Brit cat food

Pet owners living in Russia have long been familiar with Brit cat food. It is one of the brands of the Czech company Vafo Praha sro, which produces dry and wet pet food, treats, and even cat litter. This company's product portfolio includes not only Brit cat food but also brands such as Carnilove, Profine, Petit, and Let's Bite treats.

Vafo Praha is a relatively young company, just over 20 years old. However, this family-owned business has already made a name for itself, winning several major awards and continuing to grow rapidly. All production is concentrated in the Czech Republic, in three modern factories, producing approximately 60,000 tons of feed annually, and exporting to 54 countries.

The manufacturer emphasizes that its formulas are GMO- and soy-free. To improve the quality of the food, it also uses fresh, deboned chicken and fish. These qualities are confirmed not only by the ISO 9001 quality certificates and HACCP standards that Brit cat food meets, but also by the reviews of satisfied pet owners who purchase this food.

Assortment

All Brit nutrition formulas are divided into two lines: Brit Premium and Brit Care. There are fundamental differences between their formulas, and they belong to different classes.

Brit Premium (in blue bags) is a premium food, while Brit Care (in white packaging) is a super-premium product. The main difference between the Premium series is the lower meat content and the presence of corn among the ingredients. The Care line formulas include more beneficial additives, such as those for tartar and kidney stone prevention, as well as other additional ingredients depending on the diet's specific needs.

Brit Premium is a cat food line consisting of eight dry meals and 100g wet pouches. These are tailored to suit different age groups and individual needs (neutered cats, those with sensitive digestion, indoor cats, and those overweight). The line also includes six types of canned food in 340g cans, which can be used as a standalone meal or in combination with dry food.

One of the distinctive features of these diets is the technology used to enhance the aroma and taste of the food—the addition of liver or chicken sauce. This innovation is used in the updated formula of Brit cat food (released in 2016), and reviews on pet forums indicate a positive reaction from pets to this innovation.

The Brit Care line features 11 different dry foods, 80g cans in six different flavors, and wet food in 80g pouches. All are super-premium quality.

Brit Care dry cat food is tailored to your pet's age and specific needs (propensity to gain weight, additional grooming, neutering, and picky eating). This line offers three grain-free options: Lilly with lamb and salmon, Cocco with duck and salmon, and Tobby with duck and chicken. Potatoes and yellow peas are used as grain substitutes. Using these products in formulas instead of grains is a distinct advantage, as they have a low glycemic index, reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes. They are also gluten-free, a common cause of allergic reactions in cats.

When creating this line, the manufacturer didn't neglect large breeds. Tobby Large Cat is a food for British Shorthairs, Maine Coons, Norwegian Forest Cats, Siberian Cats, and other "heavyweight" cats. Its kibble is larger for easier chewing, and the formula includes chondroprotectors to support and strengthen joints.

Evaluation and analysis of the composition

As mentioned above, all Brit brand diets have recently undergone positive changes, affecting not only the packaging design, but also the composition of all nutritional formulas.

According to the manufacturer, Brit Premium diets now contain 35-40% meat, and the total animal-based component (including fat) is over 50%. Beneficial and essential additives include prebiotics, dried dandelion for digestive health, yeast, fruits (citrus, dried apples), and herbal and plant extracts (rosemary, cloves, turmeric).

For a detailed review, our resource chose food from the Brit Care category for picky cats (Cocco), as we consider it one of our favorites among all Brit products. This diet is positioned as everyday food for adult cats with sensitive digestion, as well as for gourmet pets with picky eaters. Additionally, it is hypoallergenic and is grain-free.

Let's look at the guaranteed nutrient content:

• Protein – 40% – above average, good value;
• Fat – 19% – optimal content;
• Fiber – 3.5% – normal amount;
• Ash – 6.2% – below average, within normal limits;
• Moisture – 10% is a normal value;

Analyzing the figures above, we can see that the carbohydrate content is plus or minus 20%. This is certainly a very encouraging figure and is typical of high-quality products. It can be considered a strength of this food. The overall balance of all nutritional components is also impeccable—all percentages are optimal for the daily diet of a healthy adult cat.

The entire list of ingredients that define Brit cat food consists of 16 items. The first five components are considered the most important, as they form the basis of the recipe. Here's the list of ingredients:

• Dehydrated duck – 25%;
• Dried potatoes;
• Salmon meal – 15%;
• Potato flour;
• Dehydrated chicken – 10%;

Next listed are chicken fat and hydrolyzed salmon protein (4%), followed by dried apple, salmon oil (3%), and chicken liver (2%). Rounding out the ingredients are brewer's yeast, MOS, FOS, and botanical supplements such as yucca schidigera extract, catnip, and sea buckthorn.

