25 May 2016 / Home & Energy

Do you spoil your dog or cat?

Siobhan Chan Senior Food Researcher

Comments 67

Is it actually worth spending extra cash on premium pet food? Or is money no object when it comes to feeding your canine or feline pals?

Pets are supposed to be a part of the family – and god knows they can sometimes cost as much as having a child.

You watch them grow up, enjoying their boundless enthusiasm when they’re playful and keeping a worried eye on them when they’re unwell. You share their pictures on Facebook and they get a special mention in the Christmas round-robin.

But the costs of pet care can run into the thousands over their lifetime – insurance, vet checks, pet passports, grooming, and of course, food. And unlike children, there isn’t the prospect that they’ll be looking after you in your dotage.

All Which? members, I’m sure, are out exploring supermarkets for great deals on food, buying the great value Best Buys our taste tests have uncovered. But by the time we reach the pet food aisle, we’re tempted to throw in a tin of extra-premium, super meaty, specially-textured, well-it-must-be-good-for-them pet food (in jelly) – just so they know we love them.

So we set out to find out whether the fancy stuff is actually any better for your dog or cat.

Costly chow

If you have a small Labrador and feed him exclusively on standard Butcher’s dog food, you’ll be spending just under £640 a year. But buy Butcher’s Superior and you’ll be shelling out £850. So what does this extra £210 a year get you, exactly?

According to the animal nutritionist who worked with us on the pet food investigation in the June issue of Which? magazine – not an awful lot. She told us they provide almost exactly the same level of nutrition – and actually, the Butcher’s Superior tin will contain a little less meat and a little less protein than its cheaper counterpart.

We found a similar pattern with other dog and cat foods we looked at. In fact, top vets told us that any pet food labelled as ‘complete’ or ‘complete and balanced’ will provide all the nutrients they need in their diet.

Butcher’s told us that every dog is different and their range of products mean consumers have a selection of recipes to choose from. And it’s true that every so often, you might want to pick up something different for your dog (or cat) to try.

Featured Comment

User 66219 says:

25 May 2016

Our cat lived with us for 20 years until it died it was the most spoiled /loved pet in existence . My wife got it as a small kitten and it bonded with her , it was totally possessive/ protective to my wife , never left her --and I mean NEVER left her ! Didnt like me in the bed at night always tried to keep close to her , she would wake up covered in sweat because it lay right on top of her and you know cats have a higher temperature than human beings . It never thought it was a cat would turn down most cat food(unless it was expensive ) and only eat what my wife eat even if it was not what a cat eat normally .It was always on my wife,s lap . When somebody came in it didnt like it and made it obvious by getting down from my wife,s lap going to the visitor - look up at them and went YAhhooow and walked out the door . One visitor stayed a long while after the usual -YAoooW and walking out the door it walked back in went up to the visitor and vomited at her feet . Two other visitors got the "bad smell " treatment " when it thought they had overstayed he went up to them and farted in their direction . One time I got a Chinese chicken meal delivered because it was my wife,s birthday as the chicken was done inoriginal Chinese style of leaving the skin on my wife could not eat it so our cat got it , it looked at my wife then the food and she told him tom take it , it had rice /prawn crackers etc , he eat half and slowly moved a few feet away - sat licking for 5 minutes thought about it ,turned round and eat the lot , he could only drag himself a foot or two collapsed as his stomach was level with his paws and stayed that way for a day , it was the quietest we have ever seen him . He looked on me as competition and "played " with me like a dog claws /teeth into my hands luckily I have thick skin ,until my wife said ---LUCKY --- STOP !! then instantly the claws went back in and amazingly he licked my hand , he wasnt stupid , never laid a finger on my wife only a slight brushing if he wanted her attention unless she was reading then when he wasnt the centre of attention he burst right through the newspaper . Having said all that when we took him to the vet and he had to be "put down " we both cried and it took months to get over it.

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So – do you pick up premium pet food for your furry friends? And do you think it’s worth the extra expense – or does it not matter when you see them devouring it and licking the food bowl clean?

Do you think you spoil your pet?

I don't have a pet (39%, 216 Votes)

Yes - all the time (28%, 158 Votes)

Occasionally (26%, 144 Votes)

No (7%, 39 Votes)

Total Voters: 557

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