Hill’s Pet Nutrition is one of the most well-respected brands in the pet food industry. You’d be hard-pressed to find a vet’s office or animal shelter that’s not stocked with a supply of Hill’s Prescription Diet or Science Diet. But behind the prestige, is Hill’s a nourishing, safe choice for your cat? Find out in our unbiased Hill’s cat food review.
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The Cats.com Standard—Rating Hill’s on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Hill’s and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of those six key areas.
We give Hill’s cat food a 39 out of 60 rating or a B- grade.
As part of our review process, we’ve submitted samples to an independent lab. You can see the full report here.
In addition to performing our own qualitative analysis of the brand, we submitted a sample of Hill’s Science Diet Chicken Recipe Adult Dry Cat Food’s for analysis at an ISO 17025 certified food testing and analysis lab. We bought the product at full retail price, and the entire testing process was funded by Cats.com without direct input or influence from the cat food company.
Also Read: Why We Lab Test Cat Food and How to Interpret the Reports
Analytical testing in a food chemistry lab gives us the product’s exact macronutrient and micronutrient content, painting a clear picture of what you’re putting in your cat’s bowl.
Remember that, when it comes to nutrient content, the cat food label only gives us a guaranteed analysis, which is a set of minimum and maximum values—not a description of what’s in the food. In reality, the food’s nutrient content may be substantially different from what you see on the label.
In addition to the following review of the brand, we hope the information in this lab report empowers you to take a scientific, data-driven approach to deciding whether or not this brand is the right choice for your cat.
About Hill’s
The company dates back to 1907, when Burton Hill opened up a rendering facility in Topeka, Kansas. Hill Rendering Works became the city of Topeka’s contract rendering facility and eventually added on a milling division. Along with the ability to manufacture animal feed, the company earned a new name—the Hill Packing Company.
In the late 1940s, the Hill Packing Company partnered with Dr. Mark L. Morris, a veterinarian known for formulating some of the world’s first clinical veterinary diets. The Hill Packing Company was contracted to manufacture the original formulation of Canine k/d, Dr. Morris’ diet for dogs with kidney disease.
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Morris and Hill’s partnership evolved over the years and eventually became known as Hill’s Pet Nutrition. The company added on new lines, including the ever-popular Hill’s Science Diet.
In 1976, Hill’s Pet Nutrition was purchased by the Colgate-Palmolive company. Hill’s Pet Nutrition products are now sold in 86 countries around the world.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Hill’s Pet Nutrition has a robust research and development department. More than 220 veterinarians, food scientists, technicians, and Ph.D nutritionists work to develop Hill’s products.
The Hill’s Pet Nutrition Center in Topeka, Kansas is considered a world-class research facility and helps Hill’s maintain its status as a leading authority on animal nutrition.
Hill’s says that they only accept ingredients that meet their stringent quality standards. Each ingredient is examined to ensure its safety and nutritional adequacy. Most of Hill’s ingredients are sourced from North America, Europe, and New Zealand.
Hill’s cat food is manufactured in company-owned facilities located in the United States.
Has Hill’s Cat Food Been Recalled?
The following is a summary of the Hill’s cat and dog food recalls issued over the years.
2019
In early 2019, Hills issued a recall of canned dog foods from the Science Diet and Prescription Diet lines. due to dangerously high levels of vitamin D. Excessive Vitamin D causes blood calcium levels to soar, leading to organ failure and potentially, death. This recall came two months after a series of vitamin D-related recalls affected other pet food brands, but Hill’s says they’re not aware of a connection. In light of this recall, Hill’s says they are strengthening their quality check protocol and demanding more stringent regulations from their supplier.
Following the recall, a class action suit was filed against Hill’s Pet Nutrition for selling food that contained “excessive and dangerous” levels of vitamin D.
2015
In November, the company initiated a market withdrawal of several varieties of Science Diet dog food due to labeling issues.
2014
Potential salmonella contamination prompted Hill’s to recall 62 bags of Science Diet dog food in California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
2007
In April of 2007, Hill’s Science Diet was one of many pet food brands recalled due to melamine contamination.
February 2019—Hill’s is Sued Over “Prescription Diet” Claims
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In February of 2019, a Kansas dog food consumer named Stevie Kucharski-Berger sued Hill’s for violating the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act and the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.
