What is the best medicinal food for cats? Which cat food is best: the correct diet for a meowing pet. The best types among dry brands

Most owners of domestic cats do not have the opportunity to prepare a balanced meal for their pet every day. full breakfast, dinner and supper.
According to veterinarians, the most ideal food for cats is small pieces of meat or fish. But in addition to such a diet, the mustachioed pet should receive necessary for the body minerals and vitamins. Therefore, it is much more convenient for owners and healthier for cats to purchase ready-made cat food, but which ones are better than others? What to choose?

Choosing cat food

In the wild, felines are carnivores that obtain all their valuable nutrients from the raw meat and stomach contents of their prey. A domestic cat should also receive a certain amount of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which any living organism needs to comfortable life. For a caring owner, it is very important to choose the right type of food for your mustachioed pet.

Types of cat food

There are three main types of food for domestic cats. They differ in the method of preparation, serving, shelf life and other properties.

Natural

Some owners still do not trust their pet's food to be fed from bags and prefer to prepare cat food themselves. The menu is selected individually: for fluffy and smooth-haired cats, for young and adult cats, for thin and well-fed cats.

It is important to remember that food from the human table is absolutely contraindicated for pets. Delicious sausages, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes will not bring any benefit to the cat.

Advantages of natural food:

• Accurate knowledge of product composition;
• No dangerous chemicals or harmful additives;
• Nutrition is closer to natural conditions.

Disadvantages of natural food:

• The need to frequently prepare new dishes to prevent food from spoiling;
• It takes a lot of time to prepare;
• It is advisable to have certain skills and knowledge in the field of pet nutrition.

Dry

Many owners are confident that dry food is the most versatile and balanced nutrition for a domestic cat.

Pros of dry food:

• Saving money compared to natural food;
• Time saving;
• Does not spoil for a long time both in the package and in the cat’s plate;
• A good dry food is properly balanced.

Cons of dry food:

• Lack of water in dry food can lead to kidney problems and bladder in a cat if used incorrectly;
• Dry food does not put enough stress on your pet’s teeth;
• Cheap dry food is likely to contain a lot of carbohydrates. Its use may cause diabetes in cats;
• Some foods contain special additives, addictive.

Wet food (liquid food)

Wet food for cats can be used as an alternative to dry food when you want to properly care for your pet, but there is no time to prepare it separately. It is often fed with “liquid” cat food.

• Time saving;
• Saving Money compared to natural nutrition;
• Quite a long shelf life in the package;
• Composition, properties and taste close to natural.

Cons of wet food:

• Bad food contains ingredients that are addictive to animals;
• Wet food does not retain vitamins well in its composition compared to dry food;
• A large amount of liquid in low-quality food leads to poor saturation of the animal;
• If you leave wet food out in the air, it will quickly dry out and lose its nutritional value.

Cat food classes

Cat food is divided not only by type, but also by other parameters. Feed classes are a rating system that categorizes feed based on composition, benefit and price category.

Economy class food

The class of food that can most often be seen in advertising on TV. This food is suitable solely for suppressing the animal’s hunger. There's nothing in it that's healthy for cats, and it certainly doesn't contain meat. Solid soy, by-products, preservatives, cellulose, flavor enhancers and food additives are not at all what mustachioed pets need.

The only plus is the cheap price. Veterinarians do not recommend using economy class food as the main menu for domestic cats.

Look next video, do not pay attention to the quality of the picture, the main thing is information!

There are also feeds of the so-called “commercial” class. Their composition is no different from economy, and the cost increases due to the promoted brand. Good owners You shouldn’t rely on advice from commercials, because behind them there is only a successful marketing ploy.

Manufacturers: Darling, Meow, Whiskas, Doctor Zoo, Kitekat, Frieskies, Felix, etc.

Medium class food

Medium class feeds have a correspondingly average product quality.

Compared to economy food, this food contains less soy, grains and flavoring additives, and there are no chemicals. The composition already contains a small amount of meat and a balanced vitamin and mineral complex. Also, medium class food is already divided into categories: for sterilized cats, for kittens, furry animals, for adults, etc.

Manufacturers: Bozita, Happy Cat, Perfect fit, Belcando, Eukanuba, Iams, Brit, PRO PAK, Karma Organic, Natural Choice, etc.

Premium food

You won't see premium food in TV commercials. They contain an almost perfect balance of micro and macroelements needed by the animal. Almost no vegetable protein. The price is noticeably different from food of a lower class, but you can trust everything that is written on the packaging about the ingredients included. After all, each food of this class has its own quality certificate. You can purchase it in special pet stores or veterinary clinics.

