The cheapest cat food is not a good idea to feed your pet, but if you follow some rules, nothing bad should happen. Namely, the rule is to feed the cat in a balanced manner - that is, not only food or gobies (the type of fish that cats are fed), but both.
Based on reviews from people who have a cat in the house, we can conclude that feeding only dry food can lead to negative consequences - kidney stones.
In this article you will learn about “economy class” feeds and you will be able to choose an acceptable option. Despite the fact that many people are against such cheap feeds, they are very popular among other consumers, and they have been feeding animals with them for a long time. Pets do not suffer. We present you a rating of the cheapest cat food.
Gemon
Price for dry food, 400 g: 227 rub.
Price for wet food, 100 g: 61 rub.
Gemon is a line of food containing everything necessary for the excellent well-being of pets. Gemon dry and wet food is produced in Italy by Monge & CSpA
Even the most picky cats and kittens eat the food. The composition is much better than Felix, Whiskas, Kitekat, in addition, cats eat it with pleasure and it does not cause allergies.
The food is suitable for those who are looking for a good composition at a low price. All food is made from high quality products rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals.
Katty
Price for canned food, 415 g: 36.99 rub.
Katty wet cat food is produced in Russia. Going to the company’s website, there is no information about food of this brand (which is strange, because manufacturers always write about what they create).
The food is based on meat ingredients, but the downside is that there is no specification as to how much, so you have to guess.
The advantages of the food are that it contains a vitamin and mineral supplement, it contains meat ingredients, and, of course, a low price.
But there are also disadvantages - it contains unspecified grains, unspecified by-products, and the food is not widely available.
Cat Chow
Price for dry food, 400 g: 160 rub.
Price for wet food, 85 g: 35 rub.
Cat Chow cat food is produced by Purina in Russia and Hungary. On the company's website you can find information about the composition of the feed, feeding recommendations, as well as the benefits of this feed.
Like most inexpensive foods, the main ingredient is grains, but there is no specification as to what kind of grain was used. There is also no clarification about how much meat is in the food and what kind of meat it is.
The food is quite common and can be found in most stores; the disadvantages include the fact that there is no indication of preservatives and antioxidants.
There are both good and bad reviews about the food. It is not recommended to give it to your pets on an ongoing basis.
Dry diets for adult cats
Hill's Science Plan with Duck
The Hill's company (Netherlands) produces high-quality and fairly affordable super-premium cat food. The Science Plan series produces a diet with a dietary, hypoallergenic protein - duck. It is of good quality and high meat content - 24%. Dry granules can be given to cats aged from one year to six or seven years. This is a complete product - your pet can be kept on only one food without harm to health.
Pros:
- the food contains taurine, which is necessary for the heart health of cats;
- balanced composition of minerals - less risk of developing kidney and bladder diseases;
- the complex with vitamins and microelements in the feed strengthens the immune barrier.
Minuses:
- the food contains wheat and corn - their gluten can cause allergies;
- insufficient detail of the composition - in particular, the origin of chicken fat is not indicated.
Purina Pro Plan Original Adult salmon flavor
Pro Plan Original Adult is a popular and widespread line of food for cats aged one year and older. There are many flavors and types, and there are options for sterilized animals. The salmon diet is of good quality. It is enriched with a special OPTISENSES complex, which contains arginine and antioxidants to prolong the age of activity and improve the functioning of the cat's brain.
Pros:
- high content of valuable salmon meat - it is 18% in the feed, and the total proportion of protein in the volume is 36% (one of the best indicators);
- contains valuable polyunsaturated acids that improve the condition of the coat and skin of cats;
- teeth protection - the food granules are hard, they clean well from plaque and stone.
Minuses:
- contains allergenic gluten - corn and wheat;
- the composition of animal protein and poultry fat is poorly detailed in the feed
Brit Premium Cat Adult Chicken
Affordable cat food with chicken is suitable for adult pets who are not allergic to this protein. There is a lot of protein in the diet - 40%, which includes dried and ground meat. The food also contains chicken and fish oils, which improve brain function and coat condition, and fiber from beet pulp. It improves digestion and helps remove hairballs from the cat's body.
Pros:
- contains rice - it is less allergenic than wheat;
- the diet has a good quality vitamin-mineral complex - there are B vitamins, omega acids and amino acids;
- The food contains a natural preservative - vitamin E (tocopherol).
