I recently stumbled upon a promotion for Winner cat food at Diksi, and the price was really appealing. The packaging stood out with a generous amount of meat ingredients, unlike other mass-market brands. I was curious to see if the quality lived up to the promise.
I decided to buy a year's worth, feeling a mix of satisfaction and thriftiness. To start, I tried a sample pack, but within an hour, I found myself back at the same store, this time grabbing two varieties - in sauce and in jelly. There were no more cat food packs left by evening, so I was glad I had grabbed them in time.
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☑️ My Feline Food Critic #3
▶ Meet Rusty, a 4-year-old, sterilized, ginger gentleman. He's a sophisticated fella with refined tastes. His diet is a mix of everything, and he's quite particular about his food. Photo and dress code available upon request.
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☑️ KEY INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Miratorg
Weight: 80 grams
Intended for: adult cats
Price: 35-40 rubles (I managed to snag it for 17 rubles during the promotion)
Producer's claims:
Healthy skin and shiny coat:Healthy urinary systemRobust immunity. A balanced amino acid complex from high-quality protein supports immune functionI'm familiar with the Miratorg brand, so I won't go into details about their reputation. They produce meat and meat products, and I often use their ground meat and products like kibbe. The quality is decent.
It seems like the food should be of decent quality, let's check. I was expecting a good balance of nutrients, but I had some concerns about the appearance.
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☑️ PACKAGING
The design stands out from other brands. The pastel-pink and brown color combination of the packaging makes me think there's a lot of meat inside. No unnecessary frills or loud fonts, maybe there's less artificial stuff in the food?
The weight of the packet is a plus – 80 grams! Not 75 grams like in standard packets from other brands. That's 5 grams of extra goodness!
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🔶 FORMULA: 🔶
No GMOs
Meat and meat ingredients – 42% (including fresh chicken meat and fresh beef), dried beet pulp, plant-based protein extract, salt, minerals, calcium carbonate, amino acids, salmon oil, vitamins
Protein – 8.5 g
Fat – 4.5 g
Carbohydrates – 0 g
Nutritional content per 100 g
Protein - 8.5%Fat - 4.5%Carbohydrates - 1.5%Fiber - 0.4%Calcium - 0.3%Phosphorus - 0.2%Omega-3 - 0.05%Omega-6 - 0.1%Moisture - 81.0%Added nutrients
Vitamin D3 - 150 IU/kgVitamin E - 250 mg/kgVitamin B1 - 1.4 mg/kgVitamin B4 - 660 mg/kgVitamin B6 - 0.6 mg/kgVitamin B7 - 20 mcg/kgVitamin B9 - 220 mg/kgPotassium - 0.13%Iodine - 0.04 mg/100gManganese - 0.07 mg/100gZinc - 1.0 mg/100gTaurine - 470 mg/kgFeeding guidelines
For an adult cat with average activity and weight (4 kg), you'll need about 3-4 packs per day.
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Divide the daily ration into at least two meals.
The daily amount of the product for maintaining an ideal body condition may vary depending on age, activity, weather conditions, and physical characteristics of the cat.
Make sure your cat has constant access to fresh drinking water.
Before feeding, the product should be brought to room temperature.
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According to the macronutrient breakdown, the food contains 44.7% protein, 23.68% fat, and 21.62% carbohydrates. Protein levels are a bit too low, barely meeting the minimum, and half of it comes from plant-based sources. On the other hand, there are a lot of carbs – more than in other brands, like Sheba, which has no more than 5%.
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▶ Meat and meat ingredients
I'd go for the wet food over the dry one, even if they're similar. The wet food has more meat content – 42% compared to 37%. The ingredient breakdown is pretty vague across the board. We see that the meat content is 42%, including fresh chicken and beef, but unfortunately, we don't know how much of that fresh meat is actually in the mix, and what's hidden under 'meat ingredients' could be any cheap leftovers.
I'm skeptical about whether the advertised marmalade beef is actually in the food, beyond the label. Don't get me wrong, meat ingredients aren't the worst thing, but meat is more flavorful, aromatic, and nutritious – and it's also more expensive. Still, not every mass-market food can boast such a high meat content.
What's been bugging me is the 'more than 80% meat' claim on the front of the pack. Now, in the ingredient list, we can see that the meat content is there, but clearly not 80%. I asked the manufacturer via email, but so far, I've heard nothing.
▶ Beet pulp
Beet pulp acts as a prebiotic to support good gut bacteria and microbiome. It helps prevent constipation and diarrhea.
▶Plant-based protein extract
Now, when it comes to protein, things get a bit tricky. Plant-based protein is a given in most foods. It could be corn, rice, legumes, or even wheat, but in this food, I suspect the plant-based protein is actually cheap wheat, which can cause allergic reactions in cats.
The protein extract is essentially a powder that's been stripped of fats and carbs. Wheat protein isolate is particularly low in amino acids. It boosts protein content and thickens the product, giving it a gel-like texture.
▶Salmon Oil
It's basically fish oil – a rich source of omega 3 and omega 6. This stuff is great for skin and coat health. It also supports the immune system, prevents the development of many diseases, and helps with stress relief. Plus, it makes the food more appealing, with a better taste and aroma.
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▶Salt
I was surprised to see added salt in the ingredients, supposedly for heart health prevention. That just doesn't make sense. Salt and heart health are complete opposites.
This is a major minus. You'd think they'd list the sodium content, but nope.
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☑️TEST
Appearance and Smell
The food is well-balanced in terms of liquid and solid content. The sauce in the packet is just right – not too much, not too little. The chunks are a uniform light-brown color. Most chunks are roughly the same size, but you might get some that are 3-4 times larger. The texture is dense and springy, and it doesn't fall apart when you press it.
Winner's sauce makes the chunks look way more appealing than the gelatin version. The sauce hides the flaws in the chunk's appearance, but they still look questionable and kind of like dry food.
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The smell is typical for a canned food. It's not overpowering, but there's a slight bitterness from the organ meats. Sometimes I catch that same note in cooked liver or heart.
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✅What did our chief taste-tester think?
I was expecting the cat to go crazy for Winner's food. It's the first decent wet food we've ever given him, so I thought for sure he'd be in love. He's a cat who normally sticks to Purina One or Sheba, but we like to mix things up and give him wet food as an occasional treat. So, I wasn't too fussy about the ingredients.
But something's gone wrong...
Now, every evening, our cat looks at his dinner with a mix of sadness and desperation in his eyes. He's hoping it'll magically disappear, like a kid waiting for their parents to clear the table after a meal. It's heartbreaking.
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I've noticed he's been picky about wet food and other brands, but he'll walk around the bowl for a good 30 minutes, and somehow it'll be empty.
Winner, on the other hand, stays fresh until morning, and possibly even a week later, with the same success.
He doesn't touch the kibble bits, but he might lap up the sauce after a while, like he's on strike.
I've had to mix the food in a 30/70 ratio with the more flavorful stuff. Even then, some of the Winner kibble stays at the bottom of the bowl.
I have no idea why this food didn't agree with him. He's taken a shine to Sheba and even Felix, with its 4% meat content.
☑️ Pros:
High meat content.Generous amount of food and minimal sauce. The kibble doesn't float.Appealing aroma.Contains salmon oil.☑️ Cons:
Incomplete formula. Meat ingredients and unknown plant-based protein sources.Added salt. I have no idea why it's there.Tight kibble bits, similar to dry food.Too many carbs and minimal protein.The biggest drawback - my cat WON'T EAT IT!≽^•⩊•^≼
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