Holistic food for cats: what it is, review and tips for choosing

What will you learn from the article?

1. Why grain-free food is the best for cats Why manufacturers add grains to food

Commercial grain-free cat food is the best you can offer your pet. Even natural food cannot always provide such a complete, nutritious and balanced composition.

Yes, they are not cheap, but the health and well-being of your pet is more expensive.

Why is grain-free food the best? How does this type of ready-made food for cats differ from others? Which brands' food is better? How to choose grain-free cat food?

We looked at the best grain-free cat food that the pet industry offers and tried to answer all these questions.

Rules for choosing a grain-free diet for a cat

Choosing a grain-free diet is no different from choosing any other food. So, how to choose grain-free cat food:

1. Consider age. Manufacturers offer brands of food for kittens, adults and older animals.
2. Consider your physiological state. There are brands for pregnant and lactating, spayed and neutered pets.
3. Don't forget about your physical activity level. For sedentary animals and cats prone to gaining excess weight, there are their own diets.
4. Be especially careful when selecting menus for cats with allergies. Mono-protein formulas are best suited for such pets.
5. Consider your taste preferences. Manufacturers have taken care of a varied diet for your cats; choose the one that your pet will like the most.
6. Be sure to consult your veterinarian. Any food, even the most expensive and good one, must be approved by a veterinarian.

Important

If an animal is diagnosed with an allergic reaction to gluten, an exclusively grain-free diet is recommended. All the others are not suitable for a cat!

The difference between Holistic and other foods

The following components are used to make holistic products:

• boneless meat, fresh or dehydrated by extrusion;
• fish fillet;
• sources of carbohydrates and fiber are rice, potatoes, fruits, vegetables;
• Yeast mannanoligosaccharides, inulin, fructooligosaccharides of medicinal plants support the population of beneficial microflora of the large intestine:
• organic acids of fruits prevent the crystallization of uric acid salts, prevent the development of urolithiasis;
• vegetable oils and animal fats enrich the feed mixture with essential omega 3 fatty acids; 6;
• medicinal plants normalize the functioning of internal organs, provide visual acuity, strengthen the immune system;
• chondroprotectors from arthropod shells are involved in the formation of bones, ligaments, tendons, and prevent joint diseases.

Be sure to read:

Homemade cat food: how to prepare, allowed and prohibited foods, best recipes

Nutrients from holistic foods are digested better than components from other foods. Food consumption and fecal output are reduced, and the unpleasant odor of excrement is reduced.

Something to remember!

Let's summarize all of the above about the so-called holistic feeds:

1. There is no clear concept of “holistic” in the field of animal nutrition, just as there are no uniform regulatory norms and rules in this area. The term holistic, as it relates to the feed industry, does not have an official AAFCO definition. Therefore, “holistic” foods differ very much from each other in both their composition and quality.
2. The presence of the “holistic” indication on the label does not mean that the quality of the raw materials is excellent.
3. Labeling a particular food as a “holistic diet” does not necessarily mean that it meets the nutritional needs of dogs and cats as carnivores.

We don't see anything special about diets labeled holistic. Some of them are better, others are worse in composition. We urge you not to believe advertising terms and always evaluate the specific ingredient list of the diet and the proportion of animal protein sources in relation to the rest of the product base, as well as the quality of meat, fish and poultry in the feed.

You can determine which holistic food is best for your pet using our rating or using the ingredient database yourself.

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.

Rating of the best holistic food for cats

Holistics for cats are produced in granulated and canned forms. Ratings are based on recipe, price, market demand, and customer reviews.

Dry food

Cat lovers often buy dry holistic products presented in the table.

For pets prone to allergic reactions, choose foods based on turkey, salmon or lamb.

Wet food

Canned food is used as a treat, an addition to dry food, or to transition a kitten from milk to solid food. Canned food is more expensive than pelleted food.

Be sure to read:

Taurine for cats: what is it, what is it for, how much is needed, where is it contained, benefits and harms

Manufacturers of canned food for kittens and adults used the following components:

The most popular wet canned holistic products are presented in the table:

Top 6. Alleva with sugarcane fiber, ginseng, chicken and duck

Rating (2021): 4.71

152 reviews from resources were taken into account: Yandex.Market, OZON, Review-review, OtzyvKorm, Irecommend

Famous Neutered Diet A popular grain-free diet designed for sterilized cats. One of the most discussed and often recommended special diets.

• Characteristics

  Average price: 1,850 rub. for 1.5 kg

• Country: Italy
• Type of food: dry
• Age: adults
• Packing options, kg: 0.4; 1.5
• Flavor: chicken, duck
• Proteins: 46%
• Fat: 12%
• Ash: 8.9%

Alleva is a fashionable Italian brand, which is often considered one of the best not only by ordinary users, but also by specialists. In particular, food for sterilized cats with chicken and duck is often recommended by veterinarians as the main diet for animals that need enough meat and vitamins, but not an excess of fats and calories.

