Published Aug 7, 2022
As of 2021, the estimated population of South Africa was just over 60 million people. Statistics gathered in 2022 suggest that pet ownership is on the rise in South Africa and the pet industry is expected to grow by 2.5% between 2021 and 2026.
In this guide, we’ll briefly discuss your cat’s nutritional needs before diving into a few details about the pet food market in South Africa. From there, we’ll introduce you to our top picks for the best cat food available in South Africa in stores and online.
NOTE: We’ve compiled a list of some of the highest quality cat food brands available in Spain based on product availability in online pet stores that serve South Africa. To learn more about how we came to our top picks, check out the Where To Buy Cat Food in South Africa section below.
In this guide, we’ll briefly discuss what your cat needs in terms of nutrition. We’ll also talk about the kind of cat food you’ll find in South Africa and introduce you to our top picks.
At a Glance: Best Cat Foods To Buy in South Africa
Want a quick look at the best cat foods reviewed in this article? In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Doggobone Alfies Original Recipe Raw Cat Food
- Top seven ingredients are all animal-based
- Nutritionally complete raw food made with meat, organs, and bone
- Made from locally sourced raw ingredients
Montego Karoo Slow-Cooked Stew with Real Chicken, Lamb & Carrots Adult Wet Cat Food
- First three main ingredients are animal-based proteins
- Contains two novel animal proteins
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
K-9 Tender Tuna Chunks in Jelly Wet Cat Food Pouch
- Made with a minimum of 26% tuna
- Chicken fat is a nutritious source of animal-based fat
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chciken Canned Cat Food
- Chicken is the main ingredient and single source of protein
- Contains a limited number of plant ingredients
- Free from grains, fillers, and artificial additives
Little Big Paw Gourmet Tender Turkey Mousse for Cats
- Top three ingredients are high-quality animal proteins
- Salmon oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids
- Rich in moisture with a soft, easy-to-chew texture
Sheba Succulent Chicken Breast in Gravy Canned Cat Food
- Contains over 70% protein on a dry matter basis
- Made with a single source of high-quality animal protein
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
Orijen Six Fish Dry Cat Food
- Top ten ingredients are all animal-based
- An entirely fish-based recipe, no other common allergens
- Relatively low carbohydrate content for a dry cat food
Acana Wild Prairie Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
- Top six ingredients are high-quality animal proteins
- Main sources of added fat are both animal-based
- Free from artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives
Why Should You Trust Us?
Having reviewed over 230 of the world’s most popular cat food brands and hundreds of formulas. We spent hours researching, contacting pet food companies, and analyzing labels. With the help of our cats, we’ve also accumulated hours upon hours of hands-on experience with different cat foods.
Based on that research, we’re bringing you an updated list of the best cat food brands and products available in South Africa. We’ve researched the brands themselves and evaluated individual recipes to bring you our top picks.
What Does Balanced Nutrition Look Like for Cats?
No matter where you live, it’s your responsibility as a cat owner to provide for your feline friend’s nutritional needs. The most important thing to remember is that cats are obligate carnivores.
The term obligate carnivore refers to animals that have a biological requirement for a meat-based diet.
Your cat’s body simply isn’t designed to process plant foods efficiently, so the majority of the ingredients in his food should be animal-based – definitely eh first ingredient and ideally three out of the top five. Avoid recipes that are too carb-heavy, especially if those carbs come from low-value grains like corn, wheat, and soy or starchy beans and legumes.
Adult cats require a minimum of 26% crude protein in their diets (measured on a dry matter basis) while kittens need 30%. The minimum fat content of a cat or kitten’s diet should be 9% but animal nutritionists generally recommend a much higher fat content around 20%.
Aside from making sure your cat’s food contains the ideal ratio of protein to fat (with minimal carbohydrates), be on the lookout for potentially harmful ingredients.
