My Cat's Journey to a Healthy Diet

When I brought home my new cat, everything became a whirlwind of chaos. As a responsible owner, I was always on the lookout for any signs of distress from my furry friend. But amidst all the playtime, cuddles, and treats, I knew creating a healthy environment for my cat was crucial - and that starts with their diet.

I scoured the internet for feeding tips, but the answers were either incomplete or didn't provide enough information. That's why we consulted our vet, who weighed our 7-month-old black cat and gave us detailed advice on what to feed him.

At the time, my cat weighed 4.2 kg, which isn't a big cat, but he's getting there. He was still a kitten, and his diet consisted of whatever we gave him. He'd eat anything, and he'd do it quickly, with enthusiasm, and a big appetite. He's always hungry.

We initially gave him as much as he asked for, but our vet told us that wasn't the right approach. Some owners just feed their pets whatever they want, whenever they want, and hope for the best. We did the same, but our vet warned us that this could lead to problems down the line. We stocked up on cat food, just in case, but it turned out that feeding him whatever we wanted wasn't the best idea.

Is there still something to eat?We were buying cat grass, thinking it would be a healthy snack, but my cat had other plans. He'd munch on the plants, leaving them to wither away. We isolated the plants from him and started researching cat nutrition to make sure he got all the vitamins and minerals he needed.

This was our early experience, and we've since switched to a single brand of cat food - Royal Canin. And that's what I'll be talking about in this review.

Hey fellow pet parents! If your furry friend still hasn't made up their mind about what to eat for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and everything in between, then take matters into your own hands. Either stick to one brand of dry and wet food, or go for the natural stuff. Don't just feed them whatever, because those commercial foods have got all the minerals and vitamins your pet needs, and you'd have to constantly add vitamins to natural food, which can get confusing. I personally freak out thinking about my cat's potential health issues in old age, so I'm all about a healthy lifestyle for my kitty.

I know, I know, back in the day, people just fed their cats whatever they were eating themselves. No commercial food, no water filters, and everyone was happy. But, if I'm being honest, if it's up to me, I'd do everything in my power to make sure my cat lives a long and comfortable life.

That was just the intro, by the way.

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We never managed to get our eternal-hungry Mafusail (or Masik, for short) to switch to natural food. He'd refuse, or there'd be all these issues with minerals. And not knowing what to do, we didn't want to risk making things worse, so we decided to stick with commercial food.

There's a sort of hierarchy when it comes to cat food: from lowest to highest class.

1. Value for money class

Despite what the ads claim, value for money cat foods don't contain all the necessary vitamins and microelements your cat needs, and they're not made from meat, but from by-products (organs, bones, skin, etc.). Any cheap cat food is packed with flavor and aroma enhancers, including catnip (basically valerian root), which causes your cat to get hooked. That's why cats who've been eating value for money cat food find it hard to switch to premium food, which doesn't have these additives. Animals that only eat value for money cat food often have issues with their digestive system and kidneys. The only plus side is that it's cheap, but you get what you pay for.

2. Premium class

When I'm looking for a decent cat food, I usually stick to brands like PerfectFit, CatChow, and others that cost around 200-250 rubles per kilogram and are sold in regular grocery stores and pet shops. These foods are made from by-products, but they're of a higher quality than the cheap stuff. They contain flavor and aroma enhancers, but in smaller amounts than the premium brands. Unlike the cheap stuff, mid-range cat foods differ not only in flavor but also in purpose. There are foods for preventing kidney stones, for helping with hairballs, and so on. It's essential to supplement their diet with vitamins.

3. Super Premium Class

Then there are the super-premium brands like Royal Canin, Purina ProPlan, Hill’s, Innova, Chicken Soup, Nutro Choice, and Iams. These are only sold in pet stores and veterinary pharmacies, and they're quite pricey, starting from around 200 rubles per kilogram.

Super-premium cat foods are made from natural meat and grains, and they contain vitamin and mineral supplements. This means you don't need to give your cat extra vitamins, and in fact, it's even harmful to do so. These foods don't contain flavor enhancers, artificial colors, or other additives. Each brand has a wide range of products, including ones for different breeds, sterilized or neutered cats, indoor and outdoor cats, and cats of different ages. There are also therapeutic foods sold in veterinary pharmacies, but you should only switch to these after consulting with a vet.

4. Holistics

These are the new-generation cat foods, specifically designed for our little predators.

They contain high-quality ingredients that are safe for humans to eat too. Holistic cat foods don't contain plant-based proteins, GMOs, artificial colors, or other additives. The diet is completely natural, and the price reflects that.

Some popular holistic brands include NOW Natural Holistic, GO Natural Holistic, 1st Choice Holistic, Farmina N&D, and Grandorf.

After seeing how bad the cheap cat foods are, we decided to switch to super-premium cat food.

So, here's the Royal Canin Kitten food for kittens from 4 months to 12 months old. Made in France, and it even has a patent.

