Whether you’re looking to replacing your pet food or just researching for your new pet, you’ve come to the right place!
Scroll down if you want to jump to the top cat food choices in Manila.
There are hundreds of pet food options on the internet, and choosing the best one for your pet may lead you to a costly trial and error experience.
In order to assess presently or in the future if you finally found “the right one”, bear in mind the following metrics:
- A beautiful coat or hair
- Excitement at the sound of pet food storage container
- Devouring the whole bowl in one sitting
Ideally, most commercial pet food has sufficient nutritional requirements making vitamin supplementation an option. If you are feeding a homemade diet (not table scraps), it is essential to give vitamin supplements to your pet as not all the required nutrients could be provided by the meal that you made.
There will definitely be times when your pet would either refuse to eat or would take a long time to eat to finish its full bowl. This is normal specially when it has been eating the same type of food for several years. Imagine eating rice alone for a year. Wouldn’t this bore you of eating too?
Luckily there are strategies to go around this loss of palatability problem due to feeding the same type of food over a long period of time. We will discuss them at another article.
Below you will find a top 3 lists of my recommended dry dog and cat food. The lists are based on my clients’ satisfaction and feedback, and my own professional experience.
If your pet presently has a medical condition such as Diabetes, kidney and liver dysfunction, or food or skin allergy, consult your primary care provider before considering changing its pet food.
Dry Dog Food: Entry-level
Rapidly changing your pet’s food may upset its tummy and cause vomit, diarrhea, and pain. If you want to safely switch your dog’s food, read the guide here or follow your new food manufacturer’s feeding guide on their website.
#1 INFINITY
20 kg sack is PHP 1,300.00
- Cheapest and underrated in comparison to other entry level pet food.
- Very ideal for house pets.
- My 17 year old Miniature Schnauzer is eating this for over half a decade and he didn’t get any stones or upset tummy.
- Hi-Protein version is ideal for working or farm dogs, or very large breeds that have high protein requirements. It costs around PHP 1900
- The only catch is that not all pet food supply stores sell this.
Choose the right variant:
- Ideal for mature dogs
- Recommended for fat and sedentary canines
- Around PHP 1,300.00
- Ideal for large breeds and working dogs
- Around PHP 1,900.00
#2 Holistic Recipe Lamb & Rice
15 kg sack is PHP 2,350.00
- Best pet food if you want your pet’s coat to be shiny and healthy
- The catch is a repulsive stool odor which you will get used to over time.
- Most pet food supply stores sell this.
Choose the right variant:
#3 Vitality
20 kg sack is PHP 1,800.00
- This is personally my option number 2 if Infinity runs out.
- This food also helps to make your pet’s coat healthier.
- Resulting poop from this food has tolerable odor and great shape, making cleaning very easy.
- Most pet food supply stores sell this.
Choose the right variant:
- Hypoallergenic or good for some dogs with chronic skin allergies because this does not use chicken protein
- Ideal for adult and old dogs (1 year of age and above)
- Ideal for puppies (dogs less than 12 months of age)
- Also for confirmed to be pregnant, breastfeeding, show and working dogs.
- Hypoallergenic formulation as well
Dry Dog Food: Premium
#1 Acana
11.4 kg is PHP 3,300.00
- My patients who are on this diet have very little skin and tummy issues.
- The protein sources of this food are fresh, and the company has high standards of food processing.
- The story behind this Canadian brand is that they wanted to emulate the diet of our dogs’ ancestors (wolves), producing a food that is grain-free, filler-free, and preservative-free.
- With lots of flavors to choose from, specially if you have a
picky-eaterpet with five-star Michelin taste buds.
Choose the right variant:
- Ideal for dogs less than 12 months of age
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
- Ideal for dogs greater than 12 months of age
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
- For adult dogs who love the taste of fish
- Pacifica means they caught their fishes from the Pacific coast: herring, pilchard, flounder, hake, and rockfish
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
- For adult dogs who loves to exercise a lot, do agility courses, or dedicate themselves as sheep herders in farms
- Powered by chicken, flounder and eggs
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
- For adult dogs who love the taste of white meat (fish and chicken)
- Powered by chickens, turkeys, and eggs of Canadian prairies, and wild fishes from lakes.
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
- For adult dogs who love the taste of red meat (steak, anyone?)
