Choosing the best way to feed a mustachioed pet falls on the shoulders of the person. Whiskas cat food is the most popular and affordable product intended for pets of all ages. The menu includes pillows filled with pate flavored with meat or fish, pieces in jelly, stew, and liquid cream soup. Wet and dry foods can be given at different times. You should not feed pads to cats that don't drink much. The amount of food in one meal is calculated based on the weight of the pet. Despite the fact that cats willingly eat Whiskas, veterinarians insist that it is harmful and causes serious problems with the urinary tract.
Ingredients of Whiskas: what is included?
Whiskas dry food is one of the well-known budget types of cat food. The country of origin is the USA, the Mars Corporation, which owns the brands Kitiket, Royal Canin, and Sheba. Whiskas products can be purchased in supermarkets or pet stores. The pack contains 350 and 800 g. Large packages are sold in 1.9 and 5 kg. The ingredients are indicated on the box, but the manufacturers do not specify the exact percentage of ingredients, and the presence of dyes and preservatives is not stated at all. It does not say which by-products are added to the feed. Accurate information can only be found on the website of the American manufacturer of dry food for cats. Composition of Whiskas feed:
- wheat flour;
- cereals;
- animal meal from poultry meat and bones;
- rice;
- plant protein extracts;
- offal;
- animal fat;
- sunflower oil;
- Brewer's yeast;
- vegetable pulp, mainly carrots and beets;
- vitamins and minerals;
- taurine
Veterinarians warn that cheap dry Whiskas contains very little fiber, which is necessary for a cat’s quality digestion, so for regular feeding it is better to choose premium food.
Brand history
The Whiskas brand has been on the market since 1958. Now every developed country has a representative office of this brand, and you can buy finished products in almost any store. The same cannot be said about some other brands for cats, which are sold only in specialized pet stores.
Cat whiskey
Note! Cat owners began to call food from other manufacturers “Whiskas.” The name has become a common noun.
Feed lines
For animals that have undergone sterilization and castration, the manufacturer has provided special food.
Whiskas food is produced for furry pets of all ages. From 1 year old, cats can be given crunchy pads with fillings. The menu includes pate with chicken, beef, lamb, tuna, rabbit, and vegetables. The production of certain types of pads has been launched especially for cats over 8 years old. A pregnant cat should not be given economy class food; it is recommended to choose good cat food, for example, Royal Canin, which is also included in the Mars asset. “Whiskas” for kittens is a bag with pads to which milk, turkey or chicken and carrots are added, as well as wet food in the form of jelly or pate. Diet variety for adult cats:
- Special indoor. Low-calorie composition for domestic cats at risk of obesity.
- pH control. Designed for sterilized or neutered cats.
- Hairball. Cleanses the gastrointestinal tract of long-haired cats from hairballs.
- Sensitive. Useful for cats with sensitive or diseased digestive tracts, hypoallergenic.
- Duo treats. It is a fortified treat for cats with chicken, salmon, turkey, beef and cheese.
Types of factory food
The owner can choose dry or wet food for his mustache.
The manufacturer made sure that each owner could choose a diet based on the taste of the pet. There is dry food in the form of pads and wet food. Feeds differ in their water content. The pads help keep your pet's teeth and gums healthy. You cannot mix two forms of the product during one meal.
Dry food
Most of the protein in dry food is of plant origin. These foods contain a small percentage of fiber and moisture. The wheat flour in the composition is poorly absorbed by pets, causing allergies. If the owner decides to feed the pet with pads, you need to make sure that the cat drinks a lot, and if necessary, water it yourself. According to reviews from veterinarians and cat owners, dry food is harmful to cats, causing damage to the urinary tract. The naturalness of the food is low, it contains flavoring additives, but this is not written on the pack. Cats love crispy “crinkles”, and ill-informed owners decide to continue buying pads, not suspecting that the consequences for the health of their pets will be sad. A bag of dry “Whiskas” or “Kiteket” should not be left open to air, and if the food has evaporated, it is better to take a new one.
Cat owners and veterinarians note that it is very difficult to wean an adult pet from eating “drying”, and in many cases the cat does not eat natural food at all and requires a pad.
Wet food
Wet food is available in the form of a pate.
Soft food is packaged in small packages - 100 gram pouches. Inside there are pieces of meat in jelly or sauce. Meat content is 4%, the rest is by-products. The composition is enriched with vitamin E, zinc, phosphorus, taurine. Wet food is easier to digest and does not require strict drinking regimen. An opened package should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Whiskas for kittens contains calcium, which is good for bones, and Omega-3 fatty acids for caring for the fur of little fluffies. Wet Whiskas in bags:
- cream soup;
- jelly;
- stew;
- pates.