Manufacturers: ProNature Holistic, Royal Canin, 1stChoice, Bosch SANABELLE, Pro Plan, Hills, Nutra Gold, Leonardo, Cimiao, etc.

Holistic food

Holistic food is the ideal professional food for a mustachioed pet. But not everyone has the opportunity to purchase a line of these foods. They can only be ordered directly from manufacturers in online stores. They use this one best food mainly for exhibition and breeding animals in special nurseries. All animal and plant components of holistic food are grown on special farms without the addition of pesticides and hormones. Only natural ingredients are also used as preservatives.

Manufacturers: Orijen, Acana, Wellness, Innova, Natural&Delicious, Evo, Felidae, Almo Nature, Golden Eagle, Earthborn Holistic, etc.

Liquid cat food

High-quality wet (liquid) cat food can be compared to real meat or fish. The only difference is that the food contains additional nutritional components necessary for a properly balanced diet for your pet.

You shouldn’t skimp on your pet’s health and buy food below the medium class - here are veterinarians’ recommendations regarding dry food. If finances allow, then it is better to purchase healthy premium dry food, it contains more meat and an excellent set of microelements necessary for old and young cats to fully develop. That is, the food rating is not as important as its class. Well, then it all depends on the cat’s individual perception of a particular dry food.

Which food is better, dry or wet?

There are still discussions among both veterinarians and caring cat owners about which food is better for cats, dry or wet. Research by scientists has shown that these types of feed have their pros and cons, but, in general, do not differ from each other in nutritional value and composition. Some veterinarians advise balancing your cat's diet by including dry food as the main component and wet food as an additional component. On the contrary, many do not recommend mixing different types feed, as this can have a bad effect on the cat’s stomach. Therefore, it is up to the owner to choose the optimal nutritional diet for his pet and depends on his desires and capabilities.

Every cat is unique. When choosing its diet, it is necessary to take into account the animal’s age, weight, health, gender and other individual characteristics.

Which cat food contains more meat?

The largest amount of natural meat is, of course, contained in holistic foods. Most foods in this class contain about 70 percent meat or fish. There are some manufacturers whose products contain up to 95% meat. Thanks to special processing, these foods retain all the beneficial substances necessary for the cat’s body.

High percentage of meat in premium food. This is enough for optimal nutrition, excellent health and good activity of domestic cats.

Popular medium-class foods must contain at least 20 percent meat in their composition.

It’s not worth even talking about the economy class - you won’t find meat or fish in these foods.

As soon as a loving owner gets a kitten, he tries to provide him with maximum comfort and care. Regarding food for your domestic cat, it would be a good idea to consult with veterinarians, as well as look at reviews of various foods on the Internet.

Veterinarians advise first of all to provide the cat with constant access to fresh water, especially when feeding dry food. We must not forget about the daily norm cat food, which is written on each package, it is not advisable to exceed it. A mustachioed pet should be fed twice a day. This is enough for the full development of the animal’s body.

You should also not save on your pet, because they are cheap ready-made feed Not only do they not benefit the animal, but they can also cause harm.

You can’t change food often either, because it’s not easy for a cat’s stomach to adjust from one food to another. If you still need to do this, then you need to gradually add new food into the old one, increasing portions for at least ten days.

You can chat on forums with the request: “recommend a good food for a cat.” But no one knows his pet better than his owner. In order to properly organize your pet’s diet, you need not only to listen to the advice of breeders and veterinarians, but also to take into account the level of activity, health status and other individual characteristics of your cat.

Anastasia Korableva

To ensure complete nutrition for cats, the main types of food are produced - dry and wet. But, unlike dry food, which contains about 10-15% moisture, wet food is more similar in composition to natural food and is considered more physiological. For convenience, the food is available in pouches or canned food and in appearance resembles jelly or pieces in sauce.

The advantages of wet food are convenient dosage, natural consistency and long shelf life when sealed. The disadvantages include quite expensive cost, lack of protection against the formation of tartar and a short shelf life after opening the container.

To understand which wet food is best to feed your pet, we have compiled a rating of popular brands by class: economy, premium, super premium and holistic.

What is the rating based on?

For ease of ranking, wet food is divided into categories - classes, the most affordable of which are economy and premium. The food is much more expensive - super premium, and the most refined - holistic.

