What is holistic food and how is it beneficial for cats?

What is holistic food for cats?

Holistic class food is an industrial food for cats of a new format, the appearance of which, without exaggeration, can be called a real breakthrough in the pet industry, just like biologically appropriate food.

Holistics are natural products. When producing them, manufacturers adhere to a special philosophy, which is based on only 4 principles:

• For their production, exclusively natural and fresh products (meat, fish) are used;
• This diet contains no hormonal substances, antibiotics or flavor enhancers;
• Holistics do not contain industrial meat and fish waste and by-products;
• The plant components included in the food are selected taking into account the needs of cats.

This is interesting: the term Holistic itself is translated as complex or holistic and implies harmony and unity of spirit and body. Manufacturers of holistic food claim that their products are balanced, natural and complete nutrition, which is very beneficial for the health of cats of all ages and breeds.

Classification of dry cat food

The dry cat food market offers a wide range of ready-made food in the form of crunchy granules. Industrial feeds differ in their composition, quality and price and can be divided into 4 categories:

• Holistic class . It is one of the most expensive foods, which are made from selected products and do not contain dyes or preservatives;
• Super premium class . High-quality food for furry pets, which includes microelements and vitamins necessary for animal health;
• Premium class . Not the best option for feeding cats, since the food contains few useful components and consists mainly of plant ingredients;
• Economy class . The cheapest and low-quality food, which contains industrial waste (bone meal, ground cartilage) and taste enhancers and flavoring agents that are harmful to the cat’s body.

The main differences between holistic foods and other ready-made foods

By their way of life, cats are predators and for their normal development they need a source of protein, which is meat. And to make most cheap cat foods, plant ingredients are used, such as grains and vegetables, and at best they contain only 10-20% meat products. Therefore, such food for cats cannot be called useful.

In the composition of ready-made holistic food, the opposite is true: the main components are meat and fish, and products of plant origin are included as additional elements. Thus, the diet of cats consists mainly of protein and is as close as possible to their diet in natural conditions.

What does the cat get as a result?

No matter how many thousands of years cats have lived next to us, they remain predators. Their body continues to look for the opportunity to profit from raw protein, fresh blood and still warm flesh of birds. The instincts of cats have not lost their strength after many generations. And dry food never became the only preferred food. Owners who think about the type of food their pet needs prefer feeding that is closest to natural. Holistic food: what is it from a cat’s point of view?

Is it really just meat?

We have already given the numbers - 80% meat. What takes up the remaining 20%? If you think about how things happen in nature, you can easily find the answer. Having killed game or caught a bird, the cat first of all tries to open the stomach and esophagus of the victim. From their contents, it receives essential substances of plant origin and coarse fiber, which stimulate peristalsis and cleanse the intestines of hairballs.

Some of the plant components of wild food are found in common cereal crops. But plant proteins processed with the digestive juices of victims are a much higher quality component of the diet. Of course, the manufacturer is not able to completely replace this component - the chemical processes are too complex. But almost any holistic cat food contains about 10% vegetables, healthy herbs, fruits, and berries. Another percentage is given to rice, peas and lentils, which are well absorbed and stimulate digestion.

MARKETING TRICKS. Sellers often indicate that holistic food does not contain soy, by-products or grains. Although the rice included in the composition is a cereal crop, and by-products such as liver, heart and lung are a common and irreplaceable element of the diet of all cats.

Which brand should you choose?

There are more and more manufacturers. Even brands that previously did not even try to produce premium products today already offer dietary lines and special food for cats. Among the recommended feeds, we can especially note:

Something else interesting: What to feed a newborn kitten

Orijen Ket: about 75% meat ingredients, the addition of Canadian herbs and whole eggs. Omega 3.6 in the form of salmon and anchovy.

Akana: another representative of Canada, one of the first to come to the cat market with holistic food. He is especially proud of the absence of potatoes and grains as “fillers”. Among the additives in this brand of food there are very non-standard ones: rose hips, pumpkin pulp, seaweed, dandelion, turmeric, cumin.

