What is the best dry cat food

Economy class food does not always meet the optimal quality parameters, but in a number of exceptions it can be used to feed pets. To ensure that such food does not harm, it is worth paying special attention to the composition.

Choosing a good cat food: instructions

How to choose a good cat food with such an abundance of offers? Before buying, you should study the relevant ratings, as well as take into account:

An animal with an acute phase of any disease, it is advisable to feed a specially designed or familiar food until it recovers. Any unfamiliar cat food, according to veterinarians, should be introduced into the diet as a supplement, in small portions. If the pet shows no signs of allergies or individual intolerance, you can gradually increase the proportion of the new food.

What cat food not to buy

When buying, veterinarians recommend paying attention to the signs of a quality product:

• A bag with one serving of wet food costs 10 rubles or more;
• dry food is not packed in a transparent bag without labels and markings;
• pellets in bulk have a pleasant flavor;
• the description of the composition on the package does not include GMOs and flavor enhancers.

If the food you choose does not meet these criteria, you are faced with a cheap, unbalanced diet. It will not benefit or, in extreme cases, harm your pet, so it cannot be called “Best food for cats.

Also, experts advise to refrain from buying food if it contains the following ingredients.

• Liver (any). According to popular opinion, it has a long retention of toxic substances, so giving it to the pet can be dangerous.
• Corn, wheat are foods that can cause allergies.
• Yeast.
• Potatoes and other vegetables containing starch can provoke the occurrence and development of diabetes in animals.
• Salt. Disrupts metabolism, electrolyte balance, and promotes the deposition of kidney stones.
• Soy protein concentrate. Acts as an allergen.
• Artificial additives – various “E”.
• Feed mix from the remains of other animals – also causes allergies (due to the content of claws, feathers, hooves, hair).

This list should be memorized by heart. Then any owner can easily choose the most useful and diverse cat food of good quality, even from the budget series.

Reviews of economy cat food

In this general article about economy food for cats and cats, we will not cite specific reviews, because you need a lot of them to draw any conclusions. And a lot of reviews will make our article too big, and then most people won’t finish it.

If it’s reviews you’re interested in, you can read them separately for each specific food:

Clicking on the links above with the brand names will take you to the reviews of each specific food. What’s more, there you’ll find a full review of that food with a breakdown of its composition, pros and cons, and you can rate and share your opinion of the food.

Economy Food Price

As with any class of food, different “economy” foods with the same composition can differ significantly in price. Below we’ve shown you how much 1kg of each dry food item on the list above costs:

• Cat Chow 1,5 kg ≈ 524 rubles (1 kg ~ 350 rubles);
• Friskies 2 kg ≈ 500 rubles (1 kg ~ 250 rubles);
• Gemon 1,5 kg ≈ 868 rubles (1 kg ~ 578 rubles);
• Perfect Fit 1,2 kg ≈ 570 rubles (1 kg ~ 338 rubles);
• Pgo-tail 10 kg ≈ 1690 rubles (1 kg ~ 169 rubles);
• Purina One 1,5 kg ≈ 717 rubles (1 kg ~ 478 rubles);
• Wellkis 1,5 kg ≈ 1299 rubles (1 kg ~ 866 rubles);
• Whiskas 1,9 kg ≈ 661 rubles (1 kg ~ 348 rubles);
• Nasha Marka 2 kg ≈ 516 rubles (1 kg ~ 258 rubles);
• Stout 2 kg ≈ from 860 rubles (1 kg ~ 430 rubles).

The above prices are indicative, current as of May 2022. For exact prices see the pet stores or web-sites of pet stores, links to which are in reviews.

Holistic dry food for kittens: rating

The best food for kittens is recognized as food of the holistic class, which contains only a natural composition of ingredients. They have a beneficial effect on the whole body, strengthen the immune system and are an excellent prevention of various diseases.

The only disadvantage of holistic foods is a relatively high price. But if the owner is interested in maintaining the health of the pet in excellent condition, you will have to spend a little.

Based on the reviews of veterinarians and experienced breeders, we have compiled a rating of the best holistic foods for kittens of different breeds.

