Science Plan cat food: reviews and composition analysis

What will you learn from the article?

1. More about food
2. Types of Hills cat food Advantages of food:
3. Minuses:
4. Hill's dry food:
5. Wet food:

With the arrival of a kitten in your family, the first question arises: what to feed your little pet? There are two options: homemade food or ready-made Hills cat food, by the way, read reviews about it in this article.

Hills Science Plan Cat Food Review

Science Plan cat food is produced in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.. Official website - (in Russian), https://www.hillspet.co.uk/ (in English).
This food belongs to the premium class. The Science Plan brand also produces dry and wet dog food. The company also produces Ideal Balance, Natures Best, and Prescription Diet foods.

Science Plan food composition

Let's get acquainted with the composition of Science Plan food using the example of the Feline Adult Indoor Cat Chicken option (for adult cats leading a domestic lifestyle). You can see it in the image below, we recommend clicking on it to enlarge it for easier reading:

Top left is a photo of the composition from the packaging. Below is a screenshot of the lineup from the English version of the official website, and even lower and to the right is a screenshot from the Russian version of the official website.

The first ingredient, poultry meal, is a source of protein. It is clarified that “chicken min. 40%,” but it’s not clear - 40% of this ingredient or of the total content? Above the composition it is written “total content of poultry meat min. 53%). But if the food contained 53% “poultry meat”, then this would be indicated in the composition itself. Otherwise, this is nothing more than advertising text.

In many versions, the packaging says “poultry meal”, but in the original description of the composition in English there is no word “meat”, it is simply written “poultry meal”, “chicken and turkey meal”, etc. That is, meat appeared thanks to the miracles of translation into Russian.

Meat meal is made only from meat, while poultry meal can include any part of the bird (since it is not specified what exactly it includes).

Another interesting thing is that on the official Russian website, the English website and on the packaging, the information on the composition is slightly different. For example, the percentage of chicken, data from guaranteed analysis.

Corn is a source of carbohydrates and many amino acids, useful in small quantities. However, when it is one of the main ingredients, it can be considered a cheap food filler. Rice is a good source of carbohydrates.

Corn gluten meal is a source of plant proteins. Cellulose is a thickener. Protein hydrolyzate is a source of protein (it is not clear whether it is plant or animal). Animal fat is a source of saturated fatty acids, and vegetable oil is a source of unsaturated fatty acids.

Potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, salt - all these are different salts. Needed as a flavoring additive, as well as a source of potassium and calcium.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of Science Plan food:

• very wide range, there are dry and wet food;
• natural antioxidants and preservatives are used (tocopherols and citric acid);
• good content of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances;
• Widespread, available in almost every pet store.

Among the disadvantages:

• It is not “chicken meal” that is used, but “chicken meal”. The latter probably includes offal, and the word "meat" in the composition appears as a result of the miracles of translation;
• it is not known how much vegetable protein and how much animal protein (and it is impossible to approximately estimate since the % of all protein sources is not indicated);
• relatively high price (there are analogues with a more understandable and high-quality composition and the same cost).

Line of medicinal feeds

Despite the fact that industrially produced food is produced by dozens of manufacturers, only a few companies have a special treatment line. Hills' wide range of products designed to feed sick cats has earned the trust of veterinarians and owners.

Hill's Prescription Diet line includes more than 10 types of food. Each of which can only be recommended by a veterinarian in accordance with the identified pathology of the animal. The duration of feeding is also agreed upon by the doctor.

Food recommended for kidney dysfunction and urological diseases:

• SD – used for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract diseases
• CD - used in the treatment of urolithiasis and cystitis of various etiologies.
• KD - prescribed for renal failure and other nephrological pathologies.
• G.D. – intended for animals with Chronic renal failure is combined with pathologies of the heart muscle.

Veterinary foods prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver:

• LD – used for liver failure and various liver lesions.
• ID – recommended for diseases of the digestive system .
• W.D. – food with a wide spectrum of effects, useful for diabetes, constipation, colitis and intestinal inflammation.

Excess weight is harmful for domestic cats, so medicinal foods are also necessary to correct it:

• MD – designed for obese animals, as well as for cats with an excess of glucose in the blood.
• RD – dietary food .
• Metabolic (Metabolic) - prescribed to speed up metabolism and normalize weight.
• Metabolic + Urinary – carries out prevention of urolithiasis in combination with maintaining normal weight.

Other types of medicinal feeds:

• YD – necessary for the treatment of thyroid diseases.
• JD – recommended for the development of joint pathologies .
• TD – used to treat diseases of the oral cavity .
• ZD – intended for animals prone to allergies .
• AD – designed for speedy recovery of cats after surgery, severe diseases and underweight.

