Professional cat food. What food is better to feed a cat: advice from veterinarians

Cat Food Ratings - There are many ratings of food for cats, dogs and other pets. It is interesting that the positions of the same feed in different ratings can differ very significantly. There are at least 100 explanations for this: after all, the market for pet food for cats and dogs is a very important commercial niche: there are wars for buyers, paid ratings and reviews, sponsorship of veterinary clinics and clubs. You should not focus ONLY on ratings, as well as on brand awareness. Not always behind a big name, you will find a good composition and balance of food. How to choose the right dry cat food read in.

Any rating of cat food usually has a commercial background. Online stores make their ratings based on their assortment and sales plans. Veterinary clinics are also not always disinterested in compiling such ratings. Breeders and clubs often become attached to one brand and do not even want to hear about other foods, although it happens that their choice is also not the best. Cat owners are guided by their experience, which is different for everyone, because all cats are different. Someone has been “sitting” on Whiskas for 15 years and everything is fine, but there are such cats, they are allergic to everything and generally have big problems with digestion, although they are fed only the very best food. We have prepared 4 separate ratings of cat food of different classes: super premium, premium, holistic and grain free, as well as wet food. Naturally, not all good foods can be taken into one rating at once, in fact, there are much more excellent foods than in our ratings. We took those that can be bought everywhere or almost everywhere (different regions of Russia) in city stores or online stores. If you feed your pet a different food that is not on our list, just read its composition and you will understand how good or bad it is. Holistic food is not suitable for all cats, besides, they have a high price, so they are highlighted in a separate rating. Between super-premium and premium food, sometimes there is a significant, and sometimes almost no difference. Pay attention to the meat content in%, the absence of dyes, preservatives and a large amount of cereals. We wrote more about this.

Cat food rating 2019 by version:

Why did we choose these particular cat foods for our rating?

Our cat food rating is based on love for pets and their owners. Expensive food is not always the best, but even the miser always pays twice. We choose the golden mean. Holistic foods, although considered the best at the moment, are not suitable for all cats, as they usually contain a high percentage of proteins and fats. Strictly speaking, most holistic foods are suitable for young, active and healthy animals. Animals aged and with problems, such feeds usually do not go. Grain-free foods are also the best choice, but there are very few such foods on the market and prices usually bite. Therefore, it would be a mistake to recommend them exclusively.

Feeds are listed in order from best to least best, but we tried to factor in the price factor as well. Good, but very expensive or hard-to-find foods, despite the composition, may be at the bottom of the rating. All these foods will benefit your pet and will not harm. However, do not forget that everything is very individual. Also, note that the composition of different types of feed sometimes varies significantly from one manufacturer to another. These are not empty words, sometimes the percentage of meat in one food line, but with different tastes, differs by 2 or more times! Read the ingredients carefully! In addition, one brand can have several food lines at once, so when reading our rating of cat food, do not forget to read the composition.

Addendum from the editor. Our cat food rating was published in April 2015, and it must be said that a lot has changed since then. We update all our ratings and will closely monitor the manufacturers, because during 2015 a number of brands have changed the composition and, accordingly, the quality. In addition, the economic crisis, the exchange rate and "troubles" with imports have caused extremely irregular supplies of some types of feed that we recommended. Prices have changed, and somewhere prices have remained the same, but the volume of packages has changed. In general, everything changes, but we try to track these changes and take them into account in our ratings.

