Premium Cat Food: Components, Brands, Choice

When a cat appears in the house, I want to create the most favorable living conditions for her, and one of the components of caring for the pet is its feeding. The cat can be fed with natural products or finished feed for industrial production. Veterinarians believe that absolutely healthy animals can consume only natural products, while ready-made feeds have their own distinctive properties in the composition of the components and can be used for various indicators of the health and age of the pet.

For the first time faced with the question of choosing the right food for a cat, a person can easily get confused in the variety of cat products, their qualities and properties.

All feeds are divided into 4 categories: holostics are the best and most expensive feeds, super-premium - where the price and quality are in high ranges, premium - inexpensive feed of average quality and economy - the cheapest and low-quality of all possible options.

As a rule, the buyer chooses the product that is affordable for him. Beginning cat breeders mistakenly assume that the word "premium" requires the product to be of a high level of quality. However, in the world of animal feed, this is not so.

Premium cat foods require a quality that can be called average, as such a feed incorporates food flavorings, synthetic flavor enhancers, and preservative additives. Professional feeds do not contain such harmful additives, so their price is higher, but the quality is better.

Manufacturers make feeds that belong to the premium class from products with low prime cost, most often these are meat offal and vegetable cereal. By offal can be understood not only as liver or offal, it can also be skin, beaks, tails, chicken paws and so on. However, along with bone or fishmeal, such products are a valuable source of protein, and a cat for a healthy lifestyle, they are simply necessary, regardless of the source of their receipt.

Gluten is used as an inexpensive filler in the manufacture of low-cost feeds. Gluten should be understood as a mixture that consists of molasses and corn starch.

If you compare quality fodder class holivik and budget fodder premium, you will notice that professional products with high quality have a uniform brownish color. It is possible that it does not look very attractive, but there are no dyes in it. Granular feed of the budget segment will always have bright colors - this is how artificial dyes manifest themselves.

When feeding a cat, it is very important that the food it receives is absorbed by the cat's body to the maximum. Granular products of various categories are assimilated by animals in different ways, and this process directly depends on the composition of the feed and its quality. The comparison table will show us the difference between dry feeds of industrial production more clearly:

Analyzing the data in the table, we can conclude that the feed of the premium segment has some positive qualities. With the low price of the product and its absolute availability, you can buy cat food, which will be well absorbed and not contain harmful components. In the premium feed segment you can find food for cats of any age and health.

Another type of food for cats is canned food. At a cost, canned goods are more expensive for a buyer than dry granules, therefore they are used as an infrequent treat for a furry pet or as a component in mixed nutrition, when dry and wet formulas are used for feeding.

Canned food for cats can be of various forms of preparation and packaging.

• Mousse - It is a product of soft consistency, where all components are very finely ground to a homogeneous mass. It is used mainly for the introduction of the first lures to small kittens.

• Pate - It is a homogeneous ground mass of a much denser consistency than mousse.

• Chopped meat or fish - all ingredients, including meat or fish, have a finely chopped fraction and mixed with jelly, sauce or broth.

• Pieces - meat, fish and other ingredients have a large chopped fraction of pieces and mixed with jelly, sauce or broth.

Cat food in the form of canned food, like dry food, is divided into the same quality classes, they are even produced by manufacturers under the same brands and often make up the general product line.

Premium canned foods may contain the following components:

