Many pet owners are wondering which food is good for their pet: natural or industrial. In this article we will tell you whether it is possible to combine natural food with specialized food, and wet canned food with dry granulated food. The rate of feeding spiders to adult cats and kittens, as well as the rating of spiders premium, super-premium and holistic classes.
What are spiders and their difference from canned food
Pouch in English means “bag” or “bag”. Initially, this word was used to refer to any flexible package made of polymer materials. Then they began to call it the packaging that contained wet pet food. Pouches quickly became the prevailing form of wet food because they are lighter, take up less space and contain a serving size for a 2-3 kg cat. The standard weight of a spider is 85 g.
Other forms of wet food:
- canned food - packed tin jars. This format is suitable for owners of large breed cats or several cats, because a full-size canned food contains 140 – 400 g of food.
- Tetra Pak is a popular packaging for liquid food products: milk and juices. The good thing about the packaging is that the products and packaging are sterilized separately. The most popular food in this category is Swedish food Bozita. Tetra Pak weight – 190 g.
- lamister - containers made of aluminum coated with film, was invented as a lightweight analogue of a tin can. Lamister weight 100 g.
- A pot is a round plastic container sealed with foil on top. Food in such packaging can be given to a cat without transferring the contents to a bowl. Produced by the Applaws brand, weight – 60 g.
Pouches are made as follows: the necessary components and water are added to the raw material, the mixture undergoes heat treatment, and pieces of the required size are formed.
Canned cat food is made from meat products and should consist of 70-80% moisture. That is, this is also a wet type of food that can be stored without opening for quite a long time, since they were heat-treated during manufacturing.
Advantages and disadvantages of wet food for kittens
The key benefit of wet kitten food is that it saves time. Product recipes are prepared by professionals, taking into account all age characteristics and biological needs of animals. The owner just has to open the bag and fill the bowl. When eating natural products, owners have to calculate individual daily norms of nutrients. Ideally, you should take into account the breed, weight, age of the kitten and other characteristics. This forces the owners to update the menu from time to time as the kids grow. The worries don’t end there: you need to buy food and cook food from it. At best, it will be a mixture of meat with offal, which you can stock up on for future use and boil as needed. At worst, you will have to stand at the stove every day. You should also consider the time it will take to find reliable sellers and visit the market and shops.
If the owner is not confident that he is able to create a balanced menu on his own, it is better to use ready-made rations
Using wet food reduces the risk of infection. Natural products may contain viruses, worms and protozoa. You can partially protect yourself if you purchase certified products, but in practice it is either not possible to find sufficiently high-quality meat, or the seller does not have the necessary documents. And the threat of infection remains in any case, albeit minimal. Only those who have their own farm can afford to feed their pet high-quality natural products. In the process of preparing wet food, the ingredients are subject to strict control and heat treatment. Preservatives are used to prevent the development of bacterial colonies. However, it must be taken into account that wet food quickly deteriorates when exposed to air: even when stored in the refrigerator, you will have to get rid of the remains after 24–36 hours. Dry granules are safer in terms of safety.
When feeding natural products and wet food, it is strongly recommended to abandon plastic bowls or change them at least every month: the surface is easily scratched and food particles get into the damaged areas
Wet food is close in consistency to natural products, which makes it an intermediate link between the natural menu and dry diets. Pates and pouches are an ideal option for breeders. With such nutrition, future owners will be able to painlessly transfer kittens to both a natural menu and dry food. Pates can also be used as complementary foods for babies up to 4-6 weeks. The soft consistency prevents harsh effects on the gastrointestinal tract and subsequent inflammation, which often occurs when suddenly switching to granules.
Small kittens should only be given soaked dry food until their bite is formed.
The disadvantages of wet food include their high cost. Even economy class products have a significant impact on the budget. For example, 1 Whiskas pouch costs 20–25 rubles. The manufacturer recommends giving 3-4 sachets per day to older kittens over 3 months old. In fact, this quantity is not always enough: my neighbor feeds his kitten with economy class spiders, following the manufacturer’s recommendations. The pet is very thin and constantly hungry. This can easily be explained by the low nutritional value of economy-class feed. Even if the animal has enough food, the owner will have to spend 60–100 rubles per day. In a month it will cost 1800–3000 rubles for a pet. For the same money you can buy a large (3-5 kg) package of dry holistic, which will last for 6-10 weeks.
