A Major Disappointment in Terms of Nutrition

Honestly, Grandorf cat food has been meeting my expectations for a while now. My cat has been eating it for almost a year – roughly 10-11 months, to be more precise.

Before switching to Grandorf, she had been eating Fitness Trainer (for about a year) and then Grandin (for a bit longer). I had to stop using Fitness Trainer because it started making my cat nauseous. As for Grandin, it wasn't a problem – they just stopped shipping it to Russia, and I had to frantically look for a replacement.

Fast forward a year, and I was not thrilled with the results – my cat had gained weight.

And the weight gain... Well, we're currently working on that. I'm trying to get my cat to exercise by using those toy things on strings, we've switched to a different food, and we're even taking her for walks in our large common hallway.

Here's my lovely cat.

Let's start with why I chose Grandorf in the first place.

Holistic.Available in Russia.I thought it was a relatively high-protein food (I figured cats are predators, and they need a lot of protein).Decent ingredients.Our vet gave it a thumbs-up.

What gave me pause?

About an equal number of positive and negative reviews for Grandorf.

Okay, let's start with the packaging.

I think it looks great!

The packaging is like high-quality craft paper, but it's not. It's the standard material used for cat food packaging – dense, airtight, and slightly shiny. The design concept is really cool, though...

This is the food with a gray label, featuring a rabbit and brown rice.The zipper closure is fantastic – it doesn't jam, it doesn't come undone, and it seals tightly. Air can't get in, and the smell of the food can't escape.

The expiration date is printed on the reverse side.

One thing that really stood out to me was the sheer number of great, all-natural ingredients they've packed into this food. I mean, you've got dehydrated rabbit meat, dehydrated turkey meat, brown rice, fresh rabbit meat, fresh turkey meat, turkey fat, dried dandelion root, (a natural source of FOS and inulin), dried sweet potato, brewer's yeast (a natural source of MOS), dried Antarctic krill (a natural source of EPA and DHA), dried carrots, flaxseed, dietary fiber, taurine, dried cranberries, yucca schidigera, L-carnitine. And they've even added a complex of natural antioxidants (rosemary extract, grapefruit extract, orange extract, turmeric, and sigeum). It's clear they're committed to using high-quality ingredients.

The packaging isn't the most elegant, I'll admit – it's a bit cramped, and the label can get a bit distorted. But hey, at least they're trying to keep things simple.

Synopsis of the ingredients in a nutshell.Here's the lowdown on the ingredients:

Dehydrated rabbit meat, dehydrated turkey meat, brown rice, fresh rabbit meat, fresh turkey meat, turkey fat, dried dandelion root, (a natural source of FOS and inulin), dried sweet potato, brewer's yeast (a natural source of MOS), dried Antarctic krill (a natural source of EPA and DHA), dried carrots, flaxseed, dietary fiber, taurine, dried cranberries, yucca schidigera, L-carnitine. And they've even added a complex of natural antioxidants (rosemary extract, grapefruit extract, orange extract, turmeric, and sigeum).

I was really happy to see so many great, all-natural ingredients that are actually beneficial for your cat's health.

Breaking down the ingredients.

Breakdown % Protein: 37.0 Fat: 12.0 Omega-6: 2.6 Omega-3: 0.5 Ash: 6.0 Fiber: 3.0 Moisture: 6.0 Calcium (Ca): 1.0 Phosphorus (P): 0.8 Magnesium (Mg): 0.09 pH: 6-6.5

Vitamins (mg/kg) Vitamin A ( IU/kg ): 20,000 Vitamin D3 ( IU/kg ): 1,500 Vitamin E ( a-tocopherol ): 600 Vitamin B1: 10.0; B2: 8.0; B6: 8.0; B12: 180.0 Pantothenic acid: 50.0 Choline: 1,250.0 Folic acid: 4.0 Biotin ( mcg/kg ): 250.0 Niacin: 180.0

Microelements (mg/kg) Iron (E1): 150.0 Copper (E4): 10.0 Zinc (E6): 105.0 Manganese (E5): 50.0 Iodine (E2): 1.6 Selenium (E8): 0.2

Antioxidants (mg/kg) Complex of natural antioxidants (Rosemary extract, Grapefruit extract, Orange extract, Turmeric, and Sigeum): 300 Amino acids (mg/kg) Taurine: 1,500.0 L-carnitine: 50.0

As you can see, the protein content is really high.

The benefits of Grandorf food, as listed by the manufacturer.

• 70% meat in the food • Only animal proteins • Only hypoallergenic ingredients • Only meat without by-products • Balance of Omega 6-3 ratio • pH level control • Low ash content • Natural antioxidants • Gentle cooking process

Daily feeding amounts.

Weight of cat (kg) 1.5-3, 4-5, 6-8.

Grams per day 20-45, 55-65, 75-95.

"I've got a big cat on my hands, and even veterinarians often mistake her for a dog. They're always surprised when I tell them she's definitely a cat. When I bought Grandorf, she weighed 4 kg, and I was feeding her even less than the recommended amount, which was 55 grams a day. My vet told me to give her 50 grams instead. I even went and bought special scales that can measure to the gram.

Organoleptic characteristics of Grandorf food.

Here are the granules we see.

Size - they're too small, in my opinion. Marussia just swallows them whole without chewing. I'm not a huge fan of this, but it wasn't a problem overall.

Chewing is an important part of dental and gum health.

Color - a pleasant light-brown hue, pretty uniform with a hint of red.

Smell - there's no overpowering, pungent cat food smell. The aroma is pleasant, subtle, and doesn't put me off. Marussia loves it, though - it smells like roasted meat with herbs to me. Occasionally, I feed her by hand, and my hands don't reek afterwards. You can wash them with just water, but it's better to use soap.

Reaction from the cat - Marussia took to Grandorf immediately, and she's still enthusiastic about it after a year. I buy three different types - with four types of meat, with rabbit, and occasionally with fish.

Shape - they're triangular in shape. The same shape as Grandorf with fish, but Grandorf with four types of meat has round granules.

Here's a macro photo. You can see that the granules are a bit greasy. This doesn't bother me too much, but they're not excessively greasy.

Notes.

Over the year, there were no issues with digestion. Marussia went to the bathroom regularly, and there was no awful smell. No diarrhea or constipation either. She's an active cat - she runs, jumps, and plays. Her coat is soft and shiny, and everything was fine until...

I even wrote a positive review for Grandorf with four types of meat, but it's been stuck in drafts. I finally took photos and sent it.

Then I noticed that Marussia wasn't satisfied with her food. She kept asking for more, even though she'd already eaten her daily norm. This never happened with Fitness Trainer or Grandine, by the way.

Then I noticed that Marussia had put on weight. We went to the vet, and they told us that this often happens with Grandorf, especially if the cat lives in an apartment with limited space for exercise. They recommended reducing the daily amount to 40 grams.

So, I started paying closer attention to the situation...

I've noticed that Maru's been going to the bathroom less often, and it's not just a minor issue. She used to go 1-2 times a day, but now it's been 1.5-2 days between visits. That's not normal!

Where I bought it and the price.

I picked it up at Four Paws, and the 400-gram pack costs 719 rubles. You can get a discount if you have a loyalty card and have made previous purchases – it's a pretty good deal, considering the outcome.

The verdict.

Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend this food to anyone. Despite Maru being an active cat who gets plenty of exercise, she ended up gaining weight because I was feeding her below the recommended amount. And to make matters worse, she started going to the bathroom less often over time.

If any of you readers have successfully helped your cat lose weight, I'd love to hear about it in the comments or via a private message. I'm all ears!