Caring cat owners know that domestic cats not only need shelter and care, but also a complete and balanced diet.
The realities of dynamic city life required a new look at the organization of pet food. So in the middle of the last century, the industry began to produce long-lasting cat food.
Nowadays, this industry is represented by many manufacturers of dry food and canned food. One of the reputable manufacturers of such products is.
Types, range and composition of feed
The Hills company produces dry food for purrs, canned food and spiders.
There are several lines of these products.
SciencePlan – food for healthy pets of all ages . The composition of each individual food is carefully selected, taking into account age characteristics, as well as the specifics of individual breeds.
- Kitten – for kittens with tuna, chicken, as well as chicken and vegetables.
- Senior 7+ – for animals over 7 years old.
- YoungAdultSterilised – products for sterilized cats.
The AdultFeline series with lamb, tuna, rabbit or chicken will be useful for purebred purrs.
- HairballControl – makes it easier for furry breeds to swallow hair.
- LightChiken and IndoorCat are low-calorie foods for animal weight control.
- SensitiveStomach – helps pets with sensitive stomachs digest food.
- OralCare - takes care of the purr's oral cavity.
- SensitiveSkin – helps reduce irritation on sensitive cat skin.
The composition of each individual food is specially selected, taking into account age characteristics, as well as the specifics of individual breeds.
The composition of the food depends on the formula and may contain the following ingredients.
- Chicken liver;
- Animal fat;
- Protein extracted from chicken bones, feathers and beaks;
- Soy protein;
- Corn gluten;
- Shredded corn.
Not long ago, Hill's began releasing two more new lines of food: IdealBalance and Nature'sBest. These products do not contain preservatives, dyes, soy, wheat flour, or dairy products.
But they include:
- Brown rice
- Flax-seed
- Peas.
- Potato.
- Tomatoes.
- Broccoli.
- Beetroot.
- Carrot.
- Natural antioxidant and preservative.
They also produce various medicinal foods, otherwise called “prescribed diets” from the PrescriptionDiet line.
- Metabolic and R/D are prescribed in the treatment of obesity in a pet to correct its weight.
- LowFat/Diabet W/D will be useful for diabetes in pussies.
- K/D is prescribed for existing problems with the kidneys and heart.
- J/D will be a good helper in the treatment of joints. Here it will be possible to restore cat cartilage tissue with the help of omega-3 fatty acids contained in the food.
- L/D will help with existing liver diseases.
- Z/D is attributed to pets with allergies. This food contains vitamins, hypoallergenic hydrolyzed protein, various beneficial minerals and antioxidants.
- Y/D aibolit is prescribed for hyperthyroidism.
- T/D has a preventive effect against diseases of the cat's oral cavity.
- S/D and C/D are prescribed for urolithiasis.
- A/D helps your pet's body recover after injury or surgery.
- I/D will help in solving intestinal problems.
Some cat owners consider it acceptable to give medicinal food to completely healthy pets. Never do this! Please consult your veterinarian on all nutritional issues.
Hill's History
s Packing, a manufacturer and packer of agricultural feed, and veterinarian M. Morris. In 1948, Mr. Morris approached Hill's Packing with a proposal to mass produce canned dog food.
This doctor had his own recipe for a diet for dogs with kidney disease, developed for the guide dog of one of Mark Morris's acquaintances. Under the name Hills Prescription Diet k/d, this food was the first to appear on the market and became the predecessor of all other Hills products.
For several decades, the company produced canned and dry dog diets based on the recipes of Dr. Morris, and later his son. In 1968, the first Hills cat food appeared.
According to representatives of Hill's Pet Nutrition, proper nutrition should become the basis of modern veterinary medicine. Therefore, many Hills canned and dry food for cats and dogs are positioned as therapeutic, dietary and preventive.
Hill's Pet Nutrition employs more than 200 veterinarians and nutritionists. The company's Pet Nutrition Center houses nearly 1,000 dogs and cats whose "job" is to test under the supervision of Hills Feed Center staff.
Pros and cons of Hill's brand food
Hills has many advantages.
- For the production of this brand of feed, exclusively high quality raw materials are used.
- The food contains sources of animal and vegetable protein, useful minerals, vitamins and exclusively natural preservatives.
- Composition information can be read on the packaging.
- Thanks to the widest range of Hills products, every cat owner will be able to choose food specifically for their cat.
- The PrescriptionDiet line has proven its therapeutic effect in reality.
- Products of the above brand are sold in many pet stores and veterinary pharmacies.
But there are also a few downsides to Hills.
- Systematic consumption of this dry food can cause allergic reactions in some pets.
- Hill's products contain a lot of carbohydrates that are difficult for the cat's body to digest.
- The packaging does not contain data on the percentage of ingredients.
Range
The compositions of "Hills" differ depending on the line and purpose, especially for therapeutic and dietary foods. Today the company produces more than five dozen types of canned and dry food. The Hills range has been presented in Russia since 1995. Four lines of feed are sold in Russia:
- Prescription Diet – wet and dry food for dogs and cats with various diseases (they are recommended to be given to animals only as prescribed by a veterinarian);
- Science Plan – balanced daily nutrition for animals of different ages and with different needs;
- Nature's Best - everyday canned and dry food for dogs and cats, which, according to the manufacturer, contains only natural ingredients (it is assumed that they should not contain artificial preservatives, attractants and dyes, as well as eggs, wheat, soy and dairy products );
- Ideal Balance - this line combines the qualities of the two previous lines (according to the manufacturer, these are balanced foods made only from natural ingredients).