• meat - muscle, connective and cartilage, fat, heart and tongue;
• meat offal - any internal organs, bones, stomach, intestines, lung, liver, kidneys, intestines;
• bird - muscle tissue, bones, skin;
• poultry offal - any internal organs, bones, neck, head;
• meat or poultry flour - dried and crushed muscle, connective and cartilage tissue and offal;
• meat and bone meal - dried and crushed muscle, connective and cartilage tissue, offal and bone;
• hydrolyzed protein - a protein component divided into individual amino acids;
• broth - a decoction obtained from meat and bones, sometimes contains a flavor enhancer;
• chicken oil - it is flooded from the interior fat of chickens;
• skim milk - a natural product, consists of lactose and protein;
• pork plasma - pork blood as a source of protein;
• egg powder - crushed eggs that have been rejected;
• bean flour - a natural component of low-quality vegetable protein;
• gluten - a mixture of molasses and corn starch;
• starch or flour from corn, wheat, oats, beer rice, tapioca, potato - a natural auxiliary component;
• unpolished rice is a natural ingredient;
• barley sprouts, yam, cranberries, blackberries, alfalfa, zucchini zucchini, carrots, parsley, plantain, pumpkin, blueberries - natural sources of plant fibers;
• molasses - a natural component of sugarcane;
• rosemary, blueberry extract - preservatives of natural origin;
• thyme, garlic - natural products used against helminths;
• lactobacilli and prebiotics;
• oat bran, rice;
• oat, pea fibers;
• Brewer's yeast;
• beet pulp, tomato;
• chicory root;
• flax seeds;
• tomato paste;
• cellulose;
• gelatin, carrageenan and guar gum, cassia carob;
• vitamins and minerals;
• flavorings and flavor enhancers - synthetic and natural;
• synthetic and natural preservatives;
• natural and synthetic dyes;
• sodium nitrite - preserves the color of meat products;
• salt.

Premium feeds are mid-priced, they are significantly inferior to super-premium formulas and holistic, but can still be considered full-fledged cat food. In addition to these ingredients, moisture in canned food can contain up to 80%, while in dry granules this indicator is 6%. The moisture content of the feed is always indicated by the manufacturer on the label.

Sometimes the manufacturer writes the phrase “with taste” on the packaging, but this does not mean at all that there is, in general, the claimed component, since this flavor does not give the product, but the flavor.

In Russia, food for cats and dogs began to be released on an industrial scale recently. The list of domestic manufacturers is increasing every year. Many production process technologies were borrowed from Western countries, where such products have been produced for many decades. Today, Russian feed is not inferior in quality to its foreign counterparts.

The rating of the best cat food producers in Russia is as follows.

Under this brand, in 2000, Alpintech began operating.For two decades, the company has become popular not only in Russia, but also abroad. Cat food is prepared here using a special technology that preserves valuable nutrients and vitamins. This product always contains a reduced amount of fat.

As a result of cooking, all components have a natural taste and smell - that's why cats love them. Food for cats of this brand is often recommended by veterinarians in order to prevent diseases of the stomach and intestines, as well as to restore the body after a long and serious illness.

The owner of this brand is Valta Pet Products JSC. The company releases its feed in Europe, as evidenced by certificates for products issued in Austria, the Netherlands and Germany. The quality of the product of this brand is high and meets modern international standards. All formulas are based on increased content of animal proteins, its amount is declared by manufacturers to 93% of the total amount of ingredients, which relates to holistic class feed.

For the preparation of feed, natural ingredients processed using a special gentle method are used, therefore, the nutritional and digestibility of these compounds is very high and does not require the introduction of additional additives and vitamins in the diet. The company produces for cats not only dry food, but also canned food.

The product under this brand is produced by ZooGurman LLC, which entered the animal feed market more than 10 years ago and, thanks to the excellent quality of its products, has gained high popularity. Foods of this brand do not contain genetically modified products, dyes, flavors and preservatives. The basis of the formulas are only natural ingredients - meat, poultry, fish, offal, vegetables and cereals. The company offers a wide range of nutritious foods for cats - dry food, canned food, pastes, sausages, stews, mousses and even instant cereals.

Another brand owned by Valta Pet Products JSC. This brand produces canned food and dry granules from natural raw materials. The formulas do not contain GMOs, soy and flavorings. All raw materials are evaluated by the Human Grade quality standard. The meat content in feed is declared by the manufacturer to 97%, in addition, the products have a gelling additive and sea salt.

