If you are the proud keeper of felines, this article will tell you all you need to know about cat food made in Pakistan. The trend of keeping house pets has increased tremendously in Pakistan during the last decade.

Luxury cat breeds, particularly the longhaired punch-faced Persian cats are a local favorite. Different kinds of dog and cat breeds are available for sale and adoption across the country, but felines are more common.

Even though domesticated dogs are adored as much as cats, lesser people take them in as pets due to religious restrictions. On the contrary, cats are considered a pure and respectable species with reference to Islamic studies; hence, most families are willing to give them a place inside their homes.

The Emergence of Commercial Cat Foods in the Pakistani Market

At present, all kinds of pet supplies and accessories can be bought in Pakistan; this was not the case a few decades ago. Nobody back then knew about cat litter, and even imported cat food was a rare sight. I remember when I got my first pet cat (a Siamese) in the early 2000s. A tub of sand served as the toilet and her diet mainly consisted of boiled chicken and liver.

Later, several foreign cat food brands appeared in the market, and the local vets began heavily endorsing them. Many pet keepers shifted from homemade food to dry and canned wet foods imported from overseas for a variety for reasons. For starters, it was convenient and the overall cost was similar to that of food prepared at home. Moreover, professionals recommended them and convinced pet owners that these packaged foods have a greater nutritional value.

Many of the well-known imported cat food brands are packed with essential minerals that boost your pet’s health and immunity. The leading cat food brands today belong to developed countries including the U.S, U.K, Germany, Canada, and Turkey. There is an abundance of Thai and Chinese brands as well, but they lack in quality. Some foreign cat food brands have earned an ill repute in the market, but that is a topic for another time.

Best-selling Cat Food Brands in Pakistan

About ten years back, local cat food brands in Pakistan hardly existed, but now things have changed. Several resident companies are manufacturing cat food and promoting it nationwide. In recent times, government tax on imported goods has increased by almost 300% percent, which has created a serious dilemma for pet owners. Locally produced foods are presented as the economical substitute, but the question is if they can truly replace the reliable foreign brands?

In Pakistan, there are various types of cat food available in the market, including dry food, wet food, and semi-moist food. Some popular cat food brands in Pakistan include NutraGold/Diamond, Royal Canin, Whiskas, Reflex, MeowMix, and MERA. Most of these foods are chosen for their superior nutritional value, while others are selling because domestic cats prefer the taste. Due to inflation and imposition of hefty taxes on imported pet goods, a prevailing percentage of pet owners have shifted to local alternatives, such as ‘Fluffy’ and ‘Pawfect’.

Demand for dry cat food in the market is a lot higher because it comes cheaper than the wet food varieties. It is offered in a wide range of flavors and formulations, including chicken, fish, and beef as the primary sources of protein. Dry cat food is easy to store and can be left out for cats to munch on throughout the day. Wet cat food comes in canned or pouch form; the greater cost can be justified by the fact that it constitutes better quality ingredients and contains a much higher percentage of protein.

Now getting to cat food manufactured in Pakistan, let us discuss 10 brands distributing their products across the country:

1.      Fluffy

Fluffy cat food has probably been around for the longest time; therefore, it is widely known and available nationwide. The creators of Fluffy also manufacture poultry based frozen foods for humans under the name ‘MENU’. Compared to other local cat foods, it is one of the more affordable options and most cats easily adhere to the taste. However, the many complaints about this food over the years cannot be ignored.

If you look at the food’s components, you may notice an increasingly vague description on the package. It contains very low protein content, which is partly derived from soy-based ingredients. Soy is a notorious item, as far as cat food is concerned. It is usually hard to digest and not a good source of energy for felines.

Long-term consumption of this food may lead to health problems like kidney stones, UTI, and indigestion, particularly in male cats. Pet owners who feed wet food to their cat along with a small amount of Fluffy dry food only may not encounter problems.

2.      Target

Target cat food seems to have acquired inspiration from popular Thai cat food brands in Pakistan, such as ‘Me-O’ and ‘SmartHeart’. If you are a legit cat person possessing ample knowledge of a cat’s nutritional needs, you must be aware that these Thailand-based products are essentially junk food for cats. Giving these foods to your cat occasionally is unlikely to cause a negative effect, but turning them into a regular diet could be harmful.

