Choosing the right food for your cat is not just a daily routine. It’s an important aspect of pet care that directly affects their health, well-being, and even longevity. But how do you choose the best food among the many options on shop shelves? In this article, we’ll focus on sorting out some of the best cat food brands and help you understand the key selection criteria.
What makes a cat food good?
Before we get into food ratings, it’s important to understand what makes a food really good for your cat. Here are a few key factors to consider:
- Protein: It should be the main component of cat food, and it should be of high quality. The ideal source is meat.
- Fats: Fats are essential for providing energy, maintaining healthy skin and coat.
- Carbohydrates: Cat foods should contain a small amount of carbohydrates. Cats are carnivores and their bodies are not designed to process large amounts of carbohydrates.
- Vitamins and minerals: These are needed to support a cat’s overall health, including dental, bone, digestive and immune system health.
- Safety: A good cat food should be safe and not contain harmful ingredients such as artificial colours, preservatives or allergy-causing substances.
Classification of cat foods
Among the variety of cat food, several main classes can be distinguished, each of which is characterised by a certain set of qualities and price range. Let’s look at each of them in detail:
- Economy class: These are the most affordable feeds, the price of which is usually lower than others. However, a low price often indicates low quality ingredients, origin and nutritional value. These feeds often use low-quality protein sources (such as soy), as well as large amounts of grains and artificial additives.
- Medium Grade: These feeds usually contain better ingredients than economy grade feeds and offer good value for money. They may include higher quality protein sources as well as a limited amount of cereals.
- Premium Grade: Feeds in this class are made from high quality ingredients and contain fewer grains and artificial additives. They may also contain supplements to keep your cat healthy, such as prebiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, etc.
- Super Premium Grade: These are the most expensive foods and usually contain the highest quality ingredients such as fresh meat, fish, and minimal grains. They also often include a variety of supplements to keep your cat healthy.
- Holistic foods: These are foods that are formulated with all aspects of a cat’s health in mind. They usually contain high quality, natural ingredients and are free of grains and artificial additives. Holistic feeds are usually in the super-premium segment.
It is important to note that the class of the feed is not always a guarantee of its quality. It is important to read the composition and choose those foods that meet the needs of your particular cat.
Types of cat food
Depending on the form and moisture content, cat food can be categorised into the following types:
- Dry food: This is the most common type of food. It is convenient to use, keeps for a long time and usually has a lower price compared to other types of food. However, dry food contains less moisture, which can lead to urinary problems in cats if their water intake is not controlled.
- Wet food: Wet foods contain more moisture, which helps to keep the cat hydrated. They usually have a more pleasant flavour for cats and can be more nutritious, but they also have a shorter shelf life and are usually more expensive than dry food.
- Semi-dry food: This type of food is a compromise between dry and wet food. It contains more moisture than dry food but less than wet food and usually has a soft texture.
- Specialised food: This includes food that is formulated for cats with special needs, such as food for older cats, kitten food, food for cats with special dietary needs, and hypoallergenic food for cats with allergies or sensitivities to certain foods.
The type of food you choose should be based on your cat’s individual needs, preferences, and your budget and schedule. It is important to remember that regular vet visits and a balanced diet are key to your pet’s health and well-being.
Cat food rankings
There are many factors to consider when compiling the top cat food brands: quality of ingredients, price range, availability of speciality ranges and pet owner reviews. Below is an overview of 10 popular cat food brands, with their key features.
- Royal Canin (Super-Premium class)
This is one of the most recognisable brands in pet nutrition. They offer a huge range of products designed specifically for cats of different age groups, breeds and with health in mind. Royal Canin uses high quality ingredients and is often recommended by veterinarians. However, the cost of this brand’s products can be high, which can be a barrier for some cat owners.
- Hills Science Diet (Super-Premium Grade):
These foods are formulated with the latest scientific research in feline nutrition. They offer specialised formulas for cats of different ages and health conditions. That said, despite the high quality ingredients, some cats may not like the taste of these foods. And, as with Royal Canin, the price can be quite high.
- Pro Plan (Purina) (Premium Grade):
Purina’s Pro Plan foods offer good value for money. They use quality ingredients and offer a variety of flavours that cats generally like. However, some Pro Plan products contain grains, which may not be suitable for cats with sensitive digestion.
- Acana (Super Premium Grade):
A premium food known for its high content of quality meat and lack of grains. This makes it an ideal choice for owners who prefer a high protein food. However, these foods tend to cost more and can also be difficult to find in some shops.
- Whiskas (Economy Class):
One of the most affordable cat food options. They offer a wide variety of flavours that cats typically like and are convenient to use. However, Whiskas food usually contains less meat and more grains and artificial additives than more expensive brands.
- Farmina N&D (Super Premium):
An Italian brand that offers food that is high in meat and low in carbohydrates to meet the natural needs of cats. It also offers a variety of flavours and formulas, including hypoallergenic ones. However, these foods can be more expensive and harder to find than other brands.
- Iams (Premium Grade):
An affordable premium brand that offers foods designed specifically for cats of various ages and health conditions. They use quality ingredients, but some formulas may contain grains, which may not be suitable for cats with sensitive digestion.
- Canidae (Super Premium Grade):
Canidae offers premium foods with a high meat content. This includes grain-free feeds and hypoallergenic options. Canidae also strives to use only natural ingredients, with no artificial additives. However, the prices of these feeds can be higher than other brands.
- Felidae (Super Premium Grade):
A brand that specialises in nutritious cat foods designed with cats’ natural needs in mind. This includes foods that are grain-free and high in meat. However, like other premium foods, Felidae can be more expensive and harder to find.
- Friskies (Purina) (Economy Class)
Friskies from Purina are one of the most affordable cat food options available on the market. They offer a variety of flavours that cats typically enjoy. However, like other budget brands, Friskies may use less high-quality ingredients and contain more grains and artificial additives.
Choosing food for your pet is an individual matter and requires many aspects to be considered. Hopefully, this rating will help you make an informed choice that will maximise the health and well-being of your cat.