It is strongly recommended not to purchase wet food with thick sauces: their production uses thickeners that can irritate the pet’s gastrointestinal tract
Another problem with wet food is its poor composition. If you can add not only meat and offal to the granules, but also a complex of herbs, vegetables and fruits, then in the case of pates the manufacturer is limited by the production technology. This creates a paradox: it is almost impossible to purchase a complete holistic diet, since elite diets should not contain vitamins and minerals in their pure form, and it will not be possible to include many sources of nutrients in the composition. At the same time, almost all economy-class wet food is complete. Manufacturers add vitamin and mineral complexes to them, which are poorly absorbed. As a result, theoretically there seem to be enough nutrients in the diet, but in fact most of them leave the body without being absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract. Because of this, kittens develop a deficiency and develop diseases of internal organs.
Without help, fistula formation, tissue infection and further blood poisoning may occur.
The consistency of wet food is both a plus and a minus. With prolonged feeding of such foods, the baby’s gastrointestinal tract adapts to digest only softened food. In the future, this creates problems when switching to another type of diet. In most cases, digestive disorders occur. Wet food does not contain enough coarse fiber, which causes poor peristalsis. The kitten may have constipation or diarrhea. A friend of mine’s cat’s anal glands became inflamed when she was 9 months old. Normally, they are cleaned with dense feces, but with prolonged diarrhea due to poor nutrition, the secretion accumulates and clogs the pouches. The cat had to clean his glands by hand. Despite nutritional correction, they still periodically become inflamed in the pet. For this reason, even complete wet foods should be combined with dry kibble or natural products.
Shelf life
Wet cat food does not lose its taste and does not deteriorate for several years. This is facilitated by hermetically sealed packaging and heat treatment.
Important! Only unopened pouch has a long shelf life. One pouch is designed for one meal, since after opening the bag, harmful bacteria begin to develop in the food.
If the pet cannot eat a portion of food at one time, then it must be removed from the packaging, placed in a resealable container and refrigerated until the next feeding. Opened food quickly ventilates, and the cat may refuse to eat the hardened pieces.
Important! The maximum storage time for open food is no more than a day.
Super premium canned food rating
Super premium food differs from premium in its richer composition. Often the basis is several types of meat. In addition, products from this segment contain more vegetables, vitamins and minerals. Only natural antioxidants and preservatives are used in production.
The following brands are considered the best:
- Leonardo is the world's recognized elite of super premium food. The food is based on chicken (from 70% to 90%), the rest is fish, seafood, and offal. All products included are exclusively natural and of the highest quality. But due to the fact that the composition is not sufficiently balanced, the food cannot be used as the main diet. It is suitable as a healthy and tasty treat. The negative point is the very limited availability of feed. It is difficult to find even in specialized stores.
- Gina – the food is based on high-quality natural meat or fish (about 50%). The food is balanced and promotes healthy digestion for pets. In addition to vitamins, micro- and macroelements, the product contains brewer's yeast, which improves the quality of wool. The downside is that the brand is represented in a very limited list of pet stores.
- Brit Care - food contains approximately 40% natural animal protein (either tuna or white meat chicken). The product contains hypoallergenic components, so it can be given even to pets with allergies to beef and chicken. The product is enriched with vitamins, substances that improve the condition of the skin, coat, and teeth. Contains fish oil. But there is also a minus - these are the allergens included in the composition (dry yeast and corn).
Brit care
- Petreet Natura food from the Italian brand Petreet is produced in Thailand. Contains animal protein (about 70%), vegetables, grains. The flavor combinations are very diverse and exotic, thanks to the additives. This could be olives, asparagus, crab meat or squid. The food is rich in minerals, vitamins, and is easily digestible. The downside is the high price and not entirely suitable composition for basic nutrition.
Types of spiders for cats
The raw materials used for making spiders are approximately the same as for dry food. It can be used as daily feeding for the animal, or as a reward for good behavior.
By purpose
All types of spiders are suitable for everyday nutrition, except medicinal ones. They are used if the animal has certain health problems. For example, there are lines of food for cats prone to urological diseases, for weight correction, specialized food for hair problems, and for people with allergies.
Reference! Medicated foods must be prescribed by a veterinarian and are more expensive than regular lines.
