What Is Hills Prescription Diet
Prescription Diet is one of the 3 main cat food brands of Hills. This brand aims to provide a solution to your cats health problems. Only the best ingredients from trusted sources is what Hills promises to provide with every bag or can of Hills Prescription Diet cat food.
This Hills brand of cat food products is divided into 5 categories according the health issues: Metabolic for weight management, i/d for digestive care, d/d for skin and food sensitivities, c/d for urinary care, and k/d for kidney care. Each subcategory has both dry and wet cat food variants.
As with any type of medical condition your cat may have, it is always best to consult your vet before purchasing products to treat the condition.
Hills Science Diet Adult Indoor Dry Cat Food
Designed to fuel the needs of indoor cats aged 1-6 years old, the Indoor dry food has natural fiber that supports digestive health. This easy to digest food is high in protein from chicken and corn gluten meal.
The first five ingredients of this cat food are chicken, whole grain wheat, corn gluten meal, powdered cellulose, and chicken fat.
Pros
Helps with weight management. Many overweight cats who have been switched to this Adult Indoor food were able to shed their extra weight. It is able to keep them full for longer. As a result, cats are more active, and their joints are feeling much better as they are lighter.
Shiny coats. This is another dry product of the Hills brand that gives cats that healthy, silky fur. Cat parents are just so proud of their kitties soft, glossy coats. Not only is it pretty, but it is also an indication of a cats good health. This is another kibble from the brand that received high ratings for the positive effects on their kitties coats.
Cons
Kibbles are too large.Some cat owners have noticed a change in the kibble size of this dry food. They appear to be larger than previous formulas. Cats who are used to the old formula or kibble size do not seem to like the new larger kibbles.
Science Diet Cat Food Review: Vet
Having endless pet product options has its ups and downs. We have more options to choose from according to our pets needs. Many pet parents have been opting for organic, more holistic approach to their pets nutrition.
However, there are still a lot of cat parents who prefer to put their trust in experts who have spent many years studying the science of animal nutrition and health. With this in mind, we have made this 2021 Hills Science Diet cat food review to help you find the right veterinarian-approved food for your cat.
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Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Dry Cat Food
- Made with real chicken and a taste cats love
- Helps maintain urinary tract health by reducing urinary pH and providing low dietary magnesium
- Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, helps support healthy skin and a lustrous coat
- FOCUS Urinary Tract Health Chicken & Rice Formula has a new look and product name coming soon.
Hills Prescription Diet Metabolic + Urinary Care Chicken Flavor Dry Cat Food
Veterinary Authorization Required
Just like the human epidemic, almost 50% of the pet population is overweight. Even a little extra weight can impact the pets quality of life and relationship with family because that extra weight can reduce play time, put your cat at risk of urinary conditions like bladder stones and affect the lifelong general health of your cat.
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Was Your Pet Food Recalled
The collaboration worked out well for both Dr. Morris and Hill Packing Company. Dog foods emerging from the facility featured brand names like Hills Dog Food and Sky-Hy Dog Food, sold nationally.
We dont know what was in the recipe for Raritan Ration B back in those days, but Hills Dog Food labels of the era featured ingredients like horse meat, horse meat byproducts, corn, wheat and something called green bone, which we think was a bone meal.
Soon, the company got a new name: Hills Pet Nutrition. And in the 1960s, Morriss son, Mark Jr., who was also a veterinarian, expanded the business.
Corporate Changes
In 1968, Hills Pet Nutrition was acquired by Riviana Foods Inc., which immediately began work on bringing additional products to market, such as the Hills Science Diet brand line.
Hills began distributing its food via veterinary practices and other pet professionals. That would turn out to be a genius move.
As the Wall Street Journal noted in 1997, Since almost everyone asks their vets what to start feeding a new pet, Hills cleverly has managed to steer billions its way with that all-important early recommendation.
In 1976, Colgate-Palmolive purchased Riviana Foods, which included its highly profitable Hills Pet Nutrition subsidiary, in a deal valued at about $180 million.
Hills Prescription Diet Pet Food Innovations
Here is a quick list of some of the brands milestones over the past few decades:
List Of Hills Prescription Diet Recalls
Cause: Elevated levels of Vitamin D. Announcement: FDA report dated Jan. 31, 2019 company webpage updated May 15, 2019 . What was recalled: In the United States, the following Hills Prescription Diet canned dog foods were recalled:
Note that Hills Science Diet canned dog food was also recalled. See our Science Diet page for details.
Of special note to anyone outside the United States:
Impacted products outside of the United States will be subject to separate notices on the country-specific website. If you are outside of the United States, please check your own countrys Hills website for more information.
Cause: Melamine. Announcement: Company announcement dated April 1, 2007 . What was recalled: Hills Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food, sold in 4 lb. and 10 lb. bags.
