Pets need love, attention from humans, proper care and nutrition. It should not only be tasty, but also balanced, consist of high-quality ingredients that are healthy for the body. The best dry cat food in terms of composition undergoes special testing and has an appropriate certificate confirming the good quality and safety of the product.
We have prepared a rating that includes only the best dry food for sterilized cats, neutered cats, and elderly animals. The TOP includes holistic, super-premium and premium food. Each of them comes with a detailed description, a list of positive and negative aspects, so that you can choose the best option for your pet. According to veterinarians, good dry food for cats can improve their well-being, mood and guarantee many years of life thanks to their balanced composition. The selection includes food for Scottish, Bengal and other domestic cats.
Positive and negative sides
Usually, having brought home a small miracle, the owner gives preference to food prepared independently, thinking that the pet will receive more benefit from it.
But what is the advantage of ready-made food:
- Saving your time. Imagine how many hours you waste by constantly cooking at the stove;
- Balance and nutrients. It doesn’t matter how old your pet is, he will receive all the necessary substances from ready-made food, and in the right proportions and dosages. Due to vitamins and healthy supplements, animals normalize digestion and are less at risk of getting sick;
- Benefit from the purchase. It's a double-edged question. If the food is premium, then self-prepared food will be cheaper;
- Taking care of your teeth. Many foods help in the fight against caries and do not harm the teeth in any way.
There are always negative points:
- If the food is of low quality or budget, the pet will quickly get used to it.
- Such food is very moist, which is detrimental to health.
Some foods do not fight caries, but form it and tartar.
Natural nutrition
Many cat owners begin feeding their animals by offering the animal the food they themselves eat. This approach is not correct. Cats require a specific set of vitamins and minerals that regular food cannot provide. You can often hear complaints - you fed your cat natural food, but she often gets sick and behaves restlessly.
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The problem is lack of nutrients. A cat is a predator, so an abundance of meat and fish is mandatory for such an animal . It is almost impossible to provide your pet with the full range of essential nutrients on your own. Therefore, the best option is a balanced diet approved by veterinarians. This is exactly the diet offered by companies that produce special food for cats.
But if you still decide not to spend money on industrial food, then for the normal development of the cat it is necessary to diversify the menu, include meat, vegetables, and fish in the diet.
But feeding your cat raw fish is dangerous, as it may contain worms and parasites that are harmful to health. During heat treatment and when cleaning fish, housewives get rid of such “surprises”.
What classes are feed divided into?
Economy Most often these foods are purchased, the reason for this is the low price and great advertising promotion. You shouldn’t expect any benefits or vitamins from them, the products are unnatural, waste, soy proteins.
But the smell, flavors and harmful additives win the love of pets. Also, when reading the ingredients, avoid allergens.
Do not ruin the health of your pets and buy food from these brands:
- Whiskas,
- Darling,
- Felix,
- Purina One,
- Perfect Fit
- Kitikat,
- Sheba.
Some useful tips
It's no secret that cats are quite finicky animals, and everyone has different tastes. A pet can happily eat cheap dry food and turn up its nose at elite food.
- If the kitten was purchased from a nursery, the owner should ask the breeder what food he used to feed it.
- When buying new food for your pet, you should not buy a large pack at once, because you are not sure that your cat will like it.
- When purchasing a bag of dry granules for snow-white cats, the owner should make sure that it does not contain carrots and beets, which can stain the animal’s coat for a while.
- It is not advisable to frequently change the brand of dry food, as your cat may develop an allergy or stomach upset with the new one.
- There should always be a bowl of fresh, clean water next to the bowl of dry kibble so your pet can drink whenever he wants.
Premium and super-premium
The content of meat, grains, and proteins is much higher than in economy class feed. And the amount of soy, grains, and by-products is kept to a minimum.
Of course, super-premium cat food is better in composition, and if possible, you should give preference to them and you won’t have to worry about your pet’s health.
- Premium foods: Brit Premium, Probalance, Ontario, Nero Gold, 4 Paws Club, Hill's, Happy Cat.
- Super premium food: Brit Care, Monge BWild, Summit, Brooksfield, Optimeal, Leonardo, Applaws, Bozita, Bosch, Organix, Pronature Original, Gina, Arden Grange, 1st Choice.
