Choosing food for your pet is a difficult task. After all, I want him to live a long life and feel good. As a rule, veterinarians advise buying premium feeds. They contain a lot of meat and few dyes, flavor enhancers and other chemicals. But they are quite expensive. But what if the owner’s budget is limited? In this case, you can choose an inexpensive replacement. A lot of economy-class feeds are sold in stores, but not all of them are equally good. How to choose the best? We will present in this article an overview and rating of budget cat food. Consider the popular brands, their composition, advantages and disadvantages, as well as customer reviews.
Features of economy class feed
It is worth noting that veterinarians usually do not recommend feeding their animals with such feeds on an ongoing basis. The fact is that they contain a lot of salt, flavorings and flavor enhancers. All of these ingredients negatively affect a cat’s health. If the animal eats such food for a long time, this will affect his health. They may become lethargic, lose weight, and their coat will fade. In addition, budget feeds are often the cause of the appearance of pathologies of the kidneys, liver and urinary system. For example, because of the excess salt in the composition, cats are often diagnosed with urolithiasis.
What is included in the budget feed? Their basis is cereals and corn. For comparison: in premium feeds, 20 to 40% of meat or its processed products are used. In budget options it usually contains from 4 to 10%. As a rule, this is meat meal. That is, ground cartilage, bones, tendons and even animal hooves. Pure meat cannot be found in budget feeds. For good health, cats need protein. In premium products, it is of animal origin. The composition of the budget feed includes vegetable protein.
Another disadvantage of economy class products is their inaccurate composition. Producers usually do not indicate which cereals or meat products they add to the feed. The exact names of flavor enhancers and flavorings, as well as their quantity, do not appear on the packaging.
In reviews of budget cat food, buyers indicate that they were able to avoid the negative consequences of poor quality ingredients. To do this, they gave their pets vitamin preparations that made up for their lack of diet. Buyers love economy class feeds and for their affordability. You can easily buy them at any supermarket for a small cost. Premium feeds are usually sold only in specialized pet stores and veterinary pharmacies. They cost several times more expensive than budget products.
Economy Feed Rating for Cats
If you still decide to feed your pet budget products, it is best to choose the highest quality of them. Do not take the first food that catches your eye. Some of them have a better composition and contain more meat. Feeding with such a product will not bring much harm to the pet. Other feeds may not contain meat at all. It is noteworthy that both products can cost about the same. Why it happens? The fact is that manufacturers make an extra charge, focusing not only on the composition of the feed, but also on the costs associated with its advertising. For example, everyone has heard Kiticket and Whiskas feeds. They cost only a little cheaper than the less-advertised Purina One brand, but are much inferior to it in quality.
The list of economy-class feeds for cats that are popular with buyers includes the following brands:
- Whiskas;
- Kitekat;
- Friskies;
- Perfect fit;
- Purina One;
- Felix;
- Sheba;
- Gourmet.
The following manufacturers are included in the rating of the best feeds:
- Cat chow;
- Gemon;
- Purina One;
- Stout;
- Perfect fit.
We will tell you more about quality and popular brands of feed below.
Cat Chow Food
If you plan to buy for your pet only the best economy food for cats, then pay attention to the Cat Chow brand. Its products are of high quality composition, which contains the most meat ingredients. It is produced in Russia or Hungary. In the first place are cereals. This is typical for economy class feed. Their exact number, unfortunately, is unknown. Then the manufacturer indicates that the composition includes meat processing products. Cat Chow contains about 33% of them, which is considered a very high indicator for budget feeds. Also included are beets and parsley, yeast, vitamins and minerals. But their number in the feed is minimal.
Many veterinarians point out that Cat Chow is the best feed among budget manufacturers. Buyers in reviews confirm that it is a quality product. Due to the high content of processed meat products, cats feel good even with constant feeding. The owners also liked the availability of products for sterilized animals. But buyers believe that he has his own drawbacks. They did not like the high cost of feed. A package weighing 400 grams will have to pay about 200 rubles. In addition, this food is sold only at pet stores.
