# Bozita in Swedish cat food tests, painfully long ;o)



## annette101 (May 23, 2012)

Hello everyone,
So when I was looking through all the threads and had a look on zooplus I discovered that Bozita is a Swedish cat food, which I thought was great because that's where I am from.
So I thought it would be interesting to see what the Swedish people think of it.
I found this cat food test done by what would be Which in UK.

This is what they had to say about BOzita ( I used Google translate which I must say is getting really good, but if you think the language is strange, blame Google ;o):

"Bozita, sold in stores, is the only Swedish-made cat food in the test. Pity then that it was among the worst performance of the wet liners. In addition to its lack of instruction about dosage, it has high sodium and phosphorus content.

It affects the balance between calcium and phosphorus in the feed, and it is important for bone formation and bone. High in sodium affects blood pressure. 

Mostly the worst in the test, Almo Nature, which almost does not contain any calcium at all and lack of linoleic acid, iron and zinc. The lining is sold in small, seemingly exclusive cans from specialist dealers with text such as "Unique because it is natural," "Unique because it is healthy." Hardly, it is sold as a complete feed but eats cat just will not do well in the long run."

so another test, another results but it's another source of information...
I can paste the whole article if anyone is interested...

Annette


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## Melba (Feb 19, 2012)

Hi Annette

It would be great to see the rest of this article if you could link us to it. I understand that Bozita is not the best in other countries, but seems to be one of the better brands that people can get in the UK, so it would be interesting to see what other brands were included in this test. Thanks!


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## annette101 (May 23, 2012)

This is what they tested in score order so they liked Iams the best and Almo nature the least.

Iams	Gravy chicken	91	100 kr

Coop	Xtra Kattmat med lax (Salmon)	76	16,14 kr

Opticat	Paté med fågel (bird)	56	35 kr

Hill's Science Plan	Chunks in gravy, Chicken	55	110 kr

Coshida	Bitar med nötkött i sås	(beef) 44	9,61 kr

Pussi	Anka & Kyckling	(Chicken)43	21,75 kr

Bozita	Bitar i gelé med kycklinglever(chicken liver 30	26,75 kr

Almo Nature	Tonfisk & Kyckling (tuna and chicken)	1	157,14 kr

DOn't spoil the cat is the title

The cat is our most popular pet. It's easy to pamper the darling with pies and other goodies. Stick to the complete feed and your cat will feel better. contents and dosage does not always go with what the cat needs, shows our test.

There are about 1.3 million cats in Sweden. Around a million of them receive daily supervision with feeding. The numbers are a little uncertain, as cats are not registered.

But clearly popular the cat, now more of a family member than ratter on the farm. Is it really so sure what the cat eats? Yes, the cat is a predator and fully adapted to animal food. It needs a lot of protein because it takes all their energy from it, unlike dogs, which primarily uses energy from fat.

The cat can not itself form certain essential nutrients such as amino acid taurine and arakodinsyra, a polyunsaturated fatty acid. They are found only in animal foods like vitamin A, the cat also needs because it alone can not produce beta-carotene.

If the cat does not ingest these substances, it can get dry skin, dull coat and become susceptible to infections. The blood may get less clotting and the cat can get stillborn pups. 
Obese

You have to give the cat a balanced diet with vitamins and minerals. And that does not give it too much food. Now that so many cats are indoor cats, it is easy to get too little exercise and gain weight.
We over-feed our cats, 30-40 percent of them are overweight. It is a major problem and more and more cats are prone to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, says Marie Sallander, researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Marie Sallander earned his PhD in dog food. Then she went systematically through and sounded analyze over 50 different dog food. No similar research on cat food is done in Sweden. But there are international standards for what cat food should contain and how large the portions should be.