Golden Eagle: an American brand that has not yet been able to clearly distinguish between super-premium class and holistic. Depending on the position, the feed may contain skins, tendons, and bones in the recipe. Therefore, before purchasing, carefully read the composition, not the trade name.

Innova: the same age as Akana. The production experience is just as great, and the quality of the feed is no worse. The content of probiotics in this brand of food gives them some advantage.

Felida rounds out our top five leaders in holistic production. Herbs, berries, mineral supplements, prebiotics in combination with high-quality chicken, turkey, lamb and fish allow the food to occupy its rightful place in the segment.

Choosing a diet for a cat is always a lottery. Some cats like dry food. Others prefer only canned food. And there are those who refuse any food except live mice and yard sparrows. Village cats steal goose eggs and drink milk from a saucer on the doorstep. They can happily catch cockroaches, dragonflies and grasshoppers. And at the same time they remain happy for many years. Are commercial feed manufacturers able to guarantee the content of such components in their products?

For cats eating a balanced diet, it is sometimes much more important that the amount of food is commensurate with physical activity. Otherwise, even the highest quality food can lead to the deposition of fats and salts. When choosing the type and grade of food for your pet, always use common sense, choosing a reasonable combination of price, quality and benefits. But do not forget that the cat should like its food. Otherwise, the effect will not be achieved. After all, not only omega acids, but also pleasure hormones give smoothness to the coat.

Characteristics of holistic class feeds

Holistic cat food is developed taking into account the needs of these animals and in their production, manufacturers adhere to the recipe for the optimal balance of all components.

In percentage terms this is:

• Proteins – 30-70%;
• Fats – 14-18%;
• Fiber – 4-10%;
• Carbohydrates – 2-5%;
• Water – 10%.

Developers of ready-made elite feeds monitor the quality of products no less carefully. To prepare holistic products, only natural ingredients are used, which are carefully checked for the presence of harmful chemicals and GMOs before processing.

This diet includes:

• Fresh and dehydrated meat: lamb, duck, chicken, turkey. There are also foods whose protein source is sea fish (krill, herring);
• Fresh and dried vegetables and fruits are used as a source of fiber. Pumpkin, carrots, tomatoes, apples, blueberries, cranberries are added to this diet;
• As for carbohydrates, unlike cheap foods, holistic foods do not contain wheat, corn or barley. Potatoes and brown rice are present in small dosages in elite ready-to-eat foods;
• Holistic class food is supplemented with a vitamin and mineral complex. Herbal extracts, greens, vitamins C and E are used as useful elements.

Holistics do not contain proteins of plant origin (soy, lentils, peas), preservatives, stabilizers or chemical food additives.

List of manufacturers

Every year more and more companies are switching to the production of high-quality feed, so the choice in this category is simply huge. The following will be a list of manufacturers who have already established themselves in the market.

Acana

Acana products are manufactured by the Canadian company Champion Petfoods, which over the decades has become a leader in the manufacture of super-premium and platinum-class pet food (that is, holistic). Acana food is designed for cats of different breeds and ages. They contain the highest (up to 80%) percentage of natural proteins and few carbohydrates, which promotes better absorption of the product.

The basis of the feed is high-quality fish or meat: chicken, duck, turkey with the addition of offal (no more than 9%), fruits, vegetables and herbs. They are gluten free and come in a grain-free version. Acana food is quite widely represented on the domestic market and is available in any store, although the price is not low.

Grandorf

Grandorf food is produced by United Petfood Producers, whose production facilities are located in Belgium (dry foods) and Italy (canned food). Most products contain probiotics that support intestinal microflora. The food is based on natural meat (65-70%), there are no vegetable proteins. The rest consists of gluten-free grains (rice, lentils), sweet potatoes, vegetables, dried berries, and flax seeds.

Carnilove

Czech holistic providers Carnivore are the most affordable and not the worst in quality. The composition is slightly different from previous foods, which obviously affected the price. For example, the fish version contains fishmeal (sometimes up to 30%). The meat composition is very diverse: wild boar, pheasant, duck, turkey, venison. There are also many useful ingredients: dried berries, seeds, herbs. The line includes food for different age groups and breeds, for sterilized cats and those with sensitive digestion.