In most ratings, Canadian Gina brand food is completely in vain. There are lines for cats: Gina, Gina Denmark (produced in Denmark), Gina Elite, canned food (Thailand). Gina and Gina Elite are produced at a small Canadian plant and packaged in Russia. Numerous owner reviews are mostly positive. The composition of the feed (in our opinion) is close to ideal. The price is very reasonable. Packing convenient: 400gr/1kg/3kg/8kg/18kg. Of all the lines, Gina Elite (holistic) looks especially good, besides, they have a grain-free version of the food (in green packages with the inscription - Cat Active Grain Free)! Full information on the official website - gina.ru. Where to buy: on the official Russian website, in local pet stores, online pet stores.
Italian brand. We strongly recommend, but the price is not suitable for everyone. What to pay attention to? The brand has several lines, it is easy for a beginner to get confused. There may not be much difference, but the percentage of meat can vary anywhere from 40% to 75%. We read the composition and choose what suits.
is a Canadian brand of cat food. I am pleased with the composition and availability, since it is presented in the vast majority of pet stores. Reviews are good. The price is moderate. Cheaper than 1st CHOICE, but also a very good Canadian food - Pronature (Pronatyur) in light green packages. Everything is in order with the composition, quality and price. You can buy online: for example, at, and in good pet stores in your city. There is more - but this is food of a completely different price category, of very high quality, which can not be bought everywhere.
Breeders and nurseries praise Farmina brand food very much. It is best to look for various information about these foods on the official website, and you can buy ./ACANA - excellent foods made from high quality ingredients. One of the best in the world market. Orijen has a high percentage of protein, which is not suitable for all cats. ACANA is a perfectly balanced food that meets all the highest requirements, but is also not suitable for all cats. Orijen - can be bought. Many of our brands of feed, as well as foreign ones, have their own lines. Explore, try and find exactly what suits your furry pet. for adult cats with salmon, a package of 100 grams - the price is 55 rubles, in the composition we see "fish and fish products (salmon 4%), cereals, milk and dairy products, greens (0.5%), minerals, inulin (0.1 %)”.
Of the very inexpensive, wet food, in the composition: meat and products of its processing (26%). The price on Ozone is one of the lowest in Russia - 14.5 per 100 grams.
Not bad at all against the background of all wet canned cat food, our domestic ones from the series look. Jars of 100 and 250 grams, the price for Ozone is 37 and 60 rubles, respectively. : beef (not less than 75%), tripe, heart, liver, taurine, vegetable oil. As you can see, nothing more, and the price is moderate.
And also our domestic food - Organix. Great composition at a great price. You can not buy in ordinary pet stores everywhere, but.
Tip - read the composition of the feed carefully so as not to pay for just beautiful packaging. Your pet can eat with great pleasure even the food where there is almost no meat, it's all about the large number of flavors that attract them so much. For what and which manufacturer to pay - it's up to you.

What is holistic (cat food)?

Only natural ingredients. No chemicals or artificial flavors. No antibiotics, hormones, pesticides or dyes.
Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables are used in production. Quality meat products. All ingredients can be used in human food. No ground horns and hooves.
The ingredients chosen for the recipe are to benefit the animals.
This food contains many vitamins and minerals in highly digestible forms.

Quite often, for cat owners, finding quality food is a serious problem. Some prefer natural products, some listen to the recommendations of the sellers in pet stores, and some follow the lead of intrusive advertising.

In order to provide for your pets, you should also understand what dry food is, what rating they have and what it is based on. After all, it often happens that expensive food does not mean at all that it is one of the best, and food of an acceptable price category is bad.

There are several categories of cat food.

By type they can be:

natural;
industrial;

In the first case, the owner of the animal independently determines what to feed his pet, but the big difficulty lies in the fact that he does not always have all the necessary knowledge and will be able to provide the fluffy with all the important substances and trace elements.

In addition, cooking always takes a sufficient amount of time. In the case of eating ready-made food, these problems disappear, it remains only to choose a quality one, based on the advice of experienced breeders and a reliable rating.

All industrial feeds are divided into 2 types:

dry;
wet.

Dry, in turn, are divided into types, which are characterized by the quality of the composition. It:

economy;
premium;
super premium;
holistics.

Most cats are quite happy to eat dry food, both economy and premium, but this should be very important for owners, since poor quality food can significantly reduce the number of years a cat lives.