In our test of 16 wet and dry complete feed, we start from a norm based on the latest international research. A complete food will give your cat all the necessary nutrients without any supplementation is needed. It turns out that more than half of the manufacturers specify for the large portions, something that hardly benefits our little round cats.
-My experience is that almost all manufacturers of dog and cat food by far exceeds industry standards for protein and fat in their diets, says Marie Sallander.
Most imported

Worse still is that Lantmännen Doggy cat food Bozita have no indication of feeding. Most cat food sold in Sweden is imported.

Bozita, sold in stores, is the only Swedish-made cat food in the test. Pity then that it was among the worst performance of the wet liners. In addition to its lack of instruction about dosage, it has high sodium and phosphorus content.

It affects the balance between calcium and phosphorus in the feed, and it is important for bone formation and bone. High in sodium affects blood pressure.

Mostly the worst in the test, Almo Nature, which almost does not contain any calcium at all and lack of linoleic acid, iron and zinc. The lining is sold in small, seemingly exclusive cans from specialist dealers with text such as "Unique because it is natural," "Unique because it is healthy." Hardly, it is sold as a complete feed but eats cat just will not do well in the long run.

Can I as a cat owner to rely on a complete feed is the best for the cat?
- Yes, I think. From health point of view it's rather an advantage to the cat eat commercial feed. It is rare in cats who have nutritional deficiencies. When it occurs it is often because the queen is at home mixed feed, said Johan Beck-Friis, veterinarian and Communications at the Swedish Veterinary Association.
- You may also notice the appearance of cats in veterinary clinics that may be dog food by the owner because of ignorance. They have both dogs and cats at home and so the animals the same food, it is not good.
Home-cooked food

For dogs there is something called the barf (bones and raw food), the animal would do well to eat home-cooked food with raw meat and bones. There is nothing like the cats, they are sensitive to sharp bone that can cause internal damage. It also requires a lot of knowledge to make your own, nutritious food for the cat. The same goes for the dog and barf questioned by many veterinarians.

Cats are more picky than dogs, which can put itself in just about and what seems like forever if not stopped. But cats are creatures of habit and easy to spoil. Once a liver becomes much some times.
- Treats and pâté sold are intended as a reward and not as a daily feed. But that's self-regulating, as expensive as they are, said Johan Beck-Friis.

In Sweden, was sold last year, cat food for nearly 300 million only in grocery stores. For it to be sales in food stores, as there are no official figures on.

The price differences on the cat food we have tested is enormous. Iams portion packs from a specialist dealer with the price per kilo $ 100 will get the best test scores but Coop's and Lidl's products for significantly lower prices are also good results.
- Based on my research on dog food, you can not unequivocally say that more expensive food would be better than cheap, says Marie Sallander. There were expensive feed that had good content and proper labeling and vice versa. The same applied to cheap food, there was both good and bad. Same with the feed business, there was a production that was even higher standard of hygiene than for food but also the production of very changeable standard. No correlation with the price of those products did not exist.
- The difference is that the more expensive products may contain extra things that cats do not really need, such as extra vitamin C or more different meat raw materials.
Wet or dry food

Wet sell the most but dry food is increasing in volume. It is comfortable for mum and dad, can stand there and do not smell. Wet feed is not so fun after a while, it smells bad and must be discarded.

The feed the cat once got used to it any time to continue. There is nothing that says that one is better than the other. The idea that males might more easily get urinary stones of dry food is a myth. It depends on the dry it, the pH and the magnesium content is essential.

The cat should always have a bowl of fresh water standing beside the food. It is especially important if it gets dry food, which is a bit of salt just for your cat should be encouraged to drink and take in fluid.
Request records of tests

Board of Agriculture manages the control of animal feed in Sweden. But it is difficult for us consumers to know the results of feed analyzes.

In the case of cat food controls the Board of Agriculture, both imported feed and visiting Swedish feed factories. For wet food is only one facility in Sweden, Lantmännen in Vårgårda, for dry food are no more.
- So far as it goes, we will surprise, says Anna-Karin Båvius, administrators at the unit of feed and animal products. Sometimes this does not work if we are to control certain areas such as hygiene and responsible person must be present.