Target is a low quality food and not even cheap enough, so you may figure out the verdict. It comes in half a dozen flavors and the grains are colorful. It is said that cat foods with different colorings added to it is generally a strong indication of it being unhealthy; some of these food colorings might even be unfit for consumption or carcinogenic. The bright colors are meant to enhance appearance and make up for the substandard composition.

3.      Pawfect

Pawfect markets its products as natural and high quality, made of ingredients such as real meat, fruits, and vegetables. The company declares that this food is designed to provide balanced and complete nutrition for cats of all ages and life stages. Nonetheless, if you take a look at the ingredients, you will notice that the food is neither low-grain or grain-free. The physical appearance of the food particles is even and shiny – a sign of quality.

Pawfect cat food is generally well-reviewed by customers, with many pointing out noticeable improvements in their cats’ health and energy levels. Certified vets in Pakistan also recommend this brand to pet owners who cannot afford imported options. One thing that alarms me is that this food again contains elements of Soy, so I am not convinced that this is a good choice of food to fulfill a cat’s nutritional needs. Secondly, it has a weird pungent smell, unlike most cat foods I have reviewed.

4.      Moggy

Moggy is another emerging cat food brand that has lured in sufficient customers through smart advertising tactics. They have held several pet shows and campaigns to promote their products. Honestly speaking, this brand would be a lot more successful if they invested in using better quality ingredients and prioritized the health of cats.

If your cat is already used to eating food from a good quality brand, shifting to this one is going to be a challenge. The food is below average in overall composition and taste, as per my observation.

5.      NourVet

This is by far the best local option, given that your cat will actually eat it willingly and none of the listed ingredients is a red flag. It turns out that this cat food was manufactured for export purposes, and perhaps that is why the standard is better. There are two qualities of Nourvet cat food, i.e. basic and premium.

The price of this food was quite economical when it was launched not long ago, but now it has nearly doubled. If you ask me, spending a tad bit more and going for a true and tried imported option might be the smarter choice.

6.      Petiza

I don’t even know what to say about this one. The packaging and presentation was amazing, but the food inside is pretty much garbage. The food grains were haphazard and powdery – it looks and smells like saw dust. The cats sniff this food and turn away, which was quite a disappointment. After my indoor cats completely rejected this brand, I decided to try it with the strays in my area; to my surprise, they were equally disgusted.

7.      Meow Fresh

This food looks like fried flakes of cake batter, and my feline subjects were not impressed. The quality of this cat food is extremely poor, and I feel sorry for the cats that are forced to eat this.

8.      Pet Nosh

This food is relatively new, so I cannot say much about it. Nevertheless, a quick look at the ingredients quickly reveals the high grain content and soy based additives. I did not find any ratings or detailed reviews for this specific brand, so I might update the info later.

9.      Fe-Line

Fe-line is the cheapest local cat food on the market right now, and also has the worst reviews. The food pellets look like dried goat poop and I’m guessing they taste just as bad. Customers who bought this food for their pet had nothing good to say, so I’ll take their word and steer away from this one.

10. DK (Doggie and Kattie)

I was visiting a local pet food market when one of the vendors pitched this one to me. He said that this food was the equivalent of NutraGold, and that shook me. I was given a free sample, and it smelled like playdough. Long story short, the cats would rather starve than eat this disaster.

Conclusion

It is commendable to see companies in Pakistan take the initiative to manufacture pet food locally during times when affording imported products is becoming impossible. Unfortunately, it seems like these companies are primarily motivated to mint money and do not really care about the health of the customers’ pets.

All the foods mentioned above contain very low animal protein and too much grains; the plant based proteins, high percentage of carbs, and fat are only partially digestible, so they do not yield the energy and nutrients your cat needs.  

Therefore, these foods are far from fulfilling your cat’s complete nutritional needs. Giving these foods in combination with wet food (commercial pet foods and meat prepared at home) could work. You also need to ensure that your cat consumes sufficient amounts of water throughout the day if their diet mainly compromises dry food.

If you have multiple pet cats at home, I would recommend you to go for imported products in bulk; this way you can save money and keep your pet’s health in check.