Minuses:
- the food contains corn - but not much (10%), which reduces the risk of allergies;
- The composition of dry chicken is not detailed - there is no data on the percentage and type of by-products.
Royal Canin Digestive Care
One of the most successful lines of food from Royal Canin. It is safe and of good quality, suitable for cats with sensitive digestion, “problematic” gastrointestinal tract and the habit of regurgitating some of the swallowed granules. Digestive Care food contains a special complex of nutrients to maintain the health of your pet's intestines and stomach.
Pros:
- high protein digestibility - it is presented in the feed in a special LIP form;
- the presence of prebiotics to improve intestinal microflora;
- The food granules have a toric shape, thanks to which they are eaten slowly - cats carefully chew the kibble, so they are easily digested.
Minuses:
- cat food contains wheat and corn, which can cause allergenic reactions in some animals;
- There is no detailing of animal fats in the composition.
Bewi Cat Crocinis with Poultry, Turkey and Fish
German cat food containing three different types of crispy kibble - a total of 25% chicken, 4% turkey and 4% Atlantic herring (as flour). The diet is characterized by a high concentration of nutrients, a “rich” vitamin-mineral complex and good quality.
Pros:
- improves the condition of the coat and skin due to the high concentration of brewer's yeast in the feed (this is a source of vitamin B);
- contains a natural and healthy flavor enhancer - poultry liver hydrolysate;
- Thanks to the different types of granules in the food, even capricious cats eat it willingly.
Perfect Fit
Price for dry food, 650 g: 226 rub.
Price for wet food, 85 g: 22 rub.
Perfect Fit cat food is produced in several countries: Russia, Germany and Hungary. Manufacturer: Mars Corporation.
The first ingredient you'll see listed on the package is poultry meal. Animal flour is a source of proteins. Next, the composition includes “soy protein concentrate”.
Consumers love to buy this food for their cats, since the line provides a wide choice: there is dry food, there is wet food, food for cats, kittens, sterilized crumbs.
Important information on packaging
The quality of feed is determined by its composition. Complete food is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Moreover, animal proteins are needed: meat, dehydrated meat and fish, offal, bone meal.
When buying food, you should read its composition on the packaging. Animal food is formulated according to the same standards as human food: the first place on the list is occupied by the ingredient contained in the greatest quantity; The last ingredient is the one that has the minimum amount.
When reading the composition, keep in mind that meat is 75% water. During the production of dry food, moisture is evaporated and it moves several positions lower in the composition. Cereals come first. The use of meat or fish meal in the production does not apply to this case. If we compare these components, it turns out that 20% flour will correspond to 60% meat .
Friskies
Price for dry food, 400 g: 84 rub.
Price for wet food, 85 g: 16 rub.
Friskies is a series of cat foods produced by Nestle Purina PetCare Company. Produced in Russia and Hungary.
Friskies food contains many varieties: liver, chicken, rabbits, etc. Suitable even for gourmet cats!
Despite the fact that this food is sold in all stores, consumer reviews about it are not the best. Some believe that Friskies caused their pets’ illness, while others believe that the whole point is that the cat needs a balanced diet, that is, the reason is not in the food.
For reference: when you feed your cat dry food, there should always be clean water in a bowl in the house; it should be changed 2 times a day.
Kitekat
Price for dry food, 400 g: 58 rub.
Price for wet food, 85 g: 15 rub.
Kitekat brand produces cat food in the form of dry and wet food and canned food. The food contains different flavors: rabbit, chicken, fish, etc., according to the manufacturer, Kitekat contains all the necessary additives and vitamins.
Many consumers are unhappy with this food, believing that it caused the death of their animals. Cats that eat this food for a long time begin to get sick, but maybe the reason is poor nutrition? After all, cats need to be fed not only with dry food, it should consist of 50% homemade food and 50% store food, then everything will be fine.
Gina
The Gina trademark belongs to the Russian company Magna, which was founded in 1996 in St. Petersburg. At the moment, this is one of the leading Russian companies in its sector, and its product portfolio includes brands such as Mi-Mi, Wildy, X-Cat, X-Dog and Gina Elite, which are also quite popular in our country, judging by the number of reviews about them. All products are produced outside of Russia, at different factories specializing in the production of industrial diets for pets.