Board of Agriculture controls the traceability, documentation, and what computer safeguards against such as salmonella. In addition takes samples from the feed for the analysis of the content.

It also checks the labels on the packages, the manufacturers do not promise that the cat, for example, will have "finer fur" of the feed if they can not show documentation that it is so.
Salmonella Infection

- The content must be consistent with what is written on the package. If there are small deviations are not serious, but an integrity issue, and we request an opinion from the factory. Salmonella is our pets are generally not as sensitive as we are humans, they can get a little diarrhea. But of course we do not want in salmonella food on the kitchen floor, where small children might play.

In the case of imported cat food, visit the Board of Agriculture wholesalers, controlling storage conditions and take samples for analysis.

Last year, the Board of Agriculture 164 samples of cat food (each sample contains several sub-samples). It can read the statistics on the agency website. But the companies that are not checked, nor the results of the tests.

When Advice & Findings calls out the analytical results for Doggy Bozita cat food, which received poor results in our tests, it appears that no checks have been made over the past three years.
- We have just checked Bozita dog food from Doggy facility.
Privacy

You can not take part of a test protocol without further ado, the first involving a privacy assessment of a lawyer.

But is not the results of your inspection of major public interest?
- Yes, but at the same time, we can not disclose anything that could hurt the company, says Anna-Karin Båvius. But if anyone is interested in a particular control, you can contact us.

Marie Sallander at SLU is critical to test protocols are not published on the Board's website.
- They're of great interest to all animal owners and referring to privacy is wrong.

She urges pet owners to apply to the Board of Agriculture and request the protocol for animal feed as they feel hesitant and want to know more about.
Cats Bits saved us from mad cow disease

In the mid 80th century, journalist Erik Fichtelius cat sick. Fichtelius then led the radio op Tea and gave his colleague Per Gulbrandsen was instructed to look what the cat's canned food contained.

Gulbrandsen got in touch with a dedicated pet consultant in Upland, Anders Larsson, who had discovered that many cows in Upland became ill. Larsson suspected liner, which was found to contain animal fat and bone meal.

The material Gulbrandsen had led to the unveiling of a splendid scandal. Fichtelius asked Abattoir Association president against the wall of Consumer echo: they used the dead, sometimes more or less decayed, dogs, cats, horses, cows and pigs to produce food for both pets and farm animals.

Pets consultant had previously been harassed by the Agricultural Board and agricultural cooperatives, when he attempted to ascertain the truth of the feed. There were major economic interests involved.

Now led Consumer echo detection, sent on 3 December 1985 the government on the same day introduced a temporary ban on the use of cadavers in animal feed.

1986 was banned animal meal use permanently. In the early 80th century, cows dying in England in what would prove to be mad cow disease. Reason: food from dead animals. In Sweden we have so far escaped mad cow disease.

I tried to edit just the begining, but its just too long. Hope it makes some sort of sense


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## annette101 (May 23, 2012)

I think it's just one test, I am sure there are others out there that might say just the opposite.

But I doubt the food will kill a cat..

I think I will just mix different brands.

It says that you can feed both dry and wet and doesn't really matter and that the dry food is bad theory is just a myth.
To be honest if you would ask three different vets you would get three different answers.
It comes down to who you want to belive, but I am sure there are cats eating the dry food all their lives and living long happy lifes and some that don't.

I thought I would cover it all and feed both. So many people seem to have the dry food all day and the wet during the meal times, there must be something in it...
But I really don't know, I only had out cat for couple of weeks and its my first ever cat.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

It's not very comprehensive it what ACTUALLY is the problem - all I can really find is that there aren't feeding recommendations on the packets (thought there are on the website), has high sodium (how high?) and it comes low on a list (I'm surprised Iams and Hills are above it) - They also tested against the industry 'norm' - a) what is this and b) is it correct? c) when was it decided what was normal. I'm also wary of the fact that they trash raw. They also compared dry and wet and poo-poo the idea that dry is a potential reason that UTis, crystals and kidney disease are on the increase. 