Meat for medicinal food and holistic class spiders is not frozen; during preparation, a gentle method of processing products is used to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. GMOs, preservatives, dyes and flavor enhancers are also not used in their production.
By texture
Spiders are produced in two versions:
- Pate is raw material crushed to a homogeneous mass, recommended for feeding kittens or older animals. Possible food for cats with dental problems during treatment and recovery after surgery.
- Stew - pieces of food in jelly or sauce, suitable for feeding adult cats.
By class
Wet food is divided into classes:
- Economy
- Premium
- Super premium.
- Holistic.
Economy class food contains practically no meat, since cheaper raw materials such as cereals and meat flour are used for their production. Economy feeds include: Whiskas, Darling, Kitekat, Friskies, Wellkiss. To deceive the pet's sensitive taste, manufacturers of cheap spiders add a lot of flavorings and flavor enhancers, just like in human fast food. Over time, the cat becomes so accustomed to the overly bright tastes of economy food that it refuses to eat spiders with a good composition. Therefore, we do not recommend using such food for the constant nutrition of the animal.
premium food . They are divided according to the age and physical characteristics of the animal. There is definitely a separate line of spiders for kittens. Premium foods still contain complaints about the quality of animal protein, there are undesirable additives (sugar, salt, dyes), vitamins and microelements are added in small quantities or in incorrect proportions.
Super-premium food is a complete wet food for cats. The food consists of 50-75% meat and fish of good quality (fillet without bones or other inclusions). The food may contain a small amount of rice, vegetables, grains, or it may be completely grain-free. A good food must include the following additives: taurine, Omega-3, vitamins A, E, calcium, phosphorus.
holistic class spiders if your cat has food allergies and gastrointestinal disorders, such as gluten intolerance.
Holistic food has the highest percentage of animal protein content, its sources are high-quality meat and fish grown without the use of hormones. Almost all holistic foods are grain and corn free to reduce stress on the stomach and intestines.
Spider composition
To choose a good product for your pet, you need to understand the composition of the food.
According to accepted standards, all ingredients listed on the packaging are arranged in descending order by weight. The first number is the product whose percentage prevails. The further it is from the beginning of the list, the less it is contained in the spiders.
If there are no skills in the relationship between the brand of the product and its quality, you should make a choice based on the country of the manufacturer.
First-class wet food is produced in the EU countries, Canada and the USA
Table 3. How to study the composition?
Unwanted Ingredients | Required Components |
Propylene glycol and cellulose. The first substance is classified as a sweetener, but in fact it is an anti-icing element. | Meat. Should be in first position. The percentage is from 35%. |
E127. This encoding hides an artificial dye that provokes the development of malignant tumors. | Protein. It is welcome if it is in 2nd place. |
A large number of by-products. These products are necessary for the animal, but sometimes this definition disguises waste removed from slaughterhouses or animal skin. | Offal. Needed in small quantities, no more than 10%. |
Ethoxyquin and E320. These antioxidants cause skin damage, liver damage and even depression. | Plant fibers. Fiber is necessary for animals to better digest food. However, its share should be within 25%. Corn, oats, rice and wheat are healthy for cats, but not as a meat substitute. |
E127 - a substance that causes cancer
According to the rules, “meat” means goat, beef, lamb or pork. The manufacturer has the right to clarify the meat name or omit details. If the meat of another animal, rabbit, for example, is used in the spiders, this should be indicated on the packaging. Fish or poultry is not considered meat.
In addition to the ingredients, the nutritional value of the product is listed on the packaging. The priority of the presence of elements important for the cat will help determine the usefulness of pet food.
Table 4. Required amounts of various substances in the composition
Substance name | Required amount |
Protein | From 12% |
Taurine | 0.2 g of substance per 100 g of feed |
Ash content | Up to 2% |
Crude fat | No more than 7% |
Phosphorus-calcium ratio | 1:1,5 |
Magnesium | No more than 0.02% |
Crude fiber | Up to 1% |
High-quality products have a transparent composition. Vitamin and mineral supplements are welcome.
Spiders must contain at least 35% meat
Rating of spiders for cats
Spiders for cats are divided into the following classes: economy, premium, super-premium and holistic. Cheap economy class food is not considered due to the low quality of the raw materials used, so our rating opens with premium wet cat food.
Premium class
- Royal Canin are good veterinary and everyday spiders for cats.