Gemon food
Not always low-cost cat foods are of poor quality. Some brands offer a decent alternative to premium products. For example, Gemon in the reviews, buyers call it high-quality and inexpensive food. This is one of the best budget products for cats. It's all about its composition. Its basis is also cereals. The manufacturer does not indicate their quantity, but he notes how many meat products are contained in the feed (from 8 to 16%, depending on the species). The composition also includes fats and oil, which positively affect the condition of the skin and coat of the pet. Mineral substances and yeast are added to the feed, as well as an ingredient that reduces the smell of feces.
It produces feed in Italy. Not only dry, but also wet products are produced in spiders. If you wish, you can buy special food for domestic or sterilized cats. In the reviews, buyers note that their pets tolerate Gemon well. Even with prolonged feeding, there is no deterioration in well-being. There is only one minus for the feed - its high price, although it is cheaper than Cat Chow. The average cost of packaging (400 g) is 185 rubles.
Purina one
Purina One products are often included in the rating of economy dry foods for cats. This is a quality food for its price category, which is suitable for continuous use. The brand belongs to a major manufacturer Nestle. Its plants are located in Russia, Italy and France. Several types of feed are produced at once. They are designed to feed sterilized cats. You can also buy food that improves the quality of the coat and helps eliminate its lumps from the stomach. Purina One also has an age line. Such feeds are intended for small kittens or elderly cats.
The manufacturer indicates that its products contain at least 15% meat or fish in its composition and the same number of cereals. It also includes corn starch, poultry protein and animal fat. It is indicated that the composition includes mineral additives.
What do customers think about this feed? They often call it the best option among budget brands. They like that the food has a pleasant smell. Cats eat it with great pleasure and feel good about it. The cost of feed is higher than that of more advertised competitors. For a package of 200 grams will have to pay about 90 rubles. But Purina One is sold in almost all major grocery stores.
Stout
This is another version of high-quality dry food for cats. No wonder buyers recommend it, and also include in the ratings of the best manufacturers. This food is produced in Gatchina, near St. Petersburg. Its main advantage is a good composition. In the first place it indicates bird or meat meal. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not specify its percentage. In the composition you can see wheat, vegetable protein, fish oil, corn and even rice. Taurine is also found in small quantities, as well as vitamins and minerals. The manufacturer produces food for elderly cats and small kittens. There are products for animals with allergies, sensitive digestion and urolithiasis. Separately produced wet food in portioned packets.
Buyers call a wide selection of feeds a significant advantage. They note that cats enjoy eating its pellets. They are quite small, so it is convenient to bite them. In the reviews, the owners indicate that the animals feel good, even if they eat food constantly. The cost of feed also pleased buyers. A package (300 g) can be purchased for 100 rubles. But food is rarely found even in pet stores, which is a significant minus.
Perfect fit
Another contender for the best economy food for cats. It is produced in Russia, Germany or Hungary. Many buyers praise primarily the composition of the feed, as it contains a lot of meat products. Its amount is at least 20%. But this is not pure meat, but flour made from offal or cartilage. Also included is corn and wheat. In addition, the manufacturer adds animal protein to the feed, which is another plus. Typically, budget products use its vegetable counterpart. There are mineral and vitamin supplements in Perfect Fit.
Under this brand, low-cost feeds are produced for sterilized cats, as well as for pets and food-sensitive animals. Not only dry, but also wet products are produced.
In the reviews, buyers were satisfied with the purchased goods. It has a pleasant smell, and cats eat it with great pleasure. However, they drink a lot of water. This is a good habit, as it prevents the development of urolithiasis. They did not like the large amount of salt in the composition. But the price was pleased. Packaging in 650 g will cost the owners 200-250 rubles.
Whiskas
In the list of economy-class feeds for cats, you can often see Whiskas products. It is not surprising, because today it is one of the most popular among pet owners. But how good are these feeds? Veterinarians, for example, categorically do not recommend feeding them their cats. They contain very few meat products (about 4%). This is not enough to maintain the health of the pet. It is also unknown what quality this meat has. Most likely, flour made from cartilage. The composition also includes wheat flour, plant extracts of protein, rice.
