All About Hill's Cat & Cat Food

For decades, the Hill's brand has produced high-quality mono-protein and vegetable-based, grain-free, dry and canned cat foods. But pet owners who purchase this product for the first time are often worried about whether they choose the best diet options, while the comparison is made with the nutrition of Purina Pro Plan, Royal Canin, equal in class. A detailed analysis of Hill's cat food by composition and series, with customer reviews, will help to understand everything.

Hill's cat food is a product of an American company that has been successfully marketing and developing its products for over 80 years. Initially, there was only one country of origin - the United States. Then the brand opened factories around the world, including in the EU member states. It is they who today produce feeds that are sold in Russia.

Carefully formulated diets are one of Hill's greatest strengths. Premium food and super premium diet are created with the direct participation of veterinarians, nutritionists, breeders who know all the intricacies of raising certain cat breeds. All available rations are divided into 3 separate lines:

• Ideal Balance;

• Science Plan;

• Prescription Diet.

Most dry food contains fresh meat and flour. Most often, the main raw material is poultry - chicken, turkey. Lamb or rabbit meat is used in hypoallergenic products. The fish component is represented by tuna, salmon.

A significant proportion of the composition is occupied by cereals and cereals. This can be rice or wheat. And also legumes may be present in the composition - corn, peas.

Fiber is not abundant in the brand's diets. Its main sources are dried beet pulp, as well as other components of vegetable origin. All of them contribute to the normalization of the digestive function, stimulate the intestines.

Each package contains a specially selected vitamin and mineral complex. Depending on age indicators, degree of mobility, presence of diseases, the emphasis can be placed on the ingredients:

• strengthening bones and teeth;

• improving the odor from the tray;

• supporting heart health;

• prolonging youth;

• preventing relapse of ICD;

• removing hairballs;

• contributing to the normalization of metabolism;

• improving vision.

Kittens receive strictly dosed vitamin and mineral supplements. For adult cats, they are offered in moderation, sufficient to support the basic vital functions of the body. Special dietary supplements are labeled to indicate the type of diet prescribed by the veterinarian. It is better to first agree on their use with the attending physician.

Commercial Hill's dry cat food is packaged both in compact packs and in bags of 7-10 kg and 15 kg... All types of products are divided into diets for kittens, senior and adult animals according to their age. Hill's foods are not formulated with hormones, artificial colors or preservatives, and are rich in antioxidants and digestible proteins. For cats after neutering, a product line is suitable that takes into account the possible problems of neutered animals.

The breed characteristics are also taken into account. For Maine Coons and other pets of large breeds, feeds with an increased granule size and high calorie content are suitable. For sphinxes - diets with a hypoallergenic formula for sensitive skin. A grain-free diet will reduce the risks of negative intestinal reactions.

The flavor variety is also quite large. Compositions with vegetables are less high in calories. Chicken options are universal, like almost all cats. Tuna or salmon can also be a valuable source of protein, which further contributes to a shiny coat and healthy skin. If you are tired of vegetable food, you can try mono-protein, with 1 type of meat.

Cats over 12 months old require a balanced and fairly simple diet to help provide the pet with the necessary nutrients. For these purposes, Science Plan diets are optimal. Among them, owners can easily find the best solution for their adult cat.

• Adult... A basic line designed for pets with no health problems. For adults, Hill's offers dry rations with duck, tuna, lamb and chicken. Each flavor can be mixed with others within the series.

• Hairball Indoor. Domestic cats that do not leave the confines of the human habitation experience problems unknown to their wild brethren. The formation of hairballs in the stomach is one of them. This food is specially formulated to combat this source of discomfort. Helps to remove accumulated hair from the stomach of the animal.

• Oral Care... Taking care of dental health is an important part of an animal's owner's responsibilities. Tartar, pathogenic bacterial microflora in the form of plaque on the enamel pose a serious danger to cats. Hill's suggests eliminating or slowing down these processes with the help of a special pelleted feed with dietary fiber that improves oral health.

• Urinary health... A lightweight chicken formula to help prevent urolithiasis in adult, mature or spayed cats.Among the ingredients is animal fat - a source of Omega-3 and 6 acids, L-carnitine to prevent weight gain. Magnesium, potassium and phosphorus in a strict dosage, a special combination of vitamins - all this helps to maintain the health of the cat.

• Perfect Weight. A healthy weight is the foundation of a cat's longevity. A special feed with dietary chicken meat and prebiotic fiber helps to keep it normal. Weight loss with its help can be made long-term, and the result can be kept for a long time. The food is high in protein, helping to normalize the ratio of fat to muscle mass.

• Sensitive Stomach & Skin. Special food for animals prone to skin or gastrointestinal reactions to certain foods. The food is rich in fatty acids and fiber and contains rice for good digestion. The source of animal protein here is a mixture of turkey and chicken flour, light and nutritious.

Hill's also has a line of Prescription Diet dry foods. It contains special dietary rations for the correction of various health problems of a cat. It is important to know that it is recommended to choose such food under the supervision of a veterinarian based on actual tests. Some feeds are adapted for lifelong use, others for short-term use.

In the feline family, it is customary to divide animals up to a year into 2 age categories: up to 6 months and up to 12. The first of them is kittens, which can be given a little softened and dry food as part of a mixed diet. At first, give no more than 5 g, gradually increasing the dosage 10 times by 3 months. Hill's has a Science plan chicken or tuna food for these babies.