The food does not contain salt and sugar, but the composition of the food is not entirely transparent. The veterinary ruler is of better quality than the regular one. Buy - Hill's Ideal Balance is a complete food, with lines for both adult cats and kittens.
There are flavors with chicken, turkey, trout combined with vegetables. The price of this food is relatively low, and it is sold both in regular supermarkets and in specialized pet stores. The composition contains undesirable ingredients: starch, caramel, cellulose, vegetable oils. Buy - Happy cat is a premium class spider made in Germany.
There are no preservatives or additives in the composition, but the quality of the meat and its percentage remains unclear. Buy - Gemon (Monge) - Italian spiders with a good price-quality ratio.
Does not contain dyes or preservatives. Buy - Mnyams , a popular brand known for its cat treats, has a line of wet food.
Pauchi has a high protein content of animal origin (about 65-70% in different flavors). The downside is that there are a variety of additives “for taste”: tomatoes, shellfish and paprika can cause allergies in cats with sensitive digestion. Buy - Country Treats is another brand recognized in pet stores for its pet treats.
No-frills composition: animal protein sources and plant-based gelling agents. The downside is the lack of percentage of products in the composition, but meat is in first place in the list of ingredients. Buy - Pro Plan - a distinctive feature of this manufacturer is food for veterinary diets intended for the treatment of various diseases of furry pets.
It is also suitable for supporting the body during special periods of a cat's life, as a replacement for natural products. But at the same time, the food contains various sugars, additives, meat by-products of unknown quality, and grains. It has a borderline class between economy and premium. Buy
Super premium class
These are foods that contain natural products of clear origin and do not contain harmful preservatives or flavor enhancers, however, this is reflected in the price. The source of protein in super-premium spiders is necessarily of animal origin: boneless meat, high-quality offal (liver, tripe, heart) and fish.
- Grandin – the packs of food bear the proud inscription Holistic, but we classify the food as a super-premium class due to insufficient specification of the products in the composition. It is best to choose monoprotein spiders (labeled mono protein), since they do not contain sugar, which spiders from other lines are guilty of.
- Schesir is an Italian cat food brand that focuses on the quality of the products used.
Pauchi Shezir is of higher quality than dry food of the same brand, which is quite rare. Buy - Leonardo - Some owners argue about what food class Leonardo spiders belong to.
Some consider it super-premium class, others classify it as premium. But if you look at the quality, composition and price, then the questions will disappear on their own. This food contains no preservatives or chemicals, and only natural products are declared as ingredients - meat and fish. The company produces both dry and wet food. Buy - Nuevo is a German wet food that has begun to appear on the shelves of large supermarkets.
Good content of animal protein (about 70%), broth, rice (2%) and fish oil in the composition without artificial preservatives and sugars. Buy - Bozita is a type of cat food that is produced in Sweden.
There is a line of dry and wet products. Contains natural fish and meat. There are no by-products in the composition, which is confirmed by government control. Does not contain dyes or flavor enhancers. A specially developed complex stimulates the immune system. The products are produced in the form of pates and pieces of meat in jelly. Recently, the manufacturer has included pork in Bozita, which is not very approved by veterinarians in the diet of domestic cats. The meat is fatty and can cause digestive upset in weakened pets. Buy - Petreet natura – also does not contain artificial additives.
In addition to meat and fish, it contains grains and vegetables. The food line offers a variety of options that contain products of plant and animal origin. The composition of the food is balanced and suitable for almost all breeds and types of cats. It can be used as the main food for the animal. Buy - Brit Care is a cat food that is produced in the Czech Republic.
The line includes dry options and pouches. In addition to meat and fish, it contains a small amount of rice to give the food more density. It also contains a sufficient daily amount of healthy vitamins and minerals. The assortment is represented by a wide range of flavors. Among the controversial products in the composition: corn and brewer's yeast, which can cause allergies. It also contains valerian, which causes a strong appetite in cats, and because of this they may not get enough of one serving of food. Buy
Holistic
- AATU – spiders with a high content of animal protein (about 97%, including broth).
This is a highly nutritious complete food for cats, with an extensive list of sources of natural macro and microelements. Buy - Almo Nature is a holistic food produced in Italy.
It uses only natural products without the use of preservatives. The Alternative line of food contains 91% meat and a small amount of rice. On the downside, the manufacturer did not indicate whether it contains vitamins and minerals, so the food should be considered additional and combined with taking multivitamin complexes for cats. Buy - Applaws – English-made spiders (additional diet).
