Is Iams Dry Cat Foods Good for Cats

Iams is one of the medium-quality pet food brands owned by Mars Petcare, the owner of the Royal Canin food line.

Iams produces tens of dry cat foods and kibbles, categorised into ProActive Health, Healthy Enjoyment, and other specialized formulas.

We have the ProActive Health Healthy Adult with chicken, salmon, or chicken & turkey, for urinary tract health made with chicken, and Formulas for sensitive & dry skin, hairball care, kitten, and healthy seniors.

The second category is the Healthy Enjoyment dry cat food made with chicken & beef, chicken & salmon, healthy weight dry food, and specialized formula for long hair, and others.

The ProActive Health Healthy Adult cat food is a complete & balanced dry cat food, made with chicken & turkey, and other ingredients for weight control & hairball care of indoor cats.

 

Iams Dry Cat Food Ingredients

Iams dry formulas have real meat and chicken byproduct meals as their base ingredients – chicken, salmon, and turkey.

Then, ground whole meat grain corn, brewers dried yeast, dried beet pulp, corn grits, dried egg products, vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, and flavors.

They are now enriched with sodium bisulfate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, and other vitamins and minerals.

Is Iams Dry Cat Food Good for Cats?

Based on cat parents’ experiences shared with us, iams™ cat food is rated tier 2, and good for cats.

The ProActive Health Healthy Adult dry food for weight and hairball care can compete successfully with some high-grade formulas.

Most of their foods have high-quality protein in high proportion, and are enriched with micro nutrients.

These micro nutrients are responsible for the low pH in cat urine, which ultimately helps improve urinary tract health.

Also, for example, sodium salt in these foods increases urine acidity, and thus inhibits the formation of struvite crystals which are responsible for many urinary problems in cats.

Iams dry cat food’s high protein profile makes it suitable for cats with sensitive stomachs, and easily digestible – 1 cup of the food has about 375 kilocalories.

You can also add a small volume of water, especially for kittens, and your feline friends would love it.

Iams dry cat food has a shelf life of 1 year depending on the production date, and after opening it, it can stay for 4 weeks without losing nutrient quality and taste.

You can also keep it in your refrigerator to extend its shelf life.

 

Do veterinarians recommend Iams Dry Cat Food?

Yes, veterinarians recommend it based on the protein profile, and using animal protein as the lead ingredient which is important for obligate carnivores like cats.

Also, it has targeted formulations for urinary health, digestive sensitivity, weight control, kittens, and senior cats.

These specialized formulas include specific ingredients such as prebiotics, controlled mineral levels, or L-carnitine.

L-carnitine in weight control formulas for example supports fat metabolism

Iams’ formulas designed for cats’ stomach and skin sensitivity include highly digestible proteins, a prebiotic/fibre blend, including beet pulp, and omega-3/6 fatty acids.

And lastly, it’s available in most pet food stores in the US, and the pricing is fair based on the quality.

There is also positive feedback from cat parents on Iams urinary tract and gut health targeted formulas.

 

How much should you feed a cat with Iams dry food?

Let’s take Iams Proactive Health Healthy Adult cat food for example, the calculated metabolizable energy is about 3,750 kcal/kg, which equals roughly 375 – 377 kilocalories per cup.

Using the per cup calorie to measure portions for cats of different ages, sizes etc. If your cat’s daily target is 200 kcal, that’s ~0.53 cups of a 377 kcal/cup kibble.

If you want your cat to shed some weight, you can reduce the calorie intake, and monitor the results in weight.

You can follow the feeding chat recommended by Iams™ on the bag.

If you are feeding your companion with Iams formula for the first time, start by adding it to your existing formula in increasing order of 25% Iams and 75% former food, 50/50, 75%/25%, and 100% Iams – do this in the span of 1 to 2 weeks.

For feline friends with stomach sensitivity, small, frequent meals, and a mix of dry formula and wet food for extra moisture are always better.

If you notice any symptoms like blood in stool or urine, urinary straining, or vomiting, you should discontinue feeding it to your cats.

 

Conclusion

Iams offers several dry kibbles that are protein-rich, healthy and safe for cats.

The formulas targeted at specific health issues prove good results when tested.

Cat owners have reported fewer LUTS episodes, and less vomiting in some sensitive cats.