Alleva meets these requirements quite well. The fat content does not exceed 12%, there are no grains, and starch that promotes weight gain is below average. The percentage of meat, on the contrary, is impressive. Chicken predominates - 45% dehydrated and 10% fresh. Dried duck and liver, fat, and chicken cartilage are also added. The percentage of meat and its derivatives is very good. However, despite all the benefits, cats prone to allergies and gastrointestinal problems should try it with caution. Due to the content of lemon, chicken and some other ingredients that are not suitable for everyone, food intolerance sometimes occurs.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Decent percentage of meat
• Moderate fat content
• Often recommended by experts

• No ziplock
• Not always suitable for sensitive people

DUKE'S FARM for sterilized cats, turkey with rabbit

The eighth and final line of the rating goes to the ready-made dry food DUKE'S FARM, intended for neutered four-legged dogs. The main problem of such animals is the tendency to accumulate weight and disruptions in the genitourinary system. Reducing the amount of calories, fat and increasing the protein proportion in the diet can help solve both problems at once. Turkey and rabbit, which make up 64% of the DUKE'S FARM recipe, contain a minimum of lipids and are considered dietary foods. True, there is no fresh meat in the recipe - only flour and dehydrates. With vegetables, fruits and herbs it was possible to achieve a comprehensive value of food for sterilized pets. Improving the functioning of the thyroid gland, blood, stabilizing the composition of urine, improving the smoothness of the coat - all these improvements were noticed by cat owners who introduced DUKE'S FARM rabbit and turkey food into their pet's diet.

The total protein in holistic food is 33%, and the price for 1 kg is 600...750 rubles.

Specialized feed

In addition to everyday nutrition for adult cats, manufacturers produce holistic foods for the following groups of animals:

1. Kittens up to one year old.
2. Cats 7+ (senior).
3. Castratov.

For kittens

Holistic for kittens
The developers claim that the recipe for dry food mixtures for pregnant, lactating cats and cubs should be the same. After gestation is established, the pet is transferred to dry food for kittens.

The food is balanced in nutrients, so the cat does not gain excess weight. High protein concentration (44%) limits overeating. Therefore, clothed and lactating animals are fed ad libitum.

After weaning, the cat is transferred to a feed mixture for adult animals. Kittens observe their mother's behavior, consume the same granules as she does, and easily switch from liquid milk to solid food.

Teenagers are given ready-made kitten food for up to 12 months, then transferred to holistic food for adults.

Manufacturers of kitten food used the following ingredients:

During the manufacturing process of feed, fresh and dehydrated (dehydrated) components are used. These are high-quality products, the pre-processing of which did not lead to protein denaturation.

Animal protein hydrolyzate is a set of easily digestible amino acids and at the same time a natural flavoring additive. Pea fiber is a source of long fiber, which stimulates peristaltic contractions of the intestines.

Carrots, apples, alfalfa, dried fruits and medicinal plants have the following beneficial effects:

• strengthen the immune system;
• cleanse the intestinal walls of toxins;
• acidify food, prevent the formation of urinary stones;
• increase visual acuity;
• saturate the diet with vitamins, antioxidants, minerals;
• have an anti-inflammatory effect;
• contain prebiotics - substrates for the reproduction of lactic acid flora of the intestine.

Plant components are rich in potassium. To normalize the operation of the osmotic pump, sodium chloride is added to the diet.

Be sure to read:

The best food for kittens: premium and economy class

Holistics do not contain taste enhancers, so in the first days pets may be reluctant to eat new food and even diarrhea. Adaptation takes 2-3 days.

For older people

If cats have consumed holistic supplements throughout their lives, they do not develop senile changes. They continue to use holistic products for animals from 1 to 6 years. The set of components is the same as in food for kittens, but the protein level is reduced to 36%.

If the cat does get sick, the veterinarian finds out the cause of the illness and prescribes super-premium class therapeutic food.

For castrated and sterilized animals

Cats whose gonads have been removed lose their motivation to exercise. The set of components is the same as in the kitten food mixture, but their ratio changes. Therefore, sources of dietary fiber are included in the feed mixture and the amount of fat is reduced.

The product contains 46; eleven; 5.5% protein, fat and fiber. The food for castrates contains 2 palatability limiters. Fiber irritates the intestinal walls. Signals go to the satiety center, and the brain commands to stop eating food.

Protein metabolic waste products are nitrogenous wastes that are toxic in high concentrations. They suppress appetite. Therefore, in holistic medicine for castrates, 2 strategies for limiting feed consumption are implemented.