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
- For adult dogs who love the taste of ducks
- Ideal for pets who have sensitive tummies and occasional picky appetite
- Made of ingredients that are ethically sourced, and whose animal protein origins have conditions that are considered cruelty-free farming
#2 Royal Canin
7.5 kg is PHP 3,000.00
- Has breed specific formulations that help improve and complement your pet’s physical features and reduce chances of breed specific diseases
- This company has been in the Philippine market for so long and is very reliable.
- There are occasional supply shortage issues due to problems in the customs’ bureau.
Choose the right variant:
- Ideal for puppies less than 10 months old
- Has Mini-indoor formula which tailor-made its kibbles so your puppy won’t choke on it, or have a hard time chewing an oversized pellet
- Ideal for dogs 1 to 7 years of age
- Made with kibbles that are not hard too chew, and has great appetizing aroma
- Easy to digest
- Has Omega Fatty Acids for healthier coat, skin, joints, and brain cells
- For pure breed dogs (sorry, but feeding your mixed breed dog won’t make it look like a pure breed doggo. It’s beautiful the way it is)
- Unique formula that is made for a specific breed…. because a Chihuahua has different requirements than a Labrador
- Also divided into life stages of puppy, adult, and senior
#3 Taste of the Wild
13 kg is PHP 5,800.00
- If you have a Husky, and you have tried all the food above, I know it’s very frustrating.
- This is your last resort.
- Grain-free and has lots of exotic flavors that will surely excite even the most picky pet.
Choose the right variant:
- For dogs who love the taste of white meat (from duck, quail and turkey)
- Comes in puppy (less than 12 months old) and adult recipes (more than 12 months old)
- Contains Probiotics for better digestion, Omega Fatty Acids for beautiful coat, and antioxidants
- Combining the exotic flavors of bison and venison creates a unique offering for your picky dog
- Comes in puppy (less than 12 months old) and adult recipes (more than 12 months old)
- Contains Probiotics for better digestion, Omega Fatty Acids for beautiful coat, and antioxidants
- For energetic and meat-loving dogs
- Comes in puppy (less than 12 months old) and adult recipes (more than 12 months old)
- Contains Probiotics for better digestion, Omega Fatty Acids for beautiful coat, and antioxidants
- Ideal for dogs who love white meat but has allergies with poultry
- Uses wild salmon and no eggs
- Comes in puppy (less than 12 months old) and adult recipes (more than 12 months old)
- Contains Probiotics for better digestion, Omega Fatty Acids for beautiful coat, and antioxidants
Dry Cat Food: Entry-level
Rapidly changing your pet’s food may upset its tummy and cause vomit, diarrhea, and pain. If you want to safely switch your dog’s food, read the guide here or follow your new food manufacturer’s feeding guide on their website.
#1 CatCare
20 kg is PHP 3,400.00
- If you have multiple cats that are sedentary and drink little water, this is for you.
- It helps reduce the chances of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), or that condition that prevents your male cat to pee normally.
There's only one variant meow:
- Recommended for kittens and adults
- Has Taurine, an amino acid that is very important to cats
- Contains YUCCA Schidigera for diminishing odors from poop and pee
- Some cats get easily uninterested with its flavor after several months of use
Dry Cat Food: Premium
#1 Royal Canin Indoor
10 kg is PHP 4,000.00
- Has breed specific formulations that help improve your pet’s physical features and reduce chances of breed specific diseases
- This company has been in the Philippine market for so long and is very reliable.
Choose the right variant:
- Ideal for kittens 4 to 12 months old
- Its small kibbles will neither choke your kitten nor give it a hard time chewing
- Packed with prebiotics and fibers to help reduce tummy issues in your kitty
- Ideal for cats 1 to 7 years of age
- Less hairballs and better pooping
- Decreases poop odor and reduces dental tartar buildup
- Recommended for cats, aged 1 to 7 years old, who have poor and dull coat
- Packed with amino acids and omega fatty acids to help restore your cat’s purrrfect shine
- Also for maintaining your cat’s urinary system (lesser pee problems)
- Recommended to prevent or reduce obesity in cats aged 1 to 7 years old
- Less hairballs
- Safeguards your cat’s pee and urinary system
- Available recipes for Persians in adult and kitten formulas
#2 Acana
5.4 kg is PHP 2,600.00
- My patients who are on this diet have very little pee and poop issues. This is because the protein sources of this food are fresh, and they have high standards of food processing.
