TOP 10 best premium cat food: features, composition, reviews

Updated: 02/26/2021 13:55:00

Expert: Rudenko Irina Sergeevna

*Review of the best according to the editors of expertology.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

Every owner, when getting a pet, wants him to remain active, cheerful and healthy for as long as possible, and does everything in his power to achieve this. Proper selection of food is the key to a cat’s longevity. Some people prefer to give natural food. But many people opt for ready-made food, in which the ratio of nutrients is optimally selected. They are classified into economy, premium, super-premium and holistic. The first type is the most budget option with not always safe compounds. The last one is the most expensive.

We'll talk about super-premium food. They are made from high quality meat. The composition is strictly balanced depending on the age and needs of the animal. It includes vitamins, fats, microelements, and minerals. According to the accepted standard, the addition of flavor enhancers and chemical flavors is not allowed. The food is easily digestible and quickly saturates a hungry pet, which minimizes the risk of obesity and related diseases.

The formulas of super-premium products include special additives: digestive, anti-allergenic, immune-stimulating. There are medicinal feeds with a narrowly targeted effect. To make daily eating processes easy and without side effects, you need to purchase food that matches your pet’s current condition. Separate lines with well-formulated recipes are produced for kittens, sterilized cats, and adult animals.

The experts of our magazine found out which brands and the super-premium food they produce are most in demand among breeders and selected the 15 best from them, highlighting all their advantages.

Rating of the best super-premium cat food

How to choose the right cat food in 2022?

If you just got a cat, then you should remember that these animals are hostage to their habits, so they prefer to eat food strictly in one place and at the same time. It is advisable that the room where they eat is quiet and with few people.

You should not give these animals food intended for dogs, as these animals have different needs for minerals and vitamins. If there is more than one cat in the house, then their bowls should be placed at a distance from each other so that there is no competition between them. If possible, place the bowl as far from the tray as possible.

Both dry and wet food are complete nutrition for the family pet; they contain all the necessary nutrients that can ensure the cat's health for many years. The only key difference between these types of food is the percentage of liquid content - in wet food it is up to 80%, while in dry food it is only about 10%. Many owners prefer to combine food: give dry food one day, and wet food the next.

However, the animal’s preferences should also be taken into account - many cats prefer dry food and eat wet food without much enthusiasm. If necessary, you can combine these foods: leave some wet food in a bowl and add a little dry food so that the animal can eat as needed. Dry food is more convenient than wet food, as it does not spoil longer. If the animal does not eat it immediately, it will be able to approach the bowl throughout the day.

An important advantage of dry food is the provision of additional oral hygiene for the animal - such food additionally cleanses the pet’s oral cavity and removes plaque from the teeth. If your cat has some problems with digestion or kidneys, then it is best to give preference to wet food, as it helps to increase the overall level of moisture in the body and the formation of a large amount of urine. This allows you to improve the functioning of the bladder and stabilize the functioning of the kidneys - this moment is very useful for animals that are prone to cystitis.

When compiling our rating of the best cat food, we took all these points into account, paid attention to the price-quality ratio of the food and took into account user reviews. As a result, the review included only the most popular brands, which have long been time-tested and have a beneficial effect on animal health.

WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN CHOOSING CAT FOOD?

Based on my own experience, consultations with cat owners, and conversations with picky cats themselves, I would advise you to adhere to the following recommendations when choosing food for your cat:

• Learn to read labels.
  You don't need to know every ingredient by heart, but you can at least compare foods from different manufacturers. We will discuss this issue in more detail below.
• Choose food from large manufacturers.
  Such manufacturers have invested huge amounts of money in research aimed at developing the optimal food for cats. Don't take unnecessary risks by buying "original" or discounted food, food from an unknown company, or one made specifically for your local supermarket.
• The food must be appropriate for the age of the cat.
  Kittens need food designed specifically for the growing cat's body. Less active cats with a tendency to become overweight can be given food with a light formula. Pregnant and lactating cats should buy food for their growing bodies, as they need more nutrients than usual. If you have an older cat, talk to your veterinarian about whether to buy a light formula food or a senior cat food.
• Don't feed your cat just one food.
  Buy a variety of foods to prevent your cat from becoming too picky. Alternate foods with flavors like beef, chicken, turkey, etc. Choose several manufacturers whose products you will buy. If you do this from the very beginning, the cat will not get used to any one type of food (believe me, this happens).