In wet cat food, be mindful of potentially carcinogenic thickeners like carrageenan. Even options like guar gum which may be less dangerous can contribute to digestive issues like diarrhea. Be sure to avoid vaguely-named animal ingredients and by-product meals as well as artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
The Pet Industry in South Africa
The South African pet food market is by far the largest in the Middle East and Africa, accounting for over 50% of annual sales in this region.
Though it has a long way to go to reach the size of the North American and European markets, the South African pet food market is growing in both size and competitiveness. According to GlobalPETS, the South African market grew by 14% in real terms – a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3% – between 2010 and 2015. During this time period, the annual rate of real GDP growth in South African halved.
One of the primary drivers of growth in the South African pet food market is the increasing number of pet owners switching to prepared pet food from table scraps and leftovers.
A 2018 Insight Survey report suggests that pet food manufacturers in South Africa are profiting off global pet industry trends. Pet owners around the world continue to view and treat their pets like family and a natural side effect of this trend is a rising demand for premium pet food products.
The South African pet food market has seen a steady increase in sales since 2014, primarily from foreign imports. A 2018 report from Euromonitor International suggests, however, that rising prices on imported brands are driving South African pet owners toward domestic brands. Several manufacturers have begun introducing private label brands at various price points to capture a larger share of the market.
Pet foods imported to South Africa from the United States must adhere to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety and labeling requirements. While they do not have any regulatory power, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) holds a lot of power in the American pet food industry which extends to foreign markets.
The majority of US-made pet foods are formulated according to nutrient profiles established by AAFCO and several foreign regulatory agencies follow these same guidelines.
A similar organization called the Pet Food Industry Association of South Africa (PFI) exists in South Africa. The organization is self-described as: “an industry body dedicated to upholding quality standards and safety in pet nutrition.” As is true with AAFCO, membership of the PFI isn’t required for pet food suppliers but pet owners concerned about feeding their pets the best would be wise to consider a PFI member brand simply for their peace of mind.
What Brands Are Available in South Africa?
Many of the most readily available cat foods in South Africa come from big names that fall under the Mars Petcare family of brands.
Some of the top cat food brands include:
These and other popular brands like Hill’s are largely imported from the United States and from manufacturers throughout Europe. In some cases, however, the names have been changed.
For example, Hill’s Science Diet (owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company) operates as Science Plan in the United Kingdom, and these are the products that are imported into South Africa.
The situation with Friskies cat food (a Nestle Purina-owned brand) in South Africa is a little bit different. Friskies has been popular in South Africa for years but in 2017 began transitioning into a new brand called Pamper. This occurred after Martin & Martin, a British pet healthcare company, purchased a Nestle Purina wet cat food plant in 2016 and began locally sourcing, manufacturing, and distributing Friskies products under the new name Pamper.
Other American-made brands that are easy to find in South Africa include Acana, Orijen, Weruva, and Pro Pac.
Just because these brands are familiar and readily available, however, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the healthiest option. In fact, I found a few South African-made brands that seem to offer higher quality, more species-appropriate nutrition for cats than options like Whiskas and Sheba. I’ve chosen to highlight these products at the top of my list of recommendations.
The 8 Best Cat Foods in South Africa: Our Top Picks
It’s difficult to say that any particular cat food is the “best” considering one cat may have preferences or dietary requirements that are unique from another’s.
To compile this list, I researched the cat food options available in South Africa and evaluated them based on the tenets of an ideal feline diet. The brands I’ve chosen aren’t necessarily the most popular or easy to find but they’re made with more animal-based ingredients and fewer carbohydrates than some of the bestsellers on South African pet retail websites.
Again, I’ve placed the South Africa-made brands at the top of the list. I’ve also attempted to include a variety of product types and flavors to help cat owners like you find the right option for your cat.
#1 Doggobone
Doggobone is a raw pet food company based in Cape Town. All recipes are strictly grain-free and preservative-free, formulated around high-quality animal proteins and designed to mimic the natural diet of wild dogs and cats. Their formulas are flash frozen to preserve nutritional integrity.
