1st Choice cat food: reviews and composition analysis

1st Choice Cat Food Review

Dry food for cats 1st Choice (“Fest Choice”) is produced in Canada by PLB International Inc.. The official website is (in Russian, and Canadian — https://1stchoice.ca).
This food is better than premium ones and can be classified as super-premium (judging by the composition, which we will read below). In addition to cat food, there is also Fest Choice dry food for dogs.

Composition of 1st Choice food

Let's study the composition of 1st Choice food using the Finicky option as an example (for adult picky cats, chicken-based formula). To enlarge the images for easier reading, left-click on them:

On the left is a photo of the composition from the packaging, on the right is a screenshot from the official website.

The first ingredients are meat, namely “fresh chicken 17%” and “chicken flour 17%”, which are sources of protein. Fresh chicken after cooking will decrease by three times and 17% will turn into 5%. It is important to note that these ingredients are not necessarily meat, they probably include by-products (otherwise it would be “fresh chicken meat” rather than “fresh chicken”, etc.).

In the composition indicated on the Russian official website, additives are listed as ingredients. Also, the translation of the second ingredient is not correct, it should be like on the package (“chicken flour”, since the Canadian website says “chicken meal”).

Other sources of animal proteins include herring flour, dried egg product, chicken liver hydrolysate (also rich in vitamins and minerals). It also contains rich sources of plant protein, particularly pea protein. Considering that the latter is after chicken fat, it can be about 10%, which is a third of the total protein content in the feed.

Sources of carbohydrates include rice, brown rice, barley and oatmeal. Sources of fats and fatty acids are chicken fat and salmon fish oil. Sources of fiber are beet pulp and pea fiber. The remaining ingredients of the composition are additives designed to enrich the feed with vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of Fest Choice food include:

the main source of protein is meat ingredients;
rich in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients;
a natural preservative is used (a mixture of tocopherols, that is, vitamin E);
Widely distributed and available in many pet stores.

Among the disadvantages:

although the main source of protein is meat ingredients, and there are a lot of vegetable proteins, probably about a third of 30%;
not only meat is used, but probably also offal (otherwise it would be “fresh chicken meat” and “chicken meal”, and not “fresh chicken” and “chicken meal”).

By age category

1st Choice makes food for kittens, adult and senior cats. Kittens and old animals need special nutrition given the specifics of their age, so the Fest Choice brand produces a separate line for them.

Kitten food “Healthy Start” is suitable for pets from 2 months to a year, as well as pregnant and lactating cats. It is important for kittens to receive all the necessary substances for growth, so the composition contains chicken, salmon oil, yeast extract, chicory, parsley and green tea. Fest Choice for kittens is designed to form the central nervous system, bones, and improve immunity.

The food has small granules, convenient for small kittens.

Mature or less active for older cats is suitable for animals over 10 years old. A special formula slows down aging and strengthens bones. Chondroitin and glucosamine support joints, ensuring their mobility. Vitamins and minerals will help maintain healthy teeth and coat. A balanced PH prevents urolithiasis.

For older animals

Cat food 1st Choice - reviews

This Canadian cat food has been on the shelves of Russian pet stores for many years, so there are a lot of reviews about it. We have shared some of them below.

Reviews from veterinarians

Julia writes on one of the veterinary forums in response to a question about this food:

This is a super premium food, quite good. There are no dyes or harmful additives in the composition, if you want, try it. Some of our clinic's clients feed their dogs and cats this food; most do not have any nutrition-related problems.

Customer Reviews

Zlata writes:

My Tosha ate natural food for a long time, but lately I haven’t had time to devote enough time to his diet; from a slender cat, he gradually turned into a bun. I decided to try switching to dry food, and as a result of searching, the choice fell on 1st Choice Sterilized. This is food for sterilized cats and female cats, they usually have problems with excess weight, I hoped that it would help with this.
There were no problems with the translation; Tosha liked the dry food. And so did I, I tried the granules after opening the bag - not salty, not greasy, with a pleasant smell. You can probably eat chiplos instead, they are definitely more healthy)) After two months of feeding, the problem with excess weight did not disappear, but it decreased significantly, it is no longer such a bun. I think it will take the same amount of time and the weight will return to normal.