From 6 months old kittens can be sterilized. Those who have already undergone such a procedure require special food. Feed category Young Adult with Science Plan Sterilized duck will help your pet not to gain excess weight. The 300g, 1.5kg, 3kg or 10kg weight control food supplement supports urinary tract health through low levels of certain minerals.

Older cats move less, gain weight more easily, and experience digestive problems. All these factors must be taken into account when choosing a diet. Hill's offers several products for senior cats.

• Science Plan Senior Vitality... A special diet designed to keep your pet active, keeping it clear of thought and zest for life. Poultry protein is the main ingredient. Among the unusual components are dry pomace of tomatoes and broccoli.

• Science Plan Mature Adult 7+... This product is available in 2 flavors - with chicken and tuna. The size and shape of the pellets are adjusted to accommodate possible chewing problems in older animals. The composition is formed so as to maintain the health of the pet, its main functions at the proper level. Light protein components and valuable sources of vegetable protein provide the necessary energy for an elderly cat.

• Science Plan Sterilized Cat Mature Adult 7+... Sterilized older cats have special nutritional requirements. This food is specially formulated with ingredients to control body weight. Cats receive easily digestible proteins, strictly dosed minerals for the prevention of urolithiasis, L-lysine and L-carnitine.

• Science Plan Hairball Indoor Mature Adult 7+... A special diet that prevents the formation of hairballs in the stomach of older pets who do not go outside. This low-calorie food is made with healthy chicken, turkey and valuable fiber. For the health of hair and skin, the composition contains well-digestible fats - fish and animal.

Liquid food can be a good addition to the main menu or completely replace it in a cat's diet. At Hill's, this role is played by pouches - miniature packs of 1 serving. The brand has several series of products in this category.

• Youthful Vitality. For cats over 7 years old with chicken or salmon.

• Prescription Diet. In the special series of therapeutic nutrition, the taste variety is somewhat wider. There are products with beef, chicken and salmon.

• Science Plan for kittens. Among the most popular flavors here are turkey and tender ocean fish, as well as chicken meat in the form of miniature pieces.

• Science Plan for neutered cats. Salmon spiders are suitable for pets over 6 months old, including castrated ones. And you can also pick up an alternative option with turkey, chicken or trout.

• Science Plan Adult. Complete food in the form of moist chunks in jelly. Everyone will love the delicate flavors of chicken and turkey. Fluffy gourmets will appreciate the taste of ocean fish.

Pouches are a convenient format for those cats who find it difficult to chew on dry pellets. The animal can be completely transferred to this diet if it has survived the loss of teeth or suffers from gum disease.

The delicious canned pate has a consistency that most cats like. At Hill's, such products are aimed at both mature pets from the Senior category, as well as adults or young animals. Science Plan even includes 1st Nutrition Kitten Mousse, which contains digestible protein from chicken and turkey. Adult cats over 1 year old may try other pates:

• with salmon;

• with Chiken.

Medicinal pates have their own purpose. Kidney Care cares about kidney health, Metabolic helps to normalize metabolic processes and body weight. During an exacerbation of urolithiasis, you can give your pet soft food U / C. There are separate products in the Prescription Diet series for weight loss with sugar control and for solving food intolerances.

The food in the stew format is of no less interest.... It also belongs to veterinary diets, comes in compact jars, contains high-quality vegetables and chicken meat. Such nutrition can be shown with ICD, gastroenteritis in any form, with kidney problems. The consistency of the stew is reminiscent of natural minced meat. Animals like them, regardless of age.

It is quite difficult for a novice breeder to figure out which food is best for a cat. Moreover, the advertised brands are always heard, and it seems that there is not much difference. It is enough to take one of the premium or super premium products. But not all feeds compare favorably with Hill's. It is enough to study the 2 most popular analogue brands to be convinced of this.

• Royal canin... A manufacturer with a wide range of food for puppies, adult animals, there is even milk formula for feeding babies. There is a detailed division into groups - taking into account the activity of the pet, its tendency to various diseases. Hill's wins here in more careful planning of the composition of the diets, in the openness of information on ingredients. The strong oiliness and dark color of Royal Canin granules also alarms cat owners, but at the price it turns out to be a rather profitable purchase.

• Purina Pro Plan. Fodders of this brand were once widely used by breeders of breeding animals, but later many buyers became disillusioned with their composition. Compared to Hill's, they are too high in plant protein and low in animal ingredients. In addition, a strong and pungent food odor indicates the presence of aromatic additives.Products under the Pro Plan brand are cheaper than their counterparts.

Customers managed to leave more than one hundred reviews about Hill's food. You can see that the share of positive opinions about this diet accounts for almost 90% of all messages.... Cat owners note the ease of selection of diets for allergy sufferers and other animals with special restrictions. The refusal of the brand from loud promises is also positively evaluated - the really achievable results are described on the packaging.

Buyers value spiders and canned food of this brand even higher than dry food. Cats like their variety of tastes, and the owners like the composition without unnecessary components that could pose a threat to pets. The line of nutrition in the form of veterinary diets is especially highly valued.

Nearly all of the negative reviews about Hill's food are found to be related to improper selection. For example, if hairless cats are purchased anti-hairball products or if they are given a normal diet for ICD. And also the disadvantages include difficulties with the purchase of certain types of feed in stores.