Hill's Metabolic cat food

Hill's Metabolic is a therapeutic cat food from the Hill's Prescription Diet line, designed for obese cats. The manufacturer promises special formulas for safe weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance at the desired level.

Types of feed

The diet offers two chicken-based meal options:

• Metabolic – a formula for weight correction and normalization of metabolism.
• Metabolic & Urinary Stress – a formula for weight control, prevention of stone formation and lower urinary tract diseases, including cases of idiopathic cystitis in cats caused by stress.

Each of these foods provides your cat with all the beneficial nutrients it needs to maintain health and well-being. The manufacturer recommends using these foods as a staple diet for long periods of time. They are suitable for adult cats (except pregnant and nursing cats), including neutered and spayed cats. These foods are available in three forms:

• dry granules in packaging of 250 g, 1.5 kg and 4 kg.
• canned food in 156g iron cans
• pouches with soft pieces in mini-packets, 85 g.

Hill's Metabolic and Metabolic Urinary diets in different forms are considered interchangeable for cats: the nutritional value of 40 g of dry granules is identical to one can of canned food or two packages of pouches.

It's recommended to transition your pet to a dietary diet gradually (over the course of a week) to avoid excessive strain on the digestive system and feeding stress. The manufacturer recommends following the following schedule:

Composition of rations

Conclusions about the quality of food are usually based on the first five components. This is virtually identical for both products. According to the official Russian website, the top five are as follows:

Squirrels

The only source of animal protein is chicken and turkey meal. The formula also includes several sources of plant protein in the form of grains. Moreover, the presence of two "corn" ingredients in Metabolic Urinary, listed as the second and third ingredients, creates a so-called "split": if combined, their total content could even exceed the proportion of animal protein.

Fats

The only sources of animal fats are fish oil and animal fat. They are far outside the top five, and their origin remains unknown. Additional fats are provided by flaxseed, coconut, and soybean oils.

Carbohydrates

The carbohydrate component of feed includes:

• Corn gluten flour and corn starch: These two components are of the same origin. Essentially, they are analogs of corn protein—a cheap source of plant-based protein that can trigger allergic reactions and food intolerances, especially since it's the main ingredient.
• Milled rice – another cheap carbohydrate filler (unlike brown rice).

Other components

The formula includes a number of additional additives. Some are used solely as fillers, while others are essential for maintaining the health of pets:

• Cellulose – a source of fiber, but is considered a cheap filler.
• Tomato juice – another controversial source of fiber: some consider it a component without nutritional value that can cause gas, while others consider it a source of soluble fiber that helps form stool and eliminate it from the body.
• Protein hydrolysate – a component for improving the taste characteristics of a product.
• L-lysine – an important amino acid for calcium absorption and normal brain function.
• Dried carrots – a rich source of fiber, beta-carotene, vitamins.
• L-carnitine – a fat burner that should promote weight loss and maintenance. Its addition is especially important in the presence of high carbohydrate intake.
• Taurine – an essential amino acid for cats, but its presence as a separate component once again confirms the deficiency or low quality of protein ingredients.

Thus, Hill's Metabolic is based on a mixture of one dried animal protein source, three grain components, and an inexpensive fiber source in the form of cellulose. Due to the low animal protein content, regular feeding of this food may lead to some health problems.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of feed:

• balanced vitamin and mineral composition;
• low calorie content (348-359 kcal/100 g), which is especially important for overweight animals;
• adding L-carnitine to support fat burning processes;
• use of natural antioxidants (mixture of tocopherols);
• Wide availability in stores.

Despite the advantages of Hill's Metabolic feed, there are a number of significant disadvantages:

• Only general names of components are indicated and there is no information about their percentage content.
• Absence of fresh/raw meat in the composition.
• Use of potentially allergenic components (cereals).
• High content of plant proteins and carbohydrate components, which is not beneficial for the cat's body.

Price of feed

The price of Hill's Metabolic varies by region and retailer. On average, cat food is available at these prices:

• 250 g – from 250 rubles.
• 1.5 kg – from 1360 rub.
• 4 kg – from 2400 rub.
• pouches – from 78 rubles per piece or from 800 rubles per pack of 12 pieces.
• canned goods – from 123 rubles per item

Reviews

Svetlana Petrovna:

"I decided to switch my 7.2 kg cat to Hill's Metabolic food. The ingredients, in my opinion, leave much to be desired; the manufacturer doesn't even list the grains, meat, or vegetables added to the diet. He's feeling well now, his eyes aren't watery, but I've noticed an unpleasant odor coming from his mouth and feces. His weight loss is quite slow: he's lost about 200 g in just over a month."

Dima:

"We buy Hill's Metabolic Urinary for our Zephyr to maintain weight and prevent MKD. We had to switch to this food after the vet confirmed obesity. Surprisingly, she's full with her regular portion, even though she'd often ask for more with other foods. Dry food is going great, but she seems to have no appetite for pouches. After a month and a half on this diet, she's visibly slimmer and noticeably more active (she used to only sleep and eat)."

Olga:

"We fed our cat Hill's Metabolic food for four months, following the recommended dosages, but his weight didn't decrease at all. Therefore, I consider the seller's promise of a 28% weight loss to be just a marketing ploy, for which we have to pay extra (compared to the brand's regular food). Fortunately, the cat's health and activity level remained normal throughout this time, and his coat condition didn't deteriorate. I'd especially like to mention the wide zip-lock on the packaging, which is very convenient for storage. But we'll most likely go back to our usual Hill's Science Plan Indoor Cat Adult for sedentary pets."

Read also:

• Therapeutic food for cats with urolithiasis
• Food for cats with sensitive digestion
• Hypoallergenic cat food