It contains only fillet parts of the carcass, gelling pectin (1%) and water. A good and healthy addition to a dry food diet. Buy
Premium canned food rating
The rating of premium canned food for cats includes the following products:
- Pro Plan is one of the most common foods from the American manufacturer Purina. The food is balanced in composition, has an optimal ratio of proteins and fats, and is rich in vitamins and microelements. Large selection of flavors. The downside is the presence of allergens and high grain content.
- Hill's - the brand's products are distinguished by an excellent composition - only high-quality ingredients, a wide range, availability in stores and a fairly affordable price. The medical line belongs to the super premium class.
Hill's
- Happy Cat is an affordable food made in Germany. Rich in vitamins and minerals, a wide selection of flavors, including exotic ones, such as venison.
- Royal Canin is a French brand with more than half a century of history. The product is considered a complete replacement for natural food. Due to its fairly high quality and financial accessibility, it is very popular in Russia. The wide range includes a veterinary line of higher quality than daily food. Contains preservatives.
- Sheba is an inexpensive brand of food with a fairly limited range. The product contains protein, all necessary vitamins and minerals. There are no harmful additives, but the quality of the meat and fish included in the composition is not of the highest quality.
Premium food is significantly ahead of economy food, but still has a number of disadvantages.
Pros and cons of spiders
Wet food is similar in structure and taste to natural food. They come in a wide variety of flavors and textures. However, like any product, they have their advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of wet cat food in pouches include:
- Size and volume of the bag . It is designed for one dose and is enough for the pet to get enough.
- Variety of tastes . Almost every manufacturer uses a wide range of flavors, and by feeding this food you can diversify your pet’s diet so that he doesn’t have time to get tired of it. If an animal refuses a certain taste, it can easily be replaced with another.
- High percentage of moisture . Since pouch is a wet food, it therefore contains about 80% moisture - natural raw materials and water. Cats require a lot of fluids, so this feeding option helps animals replenish their water balance.
- Suitable for kittens and older animals . Soft granules are easier to chew, which is critical for dental problems in older cats and digestive problems in kittens.
The disadvantages of this type of food are as follows:
- Impossibility of long-term storage after opening.
- Regular consumption of this type of food threatens the formation of tartar in your pet , since cats are carnivores, and they need to tear off pieces with their teeth and chew them in order to keep their teeth and gums in order.
- Quite a high price for one bag of food.
The benefits and harms of canned food
Canned food has a number of advantages not only over dry food, but also compared to natural food. However, wet food cannot be called an ideal option, since it also has significant disadvantages.
Pros:
- High percentage of moisture content (up to 85%). The owner does not need to ensure that the pet drinks enough water. The liquid included in the food helps maintain normal water balance in the cat’s body. Including wet food in the diet helps prevent diseases of the liver and urinary system, in particular urolithiasis.
- Convenient dosage. Usually one bag contains a single serving of food. There is no need to measure doses, or worry that the cat has not eaten enough or, on the contrary, has eaten too much.
- Soft texture. Thanks to it, the food is suitable for feeding small kittens transitioning from mother's milk to “adult” food. Canned food is also fed to animals suffering from oral diseases and older pets who have difficulty eating solid food.
- Huge selection of textures and flavors. Allows you to choose food for even the most demanding cats. In addition, the variety of species makes it easy to switch to a more dietary food if this is indicated for your pet for health reasons.
- Long shelf life. It is ensured due to the tightness of the packaging and the preservatives included in the composition.
- Mmmm, delicious!..
Negative aspects:
- the contents of the package must be used within a day; opened canned food quickly deteriorates, even in the refrigerator;
- the cost of high-quality wet food significantly exceeds the cost of dry or natural food;
- Constantly eating soft, canned food increases the risk of tartar formation and the development of oral diseases, since the cat is not able to clean and strengthen its teeth and gums naturally by gnawing and chewing meat and bones.
According to experts, feeding your pets exclusively canned food is not the best option. It is most beneficial to combine dry and wet food. In this case, it is very advisable to use products of the same brand from a trusted manufacturer.