1. Carnilove is a complete grain-free product with plenty of health benefits. More than half of the composition is animal protein. It also contains many nutritional plant components, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant complexes.
2. Acana – the composition of natural meat without grains and allergenic components.
3. Grandorf – a low-grain hypoallergenic food with a high content of meat components – 70%.
4. Farmina N&D – under this brand offers grain-free and low-grain formulas. The content of animal protein is 70%. They have a low glycemic index, suitable for kittens with sensitive digestion, prone to allergies and obesity.
5. Applaws – a natural product of chicken and vegetables with a large content of vitamin and mineral complexes.

The best dry kitten food super-premium class

Super-premium food is slightly inferior to holistic, but is also characterized by the quality composition of ingredients. A big advantage is the more affordable price of such a product. That’s why many owners choose it for full-feeding their pets.

Rating of the best super-premium dry food for kittens:

1. 1st Choice is a balanced, hypoallergenic food with 17% chicken and poultry meal, carbohydrate components and natural preservatives. Enriched with protein, essential for the healthy growth and development of young pets.
2. Pro Plan. The basis of the diet is meat ingredients. Also contains probiotics and other beneficial trace elements that improve digestion.
3. Royal Canin – one of the most popular brands in Russia. It contains natural meat, but also contains ingredients that are not particularly useful and even allergenic, so it is not suitable for all animals.
4. Bozita – a dry food based on chicken meat and salmon.
5. Happy Cat. Foods with different meat ingredients are available under this brand. Sources of carbohydrates include corn and rice.

Premium dry cat food: the differences in the middle class

The intermediate position between the most expensive and more budget-friendly formulas is occupied by premium food. This is quite a good option in terms of price to quality ratio. But when choosing such food, special care should be taken, as not all manufacturers offer a truly high quality product.

Composition

Premium foods contain no more than 30-35% meat components. The main part of the diet takes by-products, cereals and additional ingredients, among which there may be unsafe chemicals.

Manufacturers and brands

Premium cat food products are produced by many foreign and Russian manufacturers.

• Probalance;
• Winner;
• TiTBiT;
• Bozita;
• Pro Plan;
• Royal Canin;
• Happy Cat;
• Grand Prix;
• Almo Nature Holistic;
• Leonardo;
• Karmy;
• Organix;
• FARMINA N&D LG CAT;
• “Night Hunter;
• “Good Host;
• “Safari;
• “Amurr;
• “Zoogurman;
• “Zoomenu”;
• “TerraKot;
• “Sirius, etc.

Pros and cons

The quality of ingredients in premium food is much higher than in the products of the economy category, but still the composition does not always meet all the needs of animals. Many veterinarians recommend combining such a diet with straight food.

Of the obvious pluses is the affordable price policy. The minus is an insufficiently balanced composition, the presence of extraneous components that can cause harm to the animal’s body.

Cat food of the economy class: inexpensive “dry”

Unfortunately, the cheapest dry cat food economy class is often the most popular in the market of food for animals. This is due to the widespread availability and accessibility of these products. You can buy them at any grocery store, supermarket or convenience store.

In addition, many inexperienced owners listen to advertising, where manufacturers praise their products and claim full compliance with veterinary regulations and the approval of leading experts in the field of veterinary medicine. But in reality, the quality parameters of such food are often questionable.

Composition

The percentage of meat ingredients in the economy food does not exceed 20-30%. As a rule, not natural select meat is used, but various production wastes and meat and bone meal. Cereals – mostly soy, wheat and corn – predominate in large quantities.

Vitamins and minerals are present, but in very meager quantities. Chemical ingredients, preservatives, thickeners, dyes, and other unsafe elements are added to enhance the flavor characteristics. Manufacturers and brands In the collection of dry food economy class quite a diverse selection of products with different flavors from domestic and foreign manufacturers. The formulations are different and can vary significantly, so before buying it, it is advisable to carefully study the information on the package to choose a more useful diet for your pet.

Pros and cons

The obvious advantage is the low cost of cat food for the economy category. You can also highlight the availability: they are sold in many stores, and non-targeted. But the disadvantages of such a product are much more. The cat will not benefit from such food, will have to diversify the diet with natural protein products.

