"Hill's" for cats: types and composition of veterinary food

What does the manufacturer offer?

The Hill's food range includes two main product categories: a veterinary line for the treatment of diseases (Prescription Diet) and daily nutrition (Science Plan, Ideal Balance, Natures Best).

Science Plan

Science Plan is a line that is used for the daily nutrition of cats. This food is divided depending on the age of the pet: for kittens up to a year, for adult cats, elderly (up to 11 years) and old pets (after 11 years). The composition is selected taking into account the special needs of pets at different ages.

The product is available not only in dry, but also in wet form (canned food, bags of liquid gravy or mousse). The exception is the line for older pets; it completely lacks dry food, since at this age it is harder for cats to chew dense food and gums may be injured.

In addition to the usual age division, the Science Plan line also contains food for cats with special needs:

For spayed and neutered pets. Such animals have special needs; they require less protein and fat, and the prevention of obesity and urolithiasis is also necessary. Therefore, before spaying or neutering your pet, you need to take care of changing its diet.
With increased sensitivity to allergens. This food contains only hypoallergenic components, which avoids the occurrence of allergic reactions.
For cats with sensitive digestion.
For pets who live at home and lead a sedentary lifestyle.
For cats that are prone to obesity.

Ideal Balance

The “Ideal Balance” line is also intended for daily feeding of your pet. The manufacturer indicates that these feeds have a perfectly balanced composition.

The main differences lie in the source of carbohydrates. The Ideal Balance line is completely free of grains, which are poorly digested in the digestive tract of cats. Instead, it includes brown rice or vegetables for the grain-free variety (mostly potatoes).

Prescription Diet

This line is dietary and is used in the complex treatment of diseases of various organs and systems. Prescription Diet has more than 10 diets, the most popular of them are presented below:

I/d. The food is prescribed to pets with concomitant pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and digestive disorders.
L/d. This diet is used for liver diseases that are accompanied by impaired liver function.
K/d. The diet is aimed at treating kidney diseases, including the food can be used for renal failure.
"Metabolic." Used for cats that are obese. The composition of the food helps speed up metabolism and reduce excess weight.
"Urinari". The diet is aimed at the prevention and treatment of urolithiasis.

Natures Best

All Natures Best products are made entirely from natural ingredients. This allows you to reduce the risk of allergies in pets to a minimum. This line produces high-quality food, taking care of the health and well-being of pets.

Like other lines, Natures Best has a division by age: for kittens, adults, senior and old cats.

Range

Hill's product line is very wide and diverse in its composition. Here it is customary to distinguish four main product groups:

Ideal balance is a whole cluster of products, including dry and wet food. They are made only from natural ingredients, minerals, vitamins and amino acids. The main feature of nutrition is a clear balance of proteins, fats and other nutrients.
Nature's Best is the second food line in this product group. Features a unique selection of ingredients. Manufacturers especially emphasize that the food in this line is made only from natural products. The average protein content in this line fluctuates at 22%. Among the specialized additives, it is worth noting flaxseed and chicken meal, carrots, tryptophan and calcium iodate.

These microelements are necessary for the normal functioning of any dog’s body. Undesirable components include corn gluten and soy flour.

From the video “Hill's: types, reviews, characteristics” you can learn a lot of useful information about this manufacturer of pet food.

Science Plan is another line of nutrition aimed at maintaining the health of pets. Manufacturers note that when developing the food, special attention was paid to the beneficial properties of the product.
Prescription Diet is a food intended for animals with various diseases. An indispensable assistant for owners whose animals suffer from various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, etc. Food with reduced protein content: from 18 to 23%. Among the useful substances, it is worth noting salmon, potatoes, fish oil, tocopherols, zinc.

But it is important to emphasize that the manufacturer also uses additives that are of little use, such as potato food, soybean oil, and chemical preservatives. This line is popular and has a large number of reviews.

In addition, all food lines are divided by age and size of dogs. Next we will talk in more detail about each line.

For large breeds

These types of food take into account, first of all, the size of a large dog. Hill's nutrition for large breed dogs is aimed at maintaining the skeletal muscles, bones, teeth and cartilage of animals.

Grain-free for adults. Daily diet for large and medium breed dogs from 1 to 7 years. Belongs to the Ideal Balance group of dry food.
For adults with chicken and vegetables. Canned food for large animals.
For adults with chicken and rice. Food for large dogs. Contains rice and chicken. Suitable for animals from 1 to 7 years old. Has many reviews.
For pets over 7 years old with rice and lamb. Supports joints and eases digestion. For older dogs. Dry food belonging to the Science Plan group.
For pets over 7 years old with chicken. Canned food for the muscles and internal organs of older dogs.
Adult Advanced Fitness Large Breed with chicken. Bones and joints of large dog breeds. Dry food.
Large dogs, fitness food with lamb and rice. Digestion and joints of dogs weighing over 10 kg.
Dogs over 5 years old, with chicken. To maintain mobility and function of internal organs.
Natural for large adult pets. Food for dogs from 1 year of age. Large breeds. Dry food from the Nature's Best group.

For small breeds

Hill's nutrition for small breeds is aimed at eliminating digestive problems, treating skin diseases, and allergic reactions. On the Internet you can find a lot of both positive and negative reviews of this line.

