On television, you can often see an advertisement for the finished Whiskas cat food. Reviews on this product are highly controversial. Everyone knows the brand name, but not all cat owners know what professional breeders and veterinarians think of it. Let's figure out what “Whiskas” cat food is made of, reviews of which are so different from each other. What are its advantages and disadvantages?
Types of "Whiskas"
We’ll start to study the Whiskas feed. Reviews indicate that this product belongs to the economy class, which means that its price is relatively low. Commercials claim that cats adore this food, and this is true. But how beneficial is it to the health of baleen predators?
In the composition of the feed you can find components of both animal and plant origin. At the same time, the bags have very tasty names and a rich palette of flavors: rabbit, lamb, duck, trout, salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey, beef, shrimp.
In the line you can find food for kittens, adults and elderly animals, as well as for castrated, prone to digestive problems and not cats on the street. The company manufactures products for shorthair and long-haired animals. The food can be dry and wet, in individual bags.
Brand Features
Why is “Wiskas” food so popular? Reviews say that this product is bought by owners who love their cats and want to please them with something tasty. Indeed, in the line you can find such appetizing names as “Chicken stew in cream sauce” or “Jelly with turkey and vegetables”.
Dry food is packaged in bright cardboard boxes that conveniently open and close. Wet food is sold in jars or bags in portions. You just need to open the package and put the delicious pieces in a bowl. You should be aware that when using dry food the cat should have constant access to fresh water. For normal digestion, the animal should drink 3 times more water than the feed consumed.
Dry food is convenient to use, as it can be on the plate all day long. The contents of jelly and stew sachets cannot be stored in the air for a long time.
Structure
What is put in “Whiskas” for cats? Reviews say that for some animals, food is suitable, while for others it can cause allergic reactions. Some breeders believe that prepared foods negatively affect the health of cats, especially sterilized ones. There is also an opinion that “Whiskas” is one of the best feeds in the economy class category.
Its composition causes a lot of controversy. It claims ingredients such as corn gluten, wheat flour, animal and vegetable fats, poultry and fish flour, nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, brewer's yeast, carrots, cellulose, and beets.
Composition analysis
As you can see, in the first place in the composition are “plant protein extracts”, which means that they occupy the highest proportion in the composition. This phrase usually hides corn gluten, flour, starch. Let's not forget that cats are predators, and the basis of their diet should be meat, not wheat and corn.
Of course, a predator cannot get enough nutrients from flour. Therefore, animal and vegetable fats are added to the feed. The only source of meat is meat and bone meal from poultry and fish. But what is this flour made of? Waste from the meat industry is used - scraps of skin, tendons, feathers, heads, paws, beaks, hooves.
Thanks to brewer's yeast, the hair of the animal becomes smooth and silky. Mineral supplements and vitamins are also necessary for the cat. Carrots and beets are used to give a beautiful shade to the pieces of food. And for the cat to eat this mixture from different types of flour, flavors and flavorings, the so-called digests, or attractants are added to the feed.
Why do cats love Whiskas so much? Feedback from veterinarians suggests that strong flavors are used in this feed. Animals get used to strong taste, and everything else seems fresh to them.
Which is better to choose "Whiskas" for cats? Reviews of veterinarians argue that wet food will be more beneficial for the health of the animal, since it already contains water in its composition.
The Wiskas feed also contains phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, calcium, taurine and folic acid, which are necessary for the metabolism of the animal.
Pros: ready-to-eat vitamins
Why is Wiskas so popular for cats? Reviews indicate that this ready-made feed has several advantages.
"Whiskas" is ready for use, which means you don’t have to stand at the stove for cooking dinner for a fluffy pet. This is especially important for owners who have a busy schedule, who do not have time to separately prepare food for the cat.
You can hear a lot of negative things about the composition of this food, but all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the cat are really added to it. Still, you won’t be full of vitamins alone, and cats are obligate predators, that is, they need meat to maintain normal life, and plant food cannot replace it.
Dry food slowly deteriorates in the air, which means that the owner can pour the daily rate of food into the cat's bowl and calmly go to work. The animal can eat when it wants. Wet food for the whole day should not be left.
Advantages: favorite food at a low price
One cannot but mention the most obvious advantage - the low price. True, this applies for the most part to dry Whiskas. Wet food bags contain a lot of jelly. The cat eats 3-5 packs a day. If you buy a more expensive wet food with a high meat content, then even at a high price for a bag you will get savings, since the cat will eat up faster. She will need only 2-3 packs per day.
We continue to discuss “Whiskas”. Reviews indicate that this is one of the few economy-class feeds that has different types, depending on the cat's age, health and lifestyle.
Another advantage, albeit controversial, is that animals are happy to eat food. For many tailed beauties, even meat does not cause such a rapture as "Whiskas". Of course, the owners are pleased to see such a positive reaction and the appetite of their pet. People are attracted by the bright box, the pleasant appearance of the feed, beautiful pictures and a variety of tastes. Do not forget that for cats all these attributes do not matter. They only care about the composition.
Among the advantages of "Whiskas" is often also called a quick saturation of the pet. However, this is a fallacy. The economy class feed contains little meat, the nutritional value is low, therefore, the cat eats a large amount of "Whiskas". Super-premium feed will be needed many times less.
The disadvantages of dry feed
We continue to analyze the food "Wiskas". Reviews of veterinarians are unambiguous - it is not recommended to mix it with homemade food. This will lead to gastrointestinal problems. Therefore, you need to immediately determine whether you will feed the cat a ready-made industrial feed or natural food. Constantly changing the brand is also not advised. Choose one type of food that suits your pet, and always buy it.
Disadvantages: save on health
How good is the “Whiskas”? Reviews say that all feed of the economy class have a rather low quality. It is worth noting that, nevertheless, on the market there are cheap options that are significantly inferior to "Wiskas" in the content of useful substances. Especially cautious should be to buy unknown brands and brands produced by retail chains. Always read the composition before buying!
Another disadvantage can be considered a high price for canned food, given the high water content and far from ideal composition.
The reviews of professional breeders and veterinarians are not comforting - poor quality feed can provoke numerous diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and allergies in cats. In particular danger are the kidneys and liver of the animal. The cause of urolithiasis is increasingly called by veterinarians cheap low-quality feed. Trying to save on the nutrition of a cat can sadly affect the health of the pet and lead to its death. Do not forget that the animal should be regularly shown to the veterinarian, if necessary to do tests.
Minuses: addictive
Another significant drawback of Viskas is that cats quickly get used to it. It seems so tasty to them that animals refuse other food. Owners who decide to transfer their cats to premium and super-premium ready-made feeds are facing difficulties. In higher-quality brands, the content of flavors and flavors considered harmful is significantly lower. Accordingly, they are less attractive to the animal. But still, usually one or two days is enough for cats to try a new food.
“Whiskas” for kittens, reviews of which are generally positive, as well as a product for adults and elderly animals, occupy a significant share in the Russian market. But more and more often the owners are asking themselves: are ready-made feeds harmful to the health of their pets? We can advise one thing: pay attention not only to the price, but also to the composition.