The latter are recognized by veterinarians as the most suitable in terms of balance and nutritional value for feeding cats; food in the economy and premium categories is inferior in price and quality, but their advertising is shown daily on TV, which increases consumer demand.

Veterinarian advice! It is recommended to focus on who is indicated in the manufacturer's column on the food packaging. The fact is that many brands are manufactured in Russia, so it is not advisable to overpay for the declared “French” quality.

The significance of each of the parameters in compiling the rating is in descending order (the first positions have more weight):

1. Product quality(use of raw materials - natural meat or offal, balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, presence of dyes, preservatives and flavors).
2. Line breadth(breed, dietary, medicinal feed).
3. Price(one of the most important parameters for the modern consumer).
4. Veterinarian opinions and owner reviews make the final contribution.

All of the brands listed below are present on the Russian feed market and differ in composition and price.

Wet food rating

Table to jump to a specific food review at the end of the article.

Photo of packaging	Name of food	Taste	Price for 1 piece	Link
		Fish platter	53 RUR	To the store
		Beef	62 RUR	To the store
		Lamb	66 RUR	To the store
		Cold cuts	55 rub.	To the store
		Turkey	73 RUR	To the store
		Meat and fish platter	112 rub.	To the store
		Chicken	89 RUR	To the store
		Rabbit	146 RUR	To the store
		Tuna with squid	90 rub	To the store
		Chicken	83 RUR	To the store
		Cold cuts	No prices	–
		Chicken	No prices	–

Economy class

The greatest demand is for food of this particular class, and all thanks to their availability and hyperactive advertising. For the most part, such foods contain an excessive amount of grains, cellulose and by-products, the amount of preservatives and flavorings is also too high, and the meat composition does not exceed 5%. The food also contains a considerable amount thickeners and dyes not allowed to be contained in food products (which are not cat food).

Attention! In Russia, supervisory authorities do not exercise strict control over economy-class food producers, which gives a free hand to some unscrupulous producers.

1. Whiskey. The most popular wet food is Whiskas, which created a sensation in the early 2000s with its appearance. At the beginning of its existence, Whiskas food was sold out at lightning speed - the pets had an excellent appetite, and the price was quite suitable for the owners. Only after a while, with the help of veterinarians, did the breeders learn the real truth about the composition of the feed and negative consequences its application.

Advantages:

• Prevalence.
• Affordable price.
• High nutritional value.

Flaws:

• Questionable origin of components
• Practically complete absence meat.
• High content of wheat (allergen).

2. Darling. Economy class food from the famous manufacturer PURINA. It has mixed reviews, the composition of the food leaves much to be desired, which is generally typical for all economy class brands.

Advantages:

• Smell attractive to cats.
• Availability omega fatty acids, which is good for wool.
• A varied assortment (two forms of release - dry and wet in the form of canned food).

Minuses:

• Insufficient content of natural meat.
• Harmful effects on the health of the animal during long-term feeding.
• Presence of flavoring additives and preservatives.
• Presence of bones and offal.
• Strong flavors.

3. Our Brand (NM). Food that can be classified as both economy and premium class.

Advantages:

• Affordable price;
• Available in almost all stores.
• The food contains taurine.
• Wide range of tastes.

Flaws:

• Quite a poor composition.
• Abundance of by-products of dubious quality (poultry meal).
• Presence of allergen products (corn, wheat)

Premium class

Often, the difference between economy and premium food classes is almost unnoticeable; only the volume of meat contained is increased (most often it varies from 10% to 20%). Due to this, the content of by-products in premium is reduced and the amount of grains is increased. The food is of more decent quality, but with a slight difference in a positive direction.

When choosing wet food for a cat of this class, it is recommended to carefully read the labels, because they also contain dyes, thickeners and preservatives.

1. PRO PLAN – the most common premium food produced by PURINA. Presented in sufficient variety, the brand has active adult pets, sterilized individuals and for cats with health problems. Pro Plan contains the optimal amount of fats and proteins, balanced in microelements. It has a wide range of flavors - turkey, liver, salmon, chicken and duck. Full review stern

Positive sides:

• Content of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
• High quality protein (eggs, chicken).
• Availability of a treatment line.
• A varied assortment (canned food, pouches, pates).

Negative sides:

• Increased content grain crops.
• Allergen content.

2. Hill's - food produced by Hill's Pet Nutrition. The medicinal food of this brand, in contrast to the daily nutrition series, belongs to the super premium category.

pros:

• Ingredients High Quality.
• The manufacturer provides detailed information about the composition.
• Extensive assortment (wet food: canned food and spiders).
• Hills products are available in many pet stores.
• Reasonable price.
• Medical series of higher quality.