Constantly feed budget products to domestic cats veterinarians strongly recommend not. In addition to the lack of positive effects, allergic reactions and other health problems can occur. This is due to the high content of harmful substances that have a negative impact on the body of the animal.

Nasha Marka with rabbit and liver

Dry cat food for adult cats “Nasha Marka” with rabbit and liver is designed for pets aged 1 to 6 years. It is based on corn (source of carbohydrates), which is rich in vitamins, amino acids and protein. The second ingredient (present in smaller quantities) is the so-called “bird meal”. However, the manufacturer does not specify exactly how much of it is contained in each packet and from which specific bird (maybe turkey or chicken) this component is taken. Also included is rice (provides the body with carbohydrates), corn gluten and Omega-6 fatty acids in the form of sunflower oil.

Considering all of the above, we can conclude that the food “Nasha Marka” does not bring much benefit to the body of the animal, because the diet consists mainly of cereals and carbohydrates, which contributes to the gain of excess weight (when overeating) and satisfies hunger only for a short period of time. In addition, corn can provoke allergic reactions (especially if it is genetically modified).

As for vitamins and minerals, they are contained in small amounts, and it is not specified which ones are included in the product. In general, however, the food is well digested and enriched with taurine (to preserve visual acuity and as a preventative for heart disease). And natural antioxidants (again, not reported which ones) strengthen the immune system and prolong youth. Fibre, in turn, prevents the formation of hairballs in the pet’s stomach, improves digestion and normalizes stools. The producer of the feed is a Russian company CJSC “Gatchinsky KKZ” (Gatchinsky feed mill). “Nasha Marka” refers to the economy class and has different flavors – beef, rice with lamb, salmon + rice, etc.

The food is domestically produced with not very good composition (minimum meat content), but it has no “chemicals” in the form of artificial coloring and flavor enhancers. Cats are not as eager to “rush” to it as to other economy food (Whiskas, Kitekat, Felix, etc.), and some refuse to eat it at all. The benefits of “Our brand” are questionable, but there is no negative impact on the pets’ bodies. Such a product will be a good diet in the absence of finances, but to recommend it for permanent feeding is hardly possible.

Whiskas with chicken and turkey

Whiskas is one of the most affordable foods for adult cats and kittens. In addition to “Chicken and Turkey,” it has two other flavors – “Beef” and “Fish.” Of course, there is no natural meat in the composition (except for a minimal amount of 4-5%), but it contains many other nutrients and nutrients, such as cereals and products of their processing, vegetable protein extracts, wheat flour and animal origin, vegetable oils and animal fats, beet pulp, brewer’s yeast, dried carrots, taurine, as well as vitamins, cellulose and microelements.

Dry food Whiskas promotes normal metabolism, improves digestion and saturates the body with all the necessary components for the well-being of the pet. And cats eat it with great appetite (in contrast to the mass of other economy food). And the crunchy pads with tender, meat pâté inside make it especially attractive and desirable for cats of all breeds and ages. The disadvantages include a high grain content and the presence of artificial flavors/flavor enhancers.

The food is produced by the Russian company Mars LLC, founded back in 1991. It also produces chocolate bars and a number of other well-known dry and canned meat foods for pets (KiteKat, Pedigree, Sheba, Perfect Fit, etc.). For better assimilation and complete metabolism the manufacturer recommends combining different formats of food in the cat’s diet – dry and wet (meat pieces in sauce, in the form of jelly or rich pate with the taste of duck, chicken and turkey, beef, etc.). Omega-6 and zinc keep coats beautiful and healthy, calcium and phosphorus strengthen bone tissue, and vitamin A supports visual acuity.

Therapeutic and hypoallergenic cat foods: rating

In the presence of certain diseases in a cat, the choice of a basic diet should be taken with special care. These pets need a special therapeutic and prophylactic food, which is chosen individually, taking into account the existing health problems.

Hypoallergenic

Some cats are susceptible to food allergies caused by digestive disorders and intolerance of certain food components. For these cats, special hypoallergenic foods are made that do not contain potentially dangerous ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction.