Feed to replace Whiskas
If you believe most veterinarians, you can replace Whiskas with almost any food. Moreover, you can choose a new food in any class (economy, premium, super premium and even holistic). Naturally, after economy class it is very difficult to switch to holistic food financially, so let’s consider more economical food:
- economy class: Kitekat, Sheba, etc.;
- premium class: Royal canin, Iams, Pro Plan, etc.;
- super premium: Hills, Monge, 1st Choice, etc.
Photo gallery: feed to replace Whiskas
Expensive foods contain more useful ingredients, but such products are difficult to find in a regular store
Hills has a line that is close to holistic people, and also has a series of products for the prevention of various diseases
“Kitekat” is one of the cheapest and most popular feeds, although its composition does not have a high content of animal proteins
Veterinarians often recommend Pro Plan to their clients.
Royal Canin is one of the most common foods among cat breeders
Table: comparison of feeds of different classes
| Name | Class | Distinctive features | approximate price |
| Kitekat | economy | low price, many different tastes, but the composition of the food is approximately the same (contains dyes and flavors) | from 13 rubles per 35 g pouch, from 55 rubles per 350 g dry food |
| Sheba | the composition is close to the premium class (few dyes, a lot of protein), of the minuses: only wet food, no options for kittens, as well as for cats with health problems) | from 30 rubles for 85 g | |
| Royal canin | premium | a wide range, there is a medicinal line, the composition contains 12% protein, but it also contains yeast (they can cause allergies) | from 65 rubles - 85 g pouch, from 250 rubles - 400 g pack |
| Iams | The source of protein in the composition is meat and offal, but there are also corn processing products (this is a powerful allergen), low in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus | from 180 rubles per package of dry food 300 g | |
| Pro Plan | contains up to 40% protein, there is veterinary food, and also contains brewer's yeast and cellulose powder (may cause allergies) | from 200 rubles for 400 g of dry food | |
| Hills | super premium | a large selection of food for all ages of cats, there is a veterinary line, it contains meat, vegetables, herbal supplements, but there are also soy proteins (veterinarians do not approve of this component) | from 68 rubles per pouch, from 350 rubles per box of 350 g |
| Monge | high-quality composition, no dyes, flavors or preservatives (there are different flavors: chicken, tuna, seafood, etc.) | from 910 rubles per package of dry food 1.5 kg | |
| 1st Choice | contains up to 20% fresh meat, cereals and vegetables, but also contains preservatives (and their names and percentages are not indicated) | from 1500 rubles 2.4 kg of dry food |
Is it worth exchanging Whiskas for another economy class food?
Having heard negative reviews about their usual food, owners often rush to replace it with another food, albeit in the same price category.
From the point of view of economy, of course, it is not easy to immediately switch to more expensive food. After all, the owners made their choice in favor of Whiskas for a reason. But on the other hand, if you feel that you no longer trust purple bags, then you can choose the cheapest food in the class, for example, premium. If you buy large packages (from 1 kg), then in the end the difference in price will not be so big.
Nowadays there are plenty of offers of seemingly expensive food (Royal Canin, First Choice, Advance, Hills and others) in large packages from 3 to 10 kg. In terms of daily expenses for feeding, it will be cheaper than Whiskas and the like, but the quality is much higher.
Vetathome, forum user
https://ipc.kiev.ua/kormlenie-kotov/2180-zamena-viskasu-i-kitiketu-predlojeniya.html
And if you listen only to the opinion of veterinarians, then they are the ones who do not recommend “jumping” from one food to another. No matter how questionable the composition of the feed may be, it is in any case already balanced. In addition, all food undergoes many checks before entering the market, including compliance with international standards. Therefore, whether to replace Whiskas with another cheap food or not is up to you to decide.
Feed reviews from cat owners
The cat is 1.5 years old. Well, we accustomed her to Whiskas food. The cat didn’t want to eat anything other than this food (like a drug addict). She ate until she became severely poisoned and almost died.
Alissa111, forum visitor
https://spasibovsem.ru/responses/etot-korm-chut-ne-ubil-mou-lubimuu-koshechku.html
Video: cat eats Whiskas
What’s good about it for me personally is that you don’t have to wash dishes, like with other foods. In general, if the cat likes it, what should I wish for? If only the pussy ate Whiskas. And Filya eats.