If you have not done so already, we urge you to sign up now for Petfuls FREE recall alerts by email. Our free alerts are saving pets lives.
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What To Consider In A Cat Food For Urinary Tract Health
Plan to carefully read labels when deciding which brand is right for your cat. First, pet parents should work with their veterinarian on what their cat specifically needs, says Dr. Bernal. A veterinarian will be able to provide the key attributes that the cat parent should look for to support their cats urinary tract health.
Hills Science Diet Urinary Hairball Control
Urinary Hairball Control Adult dry food has optimal levels of magnesium to support urinary health. It is high in fiber and fatty acids to for healthy skin and coat, and to prevent hairballs. Fibers also help make it easy to digest.
The first five ingredients: chicken, whole wheat grain, pork fat, and powdered cellulose.
Pros
Helped improve urinary tract health. This product has received good reviews from cat parents of kitties suffering from various urinary issues such as crystals, UTI, etc.
Some of them have been advised by vets to try feeding the cats Urinary Hairball Control Adult. Many of the cats issues have cleared up or at least improved since being fed with this cat food. It has actually been a life saver for some sick kitties.
Hairball buster. This dry food from Hills proved to be capable to deliver as far as its purpose is concerned. Not only has it helped with urinary health, it also reduced the number of hairballs for many cats. Some have even completely eradicated hairballs since they started eating Urinary Hairball Control Adult cat food.
Cons
Hard to chew. This product is not recommended for older cats or cats who have a difficult time chewing tougher cat food. According to some reviews, the kibbles are a bit too big for their cats as well. As it is on the harder side, it is a bit tough to manually grind them up.
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How Does It Work
Just follow these four easy steps…
Hills Science Diet Cat Food Review
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According to Hills, science has been at the core of how their pet food products are created since 1939. A vast team of more than 220 vets, pet nutritionists, and food scientists are behind their recipes. Hills approach to pet food nutrition is called Predictive Biology.
They believe the right nutrition makes little transformations that can contribute to a cats optimum health. This makes them one of the best cat foods commercially available.
Hills Science Diet brand is divided into five lines: Kitten, Adult, Weight, Hairball, and Urinary. Each line has both dry and wet cat food variants.
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Purina Pro Plan Focus Urinary Tract Health Formula
Key Benefits:
- The specialized recipe is made with real salmon provides exceptional taste your cats will love.
- Fortified with 25 key vitamins and minerals necessary to promote a balanced diet whether served alone or as delicious toppings on the kibble.
- It helps keep the urinary tract healthy by cutting urinary PH while providing low dietary magnesium.
- Additional care for a healthy immune system
The name Purina already speaks volumes about the quality of the food they formulate for cats . A household name, they are well respected and loved by pet owners globally.
This company offers Purina Pro Plan FOCUS range a series of cat food that targets specific health problems in cats.
One of which is their Urinary Tract Health Formula. This cat food is specially formulated to aid in maintaining your felines urinary health.
It manages by reducing urinary PH and offering low dietary magnesium. Not only is it beneficial for urinary tract health it also cares for skin and coat for good health inside and out.
Analysis:
Hills Prescription Diet Metabolic + Urinary Feline
RECOMMENDED
OR YOUR MONEY BACK If you are unsatisfied for any reason, return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund or replacement
Weight + Urinary CareJust like the human epidemic, almost 50% of the pet population is overweight. Even a little extra weight can impact the pets quality of life and relationship with family because that extra weight can reduce play time, put your cat at risk of urinary conditions like bladder stones and affect the lifelong general health of your cat. Hills nutritionists & veterinarians developed Prescription Diet® Metabolic + Urinary Feline clinical nutrition especially formulated to help manage your cats weight and urinary health. In fact, Metabolic + Urinary Feline has clinically tested nutrition to reduce the most common urinary signs by 89% AND proven to reduce body weight by 11% in 60 days.
How it works:
A synergistic blend of ingredients
- Controlled levels of magnesium, calcium & phosphorus
- Unique fiber blend from fruits and vegetables
How it helps:
Naturally works with your pets unique metabolism
- Dissolves struvite stones in as little as 7 days
- Helps your pet feel full & satisfied between meals
Additional info:
*Urine pH of individual cats may vary due to complicating factors such as time of feeding before urine collection, type of urine collection, individual animal variation, and test methodology.
Formulated to help
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Overall Is Hills A Good Choice
Hills is built on a foundation of industry-leading nutrition research, giving it the ability to create recipes formulated for specific health conditions and dietary needs.
While Hills can be a good choice for cats with health issues, its not the strongest candidate for a healthy cats daily diet. Though Hills says that corn, wheat, and other high-carbohydrate plant ingredients are nutritious for cats, others disagree. Whether youre shopping for wet or dry food, Hills cat food tends to contain large amounts of plant ingredients that dont fit into a carnivorous diet plan.