Featured Recipe: Doggobone Alfies Original Recipe Raw Cat Food
Doggobone offers an assortment of recipes for dogs but only one cat food formula. Alfies is a multi-protein raw frozen cat food made with fresh meat, organs, and bone.
This recipe starts off strong with chicken, beef, venison, duck, and pilchards (also known as sardines) as the top five ingredients. Doggobone notes that all chicken, duck, and pilchards include finely ground bone and all organs, unless otherwise specified, are derived from beef or sheep sources.
I was only able to find this product’s Guaranteed Analysis measured in grams per kilogram, so the percentages below may not be entirely accurate. Given these numbers, however, it appears that this raw cat food recipe is fairly high in protein and fat, but the carbohydrate content is still fairly high, especially in comparison to some raw frozen foods we’ve reviewed.
The formula is, however, rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration and it contains a species-appropriate blend of fresh meat, organs, and bone. It’s also free from grains, cereals, and artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Ingredients
Chicken, Beef/Venison, Duck, Pilchards, Hearts, Liver, Egg (including Shell), Chicory Root, Yoghurt, Beetroot, Carrots, Herbs, Ground Flax Seed, Fortified with Approved Vitamins, Minerals and Taurine.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Beef/Venison, Duck, Pilchards, Hearts, Liver, Egg
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Ground Flaxseed
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Top seven ingredients are all animal-based
- Nutritionally complete raw food made with meat, organs, and bone
- Made from locally sourced raw ingredients
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
What We Didn’t Like
- Contains several plant ingredients
- Carb content is higher than some raw frozen foods
#2 Montego Karoo
Montego is based in South Africa and is well-known among pet owners. The brand was launched in 2000 with its signature product, Montego Classic. The brand was expanded to include Senior and Adult Cat recipes in 2003 and Kitten food in 2011. Today, Montego appears to be sold by many online South African pet food retailers and in over a dozen pet stores in Pretoria.
Featured Recipe: Montego Karoo Slow-Cooked Stew with Real Chicken, Lamb & Carrots Adult Wet Cat Food
This wet cat food is sold in 3-packs of 125g (4.4oz.) tubs. It features chicken as the primary ingredient, supplemented with additional protein from lamb, ostrich, and whole egg.
Montego Karoo wet foods are slow-cooked to preserve nutrition and flavor. They’re rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration and contain a limited list of ingredients to make them highly digestible. Given the inclusion of novel proteins like lamb and ostrich, these foods may also be a good option for cats with food allergies (as long as they can tolerate chicken).
While this recipe doesn’t appear to contain any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, it does contain two starchy thickeners: guar gum and xanthan gum. These aren’t as dangerous as carrageenan, another thickener commonly used in wet cat food, but they have been known to contribute to digestive upset in some cats.
Overall, this wet cat food formula offers moderate protein and high fat content with high carbohydrate content. It’s rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration.
Ingredients
Water, Chicken, Lamb, Ostrich, Carrots, Rice Flour, Whole Egg Powder, Palm Oil, Beet Pulp, Sodium Triphosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulphate, Ferrous Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Manganese Sulphate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Taurine.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Lamb, Ostrich, Whole Egg Powder
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Carrots, Rice Flour, Palm Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- First three main ingredients are animal-based proteins
- Contains two novel animal proteins
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
- Free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives
What We Didn’t Like
- High carbohydrate content
- Guar gum may irritate sensitive digestive systems
#3 K-9
K-9 was founded 22 years ago by a group of concerned pet owners who began making dog food in their own kitchens. The brand grew as friends and neighbors begam interested and K-9 Pet Foods now has company-owned kitchens located in Montague Park, Montague Gardens. Their products are available throughout the Cape Town Metropole in select pet stores, vets, and supermarkets.
Featured Recipe: K-9 Tender Tuna Chunks in Jelly Wet Cat Food Pouch
K-9 offers four wet cat food products sold in 85g (3oz) pouches. Their largest product line is a line of frozen cooked meals, but they’re only formulated for dogs. The same is true for their 380g wet food tubs. K-9 does, however, offer two complementary meals for cats sold in 100g (3.5oz) tubs.
