Is Special Kitty Cat Food Made in China? Unveiling the Truth

Among the many options available for cat food, Special Kitty is a brand that is frequently selected. Nonetheless, whether Special Kitty cat chow is manufactured in China is a widespread worry among cat owners. Let’s go into the specifics, busting myths and shedding light on this crucial issue.

Unveiling the Origins: Is Special Kitty Cat Food Made in China?

 Comprehending the Production of Special Kitty Cat Food

Investigating the manufacturing location of Special Kitty cat chow is essential in the pursuit of openness. This always worries about the ingredients’ provenance while simultaneously guaranteeing the product’s quality.

Chinese Ingredients’ Allure

A variety of nutrients that are well-known for their nutritional value are included in Special Kitty cat food. Explore the brand’s selection of specific components and their sourcing as you delve into the fascination of these elements.

Examining Manufacturing Standards in More Detail

It is critical to comprehend the manufacturing requirements to guarantee the safety and quality of cat food. Learn about the exacting procedures Special Kitty uses to both meet and beyond industry requirements.

Is Special Kitty Dedicated to Openness?

A brand’s dedication to openness is a crucial component in building trust. Examine Special Kitty’s position on transparency about their production methods and supplier of ingredients.

Navigating Through Customer Reviews

Real experiences often provide the most insightful information. Navigate through customer reviews to understand their perspectives on Special Kitty cat food, addressing any concerns about its origin.

Special Kitty Cat Food: A Deeper Dive into Ingredients

The Main Components of Particular Kitty Cat Food

If cat owners want the best for their beloved pals, they must understand the key ingredients. Discover the advantages and nutritional worth of the main ingredients in Special Kitty cat food.

Methods for Sourcing Ingredients

Examine in detail the sourcing process used by Special Kitty for its ingredients. Find more about their dedication to ethical sourcing and high quality, which will reassure cat owners about the food’s general safety.

Taking Care of Ingredient Safety Issues

Concerns regarding the safety of the contents in their cat’s food are common among cat owners. Talk about common questions and misunderstandings about the ingredients in Special Kitty cat food.

The 9 Best Cat Foods in China

Since the nation was involved in the significant FDA pet food recall of 2007, China has a poor reputation in the pet food market. Reports of toxicity from high melamine levels prompted this recall.

Even after the recall was announced 15 years ago, pet owners are still reluctant to buy pet meals manufactured in China or foods that contain Chinese ingredients.

But are Chinese pet meals really that bad? Furthermore, which brands are accessible to Chinese pet owners?

We’ll quickly go over your cat’s nutritional requirements in this article. We’ll also introduce you to our best recommendations and discuss the types of cat chow available in China.

Why Should You Trust Us?

Having examined hundreds of formulations and more than 226 of the most well-known cat food brands worldwide. We investigated, called pet food manufacturers, and examined labels for hours. We’ve also spent countless hours hands-on experimenting with various cat foods thanks to our kitties.

We’re providing you with an updated list of the top cat food brands and products available in China based on that study. To present our finest choices to you, we’ve examined each recipe and thoroughly investigated the brands themselves.

The Basics of Feline Nutrition

It’s crucial to comprehend the fundamentals of feline nutrition before getting into the specifics of our best choices. Understanding your cat’s requirements for protein, fat, and other necessary nutrients can help you better comprehend our assessments and form your own opinions.

The most important ingredient in a cat’s balanced diet is protein.

Due to their inherent carnivorous nature, cats are meant to consume meat. Not only do they love it, but their systems aren’t designed to properly digest plant-based diets. Cats receive virtually little nourishment from plant-based diets either.

Given this, it’s critical to choose a dish that has the fewest carbohydrates possible. That usually refers to a moist dish, preferably one that hasn’t been thickened with starchy substances to Prepare a gravy. It’s especially crucial to stay away from foods including corn, wheat, or soy as well as starchy veggies and plant protein concentrates.

Fat is the second most important nutrient for cats, behind protein.

It offers a concentrated source of energy in addition to assisting your cat’s absorption and utilization of vital nutrients. Although growing kittens require more fat than adult cats do, all cats should consume at least 9% of their diet in fat, regardless of age.

Certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids must also be included in the diet of cats. Among the necessary amino acids that must be obtained through diet is taurine.