What are the benefits of dry food?

Some cat owners are afraid to feed their pets dry food. This is due to the myth that they allegedly cause kidney stones in animals. Such conclusions are unfounded, however, kidney stones can indeed appear when using cheap food. Also, when using dry food, the animal must drink clean water.

Among the positive qualities of dry food are the following:

can be stored in a bowl for a long time;
thanks to the granulation technology, a lot of vitamins are preserved;
feed, starting from the premium category, is covered with beneficial bacteria that promote high-quality digestion;
dry food is concentrated and lasts for a long time.

Many catteries in Russia prefer dry cat food, however, you should choose from premium, super premium and holistic categories (if possible).

How to choose a good cat food?

In order to choose the best food for your pet, it is not enough to look at the packaging and the name. Trademarks lure with various marketing moves, however, the rating of dry food cannot be deceived. Even kenguryatin in the composition will not be able to guarantee that this food meets the standards and requirements.

So how do you choose the right and complete food for cats and not fall for the bait of marketers?

Cat food rating scale

The rating of industrial food is created so that the owners of mustachioed pets can easily navigate what they can feed their kitty and what not. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the main positions of the brands and names of food, which today is in Russia on the shelves of supermarkets and pet stores.

7th place

The worst indicators in terms of composition for such brands of economy class:

Acti-Crog, All cats, Bab'in (cereals and poultry, meat and carrots);
Catchow;
Clauder;
Friskies;
Kitekat;
Pro tail;
Whiskas;
5 stars;
Vaska;
Terra cat;
feed, which are produced by hypermarket lines at their own facilities.

Analysis shows that it contains too much cereal, namely corn, as well as low-quality offal, preservatives and dyes. These foods can cause urolithiasis (urolithiasis) in cats, allergies and intestinal dysbacteriosis.

6th place

Also, the following brands cannot be used for daily nutrition:

Club 4 paws, Purina one, Best choice, Darling, Josera, Porta 21, Oscar, Skif, Stout. They contain a high percentage of flour and preservatives;
Mera cat, Perfect fit (unspecified meat);
Katinka, Lara (poor-quality by-products and preservatives).

5th place

For cats that are not active in exhibition activities, you can use premium food from the following brands:

advance affinity;
Animonda;
Ardengrange;
Bab'in (duck; salmon);
Best friends Bilanx;
biomill;
Blitz;
Brit Premium;
Caliber
Farmina Matisse;
fitmin;
flatazor;
Guabi Sabor And Vida;
Grau, Iams;
Hills Natures best;
Hills science plan;
Katz;
Nativia;
Nutram;
Monge;
Optimeal,
optima,
Organix;

The products of these brands contain a large percentage of meat, and also contain corn, wheat and other cereals. The disadvantages that the rating describes are usually minor: not a pleasant smell, small granules.

4th place

Slightly higher in the positions offered by the premium feed rating:

Bosch;
bozita;
Defu;
Eukanuba;
Frank's pro gold;
Gina;
Greenwoods;
Guabi,
Husse;
Mera Cat;
Nutro;
Nero gold;
shesir;
trainer.

These brands represent premium quality dry food. They are designed for the middle price segment and are quite consistent with the price-quality ratio. Suitable for daily nutrition of all cats.

Let's remember what names of food for cats and cats we hear about? Of course, Whiskas, Kitekat, Friskies, Darling will come to mind first. Their advertising is noisy, noticeable, become familiar ... but is it worth trusting all the assurances of manufacturers? In this case, no. Cheap economy-class food (in general, we will talk about food classes a little further) are the enemies of pet health. Only in emergency cases, when there really is nothing else at hand, you can give the 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 feed asymptomatically harms the cat, destroying its liver and kidneys.

What brand of cat food is best?