Eliza Dulitl, forum user
https://otzovik.com/review_1527451.html
Video: cat eats Whiskas with hands
I read that cats supposedly start to feel bad if you only feed them whiskey. I don’t know, I haven’t noticed this with my cat. Feels normal. Recently he goes outside to go to the toilet more often, so I can’t control it. But the cat looks quite well-fed and happy with life. So I recommend this food.
ms.M.Ko, forum user
https://irecommend.ru/content/dovolno-taki-prilichnyi-korm-za-svoi-dengi
Whiskas is one of the most popular cat foods among Russians. It is inexpensive, but its composition is not ideal. At least that's what veterinarians think. But cats simply love Whiskas, and this brand also has special lines and a series of food for kittens and adult cats. Reviews about this product are extremely contradictory, but this does not make it less popular.
Feeding standards
Until the kitten reaches 12 months of age, it should only be given kitten food.
To determine the daily and single dose, you need to know the weight of the animal. The norms are calculated to cover all the nutritional needs of the cat, but Whiskas is not a complete food in composition, so the portions are larger than those of premium foods. With a mixed diet, dry and wet foods are divided into several meals. The box or packaging contains information about the amount of food calculated for the pet's weight. The norm can be adjusted based on the needs of the pet. When feeding dry food with meat or fish, you need to make sure that the amount of water you drink is three times the serving of pads. One-time standard factory food for the weight of an adult pet
| Cat weight, kg | Calories per day | Dry form, gram | Wet, gram |
| 2—3 | 170 | 45 | 200 |
| 4—5 | 250 | 55 | 250 |
| 5—8 | 300 | 65 | 300 |
Reviews from veterinarians and Whiskas buyers
- “My cat and I’s choice is Whiskas canned food from MARS. We compared it with Proplan and Royal Canin, looked at the appetite of a non-pedigreed pet (before him, we had a Cornish Rex, who was fed premium and super class, but did not eat everything). So it is with the current one - he turns his nose up or ate without pleasure. We need to select. From a conversation with one friend, we learned that he was at the factory where Whiskas is produced, and so, all the components are of natural origin. I consider the downside of the food to be the percentage of protein ratio, which is lower in comparison with other types, the same for the rest. Royal Canin also makes MARS. The difference is in the mass and premium segments, and so does the price.”
- “Whiskas feed justifies its cost, it is of high quality. Consists of 13% meat protein obtained from bone meal, offal and meat. Owners who are not aware of the rules for healthy feeding of pets claim that it is bad to use offal. However, after reading the instructions on how to feed cats natural food, you can find instructions on the mandatory feeding of offal. Tripe and liver are rich in nutrients and beneficial elements that provide a balanced diet.”
Benefits and harms of economical food for cats
Fluffies are usually delighted with such food and gobble it up with pleasure.
The main advantage of Whiskas is its availability and low price per pack. It is very tasty for cats and they eat it with pleasure, quickly getting full. The owner does not need to spend time preparing food for the pet or developing its diet. Dry food lasts a long time. A wide range will allow you to choose a diet for pets with special needs.
Disputes about the dangers and benefits of Whiskas continue constantly. Doctors believe that these products cannot provide a pet with a balanced diet, since they consist of plant proteins and contain very little meat. In addition, the abundance of food additives and dyes harms the cat’s gastrointestinal tract. The American Veterinary Association has obtained information that the food is made from poor quality by-products, meat from the corpses of killed or euthanized animals, so there is no talk of benefits. After regularly consuming Whiskas in their pads, many cats develop urolithiasis. Liquid cat food in pouches is less harmful, but expensive. Pets quickly get used to the food and refuse natural food, and it is impossible to combine homemade food with factory-made food.
Is Whiskas harmful: myths and reality
Whiskas is produced and used to feed domestic animals for a long time. Many owners and experts were able to test the food on their pets and see its advantages and disadvantages.
There is an opinion that Whiskas is harmful and even dangerous to the health of cats, since the preservatives, dyes, flavorings and by-products it contains cause cancer in animals when used for a long time. This is not entirely true.
It should be taken into account that the food belongs to the economy segment, so it cannot be considered a high quality product. The percentage of meat in the product is very small, so veterinarians do not recommend using this brand on an ongoing basis. The food is well balanced, but cannot meet the animal protein needs of cats. It does not cause any particular harm to health, but the benefits from such food are much less than from super-premium or holistic food.
According to another myth, Whiskas is addictive, so it is difficult to switch a cat to another food. In fact, pets’ addiction to the Whiskas diet is due to the presence of flavorings and flavoring additives. These components are present in almost all economy class brands. However, this food does not contain any addictive substances.
If you feed cats one of Whiskas products for a long time, then more expensive and high-quality products without flavor enhancers seem unattractive to your pets, so they may refuse them. It takes time for an animal to adapt to new food.
