Rating of the best food for neutered cats and female cats in 2022

Author of the article: Astafieva Ekaterina Alekseevna

*Review of the best according to the editors of simplerule.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

Sterilization is a procedure that can not only improve the condition of a pet, but also prolong its life. Removal of reproductive organs in cats can lead to weakening of the body, so it is important to review your pet’s diet after surgery. We have compiled a rating of the best dry and wet food for sterilized cats, which contains all the necessary components to maintain the health of your pet.

What should you consider?

Cats and cats are obligate carnivores. In nature, they hunt birds, small rodents, and insects. The basis of their diet is animal protein. However, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals must also be present. Otherwise, health problems will arise.

Castration and sterilization lead to a decrease in activity and the appearance of excess weight. If the animal drinks little, there is a risk of developing urolithiasis (urolithiasis).

The ratio of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium plays an important role. Imbalance of minerals leads to the formation of crystals, sand and stones in the kidneys or bladder. If phosphorus and magnesium levels are elevated, tripel phosphates (struvite) are formed. They can be dissolved through diet and medication. Excess calcium leads to the formation of oxalates, which are removed surgically.

Prevention of ICD is a properly balanced diet. Industrial feeds include the required amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, moisture, fiber, ash (mineral residues), vitamins and minerals. A low-calorie diet with a reduced content of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium has been developed especially for castrated cats.

Veterinarians recommend not feeding pets with special needs homemade food. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to balance microelements on your own. Only a veterinary nutritionist can do this.

It is important to adhere to the feeding rate indicated on the package. Sterilized animals often have an increased appetite. However, the supplement should not be given. Obesity in neutered cats is fraught not only with urolithiasis, but also with heart and liver problems.

Neutered animals should drink plenty of water, especially if they eat dry food. When feeding homemade food, natural or canned food, the need for liquid decreases, since such food already contains 70-80% moisture.

The main thing in choosing a nutritional system for castrated animals is the correct ratio of minerals, reduced levels of fat and ash, and the presence of vitamins and microelements.

Components of a sterilized cat's diet

In addition to store-bought food, which has its own advantages and disadvantages, it is acceptable to have natural products in the daily diet, provided they are additionally enriched with a vitamin complex.

• Porridge made from cereals such as rice, corn, wheat or oatmeal with the addition of lean meat;
• Dietary types of meat: chicken, turkey or rabbit;
• Canned food with a specialized sign “for sterilized cats”;
• Grass grown at home or purchased in a container at a pet store;
• Liquid meat broth.

What to exclude from your diet

The first product that should be excluded from the daily diet is fish. This is due to the increased content of phosphorus in it, which has a negative effect on the condition of the urinary system. An excessive amount of this microelement in the body causes the development of urolithiasis. You should also exclude salted and smoked sausages.

Types of wet food

Depending on the components, food additives and energy value, canned food is divided into 2 types:

1. Full-featured. They are enriched with all essential vitamins and minerals and are suitable as a staple food.
2. Non-complete (treats). They are a complement to dry food, homemade food or natural food. They contain a lot of protein, but little fat and carbohydrates. Not all vitamins and minerals are included in the treats.

Complete canned food can be easily distinguished from non-complete canned food. The first contains more than 5% fat. In treats this figure is less than 5%. The animal can be fed complete canned food daily. Treats are given no more than 2 times a week.

Depending on the quantity and quality of meat and natural ingredients, wet food is divided into classes:

1. Economy The product contains no more than 4% meat and its derivatives. This concept covers production waste: feathers, skin, bones, beaks, intestines. Flavorings and taste enhancers are added to economy class food.
2. Premium Canned food contains 30-40% meat components (meat and offal), but their quality is questionable. There are flavoring and aromatic additives. The composition is balanced, it contains vitamins and minerals.
3. Super premium. These are high quality products. It contains 60-70% natural meat and offal (lungs, heart, liver, kidneys).
4. Holistic. Canned food contains more than 70% meat. They are made on the basis of products suitable for human food, do not contain flavoring and aromatic additives, grains and soy. However, such canned food is used as treats.

Wet food is available in:

• spiders;
• sealed jars;
• aluminum lamisters;
• plastic pots.

Economy and premium wet food looks like soft croquettes in sauce or jelly. High-quality canned food contains whole meat fibers and pieces of offal. Super premium food is also available in the form of pates.

The best way to feed

Experts are still arguing about which food is best for sterilized cats. But still, most veterinarians agree that ready-made mixtures specifically designed for neutered pets are preferable to natural food.

After all, with a natural diet, the owner will have to calculate the optimal proportions of carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the diet. In addition, he will have to additionally give the cat minerals and vitamins that are not found in natural food. At the same time, manufacturers of ready-made food offer to buy mixtures with an impeccably balanced composition, which contains everything necessary for the animal’s body. And from the presented assortment, the owner can easily choose the food that his pet will like.

Advantages and disadvantages

Complete canned food is as close as possible to the natural diet of obligate carnivores. They contain about 80% moisture, minerals, and vitamins. They have balanced analytical components. In terms of energy content, this type of food is suitable for sterilized cats.

The advantages of wet food are:

• humidity 70-80% (good for pets who drink little);
• the presence of different tastes and medicinal diets;
• long-term storage in sealed packaging;
• convenience of dosage;
• natural texture;
• easily digestible components;
• high degree of saturation.

The disadvantages of this type of nutrition are:

• high cost;
• storage of opened packaging for no more than 2 days in the refrigerator;
• lack of tartar prevention.