When choosing food, you should consult with your veterinarian; some foods containing large amounts of meat may have a bad effect on your pet’s gastrointestinal tract.
Features of feeding kittens
A kitten's diet is radically different from that of adults. He needs the whole complex of vitamins and microelements. As it grows, all vital organs and systems are formed, and a lack of the necessary components will negatively affect health.
A kitten's diet is radically different from that of adults.
For up to 2 weeks, it is recommended to take purely breast milk substitutes, which are sold in pet stores. If they are not available, you can prepare the mixture yourself by combining 4 parts goat or cow milk with 1 part egg white.
As you grow, this nutrition will not be enough. In the 3rd week you need to introduce additional ingredients into the diet. As a supplement, you need to use canned food and dry mixtures for kittens of the premium and super-premium categories.
Meals should be chosen depending on age; this information should be checked with the seller or found on the packaging. It is recommended to combine them with dairy nutrition: 30% is feed, 70% is dairy nutrition.
Advice! You should not purchase cheap products, as they provoke the development of diseases.
Age when you can switch to regular food
It is recommended to completely switch to regular food for the younger age category at 1 month. Formula milk should also continue to be given, but in a smaller dosage. And by 2 months the kitten should be switched to the main type of food. This transition will help avoid stress for your pet.
It is worth changing the product line only as a last resort.
Holistics
The best, healthiest, high-quality food is in this section. Manufacturers do not skimp on them, you can safely feed your pet. The only thing is, due to its beneficial properties, such food is very expensive.
Popular holistic food brands:
- Acana,
- Superpet,
- Jaguar
- Carnilove,
- Farmina N&D,
- Almo Nature,
- Innova Evo
- Grandorf,
- Pronature Holistic,
- Gina Elite.
Expensive vs. cheap
– There are several classes of feed. “Superpremium”, “premium”, “economy”, as well as “holistic” (Human Grade) - the quality is as if the product was made for people. In the production of such feeds, technologies are used that make it possible to preserve all the benefits of the ingredients, their digestibility is at least 80%, no by-products, only clean meat. As for the rest, the degree of presence and digestibility of useful components depends on the class,” says Galina Chernova.
And Darina Berezina recommends not to get carried away with cheap food and draws an analogy between them and instant soups like Doshirak. If you eat exactly this all the time, then gastritis will not keep you waiting. Whatever one may say, in the end the cat chooses the food itself. All you have to do is first give her a choice, and then regularly fulfill her preferences.
“If a cat likes the food, she feels good after it, she has no problems with digestion or urination, she is active and has good hair, then it suits her,” says Ekaterina Nigova. – Perhaps some cat will like food that is more expensive, and some will choose cheaper food, there is nothing wrong with that.
The doctor also explains that the classification of feed is rather arbitrary. Of course, the manufacturer understands approximately what quality customers expect from food of a certain class, and tries to meet the declared level, but in fact there are no prescribed parameters that classify food into one group or another. In Europe and America (where feed most often comes from on the Russian market), there are still organizations that certify feed and are responsible for its safety. However, even if you have “holistic” food in front of you, you cannot say for sure that it is made from the best and freshest meat, and not yesterday’s meat. Regarding controversial additives, we note that regulations determining which additives are safe and allowed for use and which are not still exist and the manufacturer is obliged to follow them.
Your choice
We have just talked about the different classes of food, and you can safely answer the question: “What food is best to give to a cat?”
- Any super-premium or holistic class is ideal for your pet’s health.
- Hunger will be satisfied for a long time, and the body will be saturated with useful substances.
- If, due to your budget, you can only afford economy-class food, it is better to prepare food for your pet yourself.
Don’t be fooled by flashy packaging and advertising, trust the ingredients and our advice.
The best canned food for cats
Food for cats that is produced in the form of canned food can hardly be called everyday. It's more of a treat. The reason for this is simple - the high cost of food, as well as the composition.
Some canned food contains a limited list of ingredients, so it is not wise to regularly feed your cat such food.
As a rule, canned cat food is produced by the same companies that produce other types of food. Therefore, many amateur owners and cat breeders regularly feed domestic cats with a cheaper type of food. Canned food is used as complementary food or as a kind of encouragement for fluffy. It is convenient to use one brand, but options for combining food from different companies are also quite acceptable.
