If you decide to get a cat or kitten, of course, you will immediately face many problems, and almost every one of them will be pressing. But, if the animal is already toilet trained, it has received all the necessary vaccinations, so you can meet the veterinarian a little later, then it will want to eat, well, literally immediately after moving into your apartment.
What to feed? Soup and pancakes from the host’s table, scraps of meat and other household waste, or maybe special food?
Many breeders will be happy to share with you exactly what they raised the cat on and what she likes most. But of course, this does not cancel your personal right to choose. And if, for example, the proposed food turns out to be too expensive for you, or, on the contrary, of very suspicious quality, the furry cat’s diet will have to be reconsidered. But of course, raking all the cans in the supermarket into a basket and then offering one at a time to an animal is not constructive. Moreover, in addition to food from supermarkets, there are also many offers from pet stores. What to choose?
Today we will look at Felix cat food and how veterinarians and ordinary consumers respond to it. After all, it’s better to entrust this choice to specialists; they will be much more objective than the most colorful advertising on TV or on the Internet!
Among the world-famous companies producing cat food, you can find a large number of worthy representatives, and one of them is Felix. Specialists very accurately select all the ingredients for this food, and therefore the resulting products fully comply with the standards and will delight any handsome man with a mustache. Felix is a food produced by Nestlé, the company that is associated with many other products for cats and dogs (Friskies, Gourmet, Proplan, Darling, etc.). So the food has long been familiar to experts in the care of four-legged animals.
This is wet food with a rather “tasty” smell and a pleasant appearance (with streaks of meat or fish, which subtly hints at its naturalness). However, its price is not very high, so many cat owners are in no hurry to trust the cheapness. And, of course, despite the manufacturer’s assurances that the food is completely balanced, perhaps even with good quality canned food they will need to be supplemented with something?
Manufacturer
The Felix brand is owned by Purina, founded in the late 19th century by William Danforth, Will Andrews and George Robinson. Initially, oats, corn and molasses were used in feed, but in 1896 production took a different path.
Purina currently produces products for both cats and dogs. Moreover, this is not only food, but also treats, and even fillers. The result of such large-scale activities: a leading position in the Russian market.
The Purina brand, in addition to Felix, includes food Darling, Gourmet, Friskies, Purina One, Cat Chow, Pro Plan (About the Plan).
What food do you buy for your cat?
Darling Felix
Feed class
For the convenience of buyers and veterinarians, cat food is divided into 4 groups: economy, premium, super-premium and holistic. Holistics are the most expensive, but also the best in composition, the most balanced and high in meat, fish, fruits, berries and vegetables. Super-premium is somewhat worse in quality, but the meat content in it is normal. Premium and economy food are cheaper than the above, but their composition is simpler, they almost always contain synthetic additives, and instead of pure meat, they contain meat waste.
Felix cat food belongs to the economy class.
Range
This brand of food is divided into dry and wet, and cat treats are produced separately.
Felix wet food is varied in both shape and taste.
Soups with cod, chicken and beef. Soups contain meat, fish and processed products, vegetable protein extracts, minerals and amino acids, processed plant products, thickeners, yeast, sugar. The percentage of meat and fish is at least 4%.
Pieces in jelly (canned Sensations) with a crunchy topping. There is a fish platter (with trout, cod and salmon), meat (chicken, liver and duck). The composition is almost identical to the above, but there is no yeast or processed plant products.
Appetizing pieces “Double Yummy” in jelly: with lamb and chicken; poultry and beef; trout and salmon; liver and turkey. Meat, poultry and fish - at least 4%. The composition contains dyes, vitamins A, D3, E, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, taurine.
Appetizing pieces in jelly: with chicken (for little ones); for adults - with chicken, lamb, turkey, rabbit, beef, green beans and trout, with salmon. Contains: dyes, vitamins and minerals. No yeast, amino acids or processed plant products.
Felix Sensations in jelly: with beef and tomatoes; with chicken and carrots; with duck and spinach; with salmon and cod. Percentage of meat or fish: 19%.
Felix Sensations in tomato sauce with beef or cod, with turkey in bacon-flavored sauce; with duck in carrot sauce.
Veterinarians point out that vegetable protein extract is worse than animal protein, and it is the latter that cats need! Therefore, choose canned food without it or with a minimal amount.
Dry food. Double delicious with meat, poultry or fish. Ingredients: meat and processed meat products, cereals, vegetable protein extracts, animal fats, glycerin, processed vegetable raw materials, sugar, minerals, preservatives, yeast, dyes, vitamins (D3, A, E, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, iodine, iron), antioxidants, taurine, crude fiber, linoleic acid, crude ash. Keep in mind that birds are only 4%.
Treats. Sea mix (Felix Party Mix) with salmon, trout and cod flavors; cheese mix; original mix; grill mix. Ingredients: meat (or fish) and its processed products (26%), fats, grains, oils, vegetable protein, various sugars, yeast, preservatives, dyes, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, milk and its processed products.
The permitted daily intake is usually indicated on the packaging and is calculated from the weight of the animal. Castrated and sterilized cats eat less high-calorie food than active animals, and weakened, sick, pregnant females need an increased diet and more vitamins.
Also keep in mind that you cannot mix different foods. If you decide to give your cat ready-made food, then both dry and wet food should be identical, of the same brand.
Feeding recommendations
Features of feeding your pet depend on the specific type of food:
- Soup. It is offered in addition to the main diet, as it contains a lot of liquid in order to satisfy the animal’s daily need for drinking. For an adult cat weighing about 4 kg, one sachet per day is enough. It is necessary to ensure that the food is at room temperature.