There are other studies that show the opposite of the generalisations in this report. And until I see detailed figures of where exactly Bozita fails I'm sceptical.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

tomdorrian said:


> That's it i am just sticking to my sheba. I know alot of you swear by Bozita but after what i have just read I am sticking to UK brands. Bozita is one of the worst performing cat folds and with the blood pressure risks I have lost confidence in it.


In that study Bozita is one of the worst performing cat foods against others that DON'T include Sheba - Sheba is worse than Bozita (it just wasn't tested) - there is no concrete evidence in that study at all - it just sites a lack of feeding recommendations and high sodium - but doesn't give how high etc - I bet Sheba is higher? Is that really a reason not to feed it. Hobbs did hours of research into these foods and she said Bozita was okay - I'd feed it any day over Sheba!

They only tested 8 foods - of which we only have access to 4. There are hundreds out there on the market - maybe they only tested the top 8! You just don't know. Never believe just ONE study - find others and see what they say too.

My Minnii *(also HCM) has eaten Bozita since she was diagnosed - still here.


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## annette101 (May 23, 2012)

I dont know if i would lose all confidence though.
Just because Bozita might have too much of something doesnt mean other brands don't.


I am curious if coop makes any cat food in UK though, I will have a look for that.

Am surprised about Iams though, maybe they paid them off :tongue_smilie:
But that's at most vets anyway


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

tomdorrian said:


> Spid your right. Perhaps I should read somemore reports. I won't just go off this report and will continue feeding it as cuddles really enjoys it. Can i ask how long your cat has had HCM? cuddles has had a heart murmur for as long as we have had her (2 years and 3 months) and was diagnosed with moderate HCM in April this year.


SHe was diagnosed with HCM just over 3 years ago - no murmur beforehand - it was all very sudden - she was given 3 weeks. She's still here.


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## RabbitMonster (Mar 20, 2012)

Have to say I'm incredibly sceptical about this 'test'. What precisely were they testing for, and why only one specific flavour per brand? Also the fact that Iams and some gravy foods came out as 'better' than Bozita sounds incredibly dodgy to me. 

It doesn't seem at all comprehensive, and I think it's a bad idea to base all of your thoughts on one single test, particularly as there are more comprehensive tests out there that refute this one.


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## cookiemom (Jun 23, 2011)

"For dogs there is something called the barf (bones and raw food), the animal would do well to eat home-cooked food with raw meat and bones. There is nothing like the cats, they are sensitive to sharp bone that can cause internal damage."


I wonder if its a bad translation or if they know that cats are top level predators whose natural diet consist of meat, bone, organ, fur and feathers!


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## Mo1959 (Mar 31, 2012)

cookiemom said:


> "For dogs there is something called the barf (bones and raw food), the animal would do well to eat home-cooked food with raw meat and bones. There is nothing like the cats, they are sensitive to sharp bone that can cause internal damage."
> 
> I wonder if its a bad translation or if they know that cats are top level predators whose natural diet consist of meat, bone, organ, fur and feathers!


Well, the fact they can't even get that correct makes me doubt the rest of it. I think I'll just carry on regardless, not that Tia was too fussed on Bozita anyway. In fact she had some Butchers Classic just now..........shock, horror.


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2012)

Mo1959 said:


> Well, the fact they can't even get that correct makes me doubt the rest of it. I think I'll just carry on regardless, not that Tia was too fussed on Bozita anyway. In fact she had some Butchers Classic just now..........shock, horror.


I was thinking what where they testing for and why did they pick on one flavour of the Bozita???? (I originally read this thread on my mobile and now i am back home I have had a chance to read it properly)

I am continuing with the Bozita Reindeer Pate & Turkey Pate for as long as I can as it was an instant hit with Cuddles and I am starting to see differences in her coat which has become incredibly smooth and soft and will also keep the Sheba in the diet as well for now until I find other food brands and flavours Cuddles likes.


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