Minuses:

• Big percentage vegetable proteins.
• Pouches and canned food are inferior in quality to dry food from the same manufacturer.
• Possibility of appearance allergic reactions for some products.

3. Happy Cat – enough famous food German made . Sometimes food is classified as super premium.

Advantages:

• Rich in minerals and vitamins.
• Wide range of flavors (lamb, duck, sea ​​fish, beef, venison);
• Affordable price.

Minuses:

• Contains products of questionable quality.
• Sometimes causes allergic reactions.

4. Royal Canin – French-made food, which began its history in 1967. Now it is especially popular among cat owners in Russia.

Advantages:

• A good alternative to natural food.
• Balanced veterinary line.
• Financial inclusion.
• Available in almost any store.

Flaws:

• Everyday food from this brand is of lower quality.
• Most of the feed sold is now of Russian origin, which has led to a deterioration in quality.
• Preservative content.

5.Animonda– German food from Animonda, whose main priority is maintaining the high quality of its products. The food can be classified as premium/super premium.

Positive sides:

• Wide range of flavors (turkey, trout, chicken, duck, salmon, shrimp, beef, rabbit, etc.).
• Fats and proteins natural origin.
• The line is designed taking into account the age division.
• The food is highly nutritious.

Negative sides:

• High carbohydrate content promotes weight gain.
• The price of the product is above average.
• Not available in all stores.
• By-products included.

Super premium

Food in this class should be considered practically the best: it contains natural meat and grains, and a low content of by-products. The content of harmful substances in food of this class should raise suspicions, so you should carefully read the entire composition indicated on the packaging.

Important! If a super premium food contains meat, there must be an explanation of this component.

1. Leonardo. It should be considered the best brand in the considered line of feeds. Its balance will be the envy of many canteens, because good meat products are used for production and high-quality meat is selected. The food is almost always based on chicken (about 70-90%), the rest consists of additives (seafood, offal, fish oil and fish). According to the recommendations of veterinarians and breeders, Leonardo wet food is best combined with dry food from its series.

Pros:

• Natural composition.
• High meat content.
• Excellent price-quality ratio.
• Enriched with vitamins and minerals.

Minuses:

• A scarce product, difficult to find in regular stores.
• Due to the abundant meat content, it is not recommended for animals with gastrointestinal problems;
• Suitable only as an additional diet (treat) due to the unbalanced composition.

Important! A pet that has a mixed diet (dry + wet food) must have the same food class. When combining two different classes (for example, economy and super premium economy), the pet will give preference to the economy class due to the content of special flavors and taste enhancers, thereby worsening its well-being.

2.Applaws– made in Great Britain. Some classify this brand as holistic.

Advantages:

• High meat content.
• No by-products, dyes or preservatives in increased quantity.
• Variety of tastes.

Negative:

• Quite a high price.
• Not available in all stores.
• Unbalanced composition.

3. Bozita – made in Sweden. The food undergoes state control, which can guarantee the absence of substances hazardous to the cat’s health.

Main advantages:

• Natural meat and fish in the composition, no by-products.
• Saturation useful elements, minerals and vitamins.
• No dyes in the composition.

Minuses:

• High price.
• Insufficient decoding of antioxidants.
• Corn and wheat (possible allergens) are the main sources of carbohydrates.

4. 1st Choice- Manufacturer: Canadian company PLB International.

Advantages:

• Optimal composition of fats and proteins.
• The presence of probiotics (provides the pet with excellent digestion and healthy coat).
• No products containing allergens.
• The food is certified by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).

Minuses:

• High price.
• Not widespread in regular stores.

Holistic

Developed specifically for small predators, Holistic is considered a new generation premium food. They contain the highest quality products approved for human consumption. They do not contain harmful additives, dyes or flavor enhancers, GMO products, or plant proteins. Due to its ideal “naturalness,” the price of the food is quite high.

1. Almo Nature – food produced in Europe .

Advantages:

• High quality ingredients.
• No dyes, preservatives or flavoring additives.
• Wide range (the best lines are Rouge Label, Green Label, Legend, Classic).

TO negative the parties include:

• High price.
• Not available in all stores.

Pros:

• The best varieties of meat and fish are used for production.
• Protein exclusively of animal origin.
• Free of allergens, flavors and preservatives.
• High nutritional value.
• Prevention of urolithiasis (urolithiasis).