Some pets refuse full-ration canned food and eat only dry food. In this case, treats are suitable. They can diversify feeding and increase the amount of moisture consumed. However, you should not give treats every day.

What to look for when choosing wet food?

In order for a cat to feel good, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the choice of food. When purchasing a wet complete food or treat, you need to pay attention to:

• best before date;
• the conditions under which the product was stored;
• transparency of the composition;
• amount of meat and offal;
• ratio of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium;
• moisture percentage;
• the presence or absence of good reviews;
• manufacturer and country of manufacture (for example, Royal Canin canned food belongs to a French brand, but can be manufactured in France, Poland or Russia);
• individual needs of the animal;
• value for money;
• absence of flavorings and flavor enhancers.

The more meat in wet food, the better. However, ingredients such as rice, legumes or vegetables are also beneficial in small quantities. Therefore, when choosing canned food for sterilized pets, it is important to review the composition.

If the animal does not gain weight or is hyperactive, the daily dose indicated on the package can be increased. If signs of obesity are detected, the recommended daily amount of feed is reduced.

Premium class

For castrated and sterilized cats, premium wet food is available from the following brands:

• Brit Premium;
• Royal Canin;
• ProPlan;
• Hill's;
• Stuzzy Cat;
• Morando Miogatto and Migliorgatto;
• Bozita.

The cost of premium wet food varies between 60-90 rubles per pouch, lamister or jar up to 100 g.

Changes in the animal's body

After sterilization, irreversible changes occur in the pet’s body, primarily affecting hormonal levels. All this leads to the cat becoming prone to various pathologies.

• Stagnation of urine in the bladder. Sterilized animals defecate much less frequently after the procedure, which entails the development of all sorts of problems. For example, stones and sand can form in the bladder and kidneys. Cystitis occurs equally rarely in sterilized cats.
• Changes in hormonal levels. During sterilization, glands that produce sex hormones are removed from a cat. That is why after the procedure the natural instinct of reproduction disappears in animals. As a result, they stop looking for a suitable partner and compete for their territory. This is why castrated cats sleep a lot, move little and are not interested in games.
• Slowing down metabolic processes. The gonads of cats produce hormones that help them quickly burn calories. And after the level of these substances in the body decreases, metabolism slows down and subcutaneous fat begins to be deposited.
• Increased appetite. In the body of castrated cats, the level of prolactin, which controls metabolic processes, increases significantly. Its excess entails an increase in appetite. This is why animals after sterilization can easily eat two servings at once and still ask for more. As a result, cats often gain extra pounds.

To avoid these problems, the owner of a neutered pet should radically change its diet.

Super premium

Super premium canned foods include:

• Animonda Vom Feinsten;
• Animonda Carny;
• Almo Nature;
• Brit Care;
• Gina;
• Baskerville;
• Leonardo;
• Berkley;
• Lovely Hunter;
• Nutrilove;
• Natures Protection.

Neutered cats should not be given super premium kitten food. It contains an increased amount of vitamins and minerals, which can negatively affect the health of an adult animal.

Holistics

The best among holistic-class canned foods are:

• Applaws;
• Schesir;
• Gimpet.

They are all treats. They cannot be used as the main food. They are given a maximum of 2 times a week. They contain a lot of animal protein.

However, the vitamins and minerals needed for balance are missing. If you feed your pet only these canned foods, calcium stones (oxalates) may form in the kidneys or bladder.

Veterinarians' opinion

Evgeniy, 49 years old, Samara.

Before choosing food, I always advise having the animal’s urine tested. At a neutral pH level (6-6.5), universal, complete, super-premium canned food is suitable. If the urine is alkaline, it is better to feed the animal dry or wet food specifically for castrates.

Alina, 34 years old, Voronezh.

If castrates eat complete canned food (not necessarily special), the risk of developing urolithiasis is reduced. I recommend diluting wet food with water (10-20 ml) for cats and cats who don't drink enough. This increases moisture consumption.

Mikhail, 52 years old, Irkutsk.

Cats and cats get used to the type of food chosen by their owner. I recommend combining dry and wet food. For example, you can give dry food in the morning and lunchtime, and wet food in the evening. However, this must be done on an ongoing basis so as not to provoke problems with the stomach and intestines.

All information posted on the site is provided in accordance with the User Agreement and is not a direct instruction to action. We strongly recommend that before using any product, you must obtain a face-to-face consultation at an accredited veterinary clinic.

Preventing diseases with proper nutrition

In order to prevent the occurrence of undesirable consequences in an animal after castration or sterilization, it is recommended to take preventive measures: To prevent obesity, you should choose specialized good food specifically designed for sterilized pets.

You must not exceed the daily allowance of dry granules; you must strictly follow the recommendations given on the packaging. Neutered cats should be fed twice a day (morning and evening). In some cases, for pets prone to obesity, repeated fractional feeding in small portions is allowed. For weight loss, the dosage is reduced by 15%.

When the cat is less active, it requires less energy, so it needs to be switched to a diet that is lower in calories but more nutritious. Such foods are characterized by a reduced content of fats and carbohydrates, and also help control the acidity level of urine. Some manufacturers add L-carnitine to their products, which promotes the conversion of adipose tissue into muscle tissue and also supports the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Urolithiasis in cats most often manifests itself between 2 and 5 years of age, so to prevent the disease it is necessary to undergo a general urine test at least once every 6-8 months. It is important to detect the formation of stones in time in order to take appropriate measures. The disease can be asymptomatic for several years and in advanced cases, surgical intervention will no longer help.