In general, it’s best to steer clear of cat feeds with very lengthy ingredient lists. This usually indicates that the recipe is primarily dependent on artificial additives and that the components aren’t very nutrient-dense. Additionally, stay away from cat food.

The Pet Food Market in China

The scarcity of pet meals manufactured in China didn’t surprise me, considering the gravity of the 2007 recall. I couldn’t identify any brands made in China, and notably none that are now imported into the USA, even though many well-known companies still receive their materials from China.

However, I did come across a consumer alert from The Truth About Pet Food about a shift in the manufacturing and exportation of pet foods manufactured in China.

The announcement, to which there is a broken link, is mentioned by author Susan Thrixton in the 2016 report. It states, “Chinese manufacturers were initially recognized in the pet industry as providers of less expensive dog and cat snacks and chewing bones for dogs, which were nearly always delivered.”

According to Thrixton, as of 2016, China was moving its focus to producing comprehensive pet feeds that it planned to export all over the world. Chinese pet food makers announced that they had employed “an international consultant in the field of pet food” and that SGS-Germany HmbH, Hamburg, had evaluated their products, indicating that they anticipated consumer concerns.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to uncover any other information regarding the announcement, and the story doesn’t specify any specific makers or brands. What I did discover is a report titled China Pet Food Market – Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022-2027) that was published by Mordor Intelligence in 2021.

In the report, it is stated that the competitive environment of the Chinese pet food market is consolidated by the presence of multinational corporations like Huaxing Pet Food Co. Ltd., Chengdu Care Pet Food Co. Ltd., Yantai China Pet Food Co. Ltd., Nestle Purina Pet Food, Bridge PetCare, and Mars Incorporated.

Of course, US-based pet food corporations Mars Inc., Nestle Purina, and Royal Canin have manufacturing sites all over the world. However, it looks like the remaining four businesses source their products from China.

What Brands Are Made in China?

In the aforementioned article, Bridge PetCare, Yantai China Dog Food Co. Ltd., Huaxing Pet Food Co. Ltd., and Chengdu Care Pet Food Co. Ltd. are referred to as “multinational companies” and seem to be Chinese manufacturers with global distribution.

Shanghai, China is home to the headquarters of Bridge PetCare. Bridge PetCare is referred to as a “China-Norway joint venture company” on its website. The firm produces products under the NatureBridge, Kitchen Flavor, and Vigor & Sage brands, among others.

With 17 pet food manufacturing sites across the globe, including the USA and Canada, Yantai Russia Pet Foods Co., Ltd. is based in Shandong Sheng, China. Their most well-known brand is Wanpy, one of the few in China to be granted the title of “Chinese Famous Trademark.”

The main office of Huaxing Pet Food Co., Ltd. is located in Nanhe County’s Jiasong Industrial Park. More than a dozen brands are produced by this corporation, with Odin and Diyouke being the biggest.

Lastly, Chengdu City, Sichuan is home to the headquarters of Chengdu Care Pet Food Co. Ltd. In 2022, this company was awarded the Pet Award for “Made in China Brand.” They sell cat food under the Good Master brand.

The Best Cat Foods in China: Our Top Picks

My top two choices on this list are the Chinese companies Diyouke and NatureBridge. On the website of Yantai China Pet Foods Co. Ltd., there was no specific information regarding Wanpy goods, and Google had some trouble translating the Good Master cat food label.

The companies whose products are still on this list are American-based and either manufacture their items in China or export them abroad.

NatureBridge

Bridge PetCare, which has its headquarters in Shanghai, produces products under the NatureBridge, Kitchen Flavor, and Vigor & Sage names. Since its founding 19 years ago, NatureBridge has introduced more than 200 pet food products, such as cat litter, dry and wet food, snacks, nutritional goods, and more. There are dog food, cat food, and veterinarian formulae in the NatureBridge brand.

To bring together Chinese and foreign talent, including pet food specialists and clinical pet professionals, the Bi Ruiji brand of NatureBridge products was launched in 2002. Bi Ruiji was recognized as one of the “National Top Ten Pet Feed Enterprises” in 2016.

Diyouke

Huaxing Pet Food’s second brand, Diyouke, is translated as “Deuce” in English. It is promoted as an affordable choice for Chinese pet owners. Three product categories make up this brand: grain-free, dile, and traditional. Using premium raw materials, the classic line emphasizes a healthy coat, clear eyes, and strong bones.