According to the plaintiff, Hill’s prescription diets do not require FDA approval or a prescription under Kansas or federal law. Because there’s nothing in the foods that legally requires a prescription, the suit argues, Hill’s’ use of the prescription diet name and the Rx prescription symbol is “false, misleading and contrary to law”. The suit accuses Hill’s of operating what Berger’s lawyer calls a “fake pharmacy” to justify the high costs of their prescription diets.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Hill’s Offer?
Hill’s has several lines of cat food, including Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Prescription Diet, Hill’s Healthy Advantage, and Hill’s Ideal Balance.
- Science Diet emphasizes scientifically-formulated recipes that utilize what Hill’s describes as “biology-based nutrition” for all stages of cats’ lives.
- Hill’s Prescription Diet is only available with a veterinarian’s prescription. Recipes in this line target health conditions and special needs, including IBD, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, urinary tract health.
- Hill’s Healthy Advantage is exclusively sold through veterinarians. While Hill’s Prescription Diet foods target single health conditions, each food in this line addresses five essential health factors—immunity, weight management, urinary health, digestion, and skin and coat health.
- The Ideal Balance line is made with natural ingredients and, according to Hill’s, is perfectly balanced.
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What Do Customers Think of Hill’s Cat Food?
Hill’s is one of the most respected brands in the pet food industry. It’s a staple in veterinary offices and animal shelters. The fact of the brand’s esteem has attracted some of its most vehement criticism. As we saw in the 2019 lawsuit initiated by a Kansas consumer, some feel that Hill’s food is given more respect than it deserves and uses that reputation to justify its high prices.
Positive Reviews
“My 17 year old cat has been eating this all his life (except for the first four months fraught with UTIs). Not only has he been free of urinary infections, he also is a picture of health with gorgeous teeth that have never needed to be cleaned.” – Kipling, reviewing Hill’s Prescription Diet Multicare Urinary Care c/d Dry Cat Food
“Our gal had bladder stones and was slotted for surgery when my vet suggested we try this food first. IF it didn’t work we needed to explore surgery. I started feeding my Phoebe the food and 8 weeks later…. NO STONES! Yup, i feed her both the wet and dry food exclusively and the stones disintegrated! No surgery for my gal, she will remain on this diet for life so we don’t encounter the issue again. 🙂 Again, Thank YOU Chewy for having the option to order and ship directly to my front door!” – OMCRescue, reviewing Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care with Chicken Canned Cat Food
Negative Reviews
“I have purchased Hill’s in the past but not this particular kind, the nuggets are larger and my furry friends don’t like it. They are very picky and since it’s their food, I’d rather go with smaller pieces. No fault of product.” – Edwin, reviewing Hill’s Science Diet Indoor Adult Dry Cat Food
“Though I thoroughly enjoyed having my food delivered to my door, my cat essentially went into starvation mode because he disliked the food so severely. He would painstakingly meow until we gave him other food and when we did not, he would just lay next to his bowl. I read the ingredients for this food and although it is advertised as chicken, the first ingredient is pork. Now I’m stuck with all this cat food my cat REFUSES to eat. Such a disappointment food wise and it seems this is the only choice for urinary care.” – WestbrooksReview, reviewing Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care with Chicken Canned Cat Food
How Much Does Hill’s Cat Food Cost?
Hill’s cat food ranges from moderately-priced to expensive. If your cat weighs 10 lbs, it would cost roughly $3.05 per day to feed them Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d canned food and about $3.63 for Hill’s Ideal Balance canned.
Like most cat food companies, Hill’s charges less for their dry foods. The Hill’s Prescription diet kibble mentioned in the product reviews above would cost about $0.52 per day.
Overall, Is Hill’s a Good Choice?
Hill’s is built on a foundation of industry-leading nutrition research, giving it the ability to create recipes formulated for specific health conditions and dietary needs.
While Hill’s can be a good choice for cats with health issues, it’s not the strongest candidate for a healthy cat’s daily diet. Though Hill’s says that corn, wheat, and other high-carbohydrate plant ingredients are nutritious for cats, others disagree. Whether you’re shopping for wet or dry food, Hill’s cat food tends to contain large amounts of plant ingredients that don’t fit into a carnivorous diet plan.
Where Is Hill’s Cat Food Sold?
Hill’s is sold in veterinary offices and “above-average” pet retail stores around the world. You can buy it online through Chewy, Amazon, and other retailers that sell pet food.
Click here to shop for Hill’s cat food on Chewy.
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