What Do Customers Think Of Hills Cat Food
Hills is one of the most respected brands in the pet food industry. Its a staple in veterinary offices and animal shelters. The fact of the brands esteem has attracted some of its most vehement criticism. As we saw in the 2019 lawsuit initiated by a Kansas consumer, some feel that Hills food is given more respect than it deserves and uses that reputation to justify its high prices.
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What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Hills Offer
Hills has several lines of cat food, including Hills Science Diet, Hills Prescription Diet, Hills Healthy Advantage, and Hills Ideal Balance.
- Science Diet emphasizes scientifically-formulated recipes that utilize what Hills describes as biology-based nutrition for all stages of cats lives.
- Hills Prescription Diet is only available with a veterinarians prescription. Recipes in this line target health conditions and special needs, including IBD, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, urinary tract health.
- Hills Healthy Advantage is exclusively sold through veterinarians. While Hills Prescription Diet foods target single health conditions, each food in this line addresses five essential health factorsimmunity, weight management, urinary health, digestion, and skin and coat health.
- The Ideal Balance line is made with natural ingredients and, according to Hills, is perfectly balanced.
Keep Your Cats Urinary Issues At Bay
- Pin
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The Spruce / Sabrina Jiang
Many house cats struggle with a variety of conditions that affect their bladder and/or urethra, broadly known as urinary tract health. This can present as difficulty and pain when urinating, increased frequency of urination and/or blood in the urine. Cats may urinate outside the litter box, in corners, a sink, or a bathtub. While these issues can occur at any age, it is often seen in middle-aged, overweight cats that dont get enough exercise.
A cats diet can contribute to urinary pH imbalance or help improve it. Diets can vary in how they support urinary tract health, but its important to look for restricted amounts of minerals, such as magnesium and phosphorus, which can contribute to the development of urinary crystal and stone formation, explains Dr. Danielle Bernal, Global Veterinarian with Wellness Natural Pet Food. The crystals cause painful urination and the stones are painful to pass. They may cause urinary tract infections, blockages, or kidney problems.
Below are a few of the best urinary tract health cat foods available today.
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Chicken is the first ingredient
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Includes digestive support ingredients
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Hills Prescription Diet History
This pet food brands history is intertwined with the career of the first Seeing Eye dog, Buddy.
Buddy, guide dog to Morris Frank, a young blind man, developed kidney failure in the 1930s. Frank suspected that the dogs health condition was the result of poor nutrition. So, he corresponded with lauded veterinarian .
Dr. Morris discovered that a lack of table scraps during these difficult years led many dog owners to turn to inexpensive commercial foods in order to feed their pets. The low-quality feed was contributing to kidney disease and failure, according to the Morris Animal Foundation.
Dr. Morris and his wife set to work on a kidney diet recipe for dogs. They worked up the formula in their own kitchen.
The first consignment of renal dog food was shipped to Frank in glass jars. However, glass tends to break during transit, so Frank sent the Morrises a canning machine as well as a commission for thousands of orders. After a while, Buddys health improved.
And thats how the worlds first veterinary diet for dogs was born.
It was called Raritan Ration B. Its name was a nod to Raritan Township, the original name of Edison, New Jersey, where Dr. Morris had opened his animal hospital just a couple of years after earning his veterinary degree.
Raritan Ration B is the dog food that would become the basis for Hills Prescription Diet k/d Canine.
Groundbreaking Pet Food
The Hill Name Is Added
Hills Science Diet Kitten Savory Turkey Entre
Savory Turkey Entrée has a smooth, soft texture that kittens can eat with ease. It is made with high-quality protein for healthy, lean muscles. It has antioxidants, vitamins E and C for a strong immune system.
The first five ingredients are water, turkey, turkey giblets, pork liver, and salmon.
Pros
Rich turkey flavor.Kittens just love this Savory Turkey Entrée wet cat food. They enjoy the smooth texture, and just love the overall taste. This cat food is not just rich in turkey, it also has flavorful pork liver and salmon among other ingredients.
Reasonably priced.Customer reviews state that this canned cat food is reasonably priced for the high-quality ingredients it has.
Cons
Needs a bit more liquid.A handful of buyers find that this Hills product needs a bit more moisture. Some simply add a spoonful of water to the cat food to make a bit more sauce. This is a great way to give more hydration to your cats.
Savory Turkey Entrée cat food has high quality animal protein from turkey, salmon, pork, and chicken. This also make it extra tasty for kittens to enjoy. Many buyers reviews and ratings show that they find good value in this product as it has good quality ingredients, yet it is reasonably priced.
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