levels of chlorine, which some cats and dogs can be particularly sensitive to. Our top tip is to leave tap water out for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate before giving it to your pet – they should lap it up.

On the back of each Applaws pack and on our product pages on our website you will find our handy feeding guides – portion sizes will vary and depend on the age, activity level and general health of your cat. As a general guide, we suggest you feed your cat a bowl of complete dry cat food morning and evening along with a complementary wet meal, such as Applaws Cat Tins. One in the morning and one in the evening – don’t forget to always leave a bowl of fresh water out for your cat. If your cat has special dietary requirements, or you are unsure about any aspect of feeding your cat, speak to your vet to put your mind at ease.

We’re so glad you asked. It’s important to introduce any new food to your pet gradually over a period of 10 days. Sudden changes in their diet can result in an upset stomach or digestive issues, so it’s best to start small and build up slowly. Applaws dry is a high protein, grain-free food which your pets will love but they will need to adjust to – depending on their previous diet. It is not uncommon for your pet’s toilet habits to change. You may see looser stools during this transitional period, but over time they should firm up again – a good sign of a healthy digestive system.

We do not add any BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin to our finished products. We are aware that there is background BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin in the processing of some raw materials and some of the manufacturing process – well below legally acceptable levels for food. We are working hard to find more and more BHA free sources for our raw materials.

We do not use any GMO ingredients in our Applaws Complete range. This is a conscious decision, as we always strive to give your pets the best natural food. As you may know, it is not illegal to use GMO ingredients in Pet Food and many American brands have used GMO ingredients in their formulas for many years, without any known side effects. However, at Applaws we think your pet deserves a naturally delicious diet – food that gets their tail wagging or makes them purr with happiness.
*excludes US Dry food.

No. Like all of our ingredients, we only use the best quality fish that meets the highest human food standards. All our tuna is tested for mercury to ensure that our food is always 100% safe.

All Applaws complementary wet cat food recipes are suitable for senior cats. As our food contains quality meat and essential vitamins and minerals, cats of any breed, at any age, can thrive on an Applaws diet. If your cat has special dietary requirements, or you are unsure about any aspect of feeding your cat, speak to your vet to put your mind at ease.

Yes, from 12 weeks old – they’ll love every nibble. All Applaws cat food recipes can be served to kittens at 12 weeks and over. Our recipes are packed with quality protein, and natural vitamins and minerals, so cats of any breed, at any age can thrive on an Applaws diet. If your kitten has special dietary requirements, or you are unsure about any aspect of feeding your kitten, speak to your vet to put your mind at ease.

No, in the fact the opposite is true. Applaws is carefully crafted to keep your pets happy and healthy. After a month or two on our Applaws diet, most cats or dogs will increase their lean muscle mass. And, as Applaws 75% to 80% chicken formulations are low in carbohydrates, most overweight cats will actually lose weight – healthy, natural and delicious.