This tuna recipe features a minimum of 26% tuna paired with additional protein from unnamed meat sources. Chicken fat is the primary source of added fat, and the recipe is thickened with rice flour along with various “gelling agents” and “emulsifiers.”
K-9 does not list the guaranteed analysis for their products on the company website, nor was this information available from online retailers. Nor do they specify from what animals the ingredient labeled “meats” are derived.
Given the limited information available about this product, I’m not able to make a comprehensive evaluation. I did, however, want to include K-9 on this list because their products are made in South Africa, and they are one of the only brands to offer frozen cooked meals for pets. Perhaps in the future they will expand this line to include feline recipes.
Ingredients
Water, Tuna (min 26%), Meats, Chicken Fat, Rice Flour, Palatability Enhancers, Gelling Agents, Minerals, Dextrose, Emulsifiers, Salt, Vitamins, and Taurine.
Ingredients We Liked: Tuna, Chicken Fat
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Rice Flour, Palatability Enhancers, Gelling Agents, Emulsifiers
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Made with a minimum of 26% tuna
- Chicken fat is a nutritious source of animal-based fat
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
What We Didn’t Like
- Contains unnamed meat ingredients
- Contains added flavor
#4 Weruva
Weruva is a US-based cat food company headquartered in Massachusetts and manufactured in Thailand. They offer a wide selection of wet cat food products across several product lines including Classic canned foods and Cats in the Kitchen pouches.
Featured Recipe: Weruva Paw Lickin’ Chciken Canned Cat Food
Weruva’s Paw Lickin’ Chicken is one of their most popular classic canned foods, made with fresh chicken breast as the main ingredient and a singular source of animal protein.
This recipe does contain a few plant ingredients – namely potato starch and sunflower seed oil – but the overall carbohydrate content is very low. The potato starch mainly serves to thicken the recipe along with the xanthan gum.
I would prefer to see an animal-based fat replace the sunflower seed oil. This oil is rich in oleic acid, a non-essential omega-9 fatty acid. An animal-based source of omega-3s and omega-6s would be more biologically valuable for your cat.
That being said, this recipe is rich in moisture to support optimal hydration and because the ingredient list is short, it should be easy for most cats to digest. It’s also free from grains, fillers, and artificial additives.
Ingredients
Chicken (Boneless, Skinless Breast), Chicken Broth, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Calcium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Nicotinic Acid (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Copper Sulfate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Chicken is the main ingredient and single source of protein
- Contains a limited number of plant ingredients
- Free from grains, fillers, and artificial additives
- Fairly low overall carbohydrate content
What We Didn’t Like
- Only source of fat is plant-based
#5 Little Big Paw
Little Big Paw is a UK-based pet food company that was founded in 2016 and is currently distributed in over 40 countries worldwide. This brand uses British-sourced meat, poultry, and fish sourced – they do not use beef, lamb, or pork, which they say are “the worst meats for carbon footprint.”
Featured Recipe: Little Big Paw Gourmet Tender Turkey Mousse for Cats
Little Big Paw offers seven wet cat food recipes which have a mousse texture and are sold in 85g (3oz) cups. This particular recipe features fresh turkey as the primary ingredient with fresh chicken and chicken liver as supplemental sources of animal-based protein.
This is a primarily animal-based wet food. Sunflower oil appears to be the only added plant ingredient, but it is preceded by salmon oil as the main source of added fat. Salmon oil provides skin- and coat-supporting omega-3s while sunflower oil is rich in omega-9s like oleic acid.
In addition to being protein-rich, this wet food has plenty of moisture to help keep your cat hydrated. Plus, the fluffy mousse texture is easy to chew which makes it a good choice for kittens and senior cats. Keep in mind, however, that the fat content is very high around 36% on a dry matter basis – it may be too high for cats who are already overweight or obese.