The ranking of the best canned food according to veterinarians is as follows:
- Almo Necher Alternative.
- Leonardo.
- Applous.
- Evanges Signeisha Series.
- Petite Couisin.
Almo Nature Alternativ
The composition of these canned foods includes natural meat of animal origin or fish - tuna, sardines, seafood - crabs, shrimp. The first position is 95% of the main product, the last is 60%. The rest is broth and vegetables, which are also useful for the development of the cat.
The advantage of this type of food is its composition - completely natural. In addition, the packaging is designed for one use. Therefore, there is no danger that food will remain in the refrigerator and spoil over time. This food has many lines designed for different situations - for kittens, for old cats, for sick cats. Veterinarians recommend including such complementary foods as a special dietary food for animals suffering from digestive problems.
Veterinarians consider the disadvantage of this diet to be its soft consistency. It does not clean your cat's teeth like dry food does.
Food for different breeds
You can often hear the following questions: “Which food is better for British, Scottish or Maine Coon cats?”
- The breed also plays a big role; the individual characteristics of the pet can affect nutrition.
- If a cat, due to its breed, is prone to obesity, special food will prevent obesity and various diseases from occurring.
- This happens thanks to the correct calculation of the proportions and dosages of products when creating food.
Natural food for cats
When choosing natural products, you need to focus on the needs of the animal. This depends on his level of health, age, breed and activity level.
This diet should include:
- low-fat fermented milk products;
- boiled meat of lean varieties;
- high-quality offal (liver, heart, stomachs);
- vegetables, greens of neutral taste;
- lean fish without bones;
- vegetable oils;
- cereals;
- egg yolks.
The diet should be supplemented with vitamins and minerals depending on the time of year, breed and age. These components should be administered on the recommendation of a veterinarian in accordance with the indicated dosage. It is important to use healthy supplements in the autumn and spring.
Dry
The most popular and easy to use food. Due to the small amount of moisture in the food, you should constantly monitor your pet's water balance throughout the day.
- Dry food has a positive effect on teeth, cleaning them from plaque.
- It is necessary to pay attention to the pet’s age and needs when choosing.
What dry food is best for cats? Acana, Orijen, Grandorf. These are the three best dry foods from the holistic class.
What should you not feed your cat?
There are certain foods that are strictly forbidden to give to a cat. When planning your diet, you should completely exclude them.
You should not give your pet:
- fatty meat (pork, lamb);
- sweets and sugar analogues;
- spices;
- smoked meats, marinades;
- onion garlic;
- sour foods;
- fried food;
- sausages, sausages;
- fatty fish.
Attention! When preparing natural food, you should not add salt and spices, because... this leads to liver and kidney dysfunction.
Wet food
This type of food is pieces in sauce, its moisture content is medium. One small bag is enough for one time.
- If your pet doesn't finish eating, throw away the leftovers; they will no longer be able to satisfy and benefit the animal.
- What is the best wet food for cats? The greatest demand is for Grandorf, Solid Natura Selection, Royal Canin Digest Sensitive.
Wet types - which one is the best?
Manufacturers produce wet food in jars, special packaging equipped with a zipper, in trays, etc. A distinctive feature of this food for cats is its consistency. These are pates, pieces of meat in jelly, stews, sauces and broths. This type of food does not require heavy drinking, as is the case with dry food . But, unlike dry food, this type of food quickly deteriorates if it is not used immediately. Therefore, food for cats is packaged in small containers designed for one meal.
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The cost of such food is significantly higher than dry food. The best wet food according to veterinarians is quite difficult to determine. But there are still a number of companies that are leaders in this part of the production of cat food.
Among the holistic class, the following are recognized as the best:
- Applous.
- Almo.
- Moonlight Dinner.
These are expensive foods made from natural ingredients. Veterinarians note that this is a completely balanced diet designed for different age categories.
There are lines of food for cats suffering from certain diseases.
The best of the super premium class:
- Brit Keir.
- Bozita.
- Gina.
This food does not contain components for sick animals. These are universal foods that contain natural meat - turkey, rabbit, chicken. And also vegetables - carrots, peas. Does not contain harmful components.
In the premium class it is:
- Hills.
- About the Plan.
- Royal Canin.
Premium meals are cheaper than previous options. But it is considered complete, and veterinarians speak rather flatteringly about it.