General recommendations for feeding spiders
Cats naturally need a varied diet. Animals quickly get bored with the same diet, so ready-made food comes in two formats: dry and wet. And if mixing ready-made food and natural products within the same diet is strictly not recommended (this is a direct path to a serious imbalance in the body), then the combination of dry food and pouches or canned food is not only useful, but also necessary.
Wet food will help maintain the water balance of the cat's body, and dry food will prevent the formation of tartar and will keep the gums in normal condition.
pros
The main advantages are:
- Convenient packaging and dosage make it easy and quick to feed your pet.
- With a wide selection of flavors, you can choose the one that suits your pet.
- A large amount of water allows you to maintain the health of the animal, as well as maintain a normal level of water in the body.
- Can be used from babies to older cats. In addition, you can find specialized spiders for a furry friend with diseases of the digestive system.
How many bags of food do you need per day?
Almost every package of cat food has tables that indicate the daily feeding requirement. The larger the animal, the more food it needs.
For example, if a pet weighs about 5 kilograms, then about 3-4 sachets per day will be enough for him to get adequate nutrition.
- For kittens whose body weight does not exceed 3-4 kilograms, 2-3 sachets per day is enough.
- For active animals, the rate and number of feedings can be increased, since they move a lot, which means they spend more energy, which needs to be replenished.
- Neutered and neutered cats are susceptible to obesity, so feeding them small meals twice a day is acceptable.
Spiders are a convenient food for both pet and owner. By opening a bag of food in the morning, you can be sure that your pet will have enough to eat. There is no need to divide it into portions and worry about the safety of the unused product.
The best canned food for cats: how to choose?
The classification of food is rough, there are no objective parameters that classify a pouch into one of the listed categories, and the inscription on the packaging “super premium” does not always mean high quality content.
Be sure to read:
Homemade cat food: how to prepare, allowed and prohibited foods, the best recipes
When choosing food for your pet, it is better to focus on the composition than on the label, discounts, seller recommendations or the price of the product.
Having seen the content of carbohydrate and protein extracts, a low percentage of meat, fish, and the presence of grains, it is better to leave the product on the store shelf.
Manufacturers generally prefer to tactfully omit the list of dyes and preservatives. A sharp, pronounced smell and the presence of multi-colored pieces in an open bag should alert you.
High-class feed ultimately benefits due to its nutritional value and digestibility by the body. To satiate and fully provide vitamins, a cat will need less expensive food than cheap food.
Through arithmetic comparisons, the owner can be convinced that it is more profitable to purchase a quality product today in an economic sense and, in addition, to avoid the costs of treatment in the future.
Classes of wet food for kittens
There is no single official division. Conventionally, there are 4 classes of food: economy, premium, superpremium and holistic. Let's look at each category separately.
Economy class food is the worst among ready-made diets. Cheap raw materials are used in their production. Most often this is waste: feathers, bones, beaks, etc. The proportion of meat is minimal, most of the composition is occupied by water and grains. These foods can only be called nutritious: they contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, but they are practically not digestible. Kittens should not be given such diets, as they can provoke the development of pathologies.
Economy-class food does not allow the kitten’s gastrointestinal tract to develop normally, which is why it cannot subsequently eat high-quality diets or has difficulty transitioning to them.
Premium food is not much different from budget products. The meat content in them reaches 20% instead of 10%, but this is still not enough. In general, the quality of raw materials leaves much to be desired, but there are some acceptable items. These can be whole chicken carcasses, fish oil or good offal - liver, lung, hearts, etc. However, premium food is also not suitable for regular nutrition.
A distinctive feature of premium food is aggressive advertising, due to which many pet owners mistakenly consider diets in this category to be the best.
Super premium diets are a more acceptable option. Among them there are grain-free pates and pouches. If the composition contains vegetables and fruits, then their variety is indicated. The share of herbal supplements is lower. Manufacturers use high-quality raw materials and specify their type. Super premium feeds do not contain such common names as “bird”, “fish”, etc.
The cost of super premium food often does not exceed the price of premium diets, but in terms of quality the difference is colossal
Holistics are elite diets that contain only the best products. If this is a fish, then it must be raised in the wild. If it's a bird, then it's free-range. No hormones are used in raising animals. Herbal ingredients are minimally processed. The information indicated on the packaging is always true, as confirmed by Roskachestvo research.
