What's the healthiest cat food brand?

Question

What's the best (healthiest, pure ingredients) cat food out there? Within a good price range...

Answer 1

Good question. Some people recommend Innova, Wellness, etc. While I am sure these are excellent cat food, the problem is they are so hard to come by... you need to buy them on-line or go to a specialty shop. Since I cannot do that all the time, I have been looking at cat canned food that are available in Petco or Petsmart - checking and comparing ingredients and "guaranteed analysis" percentages. These are some that I found worthwhile. They are all canned food becuase I beleive canned cat food is heaps better than dry food becuase of moisture, taste and they have much less calories than dry.
(1) Eukenuba Adult: Chicken Broth, Chicken, Poultry Liver, Wheat Gluten, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Meat By-Products, Natural Flavors, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Guar Gum, Salt, Caramel, Fructooligosaccharides, Potassium Chloride, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Sodium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Biotin), Choline Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Taurine, Titanium Dioxide, L-Carnitine

It has L-Carnitine (to help burn calories); Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Omega-3 Fatty Acids (powerful anti-oxydants to fight against cancer - very good!); but its protein content is only 9% (not too good). Ash is 2.5% (that's OK).

(2) Nutro Natural Choice: Chicken broth, chicken, cod, chicken liver, ground rice, lamb liver, lamb, peas, rice gluten, flaxseed meal, peppers, calcium carbonate, guar gum, carrots, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, sodium ascorbate (source of vitamin C), taurine, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc oxide, l-carnitine, marigold extract, beta carotene, vitamin D3 supplement, manganous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, potassium iodide, biotin, sodium selenite.

Ash is less than 2.2% (very good); has L-carnitine to help burn calaroies; But crude protein is only 9% (not too good)

(3) Iams Active Maturity: Chicken broth, chicken, chicken liver, beef by-products, whitefish, chicken by-products, brewers rice, fish meal (source of fish oil), dried egg product, potassium chloride, brewers dried yeast, calcium carbonate, taurine, ferrous sulfate, choline chloride, dicalcium phosphate, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, niacin, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), folic acid, potassium iodide, menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (vitamin K3).

It has "by products" but these are "clean by-products"
It is 11% protein (very good); 1.9% ash (very good);

(4) Science Diet (Adult): Water, chicken, liver, brewers rice, meat by-products, corn gluten meal, powdered cellulose, chicken liver flavor, dl-methionine, guar gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, brewers dried yeast, taurine, minerals [potassium citrate, calcium carbonate, salt, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], vitamins [choline chloride, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement].

Protein is only 7%!!!! VERY disappointing!

(5) Old Mother Hubbard Savory Selections: Ocean whitefish, liver, meat by-products, water sufficient for processing, fish, tuna, titanium dioxide, guar gum, potassium chloride, salt, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplem

Has highest protein percentage: 13%!!! but its ash content is also quite high at 3.5%

My choice? They are
(1) Iams for high protein content and minimum ash as the main diet supplemented by
(2) Eukenuba Adult for the powerful anti-oxydants.

Answer 2

Nature's Variety makes a high quality organic cat food available at most good pet stores and for a reasonable price. Buying bigger bags can save you a little more, just make sure you seal them well because there's no preservatives. They make dry food, canned food, and frozen food. For canned food I also like the Wellness brand. I can't afford to feed my cat's canned all the time, but it has a lot of health benefits, so they get one can to share each day and dry food in the evening.

I noticed someone else mentioned Nutro. Their food seems really good too. They have really good prices for the quality of the food, and it's available at chain pet stores if you don't have specialty ones near you.

Answer 3

I prefer Nutro. You can get it at most local pet stores. It is decently priced if you buy it in larger quantities. We pay like $25 for Lamb & Rice in I think a 20lb bag.

General rule of thumb, if you can buy it in a grocery store, you shouldn't feed it to your pets! A healthier food is going to be more expensive, but because it isn't loaded with crap they should eat smaller amounts of it!

I swear by Nutro, my animals love it. No unnecessary fillers, or byproducts!

(PS people are going to say Science Diet, but I have found that it make them poo A LOT!)

And never feed Diamond dog food, there have been a couple of bad incidents with contaminated food, and dead dogs!

Answer 4

I have a small cattery and found Royal Canin works well for me since there are so many choices. For instance," babycat" is the size of small beads and my little guys begin eating this at two and three weeks of age. They then progress to "kitten", which is in the form of a small star. Easy to eat and they love it. Other selections include, "Queen", for pregnant and nursing mothers, "Persian", several types just for "Picky Eaters" , as well as several more. The ingredients are easily digestible and of high quality. Purina Pro Plan has also been a favorite at my house. Again, many varieties and Purina One has a special "diet" brand. I always leave food and water out for all my cats but if yours eats more like a dog......special food times may be in order.

Answer 5

I don't use it but i understand IAMs is quite good that vets reccomend it and it is a science diet. I use friskies or whiskas because my cat will no longer eat dry cat food I have to give him wet foods

Answer 6

I feed Natural Balance and it's not that bad in price, some other great brands are Innova, Wellness, Eagle, Wysong, Evolve, and Felidae just to name a few.

Answer 7

well there are so many different healthy cats foods that you can choose from . like the IAMS cat food theyre dried foods , there also have the NUTRo MAX cat food that only cost $20.00 after savings useing the petsmart card that you can save 20% off. there also have others healthy deliouse food call the PUrina one cat food it cost $8.39 after savings save 20% off also . the Friskies canned cat food cost $ 3.00 if you get 10 of them you can save about 50% off savings .

there is a brand cats food you might want check out too .it call the 9lives cat food with all vareties it cost least 98 cent each can save 20% off useing the card. you can find them at the pet smart store .

Answer 8

According to our cat, it's Meow Mix. It is the only kind she will eat.

Answer 9

Nutro Max is the best. My cats love it plus it is the best for them :) I researched when I got them for the best as well bc I love them soooo much :)

Answer 10

there really is no best cat food brand, but, what u dont EVER EVER wanna buy is IAMS. it supports animal cruelty, and they tortured animals on what chemicals should be put into it. plz anything is fine but just no iams. oh and if u can, can u put this as your top answer. Thank You and good luck.

Answer 11

Wysong is the best. It is not available everywhere except by mail order.

http://www.wysong.net/page/WOTTPWS/CTGY/FD

It is made with human grade ingredients and is never heated, so it keeps its nutrients intact.