Diets under the Gina and Gina Elite brands belong to different nutrition categories. Gina food is a super-premium food for cats, and the manufacturer positions the Gina Elite diet as a holistic class menu. The Gina Elite diet line consists of ten dry food items. Four of these are new nutritional formulas manufactured in the UK. They are easily recognized by their blue-gray packaging, with the flag of that country in the upper left corner.
Pros: High quality source of animal protein. There are hypoallergenic cereals instead of cheap grains (corn, wheat). Availability of high-quality fat (salmon oil). There are also useful supplements and vegetables.
Cons: excessive amount of plant products, against the background of a lack of meat. Fiber deficiency.
Purina One
Price for dry food, 400 g: 300 rub.
Purina One cat food is manufactured in several countries: Russia, France, Hungary, Italy. The product contains: omega fats and fatty acids, meat ingredients, vegetables and herbs, vitamin complex, cereals.
The advantages of Purina One include a wide range of products: for beautiful coats, for sterilized cats, for controlling the formation of hairballs (tangles), etc.
For reference: experts believe that this food is quite good, but it does not contain enough meat for proper nutrition. Well, the problem can be solved by feeding your pet something other than dry food.
Four-legged gourmet
Cat food "Four-Legged Gourmand" appeared on the shelves of pet stores in 2005. It is produced by a specialized Zelenograd enterprise (Russia), which made a name for itself on food for cats, dogs and ferrets. The concept of the manufacturing company involves the use of exclusively natural ingredients, so the creators of the food claim to assign it the title of super-premium class.
The brand does not produce dry food. And wet ones are presented in several lines. Manufacturers have given their products simply jewelery names: “Golden line”, which contains only one type of Human grade meat; “Platinum line”, which already contains by-products, but manufacturers emphasize that these are very clean and pleasant-smelling by-products; “Silver Line” is a menu of seafood and sea fish. “Assorted meats” is the company’s first product, a source of special pride. In the composition you will not find any grains, vegetables, or legumes - meat, offal, vegetable oil, taurine and, perhaps, seaweed.
Pros: large and honest percentage of meat in the composition. There are no artificial flavors or flavor enhancers. Variety of flavors. Reasonable price.
Cons: no dry food. Difficult to find on sale. Specific smell. A large amount of beef fat.
Whiskas
Price for dry food, 350 g: 99 rub.
Price for wet food, 85 g: 19 rub.
The international brand Whiskas was developed in America by Mars. Judging by numerous consumer reviews, their cats love and enjoy eating Whiskas!
No side effects were found in cats after consuming the food, but the animal does not need to be fed often; in addition, it is necessary to include homemade food in the diet.
All the ingredients included in the food are natural, the only negative is that there is not much protein in it. There is a wide range of cat treats to choose from: beef, lamb, chicken, duck, etc.
What foods should be excluded from the diet?
Veterinarians emphasize that it is better not to give economy-class cat food to your furry friend. They do not contain animal proteins; low-quality raw materials are used for their production; they contain many preservatives and dyes, which makes these foods unbalanced and even harmful. As a rule, the first positions in their composition are occupied by cereals (which are not very healthy for cats), rather than meat or meat by-products.
With this diet, a cat may develop:
- urolithiasis disease; - disruption of the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract; - hair loss; - colic, vomiting.
Foods with colored granules, the color of which, according to the manufacturer, is obtained from the juice of vegetables (carrots, broccoli, etc.), actually contain high levels of dyes and preservatives. They are harmful to the pet's body.
Read more about the dangers of these foods: Economy class cat food
Protail
Price for dry food, 350 g: 51 rub.
Price for wet food, 100 g: 20 rub.
Food under the interesting name Prokhvost is produced in Russia. The food contains cereals and products of plant origin. But it is not specified which cereals and products. The food contains natural flavoring additives, but it is also unknown what they are (this is not specified).
Vitamin and mineral supplements are also included in the food, namely taurine, an essential amino acid for cats.
The disadvantages of Protail are that it is not sold everywhere; unnatural antioxidants are used. According to consumer reviews, pets really like the food.
