Caring for pets includes a set of activities, which include hygiene procedures, active games and games, and of course nutrition. The right choice of food determines the pet’s level of health, its activity and normal well-being, preservation of reproductive function and the ability to leave healthy offspring.
Presented in a wide variety of photos of wet cat food, you can choose ready-made food for your pet.
These are balanced delicacies that do not contain spices, preservatives, harmful or synthetic elements that lead to health problems.
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.
What foods should and should not be given to cats?
Cat food from all categories differs in composition, safety and benefits for the animal, but the difference is especially noticeable for the premium and super-premium classes. To find the best diet for your pet, carefully read the ingredients. This applies to both dry and wet food. They can be given to cats alternately, combined with natural food (good quality meat mixture), but not mixed in one meal. It is recommended to combine “natural” food with one thing - dry or wet food.
To be sure of the good quality of the chosen diet, pay attention to:
- animal protein - it is desirable that it be at least 20-22% (and preferably 35%), and it should consist of fresh or dehydrated meat and poultry;
- offal - it should be heart or liver of good quality (up to 10% of the total volume), and a non-detailed composition should alert you;
- sources of carbohydrates - a lot of wheat, corn and soy in food can cause allergies in a cat, and in the best diets their volume is reduced or replaced with rice, barley, oats, legumes and potatoes;
- vegetables, fruits and herbs - it is desirable that they be included, but not more than 25% of the volume;
- type of preservatives in the food - they must be natural (tocopherol, rosemary extract), and not synthesized;
- energy value of food - for example, for active cats and growing kittens, the calorie content should be above 400-420 kcal, for sterilized animals that easily gain excess weight, below 365 kcal;
- digestibility - it determines how well the cat will eat the food, and it is desirable that the figure exceeds 70%.
It is important that the food contains the vitamins, microelements and amino acids that cats need. These are vitamin B, E and unsaturated acids omega 3 and 6, for good wool quality, taurine, which improves the functioning of the heart and other internal organs, calcium for strengthening bones and other nutrients.
Cat food should not contain synthetic antioxidants (these are additives E320 and E321), polypropylene glycol, cellulose and other sweeteners, artificial colors such as E127. The best diets do not contain appetite stimulants; they are replaced by natural flavoring additives - animal protein hydrolysates. The food must be free of pathogens, toxic substances and GMOs.
Now we will give examples of diets with good quality and ratio of components - dry and wet foods, food for cats from one year old and kittens.
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.
Purina One
Price for dry food, 400 g: 300 rub.
Purina One cat food is manufactured in several countries: Russia, France, Hungary, Italy. The product contains: omega fats and fatty acids, meat ingredients, vegetables and herbs, vitamin complex, cereals.
The advantages of Purina One include a wide range of products: for beautiful coats, for sterilized cats, for controlling the formation of hairballs (tangles), etc.
For reference: experts believe that this food is quite good, but it does not contain enough meat for proper nutrition. Well, the problem can be solved by feeding your pet something other than dry food.
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.
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.
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.
What are the features of premium class
This cat food not only has a subtle natural smell (without the use of synthetic ingredients), which attracts pets, making it extremely rarely abandoned. It compares favorably with economy class in its composition.
Premium cat food has these features
:
- the presence of natural protein of animal origin - meat, fish, eggs, offal;
- ash concentration within 6–7% (if it contains fish, which itself contains more minerals than meat - up to 9%);
- the supply of carbohydrates is provided by rice, barley, oats, potatoes;
- there are no flavors, dyes, or preservatives - they are replaced with tocopherol and rosemary;
- taurine is present - an essential amino acid needed by cats;
- digestibility - 70-75%.
The packaging of a good premium cat food lists ingredients with quantities and percentages, minerals, and vitamins. There is also a table of energy values broken down by proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Approximate composition
dry food looks like this:
- meat and offal - from 35%;
- plant components - no more than 25%;
- animal protein - from 20%;
- offal (liver, lungs, etc.) - 10%;
- vitamins, mineral and other useful components - 10%.
Good premium cat food should not contain synthetic antioxidants (usually labeled E320, E321). Another sign of a quality product is the absence of sweeteners (cellulose, sugar, propylene glycol). If you see artificial colors in the composition (the most common is E127), it is better to look for another food.
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.
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.
