Many consumers habitually monitor their caloric intake, and they count calories in the pet food they purchase for their furry friends. But what’s a normal range of calories in pet food? And does weight-control in the product name automatically mean it’s a low-calorie product?

While some legumes such as peas play a major role in pet food -- included in 54 percent of dry dog and 50 percent of dry cat food recipes -- soybeans play a much smaller role.

While even mid-range grocery stores are adding organic produce sections, the organic trend is still a small part of the dog and cat food market.

Rice, in one or many forms, is found in nearly half of all dry dog and cat food recipes, at 49 and 47 percent, respectively.

Potatoes – whether they are white or sweet – are found in a high percentage of dog and cat foods, in both wet and dry recipes.

The expected color for most dry and canned dog and cat food is brown. Achieving that brown often requires the addition of color additives. One of these is caramel – produced from caramelized sugar.

Pumpkin has been recognized as a good source of soluble fiber and is quoted by internet experts as a good cure for digestive problems for both dogs and cats. Pumpkin is also a popular ingredient in those who formulate their own and raw food for their pets. 

Among the fruits, blueberries and cranberries are the most common in all forms of dog and cat food.

It is no secret that grain-free has become a major portion of the dog food market, but just how pervasive is the grain-free movement?