TO negative points include:

• High price.
• It is very difficult to find for sale in pet stores; you must place an order online.

3. Grandorf– produced in Italy (MONGE & C. SpA) and Belgium (United Petfood Producers NV).

Basic advantages:

• Using natural meat.
• A large amount of minerals and vitamins.
• No chicken protein ingredient (some cats are allergic to this)
• Free of soy and grains, hypoallergenic composition.
• Natural preservatives.

Flaws stern:

• Not widespread in stores.
• Very high cost.

Useful video

Wet food review Grandorf in the video below:

To choose the best food for your pet, it is important to understand what it will be used for: as a main diet or a treat. Wet food should not be used as a cat's main meal, despite good composition and high content of meat products.

our “smaller brothers” has a positive effect on their health and, accordingly, appearance. The primary task of a cat owner is to find the best food for his pet. After all, this is the key to her health and longevity.

Today you can see in any store huge selection of these products, but before choosing any product, the cat owner should know what nutrients the cat needs for full development. Of course, these are protein, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, enzymes. Now you need to figure out what kind of food there is. Perhaps then it will be easier for you to choose the best option.

Natural

Do not under any circumstances think that these are products from your table. Every cat owner must firmly remember what to feed his cat. furry friend products intended for humans are strictly prohibited. According to many famous veterinarians, the best food for cats is pieces of meat or fish. But you must remember that periodically the cat should receive mineral or vitamin supplements if you prefer natural food. The veterinarian will tell you about them and recommend which ones are best to give to your pet.

When inexperienced pet owners ask: “Recommend a good food for cats,” many experts advise precisely natural products.

What are the benefits of meat and fish

Lean lamb, veal, and rabbit are the main supplier of protein to the animal’s body. It is better to avoid pork or reduce its consumption to a minimum, and even then only in boiled form. Poultry meat - turkey and chicken - must also be heat-treated first. From time to time, your cat can be given beef liver as a source of vitamins D, H, A, B. In limited quantities, you can feed your cat raw fish, as it can become a source of helminth infection. It is much safer to give it boiled.

Should I give my cat milk?

A small amount of dairy products is necessary for your cat. Veterinarians do not recommend giving milk to your pets - it is practically not absorbed by the cat’s body, but sour cream, kefir, cottage cheese, and low-fat cheeses will be very useful. The best food for cats (we are talking about natural products) must be supplemented herbal ingredients. These are cereals: oatmeal, corn, rice, semolina. Vegetables: cauliflower, carrots, greens. They need to be boiled and wiped.

Canned food

Pet owners, going into a store and stopping at the shelves with these products, cannot find an answer to the question of what good cat food to choose. For cats, canned food is a treat. It is rare to find an animal that would refuse it. Owners speak of canned food as an excellent “substitute” for natural products. They are attracted by the sealed packaging of these products, which significantly increases their shelf life. In addition, using canned food saves the owner a lot of time.

Wet food

Wet (good!) cat food is a cross between dry food and canned food. Appetizing pieces of fish or meat are drenched in a sauce that cats love. As a rule, one bag is designed for one feeding. According to reviews from owners, such food is very helpful, especially in the evenings, when after a working day there is neither time nor desire to cook.

Good cat food (reviews from owners and veterinarians confirm this) today are products from companies such as Leonardo, Hill's, Jams, Sheb. It would be unfair not to mention good, inexpensive cat food from domestic manufacturers. These are the trademarks “Four-legged Gourmet”, “Zoogurman”, “Vaska”.

Remember the so-called “black list” of food of this type - Darling, Wiskas, KiteKat, Gourment, EdelCat, MonAmi, Oscar, Friskies. This cat food (reviews from veterinarians confirm this) should not be present in your pet’s diet!

Dry food

The most controversial type of feed. Experts debate a lot about the possibility of its use. Although even adherents often give it to their animals natural feed. It is believed to have a beneficial effect on animal teeth. In addition, good dry cat food is used to prevent urolithiasis. They are periodically given to adult animals that constantly eat low-quality food of this type.

According to the owners, the advantage of dry food is the ability to leave it in a bowl for a long time (in case the owners leave) - it does not spoil or dry out. Adherents of this type of cat nutrition should be aware that veterinarians allow this choice, but strongly recommend choosing products from well-known and well-established companies.

