Choosing the right cat food is crucial for their overall health and well-being. With numerous brands available, it can be challenging to determine which one offers the best nutrition for your feline companion. This article provides a detailed comparison of Purina Beyond and Hill's Science Diet, two popular pet food brands, focusing on their ingredients, nutritional content, safety records, and cost. All information has been reviewed by trusted veterinarians and experts. PetMD is owned by Chewy.
Key Considerations for Choosing Cat Food
A nutritious diet is vital for your cat's health. Since there’s no one-size-fits-all healthy cat food, it all depends on your cat’s unique needs and preferences.
- Ingredient Quality: Opt for cat food with high-quality, simple ingredients, avoiding artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
- AAFCO Label: Ensure the cat food has the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) label, indicating it meets the minimum nutritional standards for essential nutrients like crude protein, crude fat, vitamins, and minerals.
- Life Stage Formulation: Select a food formulated for your cat’s specific life stage, whether they are a kitten, adult, or senior.
- Dry vs. Wet Food: Both dry and wet cat food are great nutrition sources. Wet cat food contains more moisture, which helps cats who need more water (such as those with diabetes, kidney disease, or lower urinary tract disease), and it’s soft, making it a good choice for cats who have dental issues.
- Veterinarian Consultation: Consult your veterinarian to understand your cat’s unique health and nutritional needs.
- Budget Suitability: Find a cat food that meets your cat's needs and fits your budget.
- Research and Expertise: Look for formulas supported by research, expert-backed nutrition, and beneficial ingredients.
- Monitoring: Monitor your cat’s weight and health to confirm the cat food you are feeding is working.
- Gradual Transition: Switch your cat to the new food gradually. For Days 1 and 2, feed 75% of the old food and 25% of the new food. On Days 3 and 4, give 50% new and 50% old. For Days 5 and 6, feed 75% new and 25% old food. If any issues arise, go back to the previous ratio of old and new food for a few days.
Guaranteed Analysis Comparison
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
To properly compare Purina Beyond and Hill's Science Diet, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information. Throughout this Hill's Science Diet vs Purina Beyond comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons.
The following tables compare the average guaranteed analysis of dry and wet cat food for both brands, based on dry matter basis percentages.
Read also: Understanding Purina Science Diet Ingredients
Dry Cat Food
| Nutrient | Purina Beyond | Hill's Science Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein | 40.2% | 35.0% |
| Crude Fat | 16.6% | 18.5% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.8% | 4.5% |
Wet/Canned Cat Food
| Nutrient | Purina Beyond | Hill's Science Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein | 45.6% | 38.7% |
| Crude Fat | 19.5% | 21.5% |
| Crude Fiber | 6.5% | 3.6% |
Protein Content
Protein is an extremely important part of your cat's diet. Without sufficient protein, cats can develop a wide-range of serious health problems.
Purina Beyond dry recipes contain 5.24% more protein than Hill's Science Diet dry recipes. In addition, Purina Beyond wet cat foods also provide more protein than Hill's Science Diet wet foods.
Fat Content
There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):
- Aid in the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
- Improve the health of skin/coat
- Slow the growth of yeast infections
- Slow the development and spread of certain type of cancers.
- Maintain healthy blood pressure
Purina Beyond and Hill's Science Diet guarantee a similar amount of crude fat. With regards to wet cat food, Hill's Science Diet and Purina Beyond also provide roughly the same amount of crude fat.
Fiber Content
Hill's Science Diet and Purina Beyond both provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber. For wet cat foods, Purina Beyond typically provides a little more fiber (about 2.90% more).
Read also: Canine Gastroenteric Issues: A Diet Solution
Ingredient Analysis
Before you buy anything, check the ingredients on the back. By law, ingredients must be listed according to content, with the most prevalent ingredient listed first. The first 5 ingredients should always be a protein of some sort, and ideally not a by-product (by-products are beaks, feathers, hooves, rancid meat, euthanized pets, etc. No more than 10% of calories should come from carbohydrates (grains, potatoes, soy, peas, etc).
Analyzing the ingredient lists of both Purina Beyond and Hill's Science Diet reveals differences in their formulations.
Controversial Ingredients
Purina Beyond and Hill's Science Diet both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
- Animal Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols) - Purina Beyond only
- Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex
Recall History
Product safety is a critical factor when choosing pet food. A history of recalls can indicate potential issues with manufacturing processes or ingredient quality.
- Purina Beyond: According to our records, Purina Beyond has never been recalled.
- Hill's Science Diet: Hill's Science Diet has been recalled 2 times.
- Jan. 31, 2019: elevated levels of Vitamin D
- March 20, 2019: elevated levels of Vitamin D
Price Comparison
Price is an important consideration for many pet owners. The following table compares the average cost per pound and cost per calorie for dry and wet cat food for both brands.
Read also: Analyzing Purina Urinary Food
| Food Type | Brand | Per Pound | Per Calorie |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Cat Food | Purina Beyond | $3.75 | $0.0023 |
| Hill's Science Diet | $4.17 | $0.0024 | |
| Wet Cat Food | Purina Beyond | $7.82 | $0.0173 |
| Hill's Science Diet | $9.11 | $0.0197 |
The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
The actual price that you'll pay for Purina Beyond or Hill's Science Diet will depend on your shopping habits.
Additional Considerations
Addressing Common Misconceptions
- Grain-Free Hype: The notion that "grain-free is better" is a common misconception. While some cats may benefit from grain-free diets, wholesome grains like rice and barley can provide sustained energy and are not necessarily "fillers."
- Filler Paranoia: Ingredients like corn or wheat are often unfairly demonized as "fillers." In reality, they can be complex carbohydrates providing valuable nutrients.
Specific Dietary Needs
- Cats with CKD: For cats with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), it's crucial to manage protein and phosphorus intake. A diet with a protein/fat/carb ratio close to 40/60/0 and under 250 mg/100 kcal of phosphorus is often recommended.
- Allergies and Sensitivities: Both brands offer limited-ingredient and sensitive skin formulas. The effectiveness can vary depending on the cat, so vet guidance is important for selecting the right formula.
Transitioning to a New Food
Switching cat foods abruptly can upset your cat’s stomach regardless of brand. To avoid digestive issues, it’s best to gradually introduce the new food over 7-10 days, mixing increasing amounts each day. This approach helps your cat’s system adjust smoothly whether you’re switching to or from Purina Beyond or Hill’s Science Diet.