Where have the big brands gone?
It’s not the best-known name that matters. What matters is what’s in the food and how well it suits your pet.
You may have noticed that some well-known pet food brands are missing from our range. That’s a conscious choice.
Because a familiar brand name doesn’t automatically tell you anything about the quality of the food. That’s why we look beyond the name on the packaging. We look at the ingredients, the recipe, how transparent the producer is and, most importantly, your dog or cat.
High-quality food is our starting point. The right food is the one that also suits your pet.
Well-known doesn’t always mean better
A well-known brand name doesn’t automatically say anything about the quality of the food.
That’s why we don’t select our range based on how big or famous a brand is. We look at what’s actually inside the bag.
High-quality ingredients
We choose foods made with carefully selected, high-quality ingredients.
Transparent recipes
Clear ingredient lists, without unnecessary vagueness or hidden information.
Natural nutritional needs
Recipes designed around what dogs and cats really need.
Carefully selected producers
Well-known or less familiar: every brand has to convince us when it comes to ingredients, recipes and transparency.
Look beyond the front of the pack
Attractive packaging and words like ‘premium’, ‘natural’ and ‘holistic’ may sound appealing. But on their own, they don’t tell you how good a food really is. What really matters is on the back of the pack.
✅ Analyse the ingredients list
Which ingredients are used? How clearly are they named? And how transparent is the producer about the complete recipe?
✅ Be cautious with ‘meat by-products’ or eye-catching percentages
A high meat percentage may sound impressive, for example, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
✅Look for specific protein sources
Which animal protein sources does the recipe contain? And how transparent is the producer about the complete composition?
To properly assess a food, you need to look at the recipe as a whole.
Is your pet’s food as good as you think?
Your dog or cat may have been eating the same food for years and doing perfectly well on it. If so, there’s no reason to change it just for the sake of it.
But your pet changes throughout their life. Their age, activity level, weight and sensitivities can change — and so can their nutritional needs.
Sometimes that means adjusting the amount of the same food. Sometimes a different recipe may be a better fit. And sometimes nothing needs to change at all.
It’s not about changing food simply for the sake of change. It’s about occasionally checking whether your pet’s current food is still the right fit.
When is it a good time to take another look at your pet’s food?
Every pet is different. So is the right food.
Personal factors that matter:
• Age and life stage
• Activity level and lifestyle
• Weight and size
• Sensitivities or allergies
• Eating habits and current diet
So why will you find different brands at Cats & Dogs?
A well-known brand name doesn’t automatically say anything about the quality of the food.
That’s why we don’t select our range based on how big or well-known a brand is. Instead, we look at what’s actually inside the bag.
Canagan
Grain-free food inspired by the ancestral diet, with an exceptionally high proportion of premium-quality animal ingredients.
McAdams
Authentic dog food made with whole British free-range chicken, carefully prepared and slowly cooked using warm air.
Tribal
Innovative Fresh Pressed dog food.
Cold-pressed and made exclusively with fresh meat for maximum nutritional value and digestibility.
Yora
Graanvrije voeding geïnspireerd op het oerdieet, met een uitzonderlijk hoog aandeel dierlijke ingrediënten van topkwaliteit.
Symply
Natural, complete and balanced pet food made with fresh, easily digestible meat or fish, nutritious vegetables and carefully selected botanicals.
Want to know more about what goes into your pet’s bowl?
Discover our inspiring blogs:
How do you read a pet food ingredients list?
What’s actually in your dog or cat’s food? The ingredients list can tell you a lot — if you know how to read it. The order, wording and proportions of the ingredients can help you better understand and compare different foods.
What does the meat percentage in pet food really tell you?
A high meat percentage sounds appealing, but does that number really tell you how good a food is? It’s important to understand exactly what is included in that percentage, which ingredients are used and how the complete recipe is put together.
7 signs it may be time to review your pet’s food
What suits your pet perfectly today may not remain the right choice throughout their entire life. Discover 7 signs that could indicate it’s time to take another look at your dog or cat’s food, from weight and energy levels to digestion.
How can you recognise high-quality food for your dog or cat?
Pet food packaging is full of claims such as premium, natural, high in meat or grain-free. But what do they really tell you about quality? To properly assess a food, you need to look beyond the front of the pack. Ingredients, composition and transparency can tell you much more.
Still unsure? Ask us.
Our pet nutrition experts are here to help. Visit us in store and we’ll help you put together the right menu for your four-legged friend, based on their individual needs.
Frequently asked questions
We don’t select pet food based on how well-known a brand is. Instead, we look at factors such as ingredients, composition and transparency. If a food doesn’t convince us in those areas, we won’t add it to our range simply because the brand name is familiar.
Not necessarily. How well-known a brand is doesn’t tell you on its own whether a food is good or bad. That’s why we look at the food itself and assess what it actually contains.
No. A lesser-known brand still has to convince us when it comes to ingredients, composition and transparency. It’s not about how famous the brand is — the food itself comes first.
Look beyond the front of the pack. The ingredients list, the way ingredients are described, the transparency around the composition and the complete recipe tell you much more than a single claim or percentage.
There is no single food that is the best choice for every pet. Age, life stage, activity level, weight, size, eating habits and possible sensitivities all play a role.
Not necessarily. If their current food is high-quality, suits their nutritional needs and they’re doing well on it, there may be no reason to change. However, if their life stage, activity level or other needs change, it’s worth checking whether their current food is still the right fit.