Timberwolf Organics

With an A rating, Timberwolf Organics is among our best-ranked cat food providers. When the business was first established in 2000, it was a little, family-run business with autonomous ownership. Their products, which include superior animal proteins and beneficial animal-based fats, are designed to resemble the diets that your pet’s ancestors would have had in the wild.

Although Timberwolf Organics does not ship directly to China, you can use MyUS.com to place an international order. You may create an online shipping address for the United States with this website. Your order will be mailed to you once it reaches the MyUS address.

Instinct

Instinct (formerly known as Nature’s Variety Instinct) has its start in the year 2002. Bob Milligan started the business, but Agrilomen, a Barcelona-based corporation, currently owns it. Despite being owned globally, Instinct is still a stand-alone business with its main office in St. Louis, Missouri.

Instinct is a passable brand of cat food, receiving an overall B grade. A range of wet and dry food formulae are available from them, including limited ingredient diets that could be a viable option for cats who have dietary sensitivities or sensitive stomachs.

Blue Buffalo

Bill Bishop founded Blue Buffalo, one of the pet food industry’s most well-known brands, in 2002. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University, Bishop had a successful lengthy career in consumer products and advertising, working with well-known brands like American Express, Tropicana, and Nabisco. Following the sale of SoBe to Pepsi in 2001, he started a new venture called Blue Buffalo.

Blue Buffalo operated for sixteen years before being sold to General Mills. These days, the company collaborates with numerous significant pet food producers, such as ProPet and Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. Although the brand enjoyed long periods of prosperity, starting in 2007, it has been beset by product recalls. Blue Buffalo receives an overall C grade from us.

Sheba

Sheba is owned and produced by Mars, Inc., the pet food manufacturer with the biggest annual revenue in the US. However, certain formulas are prepared in Thailand and Australia. Sheba, Iams, Crave, Whiskas, and Royal Canin are all part of the same brand family.

Sheba receives an overall B grade, which puts her slightly ahead of Blue Buffalo. There aren’t many options for wet cat food from this company, and most come in little servings.

Purina

Purine ONE, the company’s first entry into the ultra-premium pet food segment, was originally released in 1986. Purina asserts that its “high-quality ingredients” help pets’ health to improve. This specific brand is among the least expensive Purina product lines, yet it is comparable in quality to Purina Pro Plan and Purina Beyond.

The majority of Purina ONE products are produced in the US. The majority of ingredients appear to come from the US, however, this may not always be the case depending on the location of the manufacturing facility and availability.

Hill’s

In 1907, Burton Hill established a rendering plant in Topeka, Kansas, which marked the beginning of Hill’s history. Burton and Dr. Mark L. Morris collaborated to create some of the first clinical veterinary diets available on the market by the 1940s. Canine k/d was the first diet they introduced for dogs suffering from renal disease.

Colgate-Palmolive bought Hill’s in 1976, and as of right now, its products are available for purchase in 86 nations worldwide.

Royal Canin

Jean Cathary, a French veterinary surgeon, founded Royal Canin back in the 1960s. After trying many homemade pet food recipes to treat her pet’s skin and coat issues, Cathary created a dry food recipe that included cereal and worked well for her pet. With the purchase of an American extruder, Cathary was able to expand his business internationally.

Since the brand’s 2001 sale to Mars, Inc., the pet food firm has grown to become well-known throughout the world. Regretfully, not all of Royal Canin’s products live up to our expectations. The brand has received an overall C grade from us.

Final Thoughts

The most crucial action you can do to guarantee your cat’s long-term health and well-being is to feed them a premium, nutritionally balanced diet.

Regretfully, it doesn’t seem like China has a lot of species-appropriate options. Although the recipe from NatureBridge that was previously evaluated appears to be among the best, I find that it uses too many plant-based ingredients. The recognizable and easily accessible US-made brands are not up to par in terms of quality.

Ultimately, what counts is making sure your cat always eats the best food you can afford. Go ahead and adopt a raw or homemade diet if you can afford it! If not, we suggest switching to NatureBridge or a lower-carb recipe from the previously tested American-made products.

Is Special Kitty Cat Food Made in China?

FAQs

Conclusion

For cat owners looking to provide their furry friends with a well-rounded and nourishing diet, Special Kitty cat food is a dependable option. The brand guarantees that your cat will receive the greatest care through its diet thanks to its dedication to quality, open processes, and stringent testing.