The Down Low on Grain-Free Cat Food and Giveaway from Hill’s Science Diet
Photo courtesy of Hill’s Science Diet
When it comes to feeding options for our cats, not only can the choices available be dizzying, but the opinions as to what brand or type of food to feed them dizzying as well and conversations can often reach pitch levels that rival a political debate. Well, I don’t like to debate politics and I also don’t like to tell people what they should, or should not feed their cats, as I realize that we all have our own personal reasons – be they holistic, scientific, financial, or specific dietary needs and I try to respect that.
What I can do, however, is offer information so that you can make an informed decision on your own as to what best suits your cat’s needs and so when Hills Science Diet reached out to me and asked if I would like participate in their Hill’s Science Diet Blogger Outreach Campaign, with the first topic being Hill’s Science Diet Grain-Free Cat Food, I agreed because I felt most of us have probably heard of grain-free foods, but did we really understand what grain-free food was and is it necessarily the best option for your cat?
Grain-free is a feeding option for those who have cats with allergies or sensitivity to grains that can result in itchy, dry skin, and upset stomachs or for pet parents who just have a personal preference to feed their cats grain-free food. Grain-free does not mean carb-free or that the food is high in protein – in fact, grains are often replaced with high carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes. Grain-free also does not imply the best quality of food for your cat – not all brands are created equal and the most important aspect to consider is the precise balance of nutrients your cat needs for optimal health without any grain.
So how do you decipher all the grain-free choices without the cat suffering? Some cat foods might contain excesses or deficiencies of specific nutrients and many foods labeled as “all-natural” can be deceiving to pet parents who just assume that this type of food must be the best choice for their beloved kitty, not realizing that in many cases, all-natural might just mean that there is a lack of artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Hill’s has been in the pet food business for over 70 years with all foods processed in their own U.S. facilities and understands the worries and concerns the pet parent has and they have eliminated the confusion with the introduction of their new Hill’s Science Diet Grain-Free cat food that offers the precise balance of nutrients your cat needs for optimal health without any grains. It’s made with real chicken and has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and is carefully balanced with the following important nutrients to help ensure that your cat lives a long and healthy life:
Prebiotic fibers from beet pulp for healthy digestion.
Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids to support a healthy and shiny coat.
Vitamins E + C to support your cat’s immune system.
Phosphorus to maintain healthy kidneys.
Taurine to help promote healthy vision.
To ensure your cat have a beautiful coat and be happy and healthy like Peanut and Mia here, it is imperative you feed them a well-balanced cat food suitable for their age and dietary needs.
So, there you have it. Another great option for your cat, but instead of just reading about it, Hill’s has generously allowed me to give away sample bags (10 pounds each) to four (4) lucky readers who would like to try the Grain-Free food out for their own kitty! Or, if you wish, you can request a specific shelter or rescue on your behalf that you would like to have the food donated to. All you need to do is leave a comment by midnight, EST, September 30th, as to why you would like to try the food out for your kitty or what shelter you would like to donate it to, if that is your choice. The contest is limited to the U.S. and Canada and you must leave your email address in the contact form or within the text of your comment to be eligible so that I can contact you for shipping details.
And as a side note, please be aware that Hill’s Grain-Free food is recommended for adult cats 1 – 6 years of age with grain sensitivities. Kittens, pregnant or nursing cats, mature cats, or cats with other dietary issues should switch to an appropriate Science Diet formula.
“While my cats personally have been eating the Hill’s brand for years without compensation, this post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Science Diet for Cats, but Zee & Zoey’s Chronicle Connection only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.”
My cats do best without grains, so I’m always looking for good options.
Great information….from someone who’s opinion I truly value!!
My cats would love to try this because it’s made with real chicken and has great ingredients in there for them.
Thunder would be willing to give it a try. He likes the regular Science Diet, so he might like this, too.
Leonardo goes strictly for the classic Science Diet blend (I hope that they don’t stop making it!) while lively Mike (our adoptee) would probably benefit from this new formula
I am passing on your giveaway as I just won this from another blog. I cannot wait to have my kitties try it. Good luck to everyone.
I have an FIV cat who has a very sensitive stomach. I would like to try this for him.
While we feed a lot of wet food, we have some die hard dry food lovers in the house and would love to try this. One of the boys is very sensitive to grains, so we only feed grain free.
I am on a grain free diet for allergy and health reasons, it is a pawesome way to feed mewz cat regardless. If I win, I would like to pass mine on to Miss Rosemary’s boy with FIV. Special needs kitties rock!
Since my cats are 7 and older, I will choose Garland Animal control.
That food sounds great, but our kitties are all set with their foods for now. We’d like to donate it to Winnie’s Wish if we win. 🙂
One of my two cats seems to have a sensitive stomach. I”ve tried several high quality foods, but haven’t tried grain free yet. I would love to see if it does the trick for her!
I’ve been thinking of trying this diet so thanks for the chance!
Thank you for the valuable information. I have done a lot of research and have given several different types of grain free foods to my cats. They seem to not like some more than others. Specifically, they like the lower quality foods better than the higher quality foods. So, I have been mixing them together. I’d love to try this brand to see if their finicky appetite will agree 🙂
Hello from Canada!
I am loving your blog! I currently have over 40 kitties. Some in house and some in a kennel with an outdoor run. I live in the country and take in a lot of drop offs and unwanted barn cats. The ones I keep in the kennel with lots of daily loving all have the upper respitory disease making them unwanted by other people. I offer them a forever loving home. I feed them all Acana mostly but am always on the look out for new foods as costs get outrages! I want to offer them the best nutrition I can afford since their immune systems are always working over time. I find they seem to be quite sensitive to a lot of foods with bouts of loose smelly stools. I would love the opportunity to try Hill’s grain free food and thank you for the opportunity for this offer!
Thanks for the review, Deb. The last grain-free we tried, the kitties didn’t particularly care for; though, some ate it sparingly. We’d like to dry this one. Maybe it will be liked and will help a couple with some digestion problems. So please enter us in your giveaway. e-mail: janet.blue@thecatonmyhead.com. Hope you’ll drop by to see us today as well for our birthday party and commentathon. You could win $$ for your favorite shelter/rescue. Purrs and hugs from the kitties at http://www.thecatonmyhead.com, Lily Olivia, Misty May, Mauricio, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Would love to try it as some of my cats have dry, itchy skin and one has a sensitive stomach. Thanks!
I don’t know what Leonardo and Mike would make of this. They could try it.
Kintaro and TT are already on a grain free diet. Kintaro has a sensitive tummy. He is also my picky eater. Switching is not an option for us. If we are one of the lucky winners, I would like to donate the bags of Science Diet to Winnie’s Wish (http://dogsandcats.typepad.com/blog/). Chrystal works hard to rescue and save many cats and kittens.
I’d love to offer this food to my Winnie’s Wish kitties. I have a private licensed shelter/rescue for cats. Always looking for ways to feed nutritious food. We’d love to try it!