These include EVO Turkeyand Chicken Formula. Many pet owners say about it: “What good food.” It is completely harmless for cats. It does not contain any preservatives or other by-products. It contains chicken and chicken products, turkey. It is rich in protein (about 50%) and contains a small proportion of carbohydrates (about 7%). This is a product of Natura petfoods, which was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2010. This is a quality cat food. Reviews from veterinarians indicate that it contains the entire complex of vitamins and minerals necessary for cats.

California Natural is another brand of the same company Natural P&G. According to veterinarians, this food deserves attention, although it does not contain a large amount of protein. Ingredients: chicken, chicken bone meal, rice - regular and brown. Experts note the high quality of food from From Family Foods, Onjen Cat&Kitten, BlueBuffalo Spa Select Chicken and others.

For inexpensive dry food, veterinarians recommend Nftura lBalance Ultra PremiumDry. True, it uses rapeseed oil. This is a rather controversial ingredient. The food contains no preservatives or synthetic additives. Protein content of 34% is a good indicator.

The advertised Purina Cat Chow product has a very unappealing composition: poultry by-products, corn meal, corn gluten, beef tallow and soy flour.

Feed classes

Many cat owners are interested in what the division of food into classes means. Let's take a closer look at this issue.

Economy class

These foods are intended to satisfy the animal's hunger. They have very low nutritional value, and therefore veterinarians do not recommend feeding cats these products on a regular basis. The best option- use mixed feeding, combining natural food with dry food. This class includes products such as Darling, Whiskas, Sheba, and Meow.

Middle class

These feeds are made from more quality products. They contain less grains and soy than their economy class counterparts. Such feeds are more nutritious and less of them will be required to satiate the animal. This class includes products from Karma Organic, Acana, Royal Canin, PRO PAK and others.

Premium class

This food is quite expensive. But a pet’s health is more important, isn’t it? After numerous studies, Chicken Soup Adult Cat food, a dry hypoallergenic food, became the undisputed leader in this class. The protein content in it is more than 30%. It is based on natural meat and poultry. It contains no more than 35% grain ingredients. The grain-free product Innova EVO Dri Cat Food was highly appreciated by veterinarians. It contains more than 42% protein. The ingredients are vegetables and fruits, chicken and turkey meat, herring and potatoes - what a good food, it contains all the necessary nutrients for cats.

Is it possible to switch a cat from one food to another?

Yes, you can. But it is necessary to do this correctly so that the change goes smoothly and does not harm the animal. Gradually, over 10-14 days you in small portions add new food to your usual food. During this period, the cat's digestion may be impaired. To prevent this, probiotics should be added to the animal’s diet - special preparations that stabilize the intestinal microflora. This could be a chamomile decoction or the drug “Smecta”. Your veterinarian will help you choose the right drug.

Quite often, pet owners ask: “How often can you change your cat’s food? How can I diversify her diet? We hasten to reassure you. Cats are great at eating a monotonous diet. The owner himself is more worried about this, and for some reason he begins to feel guilty that his pet is not receiving something special. According to experts, than longer cat If she receives monotonous, but completely balanced food, the less problems she has with digestion. If you are satisfied with the condition of your cat, its fur and skin, then it makes no sense to change its diet.

How to feed a sterilized cat

Unfortunately, there are situations when animals need such surgery. After sterilization, the animal’s body undergoes major changes, capable of disrupting not only her physiology, but also her way of life. Your pet's hormonal levels are changing, she no longer takes part in mating games, having previously notified the entire neighborhood about this. Her attitude towards food also changes. It becomes the cat's only pleasure, so very often she begins to gain weight very quickly.

The owner’s task is to distract his four-legged beauty from such an exciting activity as eating. Spend more time with her, keep her busy with active, fun games. If the efforts made do not have an effect, and the weight continues to increase, it is necessary to switch your cat to low-calorie food.

So what is a good food for sterilized cats? If before the operation you fed your cat natural food, you can remain on it, but with some adjustments. The animal's diet should contain the following products:

• beef or poultry meat;
• offal;
• milk porridge;
• vegetables;
• dairy products.

Attention! Fish should be completely excluded from the diet of a sterilized cat due to the high content of magnesium and phosphorus.

If before the operation you fed your cat with ready-made food, then it makes no sense to radically change the feeding system. Let her continue to receive ready-made food, but with some adjustments - these should be products for sterilized cats. Nowadays, many manufacturers are expanding this group of their feeds. First of all, we are talking about premium and super-premium products.