Canine Adult Small Breed. Daily food for adult pets weighing up to 10 kg. Dry food belonging to the Ideal Balance line.
Adults, lamb and rice flavored. Digestion and musculature of small breed dogs. Science Plan nutritional line.
For adults with chicken meat. Internal organs and muscles of dogs that prefer small food.
With chicken for adult dogs. Designed for small breeds of animals with increased activity.
Adult Savory Chicken. Digestive system and musculature of small breeds. Canned food.
Canine Adult Savory Turkey. Muscle development in small breed dogs. Canned food.
Adult Sensitive Skin with Chicken. Taking care of your pet's skin. Dry food.
With egg and rice. Easier digestion for small breed dogs.
Adult Small & Miniature Chicken & Turkey. Maintaining healthy teeth and skin.
Mature Adult 7+ Active Longevity™ Mini with Chicken. Protects the digestive system and muscles of older small breed dogs.
For adults with chicken meat. Teeth and immunity of older pets.
For adult miniature and medium breeds. Nutrition for dogs of small and medium breeds over the age of 1 year. Nature's Best Food Group.

For puppies

Hill's food for puppies contains proteins and microelements necessary for the growth of the pet and the formation of immunity. The line includes both dry food and specialized canned food.

Puppies, chicken and rice. Food for puppies of all dog breeds (chicken and rice). Hypoallergenic. Ideal Balance line.
Puppies, lamb and rice. Nutrition for puppies aimed at maintaining active digestion and immunity. Dry food.
Puppy Healthy Development Mini Chicken. For dogs that prefer small granules in their food.
Puppy Savory Chicken. Ensures the development of immunity and mobility. Canned food.
Chicken kibble for small puppies. Nutrition is designed to strengthen the immune system, develop the brain, muscles and bones.
Chicken pellets for medium puppies. Supports the puppy's immunity.
Chicken pellets for large puppies. For large breed puppies, with microelements that ensure skeletal development. Dry food.

Medical and dietary line

Therapeutic food in this category is intended for animals that have problems with excess weight, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease and bladder disease. Special products containing o are aimed at accelerating dog weight loss. Food includes both pelleted food and canned food. You can find many reviews on the products of these lines.

Canine Adult Light. Dietary granules for maintaining the weight of small breed dogs. Dry food Science Plan.
Adult Perfect Weight Medium. Diet food with low fat content. For dogs weighing up to 10 kg.
Adult Perfect Weight Mini with Chicken. Reduced fat content. For pets of small breeds.
Granules for adult pets. For healthy teeth and skin, low in calories.
Canine t/d. Oral problems. Prescription Diet dry food.
Canine u/d. Therapeutic food for pets with kidney and urethral diseases. There are many reviews of these products on the Internet.
Canine w/d. Diet line. Weight maintenance.
h/d Canine. Therapeutic food for dogs with heart disease.
Metabolic nutrition. Diet food that accelerates weight loss.
a/d Canine/Feline. Therapeutic nutrition for dogs after surgery. Canned food.
c/d Multicare Canine. Therapeutic food for animals with urolithiasis. Canned food.
d/d Duck & Rice. Hypoallergenic. Skin reactions, vomiting, allergies. Canned food, dry food under the i/d logo.
d/d Duck & Rice. Hypoallergenic. Skin reactions, vomiting, allergies.
Canine r/d. Treatment of weight problems.
Metabolic Canine Original. Medical nutrition for weight loss.
i/d Canine Low Fat Original. i/d is a therapeutic food for digestive disorders.
j/d Canine Reduced Calorie Original. Increases animal activity.
k/d Canine Original. Dogs with kidney disease. Medical nutrition.
l/d Canine. Dogs with liver disease.
z/d Canine. z/d is a therapeutic food. Reduced allergic reactions.

Composition assessment

The composition differs slightly depending on the specific line and type of food. Let's look at the composition of the food from the Science Plan line for old dogs (Yusful Vitality):

The total amount of protein is 31%. Animal protein is represented by chicken and turkey meat (27% in total). There is also vegetable protein.
Carbohydrates are represented by rice, which has a good effect on the digestion of an elderly dog. Contains less corn, which can cause indigestion or allergic reactions.
The total amount of fiber is 1.7%. Fiber is represented mainly by beet pulp, there is also tomato pomace and broccoli. Fiber has a beneficial effect on the digestion process; this food contains enough of it.
The fat component is mainly represented by animal fat, with less fish oil. This is not a very qualitative indicator, since animal fat is much less healthy.
Additionally, the food is enriched with taurine (an essential amino acid that is not produced in the body of cats), beta-carotene, vitamins and microelements.

Reviews from veterinarians

Vasily Petrovich, Leningrad region

I recommend only these diets. When sterilizing young animals, the rich composition allows the animals to develop correctly; the presence of the necessary minerals contributes to the formation of a strong skeleton and teeth, but practically eliminates the development of urolithiasis.

The only drawback is the high content of plant components. This is not very good for an obligate predator, so some owners complain about digestive upset in their pets.

Margarita Nikolaevna, Moscow

The animal protein content in Hill's mixtures for sterilized cats is about 35%. This is enough for complete nutrition. Thanks to the reduced amount of protein, both the risk of urolithiasis and the risk of salt deposits in the joints are reduced. Many owners continue to feed their animals dry kibble until they reach 6 years of age even after this period. But sterilized cats over 7 years of age are better off switched to special mixtures with an even lower protein content.

Veronica Petrovna, Krasnoyarsk

After sterilization, cats gain weight 3 times faster than before. Reducing the diet is not the best solution, as the pet will begin to starve and experience discomfort. Hill's dry and wet mixtures for castrated and sterilized animals allow owners to feed their cat well, but not make it obese.

The composition of the feed completely satisfies the body’s daily nutritional needs. The high fiber content promotes satiety, but may affect your cat's stool.

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