The best dry and wet hypoallergenic cat foods are:

• 1st Choice with duck;
• Brit Care Cocco with salmon, with duck;
• MEALFEEL with lamb;
• “Zoogurman with duck and spinach;
• Grandorf with lamb, with turkey, with brown rice;
• SAVARRA with turkey, with rice;
• Almo Nature Holistic with turkey;
• Forza10;
• Grandorf with rabbit, with brown rice;
• Grandorf “4 meats” with brown rice;
• NATURAL Greatness;
• SAVARRA Indoor with duck, with rice;
• Bon Appetit with salmon, with chicken, with rice;
• AmaNova Sterilised cat Delicious Lamb.

The ranking ranges from budget to the most expensive hypoallergenic foods.

Urinari

Urinari is a specialized therapeutic food for cats suffering from urolithiasis. Its difference is a lower content of potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, reduced caloric content. It contains a lot of sodium, which is good for cats.

• 1st Choice Urinary;
• Royal Canin Urinary;
• Pro Plan Veterinary Diets Feline UR Urinary with Chicken Dry;
• Monge Superpremium Cat Urinary;
• CAT CHOW Urinary ;
• Advance Veterinary Diets;
• Monge VetSolution Cat Urinary;
• Hill’s Prescription Diet Urinary;
• N&D Cat Quinoa Wet Food Urinary ;
• CLAN Urinary;
• SOLID NATURA VET Urinary.

The Best Russian Cat Foods

Recently, there have been problems with supplying imported pet food products to the Russian market. However, this is not a reason to deny your pet quality nutritious food.

Domestic manufacturers offer a wide range of dry and wet cat food of different price categories. Product quality of many brands is not inferior to foreign counterparts.

• Clan Classic;
• Advantageous;
• ProBalance Kitten 1st Diet;
• Winner;
• “Mnyams;
• Blitz;
• “Night Hunter;
• “Native Foods;
• “Nash Ration;
• ProBalance Gourmet Diet;
• “Zoogurman;
• Nature’s Table.

In the specialized online store of pet products “Le’Murrr” you can buy high-quality Russian and imported cat food. The catalog contains items of different price range. There are full-fat, therapeutic and preventive compositions for small kittens, adult, elderly and spayed cats.

Pros and cons

Every pet owner sooner or later begins to think about what is the best food for his cats and cats. And the choice is usually between ready-made food (dry and wet) and self-cooked food. Ready-made options have a number of undeniable advantages.

• Balanced. This food has everything an animal needs at a certain age, namely meat and vegetables in the right dosage, vitamins and minerals.
• Ready-made feeds no need to cookThat saves a lot of time.
• High-quality dry and wet food can be very healthy for cats. In addition to the variety of flavors, they can help normalize digestion and prevent various diseases of the animals. Especially relevant are considered dietary foods, which are a prophylactic in the fight against overweight and against urolithiasis. It is especially common in spayed and neutered animals.
• Dry food is thought to be more beneficial. However, this is quite contradictory, because if you buy premium food, the price of dry products does not come out cheaper than natural meat, which is prepared by the animals themselves.
• Balanced dry products …clean the teeth of pets, and therefore serve as an excellent prevention of tooth decay.

The disadvantages include the fact that budget foods have very little moisture, and this has a negative impact on animal health. It is also believed that not all food gently cleans teeth, rather the opposite, as a result of their use, tartar and tooth decay are formed.

Cats and cats quickly become accustomed to poor quality foods.

Varieties and their main characteristics

The most popular are considered budget versions of food and premium. This is connected, of course, with the affordable price. Super-premium options are considered more expensive, and holistic – the most refined for cats. As a rule, The best reviews from veterinarians and felinologists arebecause they are considered to be as natural and balanced as possible, and are not addictive to the animals.

These foods are rarely advertised because breeders already buy them.

Economy

The greatest demand in our country for Fodder economy class. This is due to their very affordable price and active advertising, but their composition leaves much to be desired, because almost all of them are made not of meat, and from meat waste. Cats “love” them for their excellent aroma and flavor, but they are only additives and flavorings.

Let’s look at a comparison chart of economy food.

From kittens to older cats and felines, as well as for animals with medical conditions.

Not all of the foods listed are low-grade – many are quite suitable for pet food.