The best holistic cat foods
High quality food. Veterinarians take part in the development. The product does not contain artificially obtained additives, dyes, or flavors. Vegetables, meat and other ingredients are exclusively of organic origin. Three brands meet these requirements.
Grandorf hypoallergenic, 4 meats with brown rice
The top is opened by the manufacturer - the company Grandorf (Belgium). Designed for cats that have undergone sterilization. It is a dry low-grain food for animals older than one year. A special feature of the product is the presence of live probiotics: 109 units per kilogram.
The main component of the product is meat. It accounts for 70%. Among the features one can also highlight a reduced content of fat components against the background of an increased amount of protein. L-carnitine is also present. The substance is responsible for maintaining the pet’s optimal weight.
Does not contain grains, by-products, chicken meat and fat, eggs, salt, as well as artificial flavors, colors, fillers, genetically modified products and soy.
The food is enriched with carob flour. The latter is a digestive regulator of natural origin, so your pet will definitely not have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The composition also contains a complex of natural antioxidants SYNOX 3D and Antarctic krill - a source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 bioelements.
The manufacturer used natural preservatives - tocopherol and ascorbic acid - as well as careful production. The components were dried at temperatures up to +80°C.
Advantages:
- Well absorbed;
- Normalizes the microflora of the intestinal tract;
- Strengthens immune defense;
- Reduces the likelihood of developing food allergies;
- Prevents pathologies of the urinary tract;
- Improves the condition of the skin and coat.
Flaws:
- Small granules.
Animals like it. Buyers note the convenient wide Velcro fastener on the bag. The packaging lasts a long time due to the low daily requirement.
Summit Three Meats with Salmon, Chicken and Turkey
Manufacturer: Petcurean Pet Nutrition, Canada. To manufacture the product, high-quality raw materials from our own farms are used. Available in 1.8 and 6.8 kilogram packages. Allowed for feeding young animals (up to one year), as well as adults (from one year old) and aging cats (from seven years old) - this is indicated by the mark “All Life Stages”.
It is a complete nutrition in dry granule format. There is a choice of taste. The composition, according to customer reviews, is excellent. Dried rosemary is used as a preservative.
The source of the protein component is dehydrated chicken, salmon and turkey. Several ingredients are responsible for the carbohydrate component: brown rice, peas, potatoes and oatmeal. The manufacturer used high-quality ingredients of animal origin - chicken and salmon fat. These are sources of Omega-3 and Omega-6.
The food is enriched with additives necessary for the health of the animal. Dried chicory rhizome improves the condition of the gastrointestinal microflora. The manufacturer chose extracted dried yeast to play the role of a prebiotic that strengthens immune defense. Yucca Schidigera extract reduces the unpleasant odor of stool.
Advantages:
- Absence of corn and wheat, which cause allergies;
- Balanced vitamin and mineral composition;
- Use of natural preservatives;
- Nice smell.
Flaws:
- The packaging does not close;
- Large packaging - no possibility to sample.
GO! Carnivore, grain-free, chicken, turkey, duck
Manufacturer: GO brand. The product is part of the Carnivore line, represented by high-protein foods consisting of 70–89% animal protein and optimal fat content. Available in 1.36, 3.63 or 7.26 kilogram bags. Designed for all periods of a pet's life.
The product is completely grain-free, i.e. does not contain grains. This type of food is recommended for animals with individual food intolerance.
The composition is represented by dehydrated meat of chicken, turkey, trout, salmon and duck. The vegetables and fruits included in it contain a large amount of natural antioxidants, which are responsible for the quality of the immune system.
Taurine helps preserve the animal's vision and also improves heart function. Pro- and prebiotics included in the diet improve intestinal health and normalize digestive processes. A small percentage of carbohydrates prevents your pet from gaining weight.
The manufacturer maintains the “holistic” status, so the product does not contain by-products, growth hormones, artificial preservatives, as well as corn, soy, wheat, and gluten.
Advantages:
- Minimum carbohydrate components;
- Improves the functioning of the digestive system and brain;
- Prevents obesity;
- Does not contain hormones, grains;
- Strengthens immune defense.
Flaws:
- The granules are small in size, which is inconvenient for adult cats;
- A specific smell that your pet may not like.
Buyers in reviews indicate that cats like the taste. The condition of the skin and coat improves. Animals become more active and cheerful.