Wet canned food for adult cats
Brit Premium with chicken and turkey
Pauchi, distinguished by good quality meat, is dietary chicken and turkey. The food contains no grains or dangerous chemical additives, and modern raw material processing technology preserves beneficial substances in the ingredients. Therefore, the diet is well digestible, satiates for a long time, and animals like its natural aroma and taste. Pouches can be given daily and combined with dry food from the Premium line.
Pros:
- cat food contains inulin (a prebiotic that improves digestion), so it is suitable for animals with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract;
- thanks to vitamins and microelements, spiders strengthen teeth and claw tissue;
- no allergenic food additives and GMOs.
Minuses:
- Cat food contains chicken - may cause allergies;
- in the total volume of protein there is a large percentage of by-products.
Animonda Carny Adult
This cat food has excellent animal protein levels. This is dietary hypoallergenic beef and beef by-products. There are no grains in the food, they are replaced by potatoes. Thanks to the presence of vitamin D3, phosphorus and other beneficial nutrients, the diet helps strengthen the musculoskeletal system of cats and reduce the occurrence of bone diseases.
Pros:
- good quality and detail of offal - heart, liver, kidneys, lung;
- contains food coloring safe for cats - calcium carbonate;
- can be used as a complete feed;
- The food contains no gluten, preservatives or sugar.
Minuses:
- not recommended for pregnant or lactating cats;
- contains by-products of plant origin - not all cats digest them well.
Sheba Pleasure with chicken and turkey
Thanks to the good quality of the ingredients, vacuum spiders from the economy category are safe and suitable for both adult cats and kittens over the age of one month. In terms of composition, the product is even classified as premium. The food contains no dangerous preservatives or flavorings, it is affordable and the animals like it.
The Sheba Pleasure series produces spiders with different flavors. One of the most successful ones is with chicken and turkey. The food contains no soy or grains; it uses fresh, steamed meat. Cassava and tapioca flour are sources of healthy fiber.
Pros:
- taurine in the food improves vision and promotes proper functioning of the heart and intestines;
- high saturation of feed - meat is processed using a special technology, maintaining nutritional value;
- improves the quality of coat and skin thanks to vitamins and valuable Omega fatty acids.
Minuses:
- should not be given to sick, weakened, sterilized animals and cats with pancreatic diseases;
- there are a lot of by-products in the protein volume;
- Not all cats like the smell of food.
Purina Pro Plan Delicate – turkey and lamb in gravy
Canned food for cats with sensitive digestion can be given daily or as an addition to the menu. Based on the balance of the composition, they can be classified as premium. The Delicate series wet food contains inulin, a prebiotic that improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. These canned foods are also distinguished by good quality protein - hypoallergenic turkey and lamb, which are carefully processed and perfectly nourish cats.
Pros:
- balanced and “rich” composition of vitamins, micro- and macroelements - the food contains unsaturated acids, taurine, selenium;
- convenient sealed packaging of food - you can store spiders for a long time and take them on the road;
- low percentage of fat - give canned food to cats prone to obesity and sterilized.
Minuses:
- the composition of animal protein is not detailed in the food;
- There are a lot of processed meat products, there are dyes and sugar.
Berkley Adult Duck&Berries
Canned food with duck meat and wild berries - cranberries and blueberries, which have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. They can be used as a complete daily diet. The food has a good protein composition - 50% of the total volume is duck, 20% poultry. Canned food helps maintain healthy teeth, claws and bones, as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and collagen-rich meat broth are added to the product.
Pros:
- canned food is grain-free and does not contain vegetable protein, which promotes better digestion;
- cat food contains a lot of salmon oil, rich in fatty acids that improve the condition of the coat;
- The food contains fiber to stimulate intestinal motility.
Minuses:
- the composition of animal protein is not detailed;
- There is a fairly high percentage of fat in the food - canned food can quickly spoil after opening.
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.
Whiskas
Price for dry food, 350 g: 99 rub.
Price for wet food, 85 g: 19 rub.
The international brand Whiskas was developed in America by Mars. Judging by numerous consumer reviews, their cats love and enjoy eating Whiskas!
No side effects were found in cats after consuming the food, but the animal does not need to be fed often; in addition, it is necessary to include homemade food in the diet.
All the ingredients included in the food are natural, the only negative is that there is not much protein in it. There is a wide range of cat treats to choose from: beef, lamb, chicken, duck, etc.
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.