Cat food is usually divided into classes: holistic, super premium, premium and economy. Food options should be considered starting from premium, but the best option, of course, would be super-premium or holistic. Firms of this level offer a variety of lines, where there is sure to be an option for even the most sensitive and fastidious pet. What you should pay attention to when choosing a quality feed is the country of origin, because it can be argued that the feed is German, for example, but in fact this particular batch was produced in Russia.

Best Cat Foods in Category: Holistic

There can be nothing better for your beloved pet than holistic dry food. This is a new generation product, which is created by professionals for professionals. The composition of this feed is as natural as possible, it does not contain preservatives and it is maximally absorbed by the animal. In the line of companies producing holistic food, there is an offer for every taste, but not for every budget - such products are very expensive, because they require not only high-quality raw materials, but also a special production technology.

Innova Cat and Kitten

Photo: www.catster.com

Medium price on RF: from 1200 rub. for 2.7 kg

Why in the ranking: this feed has an almost perfectly balanced composition, saturated with all the necessary substances and even the protein in it is of animal origin. Due to the maximum nutritional content, a cat needs a very small portion to eat. There are no ingredients in the feed of this level that could harm the animal.

Flaws: Innova Cat and Kitten is one of the most expensive foods and in Russia it can only be obtained via the Internet. It should be remembered that there is a lot of protein in its composition, and therefore it should not be given to castrated animals.

Grade: 10 out of 10

From cat food reviewsInnova Cat and Kitten: "A 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

Photo: www.tenfingers4paws.com

Average price in Russia: from 1000 rub. for 2.27 kg

Why in the ranking: This food is 80% natural high quality meat ingredients, in addition, it is additionally saturated with 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 line of food 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 cat food reviewsAcana: "If the animal is healthy and responds normally to protein, then there are no problems with nutrition."

N&D Natural and Delicious

Photo: www.shaggybrown.pl

Medium price on RF: from 860 rub. for 1.5 kg

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

Grade: 8 out of 10

From reviews about cat foodN&D: "Cats do not immediately get used to the taste of food and are picky at first - it does not contain the usual flavor enhancers and flavors."

The best cat food in the category: super-premium

Food of this level is not so far gone in composition from holistic, but still contains natural preservatives and slightly more ingredients of plant origin. This food is absolutely safe for cats, if you choose it correctly, depending on the needs of the animal. As in the holistic category, there are also veterinary foods that are suitable for cats with illnesses or after operations. The cost of super-premium products is quite high.

Hills Science Diet (Prescription Diet)

Photo: www.petco.com

Medium price on RF: from 900 rub. for 1.5 kg

Why in the ranking: The brand has a wide range of foods that cater to very specific requirements: anti-obesity, heart and kidney health, allergy sufferers, post-op nutrition, and so on. Finding food for sale is not difficult if you contact a veterinary pharmacy, but you can also find it in ordinary pet stores.

Flaws: Hills production has been in Russia for a long time, which causes concern among felinologists about product quality. When buying this feed, you should pay attention to the country of origin - pay attention to European plants.

Grade: 8.8 out of 10

From cat food reviewsHills Science Diet: "Great solution for a diet after surgery, but for the right choice it is better to consult a veterinarian."

Eukanuba

Photo: www.petzilla.co.uk

Average price in Russia: from 1200 rub. for 2 kg

Why in the ranking: the company has both a veterinary and a daily series, and both belong to the super-premium class - and this does not happen so often. The feed has a very well balanced composition with a maximum of meat ingredients, and the daily portion of the feed will be quite small due to its nutritional value.

Flaws: food contains vegetable protein. In addition to the fact that the assortment cannot be called very wide, it may not be available in most pet stores.

Grade: 8.5 out of 10

From feed reviewsEukanuba: "When choosing the type of food, consider how well the cat tolerates vegetable protein."

1st Choice

Photo: www.cty-fish.com

Average price in Russia: from 1200 rub. for 2.27 kg

Flaws: the choice of food types is not very large. In addition, there are a couple of undesirable ingredients in the composition: cellulose and the so-called “poultry flour”. With the last component, the problem is that it is impossible to determine what such flour consists of - one can only hope for the integrity of the manufacturer.

