Cat food 1st Choice Cat Adult Sterilized Chicken Grain Free

Cat food 1st choice reviews and composition overview.
The quality of food is the key to your cat’s health. Caring owners strive to choose food that will not only ensure the pet’s excellent health, but also give it beautiful fur, strong teeth and a great mood. An advertisement by the Canadian company PLB International Inc., which has been operating in the Canadian market for more than 30 years, promises that their food will fully satisfy the needs of the cat’s body. Customer reviews and a review of the composition of 1st Choice cat food will help you decide whether you are satisfied with the product of this manufacturer.

Animal sources of protein

No fresh or raw (frozen) meat ingredients were used in the production of 1st Choice Cat Adult Sterilized Chicken Formula Grain Free food.
Ingredients #1 and #2 are chicken meal and chicken. This is a good indicator, and yet, due to the large number of plant carbohydrate and protein components, the share of animal protein in the feed is generally low. The percentage of main food ingredients in this food is not indicated.

Chicken liver hydrolyzate occupies only eighth place in the diet, so it is more likely a protein component that improves the taste and smell of food than an independent source of animal protein.

In addition, in the English composition of the product this component is indicated as “natural flavor” - “natural flavoring”, and in translation into Russian it was for some reason called “liver hydrolysate”, which cannot but raise questions.

Detailed review of Vitality food

Compound

Analyzing the composition of feed, we will focus on the example of Vitality feed.

Ingredients included:

1. Fresh chicken - 17%. The disadvantage of the component lies in the reduction in the volume of chicken up to five times after evaporation of moisture. The quality of the component depends on what part of the chicken carcass was used.
2. Chicken flour - 17%. Must be made from at least 60 percent chicken meat. The remaining 40 percent may be skin and bones.

3. 
   Rice. Contains fiber and carbohydrates, does not cause allergies like corn or wheat. Can be used to reduce the cost of feed due to an increase in volume due to grain.

4. Pea protein. It serves as a cheap source of protein, but is poorly absorbed by the cat’s body. Safe for allergy sufferers.
5. Chicken fat preserved with a mixture of natural tocopherols (vitamin E). A typical component of similar products.
6. Beet pulp. Fiber, which improves intestinal function and develops microflora.
7. Brown rice Hypoallergenic cereal containing proteins and minerals.
8. Specially processed barley and oat kernels. Cereals that are undesirable in the composition.
9. Dried egg. Animal protein and B complex vitamins.
10. Chicken liver hydrolysate. Natural flavoring.
11. Whole flax seed. A natural stimulator for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
12. Salmon fat. Omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil are essential for proper metabolism.
13. Dried tomato pulp. Dietary fiber is involved in cleansing the intestines.
14. Pea fiber. Good for the digestive system.
15. Potassium chloride. A component that gives food a certain consistency.
16. Yeast extract. Includes substances that develop normal flora in the intestines and stimulate the immune system.
17. Yucca Schidigera extract. It has a beneficial effect on digestion and minimizes the unpleasant odor of excrement.
18. Dried mint (0.01%), dried parsley (0.01%) and green tea extract (0.01%). Benefit is unclear.

As a result of the analysis of the product composition, it should be concluded that the presented food can be placed between premium and super-premium class.

Benefits of the feed

1. Indication of the percentage content of product components.
2. Possibility to choose grain-free food for your allergic pet.
3. Increased meat content in the composition compared to feed from other manufacturers.

Feed disadvantages

1. The use of marketing techniques to present useless components in the composition as beneficial.
2. Relatively low percentage of meat.
3. Increased volume of cereals.
4. It is impossible to use food for cats with special needs on an ongoing basis due to the low meat content.
5. The range of wet food differs only in taste.
6. Low content of antioxidants and high content of salt, which negatively affects the cat’s vital systems
7. Manufacturer's use of a preservative that is hazardous to animal health when used long-term.

When choosing food for cats suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary system, or prone to allergic reactions, owners should consult a veterinarian.

Healthy Ingredients

Dried brown seaweed is not only a source of fiber, but also iodine. They improve digestion, immunity, thyroid function, as well as the skin and fur of animals.

