Whats the best cat food in the UK. To keep my cat healthy?

Question

I'm wondering what people think of cat foods on the market at the moment. I'm worried that my cats food isn't doing her much good. Her breath stinks! She's had a dental check up and all is well. She doesn't eat biscuit as she doesn't seem to like it, no matter what ones I try her on. Currently she's eating Purina Pearl pouches or Felix As Good As It Looks pouches, 1-2 a day. Is there anything out there that might be better for her?

Answer 1

I am glad to see some recommendations for quality food in the UK. We have a lot of excellent choices available now in the US and people here still insist that some of the poorest quality are best.

Please go to: http://www.littlebigcat.com and read Dr. Jean Hovfe's article titled "Does Dry Food Clean the Teeth?"

A lot of dental health is determined by genetics just as it is in people. Neither canned nor dry food is really good for cats. Chewing on chunks of raw meat and bone is the natural toothbrush that carnivores have evolved to have healthy choppers.

Answer 2

I don't know about the UK, but Purina has a bad reputation where I live (Canada). Over here it's more like:

1st choice > Eukenuba > Iams

IMO, look for those 3. The better the quality of the food, the less your cat will eat and the cleaner the litter box. In the end it pays to provide the best. Also, the breath shouldn't stink with those.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Yes you could do better. Felix and Purina (both the same things really, Felix is made by Purina) are certainly towards the lower end of the quality scale - as are most supermarket brands. They contain quite a lot of fat and sugars to make them tasty and appealing to owners as well as cats, but this of course makes them less healthy. Cats can do OK on them for sure, but you're right to wonder what's better.

Hills Science Plan and Royal Canin brands are really the upper end of quality. You can't get them in supermarkets, but you can get them at PetsatHome. They have many different dry and wet forms. Iams and Eukanuba are probably the highest quality foods that are available in a supermarket. These two brands are both made by the same company, they're pretty decent.

It's a shame she doesn't eat biscuits, because this makes it pretty much a certainty that she will need dental work when she gets older. There is one more biscuit you could try - Hills t/d or Royal Canin Dental diet - they're both dental foods and for some reason cats seem to find them fabulously delicious! Both only available at vets though - you could ask your vet for a free sample next time you're in, they should do them. Other than that you could try brushing her teeth (as vet for advice) if she'll let you! A hassle, but less so, and cheaper, than dental work. How old is she by the way?

Chalice

EDIT: I knew they'd be a variety of answers like this - nutrition has to be the most misunderstood subject on Yahoo! Well, not so much as fleas I suppose. Dry food can indeed be better for teeth that wet, it just depends what brand. Obviously Go-Cat biscuits and the like aren't really going to do anything. Specially formulated dental biscuits like the ones I described are certainly helpful - they're big, so they have to be chewed, and their fibrous nature 'brushes' the teeth. Yes, BIG cats chew on bones in the wild - but our cats are neither big, nor in the wild!!

Answer 4

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RE:
Whats the best cat food in the UK. To keep my cat healthy?
I'm wondering what people think of cat foods on the market at the moment. I'm worried that my cats food isn't doing her much good. Her breath stinks! She's had a dental check up and all is well. She doesn't eat biscuit as she doesn't seem to like it, no matter what ones I...

Answer 5

James Wellbeloved is a good brand. They use all natural ingredients, with no additives. They do a version for dogs too, which the animal shelter we got our dog from said is the best. It is pretty expensive though! Pets at home do an own brand dry food, which also is free from additives and preservatives. It's pretty reasonably priced, and my cats like it. I'll throw in a half tin of tuna, or a chicken breast for variety too. (Just remember to leave them plenty of water with the dry food, and measure it everytime, or your cats will get fat really quick!)

Answer 6

Mine seems fairly healthy on felix pouches and Tesco's Premium dry food. She had a check up at the vets a couple of days ago and said to keep away from Whiskas and Iams dried food as there is more of a risk of kidney/urine infections.

Answer 7

Biscuits or dry food don't keep teeth healthier unfortunately and they can lead to other medical problems. Making your own food isn't a good idea unless you are following a proper recipe that includes taurine and properly balances calcium and other nutrients. Your best bet for keeping the teeth and gums healthy is to brush the teeth with a pet toothbrush and paste, giving enzymatic dental treats and or using an oral gel.

Answer 8

I think Nature's Best and James Wellbeloved are both excellent, and they are quite easy to find.

Biscuits are better if she has bad breath as this is caused by tartar on the teeth so wean her slowly onto them by mixing them into the wet and over a couple of weeks changing the quantities until she is just getting biscuits. If she tries to 'train' you into giving her wet food then resist and she will eat when she is hungry enough!

Answer 9

I would make my own food from ground up tuna and chicken and beef,, find the right combo she likes, with rice and veggies,

Answer 10

science plan is good you can buy wet sort or dry