Such companies produce food based on the developments of their own research centers. These are Iams, Royal Canin, Purina, Hills. Better special feed purchase in pet stores, where the sales consultant will be able to advise you on a special dietary food for the prevention of urolithiasis, taking into account age, weight and physiological characteristics your cat.

I would like to advise all animal lovers - do not hesitate to seek help and advice from veterinarian. He will become the best nutritionist on all nutritional issues. He will tell you which good cat food is suitable for your pet.

The health of cats, like people, directly depends on what they eat. However, this does not mean that cats should be fed scraps from the human table. On the contrary, this can cause irreparable harm to their health, because the composition of the necessary nutrients for their life is different. Therefore, food for them should be separate, balanced for their body.

Which food is best for cats according to the rating - this question will no longer be difficult for you if you read this material.

About types of food

Perfect option- this is when you prepare food for your pet yourself, calculating calories and the composition of nutrients according to his age and state of health.
However, there is not always enough time to do this even for your own menu, let alone animals.

Did you know? The life expectancy of people who have cats at home is increasing.

Therefore, we turn to the store for ready-made goods, the variety of which makes choosing good cat food problematic.

Let's start with the fact that all products in this direction are divided into types and classes.

Dry, wet, canned

First of all, finished products are divided into:

• dry;
• wet;
• canned.

Important! When feeding a dry product, it is necessary to provide the cat with constant access to clean and fresh water, otherwise the animal’s body will become dehydrated.

There is an opinion that dry food can cause kidney or bladder stones in cats, but the manufacturers of the best modern products claim that they have gotten rid of this threat. Wet food is food for animals in the form of pieces of meat or fish (sometimes with vegetables) with gravy in foil bags. There is more moisture here than in a dry product, but less than in a canned product. The advantage is its portion size (1 sachet = 1 serving), but the disadvantage is the loss of nutrients if the cat does not finish the entire sachet, and the very limited shelf life of an open sachet.
Cats love canned food the most. They are meat in the form of pates or pieces with gravy with high content humidity, rolled into tin cans.

Animals consuming this type of product require less water. The disadvantage of this food is the short shelf life of an open can.

Classes

Depending on the quality of feed, they can be divided into:

• Economy class;
• premium class;
• super premium class;
• holistic class.

Here is a list of products in this class:

• Pankit;
• Darling;
• Felix;
• Allcats;
• Vaska;
• Friskies;
• Sheba and others.

Important! The danger of such feeds lies in the content of chemical dyes and preservatives that can cause various diseases in animals.

At their core, these foods can be equated to hot dogs, pizza and other fast food: the stomach is full, but there is no benefit to the body.

Some people might argue: it can't be that if things were that bad, my cat wouldn't eat these foods so happily. The answer to this objection is simple - cat flavor enhancers are added to such products.

Compared to the previous one, the premium class of feed contains a larger percentage of meat, but not enough, and by-products are also present. There are more useful substances, less preservatives and dyes.

Here is a list of premium cat foods:

• Nutro Choice;
• Regal;
• Pro Pak (PRO PAC);
• Karma Organic;
• Guabi;
• Happy Cat;
• Matisse;
• Flatazor;
• Advance;
• Natural Choice;
• Brit;
• Iams;
• Belcando;
• Doctor Alders;
• (Hills) and (Royal Canin) made in Russia.

It’s not scary to feed a cat with such a product, but unfortunately, not everyone can afford it.

This product can only be purchased at veterinary pharmacies or hospitals. Below is a rating of super-premium cat foods.

Important! Most likely, your cat will initially refuse to eat this food, especially if she previously ate cheap food - this is due to the lack of flavor enhancers in the composition.

Holistic class food contains high quality meat without dyes and other harmful substances, a small amount of grains and best vegetables or do not contain them at all.

People can eat products from this class of goods without fear, since animals for slaughter (calves, lambs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits) are kept in environmentally friendly conditions, and vegetables and grains grow in specially designated areas and are watered only clean water without nitrates.
There are no preservatives or other chemicals here.

The composition of the feed is clearly described - the specific type of meat, grains and vegetables is indicated. They are often produced separately for each cat breed or taking into account behavioral characteristics.

Buying holistic food is not so easy. Due to their high cost, they are almost not in demand, so the number of stores selling them is very limited.

Buyers often order it online and wait a long time for delivery.

The complete absence of flavorings in products contributes to poor appetite cats at first.

Important! Such feeds are digestible by almost 90%, therefore daily requirement they are much lower than ordinary ones.

List of holistic products:

• NOW and GO Natural Holistic;
• Chicken Soup;
• ANF ​​holistic;
• Innova;
• Golden Eagle (N&D) and others.