Irina writes:

Hi all! Today I’ll tell you about the 1st Choice Kitten Growth Formula kitten food that we feed our Maine Coon kitten. He is now 9 months old and has been eating this food since he was 3 months old. The breeder ate Pro Plan, but I wanted something better (before that I had read a bunch of forums and already knew that he was premium and not the best).
1st Choice food is made in Canada. The packaging is in pleasant white and lilac colors; instead of the usual zip locks, it has Velcro. The main advantage of the food is, of course, its composition, which is very good for feeding small cats. There are feeding guidelines on the packaging, but I usually pour it in at random so I can eat it.
The food granules are light brown, small, round, slightly flattened. The smell is pleasant. The small size of the granules was a plus at first, but now the kitten has already grown a lot and they fall out of the mouth, but soon we need to switch to food for adult cats.
During the entire feeding period there were no problems; the food was perfect. To summarize, I would like to say that I was satisfied with the choice; thanks to 1st Choice Kitten food, our baby is growing healthy and strong! Definitely recommend it to your cats and cats!

Polina writes:

My cat usually eats Royal Canin, but when the store didn’t have the usual formula, I thought why not try food from another manufacturer. I took 1st Choice Adult Finicky for picky cats, with chicken flavor. It is a little more expensive, but I decided not to spare the money.
Unfortunately, the cat did not appreciate my initiative, sniffed at the new product and began to reluctantly eat, scattering crumbs around the bowl. The composition seems to be better, the packaging is no less beautiful, the smell is also not very different, but for some reason it tastes worse than Royal Canin. I don’t know what’s causing this, but I won’t buy 1st Choice in the future.

Opinions and reviews of veterinarians

Veterinarians do not speak directly about Fest Choice food, but they recommend it to their visitors and furry patients. Thus, Ruslana Vanilko writes: “The veterinarian said that it was all due to nutrition and advised feeding the cat hypoallergenic food. I recommended the brand “1st Choice”.

Diyana from Izhevsk writes that she has not tried cat food, since it is extremely difficult to get it in her city. But a veterinarian from Moscow recommended him.

fiery writes: “My cat ate Fest Choice more readily than Hills and Proplan, although she still prefers Royal Canin. The Fest Choice vet approved!”

The overwhelming majority of customer reviews about this food are positive, with the rare exception of cases of individual intolerance to certain ingredients by animals.

Veterinarians agree that the predominant part of the food components actually has a positive effect on the health of pets. Thus, chicory extract, present in all the company’s products, is a source of fructooligosaccharides that help restore the normal microflora of the animal’s gastrointestinal tract. Chicken fat is praised by veterinarians for its richness in omega 6 fatty acids and lanolin acid, which are essential for a beautiful coat, sharp eyesight, the prevention of allergies and heart disease, and the fight against yeast that leads to various infections. Flax seeds contain omega 3 fatty acids, which are important for the brain, joints, skin and fur, and also directly affect proper growth and reproduction ability.

The opinions and reviews of veterinarians regarding the presence of salt in food are opposite. On the one hand, salt can negatively affect the genitourinary system of cats, especially castrated and sterilized ones. On the other hand, salt causes the animal’s natural desire to drink water in large quantities, which is necessary when feeding “dry”.

Price and where to buy

You can buy this food in online pet stores:

"Yandex Market" ():
Packaging 1st Choice 2.72 kg - from 1986 rubles;
Packaging 1st Choice 5.44 kg - from RUB 3,390.
"ZooMag"():
Packaging 2.72 kg - from 1840 rubles;
Packaging 5.44 kg - from RUB 3,130.
"Old Farm" ().

Prices shown are current as of July 2022 and may change over time. To see current prices at the time of reading this text, go to pet stores using the links above.

Review

The line of food for daily nutrition, depending on the age of the cat, contains the following dry food rations:

Diet for kittens 2-12 months – Kitten Healthy Start (Kitten Healthy Start) with chicken.

The main ingredient of the food is high quality chicken.

Salmon oil, used as a source of DHA, promotes the normal development and proper functioning of the nervous system.

