Hi-Tor Cat Food Review 2024 – Is Hi-Tor a Good Cat Food?

Hi Tor Cat Food has been discontinued

Pet owners usually consult the vet when it comes to picking the right food for their furry companions because the doctor knows best what’s good for cats and dogs. Moreover, several health issues in pets are often linked to their diet. Therefore, pet parents regularly seek their vet’s opinion when switching their pet to a new diet. Needless to say, pet parents always are on the lookout for cat food that’s formulated and recommended by veterinarians. When pets suffer from any particular health condition that calls for a special diet, it gets even more difficult to find the right meal that will help address the issues.

That’s what Sunshine Mills brings to you– high quality vet’s choice cat food with their brand Hi-Tor Veterinary Select cat food. This range of cat food is scientifically formulated and designed for cats with special dietary needs. Hi-Tor Vet Select comes in two varieties– dry and canned. If the vet prescribes a special diet for your kitty, you can consider Hi-Tor Veterinary Select cat food, because it has been considered a healthy alternative to more expensive special cat food in the market.

If you have a cat with kidney or urinary problems, you must be familiar with the difficulty in finding food that doesn’t make your furry friend sick. The brands the vet usually recommends may be good, but they are far too expensive to keep continuing on a daily basis. At the same time, you do not want to compromise on your pet’s health. What you need is a middle ground, and that’s what Sunshine Mills offers with their Hi-Tor Veterinary Select range of pet food. They are affordable and also meant to address the special dietary needs of your pet.

Sunshine Mills Inc. is a family owned and operated pet food company established in 1949 based in Red Bay in Alabama. Sunshine Mills has developed over four generations and is proud to serve the United States as well as more than 30 countries worldwide. The company was started by Omer Bullen and Fred Bostick, Jr, his son-in-law, in 1949 for producing animal feed. As the business kept growing and thriving, the company started to manufacture pet food since 1960.

The son of Fred Bostick, Jr, John Bostick, became part of the company in the 1970’s and developed the pet food lines. There were several brands of dog and cat food that became household names in the country over the next few years, including the Sunshine, Field Trial, and Cat Café. John Bostick’s brother Alan Bostick became President and CEO of Sunshine Mills in 1984, and under his guidance and leadership, the company has not only developed their product lines but has also extended their geographic reach to the world over.

Through all these developments, Sunshine Mills has never forgotten who their most important customer is– pets. The company combines business values with family values to craft carefully designed food that prolongs pets’ health and happiness for many years. Sunshine Mills owns and operates several plants within the country, strictly controlling the quality of the products at each stage. Each plant is certified for food safety, and this ensures every batch of food that is manufactured is healthy and safe for pets.

As a company that’s been in business for more than 50 years, Sunshine Mills is highly regarded across the country. Their cat food is specially designed to cater to the needs of your pet with a kidney or urinary problem. All products are manufactured in the US.

Types of cat food

There are two types of cat food from Hi-Tor Veterinary Select, one for kidney issues and the other for urinary issues.

One of the most heartbreaking things for any cat guardian is to learn that their furry friend’s kidneys are deteriorating. Kidney issues in a cat may be sudden, or they may slowly and gradually worsen. Vets usually place such cats on a prescription diet, which is low in protein and phosphorus. This is because weak kidneys cannot process protein, leading to a toxic buildup in the blood. However, cats are strictly carnivores. They cannot survive without protein. In such a case, totally eliminating protein from a cat’s diet can result in malnutrition.

Hi-Tor Veterinary Select Neo Diet is meant for cats with weak kidneys. This low protein prescription diet is made with ingredients like chicken, animal liver, beef, poultry fat, and ocean fish, which are easily digestible while also being nutritious. Free from artificial flavors or coloring, the canned meal is on a par with all other leading prescription renal cat diets.

The other product in this range is Hi-Tor Veterinary Select Felo Diet, meant for cats with a urinary tract disorder. Cats are prone to urinary infections because they usually don’t drink a great deal of water.   Bacterial infections may be accompanied by other urinary tract problems like bladder stones and urine crystals. Although treatable, these issues can be painful and even deadly in the worst cases.

Besides plenty of water, cats with urinary problems need a diet low in magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and protein. Hi-Tor Veterinary Select Felo Diet provides your cat with all essential nutrients in easy-to-digest wet food, which also replenishes your cat’s need for water. Free of artificial flavors and colors, the food is made from high quality chicken, beef, and fish, along with sufficient water. Despite being prescription food, they taste good and make kitties look forward to mealtimes.

What makes Hi-Tor different?

Hi-Tor is manufactured by Sunshine Mills Inc, a family owned and operated company spanning four generations. Most leading pet foods of today are manufactured by multinational companies like Nestlé and Mars. While the food may be good, these companies are more interested in the money more than anything else. They also don’t hesitate to use low-grade ingredients to lessen manufacturing costs while making the products highly affordable.

Sunshine Mills Inc brings family values to the products they make and puts pets before everything else. Excellent customer service and that personal touch to the products make Hi-Tor much different from the larger pet food companies.

Recall history

Although Hi-Tor products were never part of any recall, a dog biscuit from Sunshine Mills was recalled in 2007 because of the presence of melamine in the product. No other products from this company have been recalled.

Where to buy

Hi-Tor cat food can be purchased at chain stores like Target and Walmart, grocery stores, pet stores, and on leading online pet stores like Chewy and PetSmart.

What customers think

The review would not be complete without writing about what customers think of this brand. On Chewy.com, the Hi-Tor Veterinary Select Felo Diet Canned Cat Food scores 4.4 out of 5, and is recommended by 88 percent of the reviewers.

Positive:

“Got this for my special needs incontinent cat after many UTI issues. She likes it, price is better than prescription. She does well on it and the texture is good. Way cheaper than the other stuff I was using. I use the Neo version too for my kidney cat.” – Catmom

“This comes recommended for cats who have had urinary issues. Only one of my three cats will eat this. He does eat it with enthusiasm. He was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and this was on a list of lower carb foods. I feel comfortable feeding this to him.” – Christine

“My cat Maurice needed a low phosphorus – low magnesium diet due to struvite crystals. I did some research and came up with the Hi Tor Felo as a good option. At about $15.00 less per case than the RX diet and Maurice gives his paw of approval.” – MaryD

Negative

“My cat won’t eat the wet FELO canned food. She won’t even taste it. She will nibble at the FELO dry food a little, but only if there is nothing else for her to eat. Too bad, the FELO wet sounded just right for my elderly female with FIV and kidney disease. Back to the drawing board.” – sisterglitch

Hi-Tor Veterinary Select Felo Diet Canned Cat Food is made with meat by-products, sufficient water for processing, beef, chicken, and animal liver as the first five ingredients. Rated 4.4 on 5 on leading pet store Chewy.com, this low magnesium and low phosphorus diet is suitable for everyday feeding for cats with urinary problems. The meal also contains taurine, biotin, and folic acid to provide cats with proper nutrition. The product can be used in itself as a complete meal or alternated with other prescription diets.