Gourmet Cat Food - Are They Any Better?

Over the last few years there has been real growth in the manufacture of gourmet cat foods. Cat food companies have either perceived a gap in the market or are creating one for it with the emergence of new brands of premium cat food that looks and tastes much more luxurious than the basic brands or dried biscuits.

One of the reasons for the emergence is a customer-driven need for cat food that is closer to a home-prepared standard. Believing that ordinary cat food contains ingredients detrimental to a cat's health and is responsible for a great many feline ailments that have become much more common over the last few decades, such as urinary and heart problems, customers are looking for healthier options to the traditional cat food diet with more emphasis on visibly wholesome ingredients and much more variety.

Another benefit of the gourmet ranges is that they come packaged in smaller containers and a cat is therefore less likely to be overfed. With the increase in cat obesity and the almost inevitable consequence of feline diabetes, owners are quite naturally looking for dietary management as well as convenience, so these smaller packages are attractive both in their design and their suitability in controlling a cat's food intake.

One of the most popular manufacturers of gourmet cat food is Purina, home to a number of pet food brands including Fancy Feast cat food, which offers restaurant quality and a wide range of new recipes, and Gourmet Gold. Purina also produce Purina dm Cat Food which is geared towards diabetic management. Sheba cat food is produced by Mars and offers an alternative range of recipes, chunky texture and high quality.

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The underlying benefit to the manufacturers, who produce both the basic and the gourmet brands, is the extra premium put on these luxury foods. More care in the manufacture, design and presentation means a higher price per unit sold, but it seems customers are more than willing to pay extra for a cat food diet that they feel they can rely on for quality. Implicit in this is the idea that the more you pay for your cat's needs the more you are demonstrating your commitment to your cat's health and welfare, but consistently high sales of the more common brands of cat food would suggest that the satisfied customer base at the upper end of the cat food market can continue to grow comfortably alongside the main customer range.

It is worth noting that if you have any concerns about your cat's diet and health you are advised to seek veterinary advice, as your vet may be able to prescribe specific regimes such as the Hill's cat food diet range and Royal Canin Veterinary Diets (formerly Waltham cat food manufacturers).

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