Hill's Prescription Diet food on Yandex Market

Cat food Science Plan - reviews

Hills food has been present on the Russian market for many years and is actively advertised. Over the years, many cat owners have bought them, so there are more than enough reviews on the Internet. Below we have collected some of the newest ones.

Reviews from veterinarians

Despite the fact that many buyers write about purchasing this food on the recommendation of a veterinarian, there are no direct reviews from the vet. We were unable to find doctors. If you are a veterinarian, take the time to express your opinion about Hills Science Plan food in the comments below, we will definitely add them to the review.

Customer Reviews

Zhanna writes:

It’s not easy to live with a capricious cat; just when you thought that you pleased him with food, an allergy begins. Or vice versa, there are no side effects, but he eats very reluctantly. We tried several dry foods, but Hills Science Plan was the only one that worked. Acceptable in quality and price, did not cause allergies or other problems. The cat is now 4 years old and has been eating this food for over a year.

It is most profitable to buy a large 10 kg bag; it lasts for about half a year. It is profitable to take smaller amounts only if you buy shares. The food is quite good. I give my cat a full bowl in the morning and add more throughout the day. He eats as much as he wants, but is not obese. Maybe this is because the food is specially for sterilized animals, it is lower in calories.

I would like to note that, to me, the smell of the food is very unpleasant, but apparently the cat has completely different aromatic tastes. The main thing is that he likes it, because he can eat it) I recommend Hills dry food.

Anya writes:

Our cat is not picky, he ate every food that was offered to him, including the famous Hill's. We bought a 2 kg package from the PetShop online store for RUB 1,071 (Kitten Healthy Development Chicken, since our cat is still growing). This package lasted for a month and a half; they were fed strictly according to the recommendations given by the manufacturer.

The food is not ideal; it contains corn, which is difficult for the digestive system to digest. Premium is certainly not holistic, but still it is much better than various poisons such as Friskis and Whiskas. Poultry comes first in the composition, not grains.

The packaging is equipped with a zip fastener, the food does not dry out. The granules are made in the shape of a triangle, fragrant, not large, and leave oily stains on the hands. The food is suitable for kittens from 4-5 months, I think for smaller ones the granules will be a bit large.

After a month and a half of feeding, no problems were found. The cat ate well, digestion was normal, and his weight was appropriate for his age. The baby is active and playful. In general, Hill's food suited him. I think this is a good food for a relatively low price.

Olya writes:

When a kitten appeared in the house, I began to find out what I could feed it, first of all I was interested in ready-made food. I read that Hills food belongs to the super premium category. I was buying it based on this information. The kitten ate it very appetizingly, and the small croquettes were just right for little ones like him. But I was alarmed by the unpleasant smell of the food, so I started looking for more information about ready-made food.

Thus, I learned that I need to look at the composition of the food, and the Hills composition turned out to be not super premium. Compared to many foods, the composition is poor; it contains corn, which is a serious allergen for cats. It also turns out that it is not poultry flour that is used, but simply poultry flour - the composition says Chicken and turkey meal in English! That is, the word meat is not there.

Overall, although the kitten eats well, I do not recommend Hill food. For the same price there are really better foods that do not contain corn and contain fish, apples, blueberries, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of Hills is the availability of a high-quality line of medicinal food. Veterinary products are developed for the treatment and prevention of diseases of various organs: the heart, the genitourinary system, and the digestive tract. Reviews from veterinarians indicate the effectiveness of Hill's medicinal brands.

Hill's Science Plan has a number of specialty brands for everyday cat feeding. There are diets for all ages: for kittens, adults and older animals. For pregnant and lactating cats, for castrated and sterilized cats, as well as for sedentary animals.

The best and most expensive representatives of the Hill's family are Nature's Best and Ideal Balance. Formally, they can be classified as super-premium class. These food lines are free of corn, soy and wheat. Ideal Balance has completely grain-free options that approach the quality of holistic foods.

Brand disadvantages:

• the basic basis of the feed is proteins of plant origin;
• the composition contains ingredients that do not allow precise identification of raw materials;
• some products contain undesirable ingredients;
• All lines, with the exception of Ideal Balance, do not use fresh meat or fish products in their production.

Price and where to buy

You can buy Hills food from this line in:

1. "Yandex Market" ():
   Science Plan packaging 0.3 kg - from 251 rubles;
2. Science Plan packaging 1.5 kg - from 1089 rubles;
3. Science Plan bag 10 kg - from RUB 4,793.
4. "ZooPassage" ():
   Science Plan packaging 1.5 kg - from 986 rubles;
5. Science Plan packaging 10 kg - from RUB 5,505;
6. Canned food Science Plan 85 g - from 75 rub.