Taurine is a vital amino acid for cats. The English version of the composition of this food states that it is added to the diet as a separate component - this is an indicator of the low quality of the protein components of the diet or their insufficient quantity: since they cannot provide the cat’s body with the necessary amount of taurine, it is necessary to add it additionally.

Dried pineapple – This additive may add a sweet taste to cat food and help improve digestion. It is debatable whether the amount of pineapple added to the feed has the desired effect, since its amount in the diet is not precisely known.

Yucca Schidigera extract reduces fecal odor.

L-carnitine is useful for animals prone to obesity; it is also listed in the English version of the composition. Since this food is intended for adult spayed and neutered cats, it is quite possible that this ingredient will be useful for them to prevent weight gain associated with changes in hormonal levels.

This food also contains a variety of other vitamin and mineral supplements, which are necessary partly due to the lack of minerals and vitamins in the raw materials, partly due to the peculiarities of the technological process for the production of dry food (this is the industry norm, and therefore is not a direct indicator of high or low quality diet).

It should be noted that the English version of the composition contains many additives that, for some reason, were not translated into Russian by the manufacturer - information about them is limited to the words “vitamins and minerals” and a partial mention in the “Guaranteed Analysis” section.

Types of feed Fest Choice

Urinary

Food for cats from one year of age, prevents the formation of stones in the bladder and kidneys, suitable for everyday feeding. The cranberry contained in the composition reduces the acidity of urine, causes a weak diuretic effect, which prevents hydronephrosis.

Low concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium prevent the development of oxalates. Chicken meat and chicken meal are the main components of the feed. Due to the presence of corn, Urinari is contraindicated in cats with allergic reactions. The product is suitable for individuals who have undergone sterilization. Due to its low calorie content, the food is useful for cats with excess weight problems.

HEALTHY SKIN & COAT formula

Protects pets from the negative influence of environmental factors (sunlight, temperature changes, etc.), and also prevents moisture loss from cells. Due to the contact of sebum on the animal's fur, the fur coat becomes shiny. The skin stops itching and flaking.

For sterilized cats

The main sources of protein are fresh chicken and chicken flour. This product can be used to prevent obesity. The food does not serve as a means of preventing the occurrence of bladder and kidney stones due to the lack of oxidizing agents in the composition.

Dry food "Weight control"

Recommended for use in neutered cats to prevent obesity. It contains grains and is low in calories. This formula is not suitable for cats with normal weight and health problems.

Food for picky cats contains a higher percentage of chicken and chicken meal than other foods. But the presence of ash in the composition can add bitterness to food. The calorie content of the product is increased and is not recommended for animals that are significantly overweight.

Vitality food

Universal food for active cats without health problems. Contains increased amounts of protein and grains. Helps maintain ideal weight, improves food digestion, and prevents the development of kidney stones.

The yucca extract in the composition not only works as an anti-inflammatory and antimycotic effect, but also binds ammonia, and therefore reduces the appearance of fecal odor.

First Choice for older cats

Low in calories, low in fat. The protein in it is just right for older animals, but it is not enough for energetic cats. The manufacturer of the food states that the composition contains chondroitin and glucosamine, which maintain normal ligaments, cartilage and tendons that produce interarticular fluid and protect the cat’s musculoskeletal system from degeneration.

However, the source of these valuable elements is chicken flour, so this food will not bring more benefits than other products in the line.

Cons of food

The first five ingredients contain sweet potatoes, isolated vegetable protein (rice) and lentils - thus, we can objectively assume that there is more vegetable protein in the food than animal protein. In addition, the diet contains little animal fat.

The manufacturer did not indicate the exact amount of useful additives, so it is not possible to judge their effect on the animal’s body. When translating the names of ingredients into Russian, advertising techniques are used, which can mislead the buyer and also undermines trust in the food.

Application

The feeding rate depends on the age of the animal, its level of activity and health, as well as weather conditions. It is imperative to ensure that there is a bowl of fresh drinking water next to the food. The average rates for feeding cats with Fest Choice dry food are given in the table:

conclusions

A mixture of raw and processed (dried) sources of animal protein, root vegetables, isolated vegetable protein and legumes is used as the basis of grain-free chicken food for spayed and neutered cats in the First Choice line. At its core, this food has a plant-protein and carbohydrate base, which does not meet the initial needs of cats for a large amount of high-quality animal protein.