- Assorted with topping. An adult pet weighing about 4 kg requires 3-4 sachets per day. Feeding frequency is twice a day. The food should be at room temperature.
- Double deliciousness. Dry food. An adult cat requires:
- dry only – 70 g per day;
- dry + wet (any) – 50 g + 1 pack of wet (85 g) per day.
- Party mix. An adult pet weighing about 4 kg requires up to 15 g of food or approximately 40 granules per day
Felix Party mix
Compound
Felix food contains both natural meat and fish, as well as their processed products. But there is a tiny amount of pure fish or meat fillet (usually no more than 4%), but meat waste is 17%. There is sugar, mineral salts and a flavor enhancer, thanks to which cats gobble up the food with great pleasure. Another component is vegetable protein. On the one hand, it is easily digested and prevents the development of certain diseases, on the other hand, it is not suitable for a growing body. Contains vitamins and mineral components.
For weakened, sick animals, with problems of the gastrointestinal tract, allergies, food from this line is categorically not recommended.
Use Felix on an ongoing basis - i.e. regularly - not worth it. This is the opinion of veterinarians. For complete daily nutrition, you should choose a product of a higher class: super-premium or holistic, or feed the animal natural food. Economy class food is like human chips: if we eat them constantly, we will start to have health problems. And it’s quite possible to indulge occasionally.
Reviews
Let's now take a look at some reviews from cat owners about Felix food:
Elena: “Good afternoon! Felix started buying it immediately after it appeared on store shelves. My cat has probably already tried all the flavors. Always eats everything. True, I don’t give food often; I combine it with homemade food.
The appearance of the feed is satisfactory. If you look closely, you can see crushed vessels - that is, there are definitely by-products in the composition. In addition, you can notice chopped pieces of various vegetables. I really like that different types of food are constantly appearing, there is always something to choose from. I should also note that my cat is completely healthy! Very active and affectionate. There are no problems with digestion."
Ekaterina: “I’ve been raising cats for quite a long time, so I’m well versed in their nutrition. Somehow, out of curiosity, I bought a couple of bags of Felix food. I really liked the price. But other than that, I didn’t notice any advantages in it. It doesn't even smell like meat, but my cats attacked it like crazy - this suggests that it contains a huge amount of additives. After that I don’t buy Felix anymore, only sometimes for barn cats. This is still better for them than going hungry, and, unfortunately, finances do not allow them to buy other food.
In general, I do not recommend feeding Felix food if you value the health of your pets. There’s nothing good about it except the cost.”
Irina: “I have a British cat. I always buy her different foods, because it’s hard to please her - she doesn’t eat everything. One day “Felix” caught my eye. Delicious pieces." The pieces really looked appetizing, and my pet ate them willingly. After that I decided to continue buying them.
After 2 months, I noticed that my cat had gained noticeable weight and began to refuse other foods. After surfing the web, I came across information that Felix is very often addictive. Gradually the cat was switched to premium food. Still, economy class does not have a very good effect on the health of animals. I was convinced of this from my own experience.”
Advantages and disadvantages
- Affordable price.
- You can buy Felix food not only in a specialized pet store, but also in almost any supermarket that has a stand with products for dogs and cats (Magnit, Karavan, Auchan, etc.) .
- The composition contains natural fish or meat (at least 4%).
- Manufacturers produce for sale not only dry, but also wet food, and also annually expand their line of treats for cats.
- They are produced not only for adult cats: there are separate types for babies.
- Lots of different flavors.
- Allergenic components - like brewer's yeast - are often found in food.
- If your cat needs special therapeutic nutrition, the Felix line, alas, is not suitable for her. There are no preventive feeds there either.
- The composition indicated on the packaging is incomplete; the presence of some components is hushed up.
- Judging by the numerous comments from cat owners, the Felix line of food is addictive.
Cats that eat dry food drink a lot. Therefore, do not forget to pour clean water into your pet’s bowl and change the liquid 2 times a day: morning and evening.
Get to know interesting cat breeds with the help of our encyclopedia: Bambino, Arabian Mau, Aegean.
How does Felix affect your pet's health?
The cat's diet should be balanced. It should contain animal protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. In cheap food, meat is often replaced with vegetable protein (for example, soy), which is why veterinarians do not recommend economy-class cat food. They claim that this product has an optimal meat-soy ratio. Some cat owners complained about the animal’s poor health after switching to Felix, but only a competent veterinarian can determine whether this is true or not.
How to feed a cat "Felix"
The average weight of an adult cat is 3–4 kg. If we talk about wet food, then such an animal requires 3-4 packages of Felix canned food (up to 350 grams). Of course, this amount must be divided into several doses. The characteristics of the cat should also be taken into account:
- active animals expend more energy, and cats living at home (or, for example, neutered) need fewer calories;
- sick or pregnant cats need more vitamins;
- kittens need more protein - building material for proper growth, etc.
In addition, your cat should always have access to fresh drinking water.
Our veterinarian said that an adult cat needs 30-40 Felix snacks or 3-4 tendon “feathers”. You can count out a specific number of crispy crickets, but do not pour a full bowl of “yummy”. As for drinking, I give filtered water to my cat in a metal or ceramic bowl. My older cat also likes to drink in the most unexpected places. For example, she likes to lap from a saucer on which there is a flower pot. The vet says this is due to the material the dishes are made from. Animals do not like “smelly” water, and this can happen in plastic containers that leave scratches on the walls (they harbor bacteria). That’s why I always have a spare bowl of cool water on my windowsill. Most often, it comes in handy if a piece of food gets into the cat’s drinking plate and the water becomes tasteless.
When feeding a cat, it is important to maintain a drinking regime and correctly calculate the amount of food