According to cat breeders, these canned foods are fatty, but they contain 100% meat. Open canned foods are kept fresh for no more than two days. In addition, a beef scar is added to their composition, thanks to which the intestinal microflora of the cat is enriched.

The feed of this brand is produced by Pet-Product LLC from St. Petersburg. The company carries out all the production processes for the production of dry granules in the Netherlands, and canned food in the Moscow region on the territory of the Naro-Fominsk cannery. As part of the feed, the manufacturer claims 100% natural ingredients without the presence of GMOs, soy and flavorings.

Feed of this brand is produced on the territory of a large agricultural holding JSC Gatchinsky Feed Mill, where other feeds are also produced under other brands. The release of dog and cat food in the holding began in 2006. Cat food is produced in the form of dry granules and canned food. Granular dry food is made with the tastes of quail, Norwegian salmon, chicken and beef. Canned food is packaged in spiders and tastes like salmon, quail, as well as lamb, rabbit and turkey liver.

According to cat owners reviews, in dry feeds there are no flavors and dyes, the granules are not colored, practically do not smell and attract a cat. However, getting used to these feeds, animals feel good, they are full of energy, while they drink water in moderation.

You can buy food for a Russian-made cat not only in specialized stores and on Internet sites. Today, the assortment of these products occupies large spaces even in ordinary supermarkets. The choice of food for pets is large and you can always find food that matches the age, health status and activity of the pet.

Foreign feed produced for feeding cats is widespread in Russia and competes with products of domestic manufacturers. Cat breeders in the post-Soviet territory learned about the existence of prepared feeds from European manufacturers.

Let's look at the most famous foreign feed brands that are in the top 10 of the best foreign manufacturers.

• Orientjen - Produces Canadian manufacturer Champion Petfoods. These feeds belong to the class of holistic, since the share of used natural raw materials of animal origin in them is 85-95%. All natural products are selected based on their low hypoglycemic index. Food is quite expensive, it can not always be found in the public domain.

• Acana - Another type of cat food manufactured by Canadian manufacturer Champion Petfoods. This is a holistic, not containing cereal crops. This food is considered full-ration, it is suitable for daily feeding and contains up to 75% of meat or fish natural ingredients. There are no specialized and medical feeds in this line.

• Aatu - feed is made in the UK and belongs to the class of holistic. The main ingredients used are poultry and fish, which make up 80-85% of the finished product. The rest of this volume consists of fruits, vegetables, berries, legumes, herbs. Salmon fish oil is used as a source of fatty acids. The product is great for pets with allergies.

• Wildcat - German food class holistic. The main component of the product is meat ingredients in an amount of 75-80% of the total. Carbohydrate in these feeds is represented by Jerusalem artichoke vegetable. The food is enriched with herbs, berries, probiotics. This line does not contain medical and specialized feeds.

• Go natural holistic - Canadian product from the company Petcurean. The advantage of this brand is the absence or slightly small percentage of cereals in the form of rice or legumes, which are part of the feed. This is a balanced product that is suitable for daily consumption and is identical to the food that a cat could eat in the wild.

• Applaws - An English-made hypoallergenic product is a cat food that does not contain cereals. The feed is enriched with animal proteins, and 80% of its composition consists of natural meat components. The line is represented by dry granules and canned food, designed for all ages of cats. The product contains prebiotics, minerals and vitamins.

• Grandorf - Italian and Belgian producers produce these hypoallergenic holistic foods for Russian customers. The product has certified European quality, in its composition dietary varieties of meat and fish occupy 70-75% of the formula. It is produced in the form of dry granules and canned goods. Maintains a normal level of acidity of urine, does not contain preservatives and dyes.

• Carnilove - The Czech manufacturer presents a line of specialized feeds for cats of all ages, sterilized and neutered individuals, as well as for representatives of breeds of especially large sizes.The natural component of meat, poultry and fish are the protein component - their content is declared at least 60% of the total volume of the formula.

