Avoiding Boutique Cat Foods

I have been a cat owner for a few years now, and I am consistently hearing from veterinarians that it is a mistake to use "boutique" foods -- sold by companies whose foods show the "species appropriate" ingredient lists, which are all the fad now, and which may have a veterinarian or nutritionist or two as a consultant.  Apparently what is missed by focusing on ingredient lists is how the food is formulated, and that takes years of research and testing.  The large companies, like or hate them, employ hundreds of research veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists who engage in long-term and ongoing research and testing to make sure foods are safe and fit for their intended purposes.  Veterinarians (who are also scientists of course) tell me that the least expensive major brand food will give your animal a better chance of a long life than what is a crapshoot with a boutique food.  The focus on carbohydrates is also misplaced, and only becomes a problem if the pet parent free feeds dry food or does not otherwise comply with the feeding instructions for the animal's ideal target weight.  I have known too many pets who were fed boutique foods who ended up with urinary or digestive problems, at the same time that my friends who have had pets that lived for many years used the established company brands.  So as always, a pet owner has to be smart, trust science, and resist the latest fad.  Of course, YMMV...