Go Natural

Canadian Go Natural food is widely known in our market. Holistics here are represented by three types of meat (duck, chicken, turkey) and salmon (the percentage is not specified by the manufacturer). The composition also contains cereals (chickpeas, lentils), herbs, dried berries, vitamins, and minerals. The line includes a grain-free option, with probiotics, for adult cats and kittens.

Now

Now Fresh Holistics are manufactured by Canadian company Petcurean Pet Nutrition. These are high-quality grain-free foods containing a high percentage of protein from natural meat (turkey, duck, salmon). There are few carbohydrates here, mainly potatoes. The rest is represented by dried berries, seeds and fruits (apples, bananas), carrots and vitamin supplements. Now food is widely available in domestic pet stores and is affordable.

Holistic food: main advantages

Many owners of elite nurseries, and even ordinary owners, give preference to holistic class feeds as a diet. And this is not surprising, because such nutrition has many advantages compared to other foods and almost no disadvantages.

Pros of holistic people:

• Using natural quality ingredients;
• Balanced and nutritious composition;
• Content of vitamins, minerals and beneficial elements;
• Complete absence of preservatives and chemical additives;
• The packaging must list all the products and components used in the manufacture of the food;
• Possibility of choosing food for cats of different age categories;
• A wide range of hypoallergenic and dietary foods are provided.

Among the disadvantages of this food, one can note its rather high cost, as well as the fact that holistic class products are more difficult to find on the shelves of pet stores.

The difference between Holistic and other foods

Holistic differs significantly from economy, premium and super premium mixtures in the following parameters:

• Made only from products intended for human consumption.
• It contains certain types of meat (turkey, lamb, chicken, duck) and fish. Does not contain pork or beef.
• It has a natural taste that is attractive to cats.
• Be sure to contain Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, micro- and macroelements, vitamins.
• For 100% digestibility and improved motility of the cat’s gastrointestinal tract, the composition includes enzymes and natural probiotics.
• The content of harmful artificial additives (attractants - taste enhancers, dyes, preservatives) is completely excluded.
• The content of plant ingredients is kept to a minimum, no more than 10%.
• It is not advertised like Whiskas and Kiteket on television and on the Internet.
• In order to exclude trade in counterfeits, it is sold only in expensive pet stores, elite veterinary clinics, and by order on the official distributor’s website.
• It has a very high cost, at least twice as expensive as premium food made from high-quality raw materials.

The packaging of Holistic class mixtures must contain the following information:

• name of the brand, manufacturer, trademark;
• mass of the product in grams or kilograms;
• date of manufacture;
• best before date;
• composition (indicated in descending order of quantitative content);
• daily norm;
• distributor contact information;
• quality certificate mark.

Read the article about the composition of cat food.

Where can I buy holistic food at a good price?

You can buy real holistic food for cats at a very competitive price in online pet stores:

1. Old Farm
2. Dinosaur
3. Ivanko Delivery (SPB)

Types of holistic treatments for cats of different ages and with special needs

When producing holistic treatments, the pet’s age, breed, and health condition are taken into account. Therefore, holistic food is prepared in accordance with the basic needs of animals, including various components.

For small kittens

Between the ages of 1 month and 1 year, fur babies undergo a period of active growth. Also at this time they are extremely energetic and active, so it is worth paying special attention to their diet.

For feeding kittens, food from the Applaws and Gina Elite Kitten brands is well suited, containing chicken or turkey meat, tomatoes, yucca extract, alfalfa and flaxseed oil.

For adult active cats

Adult playful cats require a balanced and high-calorie diet.

The best holistic foods for cats are represented by the following brands: Innova, Grandorf, GO Natural and Superpet. For their production, fresh meat of chicken, turkey, beef and lamb or fish (trout, herring, salmon), fresh fruits, vegetables and a complex of vitamin supplements are used.

For older cats

Holistic products for aging animals are made from white fish meat and also contain vegetables (pumpkin, carrots), rosemary, chamomile and dried blueberries.