Price: around 285 rubles per pack of 400 grams. Prices may vary depending on the store or veterinary pharmacy, and it's sold in different weight categories.

Value for moneyPurchased from: Lemur store, St. Petersburg

I was impressed by the soft packaging, which features multiple colorful designs and detailed information in two languages for cat parents. It includes recommendations for use, manufacturer and importer contacts, and a shelf life.

Description:

In a vacuum-sealed, pink package, I found a complete kitten food for up to 12 months. When I opened it, the aroma filled my entire kitchen, and my cat was right there, sniffing around my feet. The dry food has a visible coating and a slightly oily texture. It's the perfect size for my kitten, who's only 4 months old and can easily devour it.

Why it's perfect for kittens:

In the growth phase, a kitten's digestive system is still developing. The combination of highly digestible proteins (L.I.P.) and special types of fiber (plantain seeds and FOS-MOSI) maintains a balance of gut flora and regulates stool.

The proteins have been selected for maximum digestibility.

Immune system support:

Helps maintain a kitten's natural defense mechanisms in the second growth phase thanks to a patented antioxidant complex, including vitamin E.

Healthy growth

Adapted protein, vitamin, and mineral content, including vitamin D and calcium. High calorie content to provide energy during intense growth.

Ingredients:

Plant protein isolate, dehydrated animal-derived proteins (poultry), grains, animal fats, plant fiber, animal protein hydrolysate, minerals, yeast, and by-products of fermentation, fish oil, soybean oil, plantain husk and seeds, fructooligosaccharides, yeast hydrolysate (source of mannan oligosaccharides), extract of upright marigold (source of lutein).

Additives (per 1 kg):

Nutritional additives: Vitamin A: 20500 ME, Vitamin D3: 800 ME, Vitamin E: 600 mg, Iron: 31 mg, Iodine: 3.1 mg, Manganese: 41 mg, Zinc: 122 mg, Selenium: 0.05 mg - Technological additives: Clay of sedimentary origin: 10 g - Preservatives - Antioxidants.

Nutrient Content:

Protein: 36% - Fats: 18% - Minerals: 8.3% - Dietary Fiber: 2.5% - Calcium: 1.2% - Copper: 17mg/kg.

L.I.P. - proteins selected according to the principle of maximum digestibility.

It's got everything for your pet's health - manganese, iodine, vitamins, calcium, copper, and that's not the full list. Our cat approves. He eats with pleasure, and we're thrilled when he's happy, walking away from the bowl with a blissful squint and tractor-like mew.

The only thing that's always bugging me, as a responsible owner, when I see scary words in the composition like flavor enhancers, aromatizers, and corn - I know that if you're constantly feeding on this and 'sitting' on it, it might lead to various diseases, like excessive carbohydrate problems with obesity, or God forbid, diabetes and inflammation.

Royal Canin, for instance, seems to not be entirely guilty of a bad composition, but there's still room for criticism.

Whisker Notes:

1. Water.

When feeding dry food, your cat needs to drink more water than with natural food. So, we've placed several water bowls around the apartment for easy access.

2. Measuring Cup.

The package with food has some numbers on it, but our cat won't figure them out, even after the 10th try - he's completely lost. These numbers aren't simple; they're for us. The table shows the weight, and knowing how much your little furry friend weighs, you can easily measure the right amount of food for the day. I haven't seen the full table yet. Here, everything is clearly explained - how much to put in the bowl if your cat is only eating dry food today, and how much to measure if he's having both dry and wet food throughout the day.

tabledry and wet3. So, your little furball won't develop hypervitaminosis (this depressing disorder caused by not following vitamin proportions, their excessive doses, and subsequent intoxication) and will delight you with games, playfulness, and energy, just like Boris the cat, because he's healthy and happy. And that means you're happy too.

Verdict:

Our cat's stool is great, never failed to deliver, which speaks to the normal functioning of his digestive system.

The little furball is full of energy, living a carefree life, and it's all thanks to the balanced diet.

His fur shines like black and dusty, it's a beautiful sight. He doesn't look pale, he's full of energy (three times and with all his might).

Comment on the photo:

Those first 15 seconds of a cat's gentle purring when they're still half asleep and haven't yet realized they're free.

And here he's giving me a sly look, knowing I'm still writing a story about him.

I fed him this food for a few months, then he got neutered. He's a bit more mature now, and he went through all his strategic reserves meant for kittens from 4 months old and I switched him to the same brand, but for neutered kittens (which, I suddenly don't recommend).

And to this day, we still fondly remember the kitten food that our Masik enjoyed with such enthusiasm and big appetite.

I highly recommend Royal Canin Kitten for all feline friends, purr!

Thanks for reading! Wishing you a healthy and happy 'feline' life!

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Kibble for spayed cats and sterilized cats 1-st Choice Sterilized Chicken with potato

Name tag with engraving for eternally escaping pets

A stylish, lovely, and never mischievous 'collar' for pets.