Ingredients
Turkey (26%), Chicken (24%), Chicken Liver (20%), Vitamin A, Taurine, Vitamin E, Iron, Zinc Sulphate, Manganese sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Calcium Iodate, Salmon Oil, Sunflower Oil.
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Chicken, Chicken Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Sunflower Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Top three ingredients are high-quality animal proteins
- Salmon oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids
- Rich in moisture with a soft, easy-to-chew texture
What We Didn’t Like
- Fat content may be too high for some cats
#6 Sheba
Sheba cat food is manufactured by Mars, Inc. – the same company responsible for other popular brands in South Africa like Whiskas, Royal Canin, and Iams. In the United States, Sheba offers a variety of wet cat foods sold in small portions. In South Africa, however, it appears that Sheba primarily offers small cans of complementary wet cat food online (availability in stores may be different).
Featured Recipe: Sheba Succulent Chicken Breast in Gravy
This Sheba canned food recipe contains a single main ingredient: chicken breast. This makes it a single-protein recipe which could be a good choice for cats who are allergic or sensitive to other common proteins.
Like the Doggobone recipe above, the Guaranteed Analysis for this recipe is only listed in grams per kilogram, so the percentages may not be completely accurate. Given these numbers, however, this Sheba cat food appears to be very high in protein and moisture and low in carbohydrates.
The thing to keep in mind with this formula is that, like other Sheba canned foods available in South Africa, it is intended for complementary feeding only. It isn’t nutritionally complete.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast, Modified Starch, Guar Gum.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken Breast
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Guar Gum
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Contains over 70% protein on a dry matter basis
- Made with a single source of high-quality animal protein
- Rich in moisture to support your cat’s hydration
What We Didn’t Like
- Not a nutritionally complete formula
- Guar gum may irritate sensitive stomachs
#7 Orijen
Orijen is the flagship brand of Champion Petfoods, originally founded in 1985. It’s based in Canada and currently has manufacturing facilities in Alberta, Ontario, and Kentucky in the United States. Unlike many major manufacturers like Mars, Inc., Orijen doesn’t outsource – they only produce Orijen and Acana pet foods in their company-owned kitchens.
Featured Recipe: Orijen Six Fish Dry Cat Food
This recipe starts out strong with the top 10 ingredients all being animal-based – fish-based, to be specific. In addition to six whole fish ingredients, this formula contains five concentrated fish meals (fresh fish with the moisture removed) as well as pollock oil.
While this recipe is packed with animal-based proteins, it does contain a significant number of plant ingredients including starchy beans and lentils. Fortunately, the total carbohydrate content is still under 20% which – although higher than I’d like – is lower than the average dry cat food.
Keep in mind that, like all dry cat foods, this recipe doesn’t provide the moisture your cat needs for proper hydration. Consider adding a wet food topper or moistening this food with broth.
Overall, this is a high-protein, moderate-fat, and fairly low carbohydrate recipe for a dry cat food.
Ingredients
Whole Mackerel, Whole Herring, Flounder, Acadian Redfish, Monkfish, Whole Hake, Mackerel Meal, Herring Meal, Blue Whiting Meal, Pollock Oil, Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Salmon Meal, Pollock Meal, Whole Green Peas, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Navy Beans, Whole Chickpeas, Sunflower Oil, Pea Starch, Natural Salmon Flavor, Safflower Oil, Lentil Fiber, Whole Yellow Peas, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Dried Kelp, Whole Pumpkin, Whole Butternut Squash, Collard Greens, Whole Apples, Whole Pears, Zinc Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Copper Proteinate, Dried Chicory Root, Turmeric, Sarsaparilla Root, Althea Root, Rosehips, Juniper Berries, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid (Preservative), Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product.