Grade: 8 out of 10

From feed reviews1st Choice: "Very small portions are enough for a cat to get enough."

The best cat food in the category: premium

Affordable and high-quality premium food is now available in most pet stores both in bags and by weight. The composition of this food is quite decent, natural preservatives are used, but the amount of the same corn can be too large. However, premium food is good enough daily nutrition for a healthy animal. Present in the lines and offers for kittens, sterilized cats and aging.

Hills Science Plan

Photo: images.vet-medic.com

Medium price on RF: from 790 rub. for 2 kg

Why in the ranking: the line of food is very wide and even for the most fastidious cat there is an option. The composition is very carefully selected and balanced, and you can choose food with different amounts of protein. There is food for dental health, which is very important to monitor throughout the life of a cat.

Flaws: there is a risk of buying a batch produced at a Russian factory - there are completely different standards. Contains vegetable protein and cereals.

Grade: 7.9 out of 10

From feed reviewsHills Science Plan: "It is important to choose food based on the age of the animal."

Royal Canin

Photo: static.shop033.com

Average price in Russia: from 650 rub. for 2 kg

Why in the ranking: food is available in almost every pet store, at a price slightly higher than the economy class, and the composition is unlike more balanced and nutritious. The choice of food types is very large, and the specialized veterinary series belongs to the super-premium class. There is nutrition for dental health - it is not so common in the lines of well-known companies.

Flaws: there has been a factory in Russia for a long time, and felinologists, as already mentioned, prefer European or American production. The composition contains ingredients of plant origin.

Grade: 7.5 out of 10

From feed reviewsRoyal Canin: "Series for kittens and older cats are especially good."

Purina ProPlan

Photo: nt.petplanet.co.uk

Average price in Russia: from 650 rub. for 1.5 kg

Why in the ranking: the composition of the feed is perfectly balanced and does not require any additions to the diet, in addition, it contains probiotics and enzymes necessary for cats. The price is very affordable and everywhere is on sale in a fairly large assortment.

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

Grade: 7 out of 10

From feed reviewsPurina ProPlan: "In no case should you mix with natural food, otherwise the matter will end with an allergy."

The best cat food in the category: economy

It is very difficult to say something good about the economy class feed. Unless, it can be noted that they have a very affordable price. However, their quality is often so deplorable that it is better to save at least natural food, if not premium food. Sick or weakened animals to give such food - only harm. Moreover, in fact, the financial side of the issue here is doubtful, since this is absolutely not nutritious food, and the cat is forced to eat portions much larger than if his food were well balanced. In case there is no way out at all, there are still a couple of more or less tolerable economy options.

Purina One

Photo: www.src.discounto.de

Average price in Russia: from 250 rub. for 750 g

Flaws: Lots of herbal ingredients and no options for pets with serious illnesses or very specific needs.

Grade: 5

From feed reviewsPurina One: "Over time, the cat simply refuses food, even though at first it requires supplementation."

Purina Cat Chow

Photo: f1.ds-russia.ru

Average price in Russia: from 100 rub. for 400 g

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 feed reviewsPurina Cat Chow: "Cats are often picky and refuse this food altogether."

Whiska Special

Photo: povodok-shop.ru

Average price in Russia: from 90 rub. for 400 g.

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

Grade: 3

From feed reviewsWhiska Special: "The portion to saturate the cat is very large compared to premium food, and therefore even the financial benefit here is very doubtful."

What is the best dry food for your cat?

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

First of all, this is the quality of the product: the balance of the feed (a combination of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, vitamins, etc.), the quality of the raw materials - as you know, protein is different from protein. It can be horns and hooves, or it can be valuable meat.
Further, the breadth of the assortment is taken into account - the presence of dietary, medicinal, breed series of food for cats.
Of course, price matters. Sometimes a product can be really high quality, but the price is prohibitive. For a balanced decision, we proceed from an understanding of the price for 1 conditional gram of protein in the feed vs the retail price of the product.
Feed reviews from owners and veterinarians can also contribute their own correction factor.