Squirrels

The role of animal proteins here is assigned to ingredients #1, 3, and 5—that is, dehydrated duck and chicken, and salmon meal—are the main components. Plus, #7 and #9—hydrolyzed salmon protein and chicken liver—are additives at 4% and 2%, respectively, which offer no particular value and are most likely included simply to enhance the taste and appeal of the food.

Meat and fish nutrients account for approximately 55% of the total nutrients, with each component's proportion clearly indicated, along with their exact origin. All of these ingredients are considered high-quality, easily digestible, and high in protein. However, none of these ingredients are added fresh, and raw, fresh meat is always preferred in pet food formulas.

Fats

There are two sources of fat here: chicken fat preserved with tocopherols and salmon oil. In this case, we have information about the origin of the ingredients and the preservation method for the chicken fat (tocopherols are a natural antioxidant, and vitamin E). Both ingredients are high-quality products, are easily digestible, and provide the animal with beneficial and essential omega acids and arachidonic acid.

Carbohydrates

The low carbohydrate content is primarily due to the absence of grains, which are replaced by potatoes. A benefit of this product is not only its low glycemic index, as noted above, but also the fact that potato starch is converted into soft fiber during the cooking process, which helps cleanse the intestines.

It's important to note that dried potatoes and potato flour, listed as separate ingredients, are essentially the same product. Therefore, adding them together, the total amount exceeds 25%, thus pushing the first component (duck meat) down to second place.

Other feed components

The list of supplementary products consists of a fairly standard set: prebiotics (MOS and FOS), yucca extract, dried apple, and brewer's yeast. Of particular interest are the additives: catnip, sea buckthorn, and, among the standard list of vitamins and minerals, an unusual component—sodium hexametaphosphate. These are unique ingredients in cat food, so let's take a closer look:

• Catnip attracts cats with its scent and makes their food more palatable. A supplement for especially fussy pets.
• Sodium hexametaphosphate is intended to prevent the formation of plaque and tartar.
• Sea buckthorn is known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, and contains flavonoids and antioxidants that prevent cancer and slow the aging process. Brit claims to add it to prevent urolithiasis and kidney disease.

Advantages and disadvantages of the product

Looking at Brit Care Cocco cat food overall, we found no significant drawbacks. However, every diet, upon closer inspection, has its pros and cons, and in summary, our resource has identified some of them.

Advantages:

• High-quality sources of fat and animal protein;
• No grains;
• The presence of useful functional additives;
• Low carbohydrate content;
• Clear and precise indication of ingredients;

Flaws:

• Lack of fresh (raw) meat components in the feed;
• The trick is to indicate the amount of potatoes (in total there is more than it seems at first glance);

Brit food reviews

Cat owners are eager to share their experiences feeding their pets this brand's diets. There are dedicated forum threads where people can learn about Brit cat food and leave reviews and impressions of these diets. While most of the feedback is positive, there are also some negative reactions:

Larisa, Abyssinian cat, 1.2 years old:

"The vet told us our cat needs to gain weight; he's a bit skinny. I liked the ingredients in Brit Lily food; I read the reviews and decided to order a small pack to try. He had a reaction to it, causing unformed stools, and this continued while he was eating this food. A few days later, I returned to his old feeding, and everything returned to normal the next day. I think this diet just isn't right for him."

Galina, a spayed cat with urolithiasis:

"My cat's diet has to be chosen very meticulously due to her illness; we constantly switch between different foods. So, I spent a long time searching for the right food. Brit Care Missy, for neutered cats, has proven to be a perfect fit for her in every way. We've been on it for six months now. We regularly have her pH tested to ensure everything is normal. The price/quality ratio is perfect, I highly recommend it!"

The opinion of veterinarians

Veterinarians' reviews of Brit cat food generally agree that it's a high-quality, super-premium food that's well-balanced and meets the key characteristics of the product it claims to be. However, some professionals believe the fat content is slightly high, which may negatively impact less active cats or those living in apartments without access to the outdoors.

Price

You can buy Brit cat food at almost any pet store or order it online. The average price of Brit Care Cocco dry food for picky cats is:

• 0.4 kg – from 280 RUR;
• 2 kg – from 910 RUR;
• 7 kg – from 2950 RUR

Missy cat food for spayed and neutered cats will cost:

• 0.4 kg – from 260 RUR;
• 2 kg – from 910 RUR;
• 7 kg – from 3095 RUR

In conclusion, while this food isn't exactly a "star food," it's certainly a cut above many super-premium diets. Its price point is well-matched to its quality, and we recommend this menu for your pet's daily diet.