Vitamins C, E, beta-carotene – support the immune system. Prebiotics and probiotics in combination with artificial fibers (dried tomatoes) will ensure the health and proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Diets for adult cats 1+

Includes 7 food options:

Weight Control - weight control, light-calorie food for castrated and sterilized cats. Energy expenditure in such animals is lower, and therefore they need a less calorie diet. The low-calorie diet formula contains CLA and L-caratine, which helps remove excess fat and normalize weight.

The reduced fat content of this diet helps reduce body weight without reducing the feeding rate.

The presence of green tea extract, quickly soluble vitamin C and cellulose makes breath fresh and is used to improve oral hygiene.

Healthy Skin & Coat (Helfi Skin and Coat) - healthy skin and coat. The diet is aimed at improving the quality of the coat and maintaining healthy skin. The positive effect is due to the presence of fish and salmon fish oil, rich in Omega fatty acids, in the diet.
Hypoallergenic – food with a hypoallergenic set of ingredients. The diet is intended for animals with digestive problems. The absence of grain makes it easier to digest. Chicken protein has been replaced with less allergenic duck protein.

Salmon and vegetable oil ensure healthy skin and coat;

Finicky – for capricious, picky cats. A balanced, highly palatable diet containing fresh chicken and herring.
Indoor Vitaliti (Indo Vitality) – for low-active, domestic cats. The food is designed individually for cats kept permanently at home. The food creates a pH balance in the digestive tract, which keeps the urinary system healthy.

The content of Coccus Schidigera extract helps bind ammonia and reduce the odor of excrement.

The composition contains prebiotics (beneficial microorganisms) that support immunity and normal digestion;

Sterilized – grain-free food for sterilized and neutered animals. After castration and sterilization, changes in metabolic processes and hormonal levels occur in the body, and physical activity decreases.

The high protein content of fresh chicken helps you gain muscle mass.

The absence of grain helps improve digestion and reduce the risk of allergies.

The increased fiber content will give you a feeling of fullness and help remove hair from the gastrointestinal tract.

Reduced magnesium content in the diet – prevention of urolithiasis.

Urinary Health (Urinary Health) is a food with the function of preventing urolithiasis.

Diet for older animals, 10+

Mature Less Active. The diet formula is enriched with components such as glucosamine, chondroitin and collagen, designed to support healthy joints and cartilage, which is important for an aging cat.

The combination of CLA and L-carotene supports normal body weight and a high status of the immune system, their action is complemented by natural fibers, probiotics and prebiotics, ginger extract, which improve the functioning of the aging gastrointestinal tract.

Specific organic minerals improve assimilation in bone tissue.

Dry food can be varied with wet canned food. The basis of canned food is whole pieces of tuna fish. In addition to tuna, various canned foods contain squid and tilampi meat, combined with shrimp and fruits (papaya, pineapple, sea bass).

Which food option should you choose for your pet?

1st Choice dog food lines are designed based on the animal's age, breed and size, health status and individual needs. There are also several options for hypoallergenic and medicinal food.

For puppies

The Pappy Fest Choice line is suitable for dogs from the third month of life, immediately after weaning from maternal feeding. Croquettes in the diet are small and contribute to the development of the jaw apparatus. The series is especially suitable for puppies of small and medium breeds, based on chicken meat and a mineral complex. The series also has options for small breeds with allergies and digestive disorders, to improve the condition of the coat and joints.

For mature pets

The Fest Choice line is divided into two series: for small, medium breeds from eight months to eight years and for large breeds from one to six years of life. The main components in each series are meat, vegetables, phytocomponents, potatoes and beets.

There is a food option - universal, like a daily diet with meat and fish, for all breeds of adult dogs.

Therapeutic and preventive lines are hypoallergenic dry food with duck and potatoes, suitable for all breeds for the treatment of digestion. There is also food for the treatment of obesity, with low activity, which is considered high-protein and low-calorie. And a separate food - for treating dermatitis and improving the condition of the coat.

Nutrition for aging animals

The Senior Fest Choice line is designed for all breeds over the age of seven years. The diet contains a lot of dietary meat, oatmeal, fish, rice, phytocomponents, chondroitin and minerals. The line is also suitable for dogs with digestive problems, allergies, sensitive skin and obesity.

Regardless of the line and series of 1st Choice food, each option contains glucosamine, chondrotin, and mineral complexes. This improves the functioning of the nervous system, brain and musculoskeletal system.