Premium Dry Cat Food Rating

Only the best cat food participates in the ranking that will be presented. "Premium", "super-premium" class and "holistic" category - separately. Premium cat food in the rating of veterinarians and breeders looks like this:

#1 Royal Canin

In general, the food can also be attributed to the “super-premium” class, since the brand has not only breed and age product lines, but also medical ones. However, some veterinarians are confused by the fact that in recent years branded feed from a well-known manufacturer has been produced at Russian enterprises, and this raises serious questions about quality. But in the premium class, of course, the “drying” of Royal Canin occupies the first rating position.

As for the price range, it is not wide, but can be affordable for many buyers:

Royal Canin branded medical foods are slightly more expensive:

Is your cat's diet right? Most owners will not answer this question. Few people think about counting the proteins, vitamins and micronutrients that enter the pet's body with food. But this is not necessary, because cat food manufacturers have already calculated everything for you. We spoke with three veterinary nutritionists about how to feed a cat and how to find good food for her in the store.

Nigova Ekaterina

Veterinary nutritionist at Zoostatus Clinics

Proper diet is more important for a pet than you might think. If a cat consistently lacks protein, vitamins, important trace elements for it, then its body is forced to constantly turn on internal regulators in order to maintain itself in a normal state. The imbalance of nutrients will not manifest itself for a long time - the cat will be active and healthy. But it is worth some kind of illness or injury, then, in combination with a stable malnutrition, the body will immediately fail.

Dry food

To most, it may seem "frivolous", often it is used as an addition to another, "main" food. However, dry food and water are enough for a complete diet for an animal. If the cat eats this food during the day, it will replenish the entire daily norm of nutrients for health and well-being. True, we are talking about a complete feed, experts specify.

There are a number of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, and essential fatty acids that a cat needs to replenish daily. There are daily norms, but it is worth considering that the lower bar and the upper bar are usually indicated. As for the lower one, it was derived from laboratory tests, when the animals were fed different amounts of food and any deviations from well-being were recorded, if any. Based on such observations, the upper and lower bars were established.

It is important that it is written on dry food that it is complete, balanced or suitable for daily use: only under this condition can we assume that the pet will not be left without substances important to him.

– Dry food also acts as a prevention of tartar. The norm is usually indicated on the packaging, it is important not to go beyond it, - says Darina Berezina, veterinarian-therapist of the Gemini clinic.

Don't forget to drink. A cat should always have clean water.

- Cats are animals that came from the subtropics, and, like all inhabitants of semi-deserts, their body is designed in such a way that they have a reduced feeling of thirst. It's one thing when a cat eats a mouse - there is enough moisture in the rodent, and you don't need to drink. Here is another case. Therefore, if your cat drinks little, then he may need to soak the food or replace it with wet food, Ekaterina Nigova sums up.

Roskachestvo examined samples of cat food from 39 brands. Three of them are high quality.

wet food

Wet food (meat pieces in jelly - in bags, jars, etc.) is used more as a treat. Usually it does not contain a daily dose of all useful elements, says Darina Berezina. - On the packaging of such food, you should look for a mention that the food is balanced, suitable for a daily diet.

The doctor also considers it a good sign when the same manufacturer produces both dry and wet food. Often these brands offer complete products.

Ideally, a bag or canned food should include all the necessary components. These are meat (or products of its processing), amino acids, vegetable raw materials (it can be potatoes, corn, etc., but most often such details are not specified in the composition), vitamins K, A, D, E, taurine, iron , copper, manganese, zinc, omega-3 and omega-6 acids.