Hills products are sold in more than 90 countries around the world, the company has representative offices in 86 countries, including Russia: Hills Pet Nutrition LLC is located in Moscow at the address: st. Krylatskaya, 17/4, tel.: 8-800-200-11-11
Official website: hillspet.ru
Conclusions about Science Plan food
Reviews about Science Plan cat food are mostly positive, although there are also negative ones. The composition is not as good as the manufacturer advertises. Considering the last fact, the PetObzor website recommends, if possible, choosing something of higher quality from the super premium class (for example, Brit Care or Monge at almost the same price).
If this is not possible, then dry food from Hills is generally no worse than other premium products, and certainly better than economy class food.
- Hills feed
- Premium food for cats
Composition of diets for dogs
The most important component of the food is meat - turkey, chicken. But often you can see chicken and turkey flour in the composition. This means that ground poultry meat, skin and bone structures are used in production. The manufacturer does not use chicken heads, paws or feathers in the manufacture of this product. Often, by-products are included in diets, which reduces the cost of the product. This approach can be found in the production of economy and premium feed.
To provide the animal with carbohydrates, wheat and rice are included in the feed. It is fortified with corn. It contains many vitamins and amino acids. But it is this ingredient that provokes allergic reactions. The dog gets its vegetable protein from corn gluten and its fiber from sugar beets.
How feed is produced
Hill's works only with trusted product suppliers. Regardless of where Hills food is produced, it must meet a number of mandatory requirements. For this reason, all product suppliers undergo strict selection, and each batch of raw materials is checked for the presence of the necessary nutrients.
At Hill's factories, the Rules for the Organization of Production and Product Quality Control (GMP) are strictly followed, and the brand's internal quality standards are strictly observed, which are sometimes much stricter than international ones.
Information about which of the four countries in the world the food was manufactured in is required to be indicated on each product package. However, two similar products manufactured at different factories do not have significant differences, since they are prepared according to the same recipe and undergo strict quality control.
Reviews from veterinarians
Anatoly Viktorovich Sergeev, veterinarian:
“I recommend Hill's food to four-legged patients. And not only for those who have kidney or liver problems, but also for completely healthy dogs. The fact is that the food is the most balanced compared to analogues, due to which the diet contains the required daily dose of vitamins and nutrients.”
Anna Germanovna Akhtuba, veterinarian:
“I learned about the quality of Hill's feed when I was just studying to become a veterinarian. I did an internship in a hospital where they fed me exactly this food. Since then I have been recommending Hill’s, since every owner can choose the food he needs based on the condition of the dog and its characteristics.”
Benefits of Hills for dogs
Hill's produces an extensive line of dog food. Among them you can choose a diet for animals of any age and activity. In specialized stores it is easy to choose food for therapeutic nutrition or the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, etc.
In production, they do not use artificial dyes and preservatives, which many manufacturers of famous brands are guilty of. There are no flavors, potassium sorbate, or antioxidants.
Despite the fact that the manufacturer does not clearly state the composition of the product on the label and does not always specify information about the ingredients, most of it contains meat and offal. Food from this company can be found in almost any pet store or in the “Pet Products” departments. The price of the food is budget-friendly and will not hurt your wallet when switching to regular feeding with products of this brand.
What food to choose
With such a variety of diets, it is very important to choose the right food that will saturate your dog’s body and help restore its health. First of all, you should take into account weight, age and the presence of any diseases, and also do not forget about the pet’s taste preferences. We have compiled a list of Hills products for daily nutrition, based on the size of the animal.
For small breeds
For dogs weighing up to 10 kg, the Science Plan series includes the following diets:
- Hills Science Plan Puppy Healthy Development Mini. It comes in two flavors - lamb with rice and chicken.
- Hills Science Plan Canine Small Adult and Miniature. Available in poultry flavor.
For medium breeds
If your dog weighs from 10 to 25 kg, then you can choose the right diet from the following diets: Hills Science Plan Canine Adult Advanced Fitness. Your choice of flavors is tuna with rice, chicken.
For large breeds
If you are the happy owner of a large breed dog weighing more than 25 kg, then choose the following food for it:
- Hills Science Plan Canine Adult Advanced Fitness Large Breed. Available in lamb with rice and chicken flavors.
The largest dogs include such breeds as: St. Bernard, Spanish and Tibetan Mastiff, African Boerboel, Newfoundland, Great Dane, Leonberger and Moscow Watchdog.
Price and where to buy
Hill's Science Plan dry and wet food can be purchased at many stores, such as:
- "Yandex Market" ():
- Packaging 0.3 kg - from 199 rubles;
- Packaging 1.5 kg - from 731 rubles;
- Packaging 2.5 kg - from 1190 rubles;
- Packaging 6 kg - from 2499 rubles;
- Packaging 12 kg - from 3750 rub.
The above prices are indicative, valid in mid-September 2021, may differ depending on the option and change significantly over time. For the exact cost, see the pet store websites using the links above.