Pronature Holistic food is recommended for older cats and pets leading a sedentary lifestyle.

For sick animals

For cats suffering from various diseases or during the rehabilitation period, a special diet is indicated.

Manufacturers from Acana, Orijen and Nutram produce food whose main ingredient is ocean white fish. They also contain fresh vegetables, amino acids, lecithin and a mixture of dried herbs. This diet has a low content of phosphorus and zinc.

For sterilized pets

The food is made from lean meats or Atlantic fish and contains brown rice, dried cranberries, dried herb extracts with antioxidant effects and probiotics. Thanks to this diet, sterilized cats do not gain excess weight, and the level of hormones and urine acidity in their body remains within normal limits.

Food for neutered animals from the Grandorf and Almo Nature brands has proven itself well.

In addition to the above categories, you can also choose food depending on the breed of the animal, because there are separate food lines for short-haired and long-haired cats.

Raw natural holistic food

​This type of holistic feed is presented on the Russian market by the manufacturer SUPERPET. These are modern ULTRA-premium cat foods made from pieces of fresh meat, egg yolks, offal, vegetables with the addition of omega-3, taurine and other vitamins. They are not subject to heat treatment. They do not contain flavor enhancers, dyes or preservatives. They are stored and delivered frozen.

SUPERPET food normalizes digestion in cats, prevents kidney disease, urolithiasis and other serious ailments caused by consuming low-quality industrial food.

Natural raw holistic foods are also recommended for spayed and neutered cats.

The cat is a predator, it needs meat

You've probably seen "hepatic" type food on the shelves of pet stores - a professional series of therapeutic food for cats with digestive problems. Hepato – liver. And what is holistic food, following the same logic?

At least 80% of a wild cat's diet consists of meat and meat products. Economy class food consists of the same 80% of cereals and soy proteins; real meat is practically not used as a raw material. Manufacturers replace it with meat and bone meal, offal and meat production waste.

Holistic food for cats is made from “live” muscle meat that has not undergone sublimation or hydration. Manufacturers try to preserve maximum nutrients and energy value of their products.

Hole or Holism?

There are two versions of the origin of the name holistic cat food. Since cholecystitis and most digestive problems arise from the inability of the enzymes in the cat's body to consume human food, it was decided that the new highest level of feeding would be called holistic. Holistic is a symbol, a kind of marketing niche. It contains all the food, the composition and balance of which is capable of supporting the cat’s natural digestion. This is the first version.

The second is more romantic: the name comes from the word “holism”, which translated into Russian means “complete, whole”. Complete diet, complete nutrition, whole meat base. And in general, in the modern world, any systematic, integral, comprehensive approach is a sign of high quality and responsibility in work, as eloquently stated by the slogans of companies producing holistic nutrition for cats. This version is no less successful, taking into account the composition and technology of preparation of these feeds.

Why so expensive?

Holistic cat food contains 70 percent or more selected meat that would be suitable for human consumption. The raw materials undergo minimal, but still sufficient, heat treatment only in order to increase the shelf life and disinfect future feed. In these foods, meat retains most of its properties, so important for a real domestic predator.

Something else interesting: Food for castrated and sterilized cats

Naturally, the purchase of raw materials, the absence of preservatives and taste-enhancing salts, the reduced shelf life, and the complexity of transportation (real holistic products are not produced in Russia) require serious costs from the manufacturer.

As a result, your expenses are fully compensated by the result: the pet is healthy, cheerful, looks great and feels great in any weather. Specialized feeding has become popular among breeders and owners of show animals. All the champions of the cat world do not eat whiskey.

Cost of holistic class feed

A package of elite nutrition cannot have the same price as low-quality cheap food. Accordingly, the cost of holistic treatments is considered quite high, but is it really possible to save on the health of your beloved pet?

On average, the price range for holistic class food varies from 1000-2500 per package, weighing up to 2 kilograms.

For example, food from the Acana brand costs approximately 1,500 rubles.