If your cat has a sensitive stomach or you have been feeding her one type of food in the past, the change in diet should not be too drastic. Over the course of several days, mix the new food into the familiar one so that the cat does not refuse to eat food with an unfamiliar taste. If your cat's diet includes several foods from different brands, you won't have to panic if the usual food suddenly stops being produced or disappears from the shelves of your local supermarket.

If your veterinarian prescribes a special diet for your cat, follow his instructions carefully.

You need to know exactly why and for how long your cat should be fed this way. I've noticed more than once that owners don't really understand why the veterinarian told them to feed their cat a certain food. Accordingly, such owners are not aware of the risk they are taking by neglecting the doctor’s instructions. If your cat has kidney problems, eating a piece of ham and bacon will not improve her health.

Wet

These include:

• meat;
• fish;
• bouillon.

Depending on the class, the protein component in it can be from 50% to 90%. The product is packaged in packs and undergoes heat treatment, as a result of which useful substances remain in the jelly.

Such food has an important positive aspect - a variety of tastes, thanks to which even the most capricious cat can eat what he likes.

They have a short shelf life: usually it is better not to leave them open for more than 12 hours. In addition, soft pieces are not able to remove tartar, so we are not talking about its prevention in this case either. As for the cost, good wet food is expensive: not every owner can afford to include it in the pet’s daily diet.

What is better, dry food or canned food for cats?

The composition of both liquid and dry food is almost the same. When choosing the right food, it contains almost the same amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, regardless of whether it is dry or liquid.

Adviсe:

• Veterinarians recommend giving preference to dry food, but about a third of the total diet should consist of liquid or canned foods. Please note that the ideal option for a pet is natural food, which is prepared independently from meat and fish.
• The ideal option is boiled fish meat, cut into small cubes. However, this takes time and is quite expensive. This is why we prefer dry food or what is sold as canned food.
• It is worth noting that veterinarians believe that the dry product must be given to animals correctly. There is practically no moisture in it, which can negatively affect the animal’s excretory system. That is, if you do not follow the rules, then soon your cat will begin to have problems with the kidneys or bladder.
• Quite often, kidney stones occur due to the use of a dry product. This is due to a lack of fluid in the body, which removes salts from the kidneys. Therefore, if you provide such food, give the animals plenty of water. In general, veterinarians recommend that the diet consist of a third of canned or liquid goodies for the animal.

Eating

PURINA PROPLAN

Average price in Russia

: from 650 rub. for 1.5 kg

Why in the ranking

: the composition of the food is perfectly balanced and does not require any dietary supplements; in addition, it contains the probiotics and enzymes necessary for cats. The price is very affordable and there is a fairly large assortment on sale everywhere.

Flaws

: it contains a lot of herbal ingredients, liver (cats are allergic to it), animal fat of unknown origin.

Grade

: 7 out of 10

From reviews of
Purina ProPlan
: “Under no circumstances should it be mixed with natural food, otherwise it will end in allergies.”

WHAT CAT FOOD SHOULD NOT BE BUYED?

Let's remember what names of cat food we hear? Of course, the first to come to mind are Whiskas, Kitekat, Friskies, Darling. Their advertising is noisy, noticeable, and has become familiar... but is it worth believing all the manufacturers’ assurances? In this case, no. Cheap economy-class food (we’ll talk about food classes in general a little further) are the enemies of pets’ health. Only in emergency cases, when there really is nothing else at hand, can you give your cat such food. And even in this case, no one is immune from the prospect of poisoning. And the worst thing is that a constant diet of such food asymptomatically harms the cat, destroying its liver and kidneys.

PURINA CAT CHOW

Average price in the Russian Federation: from 100 rubles. for 400 g

Why in the rating: it comes in a very small package, which allows you to take the food “for testing” or as a temporary measure for 1-2 days.

Flaws

: poorly balanced composition with a small amount of meat ingredients of questionable quality. Cases of allergies to Cat Chow are not uncommon.

Grade

: 4

From reviews of
Purina Cat Chow
: “Cats are often picky and refuse this food completely.”

WHISKAS SPECIAL

Photo: povodok-shop.ru

Average price in Russia

: from 90 rub. for 400 g.

Why in the ranking

: offers a food option for cats with sensitive digestion, which guarantees at least relative harmlessness to the animal’s body. Cats eat this food with gusto.