The above prices are indicative, they are current as of August 2021 and may change over time. For exact prices, check the pet stores using the links above.

Advantages of Hills feed

Hills cat food has obvious advantages:

• High quality ingredients.
• A completely balanced composition, including all substances necessary for normal life.
• The Ideal Balance line is made on the basis of natural meat products.
• The manufacturer provides detailed information about the composition, which is printed on the packaging.
• Extensive range, it is possible to choose food for animals with different characteristics.
• A wide range of medicinal feeds allows you to find nutrition for various diseases and has proven itself as an effective adjuvant in the treatment of diseases.
• Hills products are available in many stores selling pet supplies.
• The affordable price makes the food a real find for owners of a large pride of cats.

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

Classification by age criterion

Small kittens grow, develop and actively spend energy, so they need a high percentage of protein, which is a building material for growth. Adult cats need a source of energy, and older cats, due to reduced activity, need a reduced fat content.

• From 3 weeks to 1 year. The Hills brand sells a separate series designed specifically for active kids. The food is high in protein and calcium, which is essential for strengthening growing bones. The taste variability is not so wide; for older cats, even for the most picky kittens, it is possible to choose healthy and balanced dry food or airy mousse. The food is included in our rating of premium and super premium food for kittens.
• From 1 year to 6 years – for adult animals. Hills food, in addition to specialized products, offers an extensive range of flavors, so choosing food for your pet is not difficult. All products have an attractive smell and distinct taste, so they are suitable even for demanding animals with poor appetite.
• From 7 years and older. Cats are classified as aging and require special dietary food. Age-related changes begin, so food for older animals contains a small percentage of carbohydrates and fats. They are quickly absorbed and help the cat maintain mobility and activity.

Reviews

Veterinarian review

Hill's dry and wet food cannot be judged unambiguously. Their daily diets do not meet dog nutrition standards due to the abundance of wheat and corn. Even if the dog is not allergic to gluten, plant protein is poorly digested by animals, gives a false sense of fullness, and leads to obesity and diabetes.

But Hill's veterinary line is excellent. It helps to cope with diseases, prevent relapses and normalize the pet’s condition. If a veterinarian prescribed it, feel free to take it.

Customer Reviews

Valentin: “I’ve been feeding my dog ​​Hills all my life. I didn’t find any shortcomings: the pet is cheerful, the skin is clean, the fur is shiny, the chair is always decorated.”

Inna: “An allergy in an animal is also a punishment. My husky used to be all natural until dandruff appeared and his fur began to fall off. In search of the ideal treatment and food, we changed 3 clinics and countless brands until we tried Hills. Z/D contains little protein, but the dog eats it with pleasure, quickly fills up, and does not lose weight. And most importantly – clean skin and a thick fur coat!”

Laura: “I didn’t like Hills. I bought it because of the range, nutritional value, lack of flavors and taste enhancers. But then she refused: the composition is poor, there are no fresh or raw meat components, the ingredients are described in general terms, without percentages, and some are not indicated at all.”

Useful video

Review of Hills feed and analysis of the composition in the video below:

It is necessary to remember that each cat is an individual, so it happens that even the highest quality food is not suitable for her. When choosing, you need to rely on her well-being and health status. When developing product lines, Hill's Pet Nutrition tried to take into account all the possible needs of furry pets, which is why Hill's diet is in demand and popular with many cat owners.

Write your reviews of Hill's food, we'll discuss how cats feel about it and whether it helps in treating diseases. Also, if you were able to replace this food with inexpensive brands, please share in the comments.

conclusions

I do not recommend feeding your dog Hills Science Plan.
The basis of the diet of predators is meat, not plant components. And the dry food is full of the latter, and also allergenic: wheat and corn. Even if the animal is in good health now, nutritional allergies may appear after 3-5 years, when toxins accumulate in the liver. And certainly such diets will provoke inflammation, obesity or diabetes in the future. Another thing is the Prescription Diet line. Diets in this series help stabilize the animal’s condition. Use them until the dog gets better. And then switch to higher quality brands: with a high proportion of meat, without wheat and corn.

Below is a list of foods similar in class, price and composition.

If you are thinking about replacing Hills, choose Eukanuba or Bosch: their composition is similar, but the latter two foods have a higher meat content. And if you want to exclude wheat and corn from your pet’s diet, take Pro Balance, Biomill Swiss or grain-free Fitmin varieties: their quality is an order of magnitude higher than that of Hill’s.