The price of a two-kilogram package of dry granules from Almo Nature ranges from 1000 to 1100 rubles.

You will have to pay at least 1,290 rubles for GO Natural food.

Reviews

According to reviews, cat owners are very satisfied with the choice of such food. However, it also notes that this is a rather expensive pleasure; another disadvantage may be the pet’s lack of habit for this food.

Arina After our cat Marquis was diagnosed with obesity, we buy only specialized food Leonardo, which helped him lose weight without the painful feeling of hunger. Our fluffy is always full and does not gain dangerous kilograms.

Igor We buy only Acana and are completely satisfied with the state of health of our Cleo, especially since she eats the food with pleasure and essentially has no complaints about it, the only thing we try to periodically change the tastes.

Natalia Previously, she saved money on food for my Bari and bought it cheaper, but after she noticed that his fur began to fade and a special smell appeared after visiting the toilet, she switched to Now Natural Holistic. After about a month, the cat changed, and now we do not change his diet, observing pleasant changes.

Manufacturers of holistic class feeds

Which companies produce holistic products? After all, luxury food manufacturers do not advertise their products on television and print media, so many owners do not know which food belongs to the holistic class.

List of brands:

• Orijen;
• Acana;
• GO Natural;
• Canagan;
• Carnilove;
• Applaws;
• SUPERPET;
• Almo Nature;
• Gather;
• Gina Elite;
• Farmina N&D;
• Grandorf;
• Primordial;
• Now Fresh;
• Nutram;
• AATU;
• Power of Nature;
• Naturea;
• Savarra;
• Nature Holistic;
• Wildcat;
• Wellness CORE.

Do you want your furry pet to always be healthy, full of strength and energy and in a good mood? Then take care of his proper diet and offer your pet holistic food, which is without a doubt the best among all categories of ready-made food.

What else to see:

About holistic brands

It is the combination of natural ingredients that is optimal for animals that gives some foods the right to be called “holistic”. Each of them has its own exceptional properties; our online store offers the following foods in this class:

• AATU
• ALLEVA HOLISTIC and ALLEVA NATURAL
• BOREAL
• APPLAWS
• BARKING HEADS
• FARMINA N&D
• GOSBI EXCLUSIVE
• PURELUXE
• WELLNESS CORE
• GO! Natural
• GRANDORF
• MAGNUSSONS
• NOW! Fresh
• ONE&ONLY
• FIRSTMATE
• GENESIS
• KASIKS

In recent years, the niche of holistic products represented in Russia has grown significantly, and in the resulting diversity, some brands have declared features of the compositions unique to their brands, thus trying to differentiate themselves from other representatives of the class. Let's look at them in a little more detail.

For example, British food AATU , the entire line of which is represented by grain-free monoprotein formulations with 85% meat content, has made the “Super 8” combination its exclusive highlight of the food - all recipes consist of 8 vegetables, 8 fruits, 8 plants, 8 medicinal herbs and spices .

The British brand Barking Heads in some of its lines has focused on a simple monoprotein composition with a short list of ingredients, which allows you to choose an elimination diet for your pets.

Belgian food Grandorf has gained great popularity in the Russian market due to its unique composition that does not contain chicken. You will not find this brand of dry food either in the form of a protein source or in the form of chicken fat. The only meat ingredients present are turkey, rabbit, lamb and duck. ONE&ONLY is the second brand of this manufacturer, which entered the market quite recently. Unlike its “big brother”, it contains oats, but also does not contain chicken.

Food from Sweden from the Magnusson , despite the wheat in its composition, can also be classified as holistic. The brand is unique due to its gentle manufacturing technology, in which products are slowly baked at 150° for 45 minutes, after which they are cooked until cooked. Thanks to this type of processing, the food does not swell when wetted and is not treated with oil, does not contain preservatives and has a fairly short shelf life compared to other brands.

Well-known and loved by many food brands NOW! do not contain grain or chicken, which is why they are very popular among animal owners who are prone to allergic reactions to these components. In the NOW! – several different flavors, and they contain only fresh meat without the addition of dehydrated protein and meat flour.