Meat first, not grain as filler
Cats are obligate carnivores. They get their energy from animal protein and fat, not from carbohydrates, and their bodies are poorly equipped to break down large amounts of starch from grain. That is why the first thing you should look for on a bag of dry food is where the meat appears in the list of ingredients and how large a proportion it makes up. If a long list of grain products or unspecified "vegetable by-products" appears before the actual meat, the meat content is often lower than the front of the bag promises.
The dry food for cats from Essential Foods is built on a high proportion of animal protein. The Panther is based on poultry, the jaguar on fish, and the little lion is the kitten variant. If you want to understand more about what should even be on a bag of food before you compare brands, we go through it in the article what should cat food contain
Kitten, adult or senior
A cat's nutritional needs change throughout its life, and the dry food should follow suit. A kitten grows quickly and needs more energy, protein and certain minerals per kilo of body weight than an adult cat. A senior typically moves around less and benefits from a food that takes declining kidney function and lower activity into account.
At Essential Foods the range is divided precisely by life stage, so you can go straight to meals for kittens, meals for adult cats or meals for senior cats. If you are unsure when your cat is considered an adult and should switch from kitten food, you can read when is a cat fully grown
How long should a kitten have kitten food?
A kitten should stay on kitten food until it is more or less fully grown. For most domestic cats that means around 12 months, while larger breeds such as the Maine Coon can keep growing longer and benefit from kitten food for up to a year and a half to two years. Kitten food is more energy-dense and contains the nutrients a growing body needs, so switching to adult food too early can deprive the kitten of the energy it needs to build muscle and skeleton.
The Little Lion is Essential Foods' dry food for kittens. If you want the full picture of the transition, we go through it in how long should a kitten have kitten food
When may kittens have dry food?
Kittens can start tasting soft or soaked dry food as early as around four weeks of age, while they are still nursing. From around seven to eight weeks they are typically fully on solid food. In the beginning it can help to soak the dry food with a little lukewarm water, so the little ones find it easier to chew and swallow, and then gradually make it drier as their teeth come in.
Always give a dry food that is formulated for kittens during this phase. If you want to know when and how to introduce soft food alongside it, you can read when may kittens have wet food
How much dry food should your cat have per day?
There is no single figure that suits all cats. The amount depends on the cat's weight, age, activity level and whether it is neutered. A neutered indoor cat burns less than an active outdoor cat of the same weight and therefore needs less. Dry food is energy-dense, so even a small overfeeding day after day quickly settles as excess weight. Use the feeding guide on the bag as a starting point, weigh out the food rather than filling the bowl by eye, and adjust according to how the cat's weight develops.
We go through a practical method for working out the daily portion in the optimal portion size for cats, and if you want to dive deeper into the amount itself, there is more in how much should a cat eat. For kittens that eat several small meals a day, a corresponding guide is available in how much food should a kitten have per day
Special needs of neutered cats
Neutering changes a cat's metabolism. The need for energy falls while the appetite often rises, and the result is easily a cat that gains weight if fed as before the procedure. A food for neutered cats typically has a lower energy density and a protein content that helps preserve muscle mass while keeping the fat down. At the same time, several formulations emphasise urinary tract health, because neutered indoor cats are more prone to bladder stones and urinary tract problems.
At Essential Foods you will find them gathered under meals for neutered cats. If your cat otherwise uses an ordinary adult food, it can maintain its weight just fine as long as you adjust the portion down after the procedure.
Sensitive stomach and the choice of protein source
If your cat throws up after eating, has loose stools or itchy skin, the protein source or the grain in the food may be part of the explanation. A dry food with one clearly defined animal protein source and without unnecessary fillers makes it easier to see what the cat is reacting to. Some cats do better on fish than on poultry, or vice versa, and switching the protein source alone can make a difference.
The Jaguar is built around fish, while the panther is based on poultry, so you can experiment between two different protein sources. Always change food gradually over about a week by mixing the new food into the old in increasing amounts, so the stomach has time to get used to it.
Dry food or wet food for the cat?
The two types of food do not exclude each other, and many cats do best with a combination. Dry food is practical: it can be left out, has a long shelf life after opening and typically gives more energy per krone than wet food. Wet food has a high water content that helps cats that drink too little to get enough fluid, and it is often experienced as more appetising.
A sensible starting point is dry food as the base supplemented with wet food or pâté for both moisture and variety. Essential Foods' cat pâté can be used as a topping or as a standalone meal alongside the dry food. Always make sure the cat has access to fresh water, no matter what you feed it.
Test the food with a trial meal first
Cats are picky, and there is no reason to buy a large bag before you know whether your cat will eat it. A trial meal lets you test taste and acceptance on a small scale, and at the same time you can keep an eye on whether the stomach is fine with the new food before you commit to a larger amount.
Essential Foods has gathered the smaller portions under trial meals for cats, where you can find samples of both The Panther and The Jaguar. If the food goes down well, you can move on to the larger bags of the panther and the jaguar.
