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UPDATE: Whiskas Indoor Cat Food

Those of you who have read my previous article on Whiskas Dry Indoor Cat Food know that I’ve been a big fan—as well as my cat. Previously, my cat had some problems with hairballs. I decided to try this Whiskas mix since it listed hairball control as one of its benefits. Well, my cat had previously been eating the regular Whiskas dry food and she took to this one very well. And, after she began eating it regularly, I noticed the hairball problems were reduced greatly!

However, sometime last year, Whiskas changed its indoor cat food—both the outside packaging and more importantly, the food itself. The food smells pretty much the same—maybe just slightly different. The texture of the food seems on the softer side. And, the shapes of the food are more flat circles. When I served the new food to my cat, she definitely noticed something was different. She didn’t really seem to like this new stuff. Because she wasn’t eating much of it, the hairball problems started again. Fortunately, she has since gotten used to (or just accepted) the new Whiskas formula. She is now eating more of the new Whiskas indoor food and the hairball problems have subsided again.

But, I’d still like to know: Why the change? Seemed like a perfectly good and effective product before, so why fool around with it? Though my cat is now eating the new stuff, she still seemed to like the old stuff better. I decided to contact Whiskas directly and find out why. I sent them a message via their website. A couple of days later I received a response from Mars Petcare US (the parent company). The email stated they’d like to speak with me over the phone. So, I called the number and this is what they had to say…

The customer service person I spoke with, Adrienne, was very nice and patiently answered my questions. Apparently, although the wording and levels of ingredients have changed slightly, they still wanted to keep optimum levels of meat. Exactly why they decided to tweak the ingredients was not made exactly clear. Specifically, the product now consists of both chicken and turkey. Also, some brewers rice has been added. I also asked about the shapes and texture of the food. According to Adrienne, there had been some complaints about the shapes and sizes of the old food. She also said because the new food is cut differently, there may be a little different texture. Most importantly for me (and my cat), I was assured that the hairball control aspects of the product remain the same.

While my cat seemed to like the original Whiskas Indoor Dry Cat Food better, she is now eating more of the new version. And indeed, it seems to be just as effective at controlling her hairball issues. Hopefully, if your cat has been eating this food, he or she hasn’t been bothered by these changes.

 

 

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• Groom Your Cat

• How to Put Your Pets on Your Checks

• Cat Care – How to Avoid Those Hairballs

• Best Dry Cat Food

• Best Dry Dog Food

• Toys Your Pets Will Love

• Cat Litter Box Tips

• Heartworm Treatment for Dogs

• Pet Meds Without Prescription

• Removing Ticks from Dogs

• Saving Money with Pet Food Coupons

• Tips for Dog Training Success

• What Do Cats Eat?

• Free Pet Apps for your iPhone

• Pit Bulls, Sharks, Survivors, and More at Reality Rocks Expo

• How to Choose a Pet Cat