Holistic products are almost impossible to purchase in pet stores; they have to be ordered online, but it’s worth it
Table: overview of popular wet foods for kittens
Name of food | Class | Texture and packaging | Kitten age | Compound | Average cost and weight of packaging | Advantages | Flaws | Overall rating |
Almo Nature Classic Cuisine Kitten | Holistic | Spiders, however, also have food in cans. The pieces are relatively large, but not very dense. The best option for older kittens | 2–12 months |
| 90 rub. for 55 g |
|
| The composition is relatively weak and does not correspond to the inflated price. Rice is supposedly used as a source of fiber, but a healthier ingredient could have been chosen. Bones and shell fragments have been found in food for adult cats, so be careful when purchasing these canned foods! |
Royal Canin Mother&Babycat | Premium | Mousse in cans | 1–4 months |
| 100 rub. for 200 g |
|
| Despite aggressive advertising, the quality of Royal Canin food is low. Since the manufacturer does not indicate the type of cereal, it can be assumed that the composition includes the most dangerous ones - corn and wheat. They often cause allergies. Most likely, low-quality raw materials are used, since the list of components contains many vague names. The cost of food is very high. |
Hill's Science Plan Kitten 1st Nutrition Mousse | Premium | Mousse in cans | From 3 weeks to 12 months |
| 70 rub. for 85 g |
|
| Hill's wet food has a mediocre composition, but compared to many popular products, its cost is not so high. However, this is still a premium class, so the presence of the product on the kitten menu is undesirable. |
Applaws Kitten Tuna | Holistic | Small pieces in a tin can | Not specified by the manufacturer |
| 90 rub. for 70 g |
|
| Wet food cannot be used as the main diet. It is given only as a treat. There is only 0.5% fat in the food, many vitamins are missing, so if you regularly eat canned food, there is a high probability of deterioration in health. Using fish as the main source of protein makes it possible to offer a treat to allergy sufferers. Russian labels indicate that the composition contains a gelling component, although this is not the case in the English version. This is most likely a translation error, since the consistency of the broth is very thin. |
Leonardo Finest Selection Kitten Poultry | Superpremium | Minced meat in jelly, packed in pouches | From 3 weeks |
| 110 rub. for 85 g |
|
| Although the thickener in the food is natural, it would be better without it, since it does not provide any nutritional value for kittens. |
Reviews from veterinarians about wet food for kittens
Royal Canin food is made from quality ingredients, but not all ingredients are suitable for feeding cats. The main disadvantage is the presence of plant proteins, which are digested 30% worse than animals. Cereals are responsible for the carbohydrate component, and soybean oil is responsible for the fats. The food turns out to be balanced, but not very healthy, not the most nutritious. The manufacturer solved this problem by adding vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. The result is food on which animals feel great and lead an active lifestyle at any age. It is interesting that according to Russian standards the food falls into the premium category, but according to European standards it falls short. It is better to buy food produced abroad. Despite the fact that in Russia they are manufactured under license using good equipment, they are inferior to the original. I would like to draw your attention to the availability of an analogue of cat milk for feeding kittens. In the future, they do not lag behind ordinary kittens in development.
Pavlovskaya Ekaterina Viktorovna
https://otzyvkorm.ru/royal-canin-dlya-koshek/
Hills is the true premium segment. I can’t call it very nutritious, the energy value is average. The specified daily allowance may not be enough; pets feel hungry. However, the food is completely balanced and complete. You can make it the basis of your diet without fear for your health. A significant disadvantage is the overuse of difficult-to-digest carbohydrates.
Pavlovskaya Ekaterina Viktorovna
https://otzyvkorm.ru/hills-dlya-koshek/
"Aplaus" is a VIP-level food, the high quality of which can be judged by the fact that the recipe and manufacturing technology were developed by scientists from the Institute of Nutrition of Great Britain. The manufacturer’s strong point is the absence of cereals and sources of gluten in the feed, both dry and wet. Which causes in animals not only dermatoallergy in the form of dandruff and hair loss, but also swelling and ulceration of the mucous membranes of internal organs. There is no need to write about the assortment, it is wide, there is a diet for all age categories of cats. And not only healthy ones, but also those with problems with digestion and the genitourinary system. The food is optimally balanced and includes a high content of animal products - sources of protein, vitamins, essential amino acids and fiber in sufficient quantities.
Grechany Stanislav Sergeevich
https://otzyvkorm.ru/applaws-dlya-koshek/