Galina Chernova

Veterinary nutritionist at VetKat clinics

When looking at the composition, pay attention to the ingredient that comes first, since the order of the composition is determined by the percentage of components in the product. So, in our case, the first thing should be meat. Our cats are predators that feed on mammals whose meat contains taurine. Unfortunately, cats cannot store this element, so they must consume it regularly. It is necessary for vision, cardiac activity and other physiological processes,” says Galina Chernova, a veterinary nutritionist at the VetCat clinics.

Food for sterilized cats, active or lazy couch potatoes

Some may suspect that these are ordinary food, but with different inscriptions on the packages. In fact, we are talking about really special foods designed for the mentioned types, and such foods differ in composition. For example, food for active cats is more high-calorie, since mobile animals spend a lot of energy, and for lazy couch potatoes they are lighter.

- You need to look on the bag of food for castrated or sterilized animals, for example, if it contains L-carnitine. This is a fat burner, which is important for somewhat passive cats prone to weight gain, explains Galina Chernova.

Expensive vs cheap

- There are several classes of feed. "Superpremium", "premium", "economy", as well as "holistic" (Human Grade) - the quality is as if the product is made for people. In the manufacture of such feeds, technologies are used to preserve all the benefits of the ingredients, their digestibility is at least 80%, no by-products, only pure meat. Otherwise, the degree of availability and digestibility of useful components depends on the class, says Galina Chernova.

And Darina Berezina recommends not to get carried away with cheap feed and draws an analogy between them and instant soups like Doshirak. If you eat it all the time, then gastritis will not keep you waiting. Like it or not, in the end, the cat chooses the food itself. You just have to give her a choice first, and then regularly fulfill her preferences.

“If a cat likes food, she feels good after it, she has no problems with digestion, urination, she is active and has good hair, then it suits her,” says Ekaterina Nigova. - Perhaps some cat will like more expensive food, and some will choose cheaper food, there is nothing to worry about.

The doctor also explains that the classification of feed is rather conditional. Of course, the manufacturer understands what kind of quality buyers expect from a certain class of food, and tries to meet the declared level, but in fact there are no prescribed parameters that relate food to one or another group. In Europe and America (from where most feeds come to the Russian market) there are still organizations that certify feeds and are responsible for their safety. However, even if you have a holistic class food in front of you, you cannot say for sure that it is made from the best and freshest, and not yesterday's meat. As for controversial additives, we note that the regulations that determine which additives are safe and allowed for use, and which are not, still exist and the manufacturer is obliged to follow them.

Can you feed cats table food?

Many owners, out of habit, argue that if the food they eat is good for themselves, then it will be good for their pets, and they believe that the main rule in the diet is variety. Nutritionists do not agree with this position and explain that if you give the animals some other food in addition, then the cats will malnourish their own, which is why they will not receive the daily norm of the necessary elements. Of course, if you feed the cat from the table infrequently and a little, then nothing bad will happen to her. 5-10 grams of meat (preferably boiled) or other food, most likely, is not dangerous for a healthy cat.

Is fish harmful?

- There is such a theory that it is not physiological for a cat to eat fish, since in the wild she usually does not eat such meat. But in the same way, in nature, cats do not eat rabbits and do not hunt cows, and in fact the food from these animals is actively sold, and there is nothing to worry about, since the food is designed for normal absorption, - explains Darina Berezina. - For example, salmon and trout can be classified as high-quality fish, but cheaper fish (capelin, herring, blue whiting) is rather undesirable.

This fish may contain too much iodine and other minerals that cannot be absorbed in such a volume, which causes stones in the genitourinary system, adds Galina Chernova.

“As for ordinary raw fish, it is not suitable for everyone, a lot of phosphorus, little calcium,” says Ekaterina Nigova. – If you are a compassionate citizen and consistently feed street cats, then dry food is perfect for them. It is also advisable to bring water to animals, although even here they are likely to get out on their own, because in summer you can drink from a puddle, and in winter they can eat snow