Ingredients We Liked: Whole Mackerel, Whole Herring, Flounder, Acadian Redfish, Monkfish, Whole Hake, Mackerel Meal, Herring Meal, Blue Whiting Meal, Pollock Oil, Salmon Meal, Pollock Meal
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, hole Green Peas, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Navy Beans, Whole Chickpeas, Sunflower Oil
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Top ten ingredients are all animal-based
- An entirely fish-based recipe, no other common allergens
- Pollock oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids
- Relatively low carbohydrate content for a dry cat food
What We Didn’t Like
- Doesn’t provide the moisture your cat needs
- Contains starchy beans and legumes
#8 Acana
The second brand that falls under the Champion Petfoods heading, Acana pet foods are also produced in the United States and Canada and exported around the globe. Acana only produces dry cat foods which, until fairly recently, Orijen only did as well.
Featured Recipe: Acana Wild Prairie Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
This Wild Prairie dry cat food from Acana appears to be the Meadowlands recipe that is sold in the US and Canada. It features fresh chicken and turkey as the primary proteins, supplemented with various fish-based proteins and poultry organs.
The top six ingredients are all animal-based, though they’re followed by starchy red lentils, pinto beans, green lentils, and chickpeas with some chicken fat and pea starch thrown in. The total carbohydrate content of this formula is much higher than the Orijen recipe reviewed above. The protein content is a little lower as well, but the fat content is very similar.
While this recipe contains a significant number of plant ingredients, the main sources of added fat are both animal-based: chicken fat and pollock oil.
This recipe doesn’t contain the moisture your cat needs so, again, we’d recommend supplementing it with moisture elsewhere in your cat’s diet. It is, however, free from artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Ingredients
Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Chicken Liver, Chicken Meal, Catfish Meal, Pollock Meal, Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Chicken Fat, Pea Starch, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Chickpeas, Rainbow Trout, Eggs, Catfish, Pollock Oil, Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Heart, Lentil Fiber, Turkey Meal, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Chicken Cartilage, Turkey Cartilage, Freeze-Dried Turkey Liver, Choline Chloride, Dried Kelp, Whole Cranberries, Whole Pumpkin, Collard Greens, Carrots, Apples, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Copper Proteinate, L-Carnitine, Dl-Methionine, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Chicory Root, Turmeric, Sarsaparilla Root, Althea Root, Rosehips, Juniper Berries, Citric Acid (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product.
Ingredients We Liked: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Chicken Liver, Chicken Meal, Catfish Meal, Pollock Meal, Chicken Fat, Rainbow Trout, Eggs, Catfish, Pollock Oil, Chicken Heart, Turkey Meal, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Chicken Cartilage, Turkey Cartilage, Freeze-Dried Turkey Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Pea Starch, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Chickpeas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
What We Liked
- Top six ingredients are high-quality animal proteins
- Main sources of added fat are both animal-based
- Free from artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives
What We Didn’t Like
- Fairly high carbohydrate content
- Doesn’t contain the moisture your cat needs
Where To Buy Cat Food in South Africa
Because I am based in the United States, I wasn’t able to evaluate the cat food selection available in South African pet stores. My research was limited to the dozen or so online retailers I found combined with blog posts and comments from cat lovers online.
The online retailer that seemed to have the largest selection of cat food brands was Pet World. Whereas many online stores I came across stocked somewhere between six and ten different brands (largely the same selection), Pet World offers products from more than 30 brands. Pet World also has nine in-store locations split between Cape Town and the Johannesburg area.
If you’re in the market for specialty diets, it’s easy to find brands like Royal Canin and Hill’s Science Plan both in stores and online. VetEx Online is a great place to shop for these diets. They have a limited selection of veterinary cat foods available online and a slightly larger selection of veterinary dog foods.
Other South African online retailers worth checking out may include:
Global online retailers like Amazon may have some options available to cat owners in South Africa but primarily through independent vendors. Amazon ships to South Africa but they don’t sell all of the products themselves – you’ll need filter your search results to find vendors that ship to South Africa.
According to a 2017 Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) report issued by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, pet food manufactured by three companies is most accessible in major South African retail chains. These include:
- Mars Africa Pty Ltd – Responsible for Pedigree, Sheba, Perfect Fit, and Whiskas
- Foodcorp Pty Ltd – Responsible for Bobtail, Ultra Dog, Dogmor, and Catmor
- Martin & Martin Pty Ltd – Responsible for Beeno, Bob Martin, Epol, and Lopis
These companies cater primarily to the needs of low-to-middle income customers, though options are available at all price points. You’re most likely to find these brands in major South African retail chains like Shoprite-Checkers, Spar, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, and Game.