Flaws

: the composition is the same as regular Whiskas, except with a couple of new ingredients. The choice is quite small and allergies are not uncommon.

Grade

: 3

From reviews of
Whiskas Special
: “The portion for satiating a cat turns out to be very large compared to premium food, and therefore even the financial benefit here is very doubtful.”

Types of cat food: dry, liquid, raw

It is worth noting that cat food is significantly different from dog food. The fact is that dogs need more carbohydrates and less protein. Since cats are related to carnivores, the diet of these feline pets should contain a large amount of protein and meat products.

Accordingly, cat food contains a lot of protein and a small amount of carbohydrates and fats. However, not all food that is available on store shelves is equally healthy and suitable for your pet.

Types of cat food:

• Dry. These are well-known small balls or plates and can be sold in the form of peas or oblong sticks. They look like dry snacks of different colors. They contain a lot of protein and carbohydrates.
• Liquid food or it is also called canned food. Sold in bags or cans.
• Raw food . This is food for cats that is as close as possible to what happens in the wild. Made from products that can be consumed by humans. Contains fresh raw meat, fish, quail eggs, fruits and vegetables, and may contain oat bran. While there is only a small amount of such food on the Russian market, the main drawback is that they are sold frozen. This is normal practice for European countries, but in our country this method of feeding cats is still unusual.

Food for cats

Buy natural food

Balanced diet: easily digestible protein, selected vegetables and grains

TOP 12 Best Cat Food Manufacturers What Would Your Pussy Really Buy?

Average
price in the Russian Federation
: from 1200 rubles. for 2.7 kg

Why in the ranking

: This food’s composition is almost perfectly balanced, rich in all necessary substances, and even the protein in it is of animal origin. Thanks to the maximum nutritional value, a cat only needs a small portion to fill up. There are no ingredients in food of this level that could harm the animal.

Flaws

: Innova Cat and Kitten is one of the most expensive foods and in Russia you can only get it on the Internet. It should be remembered that it contains quite a lot of protein, and therefore it should not be given to castrated animals.

Grade

: 10 of 10

From reviews of cat food
Innova Cat and Kitten
: “Food with a protein content of about 30% is suitable for extremely healthy and active cats, but will not be very good for neutered animals.”

ACANA

Average price in the Russian Federation: from 1000 rubles. for 2.27 kg

Why in the ranking

: This food consists of 80% natural high-quality meat ingredients, and is also additionally rich in lactobacilli and probiotics necessary for animals. But, fortunately, there are no grain crops in it at all. In Russia you can buy both on the Internet and in some veterinary pharmacies.

Flaws

: Acana’s food line is quite limited, divided by age, and therefore it cannot offer anything for cats with special needs or patients.

Grade

: 9 out of 10

From
reviews of Acana
: “If the animal is healthy and reacts normally to protein, then there will be no problems with nutrition.”

Dry

This food is produced using complete dehydration of natural ingredients. The meat is supplemented with vegetables, cereals and legumes.

The composition depends on the product class and purpose.

This form of nutrition is used for the animal’s daily diet or when traveling, for example, to an exhibition. This is convenient: granules do not belong to the category of perishable goods.

They are also liked by cats, who can crunch them with pleasure, which helps cleanse their teeth of tartar and plaque.

N&D NATURAL AND DELICIOUS

TOP 12 Best Cat Food Manufacturers What Would Your Pussy Really Buy?

Average
price in the Russian Federation
: from 860 rubles. for 1.5 kg

Why in the ranking

: the food has a very well-balanced composition, which contains a maximum of meat ingredients, in addition, it also includes all the substances and vitamins that cats need.

Flaws

: A couple of herbal ingredients are questionable. It can be difficult to buy in veterinary pharmacies, but the food is sold online in a full range.

Grade

: 8 out of 10

From reviews
N&D
cat food : “Cats do not immediately get used to the taste of the food and are picky at first - it does not contain the usual taste enhancers and flavorings.”

WHAT IS THE BEST DRY FOOD TO BUY FOR YOUR CAT?

Every pet owner wants the best for their pet, which is why they probably try to buy the best cat food available. However, the modern market is overflowing with offers, advertising “attacks” us from everywhere, and not everyone can understand the tricky names and characteristics in English. This rating is intended to explain the essence of dividing food into classes, as well as to recommend the most popular and high-quality manufacturers of different levels.

How to remove hair lice from a cat - read our other article.

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