How to make a choice

If you want to choose the best food for your cat, but don’t know which one is the healthiest for her, ask the opinion of veterinarians.

The criteria for choosing the best product are as follows:

1. The inscription on the packaging is AAFCO (in decoding American Association product quality control).
2. Indication of a specific type of meat containing more than 25%.
3. Additionally, the composition contains liver or fish.
4. Availability of vitamins E, C.
5. A small amount of food consumed per day.
6. Absence of bone meal and by-products.
7. Contains no products of animal origin.
8. No preservatives propyl gallate, ethoxyquin, BHT, VNA.
9. Cereals and vegetables make up less than 30%.
10. The composition contains protein, fats, taurine and, preferably, lactobacilli.
11. No sugar.
12. The cat doesn't have unpleasant odor from the mouth and from the toilet, the coat is shiny, good playfulness.

Did you know? Young kittens love milk, but in older cats it can cause vomiting or diarrhea due to lactose intolerance.

Rating of the best

Orijen

Orijen has been on the market for over 20 years and has never been filled with corn, bone meal or organ meats. It is not available in canned form and is sold only in specialized stores.

Innova Evo

Highly nutritious, hypoallergenic Innova Evo products are manufactured by Natura Pet Products in the USA. They contain only selected meat, probiotics, and no chemical additives.

Aras

The company from Germany “Aras” has been on the market for more than 27 years and produces dry and wet food. The meat content is at least half of the product, and in some types - up to 98%. Contains no lactose or gluten, and chemical dyes and preservatives.

Farms supplying products for the company's feed production have received the appropriate certificate.

Kanide

Canidae (formerly Felidae) is a US-based company that manufactures products that primarily contain meat, but also essential amino acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, vegetables, herbs, fruits.

Low allergenicity is due to the absence of chemicals, gluten and corn flour. The product is expensive and not easy to find on sale.

Eukanuba

Eukanuba is available for animals of different ages and with various diseases in dry or canned form. This balanced and easily digestible food does not contain harmful substances.

Did you know? The cat door was invented by the famous scientist Isaac Newton.

Akana

To ensure that cats receive a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, a special variety of potatoes is included in the composition. Meat and fish are not used for production after freezing.

The following products are produced under the Acana brand:

• Wild Prairie Cat & Kitten "Acana Regionals" - COBB chicken, turkey, snapper, apples, pumpkin, spinach, pear, cranberry, blueberry;
• Acana Pacifica Cat - flounder, hake, herring, seaweed, cranberry, medicinal herbs;
• Acana Grasslands Cat - lamb, duck, wild bass, chicken eggs, prebiotics.

Almo nature

The Almo Nature company from Genoa has been on the market for 15 years and produces the following products:

• Rouge Label - hypoallergenic;
• Tradition - canned;
• Orange Label - for castrated cats;
• Azul Label - unfortunately, includes offal and flour;
• Green Label is a specially prepared wet food.

Pronature

Pronature food is produced in Canada and is considered one of the best because it includes high-quality meat and vegetable ingredients and is suitable for sick animals. However, some types contain tomato, cellulose and high ash levels.

Bozita

Bozita is a Swedish product in the form of dry and wet food. Production of goods takes place under state control quality. Cats eat it with pleasure. However, not all owners like the fact that it contains pork and corn flour.

Yozera

Josera consists of products that are certified as suitable for human consumption. There are no harmful substances or less useful additives. Produced according to age categories. However, this product is expensive and not easy to find.

Did you know? In terms of the number of domestic cats, Australia is in first place, where only 10% of the population does not have them, but in Gabon and Peru, domestic cats are very rare.

If you choose dry food for your pet, follow a few feeding recommendations:

1. Change the water in the bowl daily.
2. Feed the animal 2 times a day.
3. Store the product in a closed container.
4. Do not combine with feeding natural products, this may lead to an imbalance of microelements.
5. Buy products with small pieces.
6. An ash residue of 6 percent or more can lead to kidney or bladder stones.
7. Buy a product that is appropriate for the animal's age.
8. Cats are guided by their own taste - one may love veal food, while another, refusing to eat it, loves liver food.
9. Stick to one brand when choosing a product, as different manufacturers formulate different food compositions, and the animal may not easily tolerate changes.
10. Pay attention to the absence of constipation.

If you do not want or cannot buy an expensive product, it is better to switch the animal to natural products, then you can avoid many health problems for your purr.