• Baskerville - A full-fledged German-made product that belongs to the super-premium class. For the preparation of canned food, up to 70% of meat, fish, poultry and their by-products are used; in dry feeds of these components up to 35-36% is contained. Sweet potatoes are used as carbohydrates. The goods are distributed mainly through online stores.

• Nutram Total Grain Free - Canadian grainless product that has two kinds of flavors - chicken and fish. Suitable for cats of different breeds of any age. The protein of animal origin in the formula contains up to 35-36%, and the source of carbohydrates are legumes. For the production of the product only fresh meat is used, this formula is rich in vitamins and minerals, does not contain GMOs and soy.

The feeds that we examined have good reviews from Russian cat breeders and veterinarians. The only disadvantage of these products can be called high prices and relative inaccessibility. However, these feeds are very advisable to buy, as they are nutritious, almost completely absorbed and economical in consumption.

In order to choose a quality, most suitable food for your furry pet, first of all, you should pay attention to the manufacturer. Veterinarians and many experienced breeders believe that the highest quality products are manufactured abroad - in Canada, Germany, England, the USA and Denmark.

The main element in any cat food is its constituent ingredients. In good feeds of the holistic and super-premium class, all components are only of natural origin, and also they do not contain dyes, preservatives or flavorings. The cheap price segment of feed, on the contrary, incorporates all these ingredients.

If you see sugar, molasses, cellulose, caramel, gluten or propylene glycol in the product, then be aware that all these components are harmful and can cause an allergic reaction or digestive problems in a cat. Synthetic dyes and preservatives are a trigger for your pet's development of oncology, and chemical antioxidants can cause seizures, neurosis, and liver disease.

When choosing food, you need to consider the following points.

• Pet age - There are formulas for small kittens and products for adults. In different periods of life, the diet in cats looks different and these features must be taken into account.
• Type of feed - Some owners feed cats dry food and add natural ingredients to the diet. There is a nutritional scheme that combines dry and wet feeding options. Choosing the right diet is best done after consulting with your veterinarian after assessing the health status of your furry friend.
• Pet breed - feeds may vary in composition for short-haired cats and for long-haired breeds. Any cat, by virtue of its natural instincts, licks the hair, which at the same time gets into her stomach. In nature, a wild cat eats grass, and it helps to remove lumps of wool from her stomach. It is especially important to remove long villi from the stomach, since the volume of such a lump in long-haired cats becomes much larger than in shorthair counterparts.Specialized feeds for long-haired pets are designed to solve this problem due to the special composition of the product formula enriched with dietary plant fibers and herbs.
• Digestibility - when feeding a pet, it is very important that the food that he eats is fully absorbed by him. Only in this case, the animal will be fully provided with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. By purchasing products of the holistic class and super-premium, you can be sure that the food you eat is digested by 80-95%, while other types of feed are digested at best by 60%, which means that your pet does not receive the very important for it life components. Lack of nutrients will significantly reduce the vital activity of your furry friend, the ability to resist diseases, worsen the condition of joints, coat, teeth, claws.
• Health status - this is one of the most important factors when choosing a cat food. So, for example, there are specialized products that are used for cats that have undergone a castration procedure or for cats after sterilization. The hormonal background of these animals is changed, so the nutrition for them should be special in order to avoid problems with the heart, blood vessels, liver and kidneys. If your pet is allergic to this or that product, then you will have to feed it exclusively with hypoallergenic feeds so as not to aggravate its condition.

Today it does not seem a problem to purchase ready-made food for cats. The choice is quite large and varied. Speaking of high-quality and balanced options, the opinions of veterinarians agree that the best feline foods are holistic and super-premium formulas. They are quite expensive for the price, but their quality fully justifies such costs.

When it comes to more economical options of the premium and economy class, the pet’s reaction to such foods can be different - strong and young individuals cope with the increased load of dangerous ingredients, and the general well-being of sick and old individuals can fail.

For rules on choosing premium feeds, see the next video.