Grain-free food is now being promoted quite actively by manufacturers, since the idea that our domestic carnivores would not eat grains in nature has successfully taken root in the minds of consumers. Cat Adult Sterilized Grain Free with Chicken is another grain-free product in the 1st Choice brand's cat line, created with spayed and neutered cats in mind.

It’s good that the first five components include two sources of animal protein: chicken and chicken meal, and sweet potatoes and other carbohydrate components are listed after them. Among the carbohydrate components you can see rice protein - considering that this diet is declared as grain-free, this is quite unusual. After all, rice protein (aka gluten) is a derivative of rice, that is, a grain.

In our opinion, this cat diet generally contains a lot of vegetable protein and carbohydrates, and a lot of fiber. The fact that the component labeled as “liver hydrolysate” is in fact a natural flavoring, the exact raw material for which is not specified, is also puzzling. It would be great if manufacturers translated the ingredients of products into Russian without changes, and did not try to embellish them.

But the food contains only 9% fat - this is a good indicator, since cats move less after surgery, sleep more and are more likely to gain excess weight. In order to reduce these risks, it is necessary to take into account that their energy needs have decreased by almost a third, and such a diet will not allow them to gain weight.

Cat food 1st Choice - reviews

This Canadian cat food has been on the shelves of Russian pet stores for many years, so there are a lot of reviews about it. We have shared some of them below.

Reviews from veterinarians

Julia writes on one of the veterinary forums in response to a question about this food:

This is a super premium food, quite good. There are no dyes or harmful additives in the composition, if you want, try it. Some of our clinic's clients feed their dogs and cats this food; most do not have any nutrition-related problems.

Customer Reviews

Zlata writes:

My Tosha ate natural food for a long time, but lately I haven’t had time to devote enough time to his diet; from a slender cat, he gradually turned into a bun. I decided to try switching to dry food, and as a result of searching, the choice fell on 1st Choice Sterilized. This is food for sterilized cats and female cats, they usually have problems with excess weight, I hoped that it would help with this.

There were no problems with the translation; Tosha liked the dry food. And so did I, I tried the granules after opening the bag - not salty, not greasy, with a pleasant smell. You can probably eat chiplos instead, they are definitely more healthy)) After two months of feeding, the problem with excess weight did not disappear, but it decreased significantly, it is no longer such a bun. I think it will take the same amount of time and the weight will return to normal.

Irina writes:

Hi all! Today I’ll tell you about the 1st Choice Kitten Growth Formula kitten food that we feed our Maine Coon kitten. He is now 9 months old and has been eating this food since he was 3 months old. The breeder ate Pro Plan, but I wanted something better (before that I had read a bunch of forums and already knew that he was premium and not the best).

1st Choice food is made in Canada. The packaging is in pleasant white and lilac colors; instead of the usual zip locks, it has Velcro. The main advantage of the food is, of course, its composition, which is very good for feeding small cats. There are feeding guidelines on the packaging, but I usually pour it in at random so I can eat it.

The food granules are light brown, small, round, slightly flattened. The smell is pleasant. The small size of the granules was a plus at first, but now the kitten has already grown a lot and they fall out of the mouth, but soon we need to switch to food for adult cats.

During the entire feeding period there were no problems; the food was perfect. To summarize, I would like to say that I was satisfied with the choice; thanks to 1st Choice Kitten food, our baby is growing healthy and strong! Definitely recommend it to your cats and cats!

Polina writes:

My cat usually eats Royal Canin, but when the store didn’t have the usual formula, I thought why not try food from another manufacturer. I took 1st Choice Adult Finicky for picky cats, with chicken flavor. It is a little more expensive, but I decided not to spare the money.

Unfortunately, the cat did not appreciate my initiative, sniffed at the new product and began to reluctantly eat, scattering crumbs around the bowl. The composition seems to be better, the packaging is no less beautiful, the smell is also not very different, but for some reason it tastes worse than Royal Canin. I don’t know what’s causing this, but I won’t buy 1st Choice in the future.