Instructions
Remember that the food may not be suitable for your pet, despite its class, even holistic people do not always win the love of animals.
- Each of them is individual, you may not suspect what your pet is allergic to.
- Only by trying a variety of foods will you find the right one.
The food is affected by the breed, sterilization, and disorders in the body. It is worth consulting your veterinarian once again.
Is fish harmful?
– There is a theory that it is not physiological for a cat to eat fish, since in the wild it usually does not eat such meat. But in the same way, in nature, cats do not eat rabbits and do not hunt cows, but food from these animals is actively sold, and there is nothing wrong with that, since the food is designed for normal absorption, explains Darina Berezina. – For example, salmon and trout can be classified as high-quality fish, but cheaper fish (capelin, herring, blue whiting) are rather undesirable.
This fish may contain too much iodine and other minerals that cannot be absorbed in such a volume, which causes the formation of stones in the genitourinary system, adds Galina Chernova.
“As for ordinary raw fish, it is not suitable for everyone, there is a lot of phosphorus, little calcium,” says Ekaterina Nigova. – If you are a compassionate citizen and consistently feed street cats, then dry food is perfect for them. It is also advisable to bring water to the animals, although even here they will most likely get out on their own, because in the summer you can drink from a puddle, and in the winter they can eat snow
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Photo of the best cat food
Expectations - reality: about discrepancies with labeling
A study by Roskachestvo revealed a very important problem: the actual composition of feed does not partially coincide with what is indicated in the product labeling. In most samples, deviations of the actual composition of feed from the information stated on the product labeling were recorded. We are talking about deviations:
- by the amount of crude fat;
- by the amount of crude protein;
- by the amount of iron;
- by the amount of manganese;
- by the amount of selenium;
- by the amount of phosphorus;
- by the amount of raw ash;
- by the amount of potassium;
- by the amount of zinc.
The legislation of the Russian Federation and the treaties of the European Union do not establish mandatory requirements for feed labeling, as well as permissible deviations of the actual composition of products from the information stated on the label. This legal gap contributes to a) misleading consumers, b) incorrect formation of animal diets.
It is for this reason that in 2022 Roskachestvo sent proposals to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture to establish mandatory requirements for food and other products. In particular, proposals to include in the draft technical regulation “On the safety of feed and feed additives” being developed, requirements for the reliability of labeling for the content of individual components and their range in pet food.
It was proposed to include the relevant provisions in a separate section of the draft regulation “Requirements for pet food”, in which it was planned to establish permissible deviations from the declared values of complete nutrition indicators, indicators of nutritional value and safety of food for cats and dogs.
Subsequently, in 2022, the Russian side supported the proposal to exclude feed for non-productive animals from the draft regulations and the advisability of developing a separate technical regulation of the EEC “On the safety of feed for non-productive animals.”
The project is still under development
In July 2022, the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, in response to a request from Roskachestvo, reported that the draft regulations, finalized by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan (project developer), have not yet been submitted to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture for consideration.
Important information on packaging
How often when buying food for your family do you read what is written on the packaging?
Judging by myself, I can say with confidence that we don’t do this very often. So, before you shell out a round sum for a bag of food, learn to read and understand what is written on the packaging.
The following should make you ready to buy cat food:
- the inscriptions “balanced, complete, optimal balance, nutritional”, the abbreviation of AAFCO (American Association of Food Quality Control);
- in the first place there should be not just a generalization of protein, but a specifically indicated type of meat contained in the food and its percentage - at least 25%;
- also sources of protein should be liver or fish, it is very good if there are at least 2 sources of protein in the food;
- preservatives such as vitamin E and C;
- high quality of feed is an indicator of its digestibility. The smaller the amount of feed indicated in the feeding recommendations per day, the better and higher quality the product;
- Don't forget to pay attention to expiration dates.
Immediately leave the bag of cat food on the shelf if:
- the word “bone meal” should alert you, believe me, this is not what your pet should eat;
- high feeding rate, i.e. the animal, according to the instructions on the packaging, must eat a lot of food per day;
- a bad product uses dangerous chemical preservatives, so the inscriptions BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propyl gallate should alert you;
- dyes, flavors, high content of fillers (corn, wheat) more than 50% in dry food are unacceptable.
In addition, it is useful to know what you should not feed your cat.