Both dry and wet feed are available. On sale you can find several tastes at once. There is a separate line for kittens. In the reviews, buyers do not praise this food too much. Because of the enhancers of taste, cats eat this food, but do not feel very well after it. For example, their owners note that pets with constant feeding of Whiskas began to walk into the tray with difficulty. In addition, the animal may begin to lose its weight. But there are 2 advantages - this is the price and availability. You can buy a package (350 g) for only 95 rubles. They are sold at the same time in any grocery stores.
Kitekat
If you are looking for a budget dry cat food, sooner or later pay attention to Kitekat. This is one of the cheapest and most affordable options. But he cannot boast of good quality. It is noteworthy that Kitekat is released by the same manufacturer as Whiskas. Therefore, their compositions are very similar. It also contains only 4% meat flour. It consists of several cereals, as well as vegetable protein and brewer's yeast. In feed reviews, veterinarians strongly advise against feeding their cats with this product. It lacks nutrients to support pet health. In the reviews, the owners often describe cases of diagnosing urolithiasis in cats who constantly ate only this food.
Of course, the main advantage of feed is its low price. You can buy a package weighing 850 g for only 130 rubles.
Friskies
Many types of cat food are sold in stores. Another inexpensive option is Friskies. The manufacturer additionally produces wet feed. There is a line of preventive nutrition. This includes products for sterilized and domestic cats.
In the first place in the composition of this feed are cereals and vegetable protein. Then the manufacturer indicates the meat processing products, but does not specify their quantity. Accordingly, there are also no more than 4% of them. The composition contains dyes and preservatives, as well as dried peas.
This is another example of poor quality food that is not recommended for your cat on an ongoing basis. Veterinarians in the reviews confirm that Friskies can adversely affect the health of the pet and cause the development of urolithiasis. Its cost can be called low. A package of 400 g will have to pay about 90 rubles.
Felix
In stores you can see not only dry, but also wet fodders of economy class for cats. For example, the Felix brand is often found on the shelves. The manufacturer does not produce dry food. Felix is sold in small spiders of 80 g. The line consists of several flavors, buyers have a choice between sauces and jelly. In the first place, the composition indicates meat and its processed products. But there are not too many of them. The feed also contains plant protein extract, amino acids, vitamins, thickeners and sugar. The last two ingredients can harm a cat's health. In the reviews, buyers note that their animals are happy to eat this food. They like the low cost. The price of one bag can vary from 20 to 30 rubles. But veterinarians warn that it is impossible to feed their animals on an ongoing basis. It is best to buy it as a treat several times a month.
Gourmet Wet Cat Food
Another affordable affordable wet food for cats. It can be bought in almost every store. Customers are offered a choice of products with different tastes. There are also mini-bags weighing only 50 grams and pies, which are sold in metal cans.
The composition of the feed is practically no different from the products of other competitors. It includes a minimum amount of meat products. Only about 4%. There are vegetable protein, vitamins, dyes and sugar. Of course, such an amount of meat in the composition is not enough to maintain the health of the pet. Despite this, in the reviews, the owners note that cats eat this food with pleasure. They also like that bags and cans with paste are sold in any grocery stores. Their cost is also not great. You can buy one package for 25-30 rubles. Pate will cost a little more. Its price varies from 30 to 50 rubles.
Sheba
Another version of the advertised wet economy food for cats. The manufacturer positions Sheba as a high-quality treat for animals, but in fact it is practically no different in composition from competitors. It contains only 4% of meat and offal. There is taurine, vitamins and minerals in the feed. The main plus is the lack of sugar, thickeners and dyes. This compares favorably with its competitors, but all the same, the meat in the composition is too small for the feed to be recommended for constant feeding. However, his cost is higher. One Sheba bag will cost the buyer 30-40 rubles.
What is the best food for cats? If you don’t have the opportunity to buy premium products for your pet, try to get a quality budget replacement. The more meat products it contains, the better. Veterinarians often recommend feed manufacturers Cat Chow, Purina One, Perfect Fit.