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The research, discoveries, inventions, etc that allowed us to have canned foods, pre-made foods, etc also allowed the start of the comercial pet food industry.  However, unlike human food, pet food is not regulated to a large degree.  The ingredients used in pet food are typically fall into the category of "not fit for human consumption".  Pet food manufacturers think these ingredients are okay for our pets.

Grains (such as wheat or corn) may be moldy.  Meat is often not real meat, such as we might buy from a grocery store, but by-products.  By-products are the parts of the animals that are not consumable by humans ... feet/hooves, beaks, feather, intestines, and more.  Pet food ingredient processors and pet food manufactuers can, and do, use the remains of dead animals ... road kill, disease, old age, etc.  The processing of pet food ingredients are not held to the same standards of cleanliness and purity as human food.  That mean it could include mouse or rat droppings, or even one of the critters who finds itself in one of the processing machines.

Many pet food ingredients are pruchased from overseas, particularly China, where regulation is lacking.  Toxins, such a melamine, has been found in ingredients coming from there.  In 2007, more than 5300 pet food & treat products were recalled, but too late for the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of cats and dogs who became ill or died.

Commercial pet foods often contain unnecessary additives and preservatives.  Did you know many commercial pet foods have a shelf life of 25 years?  That is one heck of a preservative, and one I would not want to consume myself.  So why let my pets consume it?

Since the advent of commercial pet foods, more and more cats and dogs are presenting with serious health issues such as allergies, skin conditions, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and more.  Not that cats and dogs who eat as they did before commercial pet food became widely available don't develop many of these same conditions - but the number of incidents is increasing each year.  Considering the questionable quality of ingredients, along with additives and preservatives, there has to be a connection.

Did you now that corn, wheat and soy are some of the most common causes of allergies and skin problems?  Did you know that most commercial pet foods are primarily composed of fillers?  Did you know that the so-called prescription diets for diabetes, urinary tract conditions, weight management, etc are no better than regular pet food in terms of ingredients?  Did you know dry cat food contains grains, vegetables and fruits that cats' digestive systems cannot utilize or tolerate?

So why do veternarians recommend commercial pet foods and prescription diets?  Because the pet food industry controls and sponsors the nutrition and feeding courses in verternary schools.  Today's veternarians don't know any better unless they do their own research.  They depend on the pet food industry's information.

It's up to each individual pet owner to decide what they will feed their cat or dog.  While I certainly hope my postings here will help you make a rational decision, please do your own research and reading.  And do keep in mind that just because something is printed in a book or posted on the Internet it doesn't necessarily mean its factual.  Keep an open mind, use grains of salt judiciously, and use your own logic and reasoning to make determinations.

Resources:

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Pets-Die-Shocking-Second/dp/0939165465
[Please note that I do not agree with the cat food section of this book.  Cats do not need grains in any form, nor do they need any type of plant such as vegetables and fruits.]

http://www.amazon.com/Not-Fit-Dog-Truth-Manufactured/dp/1884956831/ref=pd_sim_b_3

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/