The main thing is to clarify the composition of the product you choose and avoid allergenic options like corn and wheat.

Premium

There’s also a high demand for premium foods. They usually have 20-25% more meat than economy versions, so they are better suited for pet nutrition. The premium brands include the following:

All of the above brands have higher grain and plant protein content, as well as higher allergen counts. But at the same time the range presented is very diverse: you can buy and canned food in cans, and bagged varieties, and dry food. And the variety of possible flavors is also countless: chicken, fish, turkey, beef, and much, much more.

Rating of super premium food for cats

Let’s start by ranking super premium cat foods. They are the most popular because they are of high enough quality that you can safely feed your cats and cats, and yet not so expensive as holistic.

1. Brit Care (Czech Republic, ~ 720 RUR per kilo, import to Russia is still banned but you can still find it somewhere)
2. Bud Zdorov (Russia, ~ 750 rubles per kg)
3. Lapico (Russia, ~1090 roubles per kg)
4. Brooksfield (Italy, ~ 894 roubles per kg)
5. Monge BWild (Italy, ~1024 roubles per kg)
6. Bon Appetit (France, ~ 1073 roubles per kg)
7. Nutro (Germany, ~620 roubles/kg)
8. Best Dinner (Russia, ~ 734 rubles per kg)
9. Optimeal (Ukraine, ~ 265 UAH per 1 kg)
10. Zillii (Russia, ~700 roubles per kg)

This rating was made based on the quality of ingredients and price of the feed. It is not an indisputable truth.

All super premium foods are of sufficient quality, they can be fed to cats and cats on a regular basis. Therefore, when choosing food from this class, focus not only on the rating and reviews, but also on the convenience of buying in your area.

Rating of premium cat food

Premium cat food is also very popular, in terms of quality, although they are worse than super premium, but they are still relatively full-fat. Also, most of them are relatively cheap, so that feeding a cat or cat will not be ruinous for the wallet of not the most wealthy families.

We’ve ranked premium cat foods below to help you choose the best option for the lowest cost.

Our list of premium foods by quality/price ratio:

1. Brit Premium (made in the Czech Republic, imported into Russia is still prohibited);
2. Probalance (Russia, ~348 rubles per 1 kg);
3. TiTBiT (Russia, ~458 rubles per 1 kg);
4. Delicana (Russia, ~467 rubles per 1 kg);
5. Florida (Russia, ~358 rubles per 1 kg);
6. Blitz (Russia, ~515 rubles per 1 kg);
7. Nero Gold (Netherlands, ~552 rubles. per 1 kg);
8. Brit Premium (Russia, ~470 rubles per 1 kg);
9. AlphaPet WOW (Russia, ~703 rubles per 1 kg);
10. DailyCat (Italy, ~500 roubles per 1 kg).

We shall note that such famous kinds of food as Royal Canin, Pro Plan, Eukanuba were not even included in our rating. The reason is simple – in quality of composition they are even worse than those rated, while the price for 1 kg of food is 1,5-2 times higher.

In fact, at the price for which some premium foods (Royal Canin, Wahre Libre, etc.) are sold, you can buy a good super premium food. And if you have the opportunity, we recommend doing so.

Rating of food for cats: the top best according to veterinarians

The best dry cat food according to veterinarians and owners! Carefully selected, natural, hypoallergenic ingredients help prevent allergic reactions and food intolerances, ensuring immune and digestive health.

Choosing the right food is an important task for any responsible owner. Nutrition plays a key role in the health of the pet. However, looking at the range presented on the shelves in pet stores, involuntarily the question arises – what is the best cat food?

In this article you will find useful tips about choosing food for your four-legged friend, as well as a rating of the best cat food according to veterinarians.

WHAT’S THE BEST CAT FOOD FOR CATS: ADVICE ON WHAT TO CHOOSE

When choosing cat food, the first thing you need to pay attention to is, of course, the composition. A quality cat food should contain as much natural meat ingredients and protein as possible. You can determine their content in a package quite simply: they are listed on the package in descending order. If the cereals are in first place, it is better to refuse to buy such food.

If your pet needs special care and has any diseases, it is best to consult a veterinarian beforehand.