Final Thoughts
Many of the major cat food brands available in North America and throughout Europe can also be found in stores and online in South Africa. While big names like Royal Canin and Whiskas may be easy to find, they’re not necessarily the most nutritious or species-appropriate options for cats.
I’ve done my best to assemble a balanced blend of popular American or European cat foods available in South Africa with brands that are manufactured domestically.
Regardless of where you live, your cat’s nutritional needs should be the driving factor when it comes to shopping for pet food. Your cat deserves the highest quality food you can consistently afford.
Need a refresher about feline nutrition? Check out our in-depth guide.
Ok, so my cat have a sensitive stomach and Karoo made her terrible sick! I absolutely don’t recommend that and the vet agree! While Sheba is the only one never caused any problems and she absolutely loves it!
Thanks for sharing that, Edva. Appreciate the insight!
I truely appreciate the time you’ve taken to research this and educate us for the benefits of our Cats.
Does anyone know whether ProPac Savannah Pride is a worthy choice of food? Looking for a decent dry food option and currently cant afford Acana.
I’m not particularly enthusiastic about Pro Pac’s Savanna Pride recipe for cats; the inclusion of peas prominently in the ingredient list worries me a little bit. Considering that there’s some evidence that grain-free foods, seemingly those with legumes, in particular, can increase the risk of DCM in dogs (and some cats), I’d try to steer clear of foods that contain these ingredients.
What is your take on Feline Cuisine? I ran out of their usual Royal Canin wet food sachets and had to dash to the supermarket. After standing in the isle and reaearching for some time I saw great reviews on Feline Cuisine, brought a few home and all 3 furbabies licked their bowls clean purring all the time. It’s a first as they usually lick up the jelly then come back later for the chunks. Can’t find much comparison info online. Will appreciate your input. Thank you!
Hey there, I haven’t seen much about Feline Cuisine discussed online, either—as a U.S.-focused publisher, most of my research has been on U.S. brands. I get the impression that Feline Cuisine is a fairly reputable brand, and the foods should be formulated well, but the ingredient quality doesn’t look outstanding from what I can tell—a couple of things in their standard adult dry food for cats aged 1+ years, you’ll see “meat and bone meal”, which is a vague ingredient that generally points to somewhat lower quality. Generic “oils and fats” also show up on the list. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the ingredient lists for their new wet food line and can’t comment on it specifically, but I would expect a similar pattern there as well. Hope this helps.
Good day,
Thank you for your great article.
However, I have seen a newish brand of dry cat food in stores (they started with dog food initially). It is called Dr Hanz. The packaging makes a whole lot of promises but the pricing is cheap (relatively).
Do you have any thoughts or information on this brand of cat food?
Hi there. Thanks for asking! I took a look at their formulations, and I’m not very impressed. Their foods are full of vegetable ingredients, including lower-value, vaguely-labeled protein sources.
Hi, while I realize that you aren’t Hills fans, please could you please give a list of it’s contents and your comments?
You’d probably appreciate our review of Hill’s here!
Hi Kate,
I hope you are well.
I would love to know if you could do another review of one of the new raw foods that’s on the market in South Africa now.
I tried to get a full analysis from them, but they would give it. They claim to be the best raw food available “(as per their email)
Would that be something you could dig into? Its a brand that is now being sold in PNP, so its quite big and available to everyone easily.
I would appreciate your help.
Regards
Hi! I apologize for the late reply. Can you please share the name of this new brand?
Hey, the one I was referring to is called paleopet pure.
And another one would be the chefs4pets range. It’s very difficult to receive an analysis of what’s actually I those products.
I had a phone call with someone and they said as some of the meals are not complete one should swap around.
I would be happy about some guidance there
Thank you