Choose the right variant:
- For all breeds and life stages
- Has Pacific herring, pilchard, flounder, hake and rockfish sources to fuel your cat’s appetite
- For all breeds and life stages
- Packed with chicken, turkey, eggs and fish ethically sourced and farmed cruelty-free
#3 Orijen
5.4 kg is PHP 2,900.00
- Hailing from the same company as number 2, Orijen is also popular in the local, introverted cat community of Manila
- Also practices ‘natural’ methods of food processing
- Ideal for active cats
Choose the right variant:
- For all breeds and life stages (kitten, adult and senior)
- Packed with free-run chicken and turkey, cage-free eggs and wild caught fish
- For all breeds and life stages (kitten, adult and senior)
- Let your cat taste Vancouver’s pacific pilchard, hake, mackerel, flounder, and rockfish
DOG AND CAT FOOD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
It simply means I do not recommend it. The reasons for this include bad clinical experience, poor client feedback, stone former specially in cats, or I just haven’t had any experience with it yet (if the product is new).
It all boils down to your budget limit, food availability, and personal preference of your pet. Do not buy premium pet food only for you to end up eating Galunggong everyday. You need to be healthy too for your pet.
As a general rule, if your pet is less than 12 months old or 1 year of age, it is still considered a puppy or a kitten. So buy a puppy or kitten food. If your pet is beyond 12 months old or 1 year of age, it is an adult so you need to buy adult food.
No. If your pet appears to be sick and getting weaker every day, the solution to your problem is bringing your pet to your vet and not changing the pet food.
If you want your pet to get sick in the future, go on. I had a handful of cases of cats who underwent surgery because they were eating dog food. They can not pee or their urinary system was blocked by stones. I had also encountered dogs who had kidney failure because they were eating cat food for a long time. In most cases, cat food has higher protein content than dog food. There are obvious reasons why cat food is for cats, and dog food is for dogs. And of them is reading comprehension.
Yes and no.
Yes if your pet is confirmed to be pregnant by a veterinarian. The high protein in the puppy food for your momma dog will be beneficial and necessary. Gradually change its pet food over 3 to 5 days, mixing the old food with the new to prevent an upset tummy. If you change it immediately, it may develop vomiting and diarrhea which may endanger the pups in the womb.
No. The difference between the puppy and adult food is the percentages of the nutrients in it. Since puppies are growing rapidly, they demand and consume more nutrients. This is why puppy food has higher protein than adult food. If your adult dog is on a high protein diet over a long period of time, it will likely develop not only obesity but also kidney problems (an organ failure that requires dialysis in human patients). The same principle applies in cats.
Don’t panic. If this is just today, your senior dog won’t immediately develop kidney problems. However, you need to monitor for the next 24 hours if it will vomit or develop diarrhea from dietary intolerance. This is a self-limiting condition and it should resolve on its own after 24 hours by feeding with the old food only. If it exceeds the 1 day rule, bring your grandpa or granny dog to the vet.
If your pet is trying the food for the first time, buy the smaller version of the product. Be careful in buying the “repacked” food because you have not seen how the food was handled during the process. It may have already been exposed to environmental contaminants during the “repacking” process. In short, it may contain dust, molds, spores, or bad germs. Did the repacker even wash hands while he or she touched the pellets?
If you are stocking for your pet’s daily ration, you are actually saving more if you buy the sack.
DO NOT FEED IT TO YOUR PET.
If you are at a physical store, have someone open the sack before you transport it on your way home. Check for molds, bad odor, or damages in the packaging. If there is, ask for another stock.
If you found out the molds at home, be sure you kept the receipt with their contact number and the name of the person at the store who sold you the product. Take a photo of the product with the molds. Immediately call them and demand for a product replacement.
If you bought online, be sure that the seller has a return or exchange policy. After delivery, immediately open the sack and take a photo if you find molds, bad odor, or holes in the packaging. If there is, contact the seller for a replacement.
No, I did not receive any compensation for writing this. Like you, I’ve been a pet owner too. So I just want to share my experiences to you (now that I’m a vet) so that you and your pet could live a good life. It’s called kindness.
Warning
Do not feed your cat with dog food, and do not feed your dog with cat food. I had several cases who developed bladder stones which ended in a surgery table.
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