Here is the analysis off the back of a Butcher's Classic tin of Chicken in Jelly:

Ingredients:
meat and animal derivateves (chicken min 4%), minerals, contains EC permitted colourants

Typical analysis:

protein 8.5%; oil 5%; ash 2%; fibre 0.5%; moisture 82%; vitamin A, D3, E.

It says on the tin: no cereal, no soya, preservative free.

Ingredients of Bozita from Zooplus site:

Ingredients:
Haddock:
chicken, haddock (> 4%), pork, beef, minerals, egg, carrots, ß-1,3/1,6 glucan

Perch:
chicken, perch (> 4%), pork, beef, minerals, egg, paprika, ß-1,3/1,6 glucan

Crayfish:
chicken, crayfish (> 4%), pork, beef, minerals, egg, dill, ß-1,3/1,6 glucan

Minced beef:
chicken, beef (> 4%), pork, minerals, egg, paprika, ß-1,3/1,6 glucan

Beef liver:
chicken, beef liver (> 4%), pork, minerals, egg, carrots, ß-1,3/1,6 glucan

Rich in Chicken:
chicken (50%), pork, sodium chloride, carrots, yeast

Chicken liver:
chicken (> 4% chicken liver), pork, beef, minerals, egg, carrots, ß-1,3/1,6 glucan

Rabbit:
chicken, rabbit (> 4%), pork, sodium chloride, carrots, yeast

More expensive but note that apart from Rich in chicken - the main meat is min 4%

Unfortunately the ingredients on the pack are in ?Swedish

And Hi-Life which says 60% meat/fish content

Turkey & Chicken Nutritional Information
Protein (%) 11
Oils and Fats (%) 2
Fibre (%) 0.5
Ash (%) 2
Moisture (%) 83
VitA (IU/kg) 2200
VitD3 (IU/kg) 250
VitE (as alphatocopherol) (IU/kg) 50
Copper (as cupric sulphate) (IU/Kg) 1
Calcium (%) N/A
Phosphorous (%) N/A
Sodium (%) N/A
Magnesium (%) N/A
Beta Carotene (mg/kg) N/A
Taurine (mg/kg) N/A

http://www.hilifepet.co.uk/osb/itemdetails.cfm/ID/148
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I feed my cats a combo of both and raw (which only two will eat ). Poo is solid, and non-smelly, and small.

Many posters have advocated wet food (any wet food) versus dry because wet contains a lot of moisture which is seen as being 'good'.

Oh I saw this in my local sainsburies today -stuck right as the bottom and I didnt give it another look as packaging looked like a cheap brand - just show how easily we are swayed!

R & L Pet Products, who sell Bozita at cat shows, claim that it is over 90% meat.......... I did tell them this was nonsense recently
They don't sell the Rich in Chicken variety, that's the one I usually get from zooplus.

__________________

Looking at the 'typical analysis' gives a better idea as you can compare more easily as it is broken down to a percentage. Note that the moisture is a high percentage in both Butchers and Hi Life.

Meat deriviatives are not necessarily 'bad' if regularised via Food Standards.

Note that Hi Life protein is 3% points higher than Classic and this is 'good' and is reflected in the higher cost.

Out of interest I tried to find Whiskas and Felix nutritional analysis on their websites ------ and couldn't.

This is from my link further up on pet food legislation in the UK:

The labelling requirements for pet food are less onerous than those for feed for farmed livestock. For livestock, the ingredients must be declared individually in descending order by weight, but pet food manufacturers have the option to declare them by category -- e.g., "meat and animal derivatives", "oils and fats", "cereals", "vegetable protein extracts". Declaration by categories allows for fluctuations in the supply of the raw materials used and provides flexibility for labelling ingredients without incurring unreasonable cost.

Feed labelling legislation also permits manufacturers to draw particular attention to the presence of absence of a particular ingredient and to provide information over and above the statutory minimum with which purchasers must be provided (analytical declarations for protein, fibre, etc.; the name and address of the manufacturer). This additional information is subject to certain safeguards, e.g. that it should not mislead purchasers, not make medicinal claims, and must concern objective and quantifiable factors which can be substantiated. Thus a pet food product the label of which states that it contains "20% beef" must actually contain that ingredient in the stated proportion.

The material of animal origin used by the pet food industry comprises those parts of animals which are either deemed surplus to human consumption or are not normally consumed by people in the UK, and derived from animals inspected and passed as fit for human consumption prior to slaughter. Animal material of this nature, which is not intended for human consumption, is classified as "animal by-products" under the EC Regulation on Animal By-Products for which Defra is responsible, and assigned the lowest risk rating. This rating requires that the material be free of any transmissible disease, which therefore excludes material from dying, diseased or disabled animals.

Pet food is subject to similar controls with respect to authorised additives and levels of undesirable substances as feed for farmed livestock. For pets, the main part of the risk assessment when setting the maximum permitted levels for undesirable substances will generally be the extent to which the animal can tolerate them.

Many of the particular nutritional purposes for which feeds may be marketed -- that this, the dietary management of certain conditions where the animal's metabolism is temporarily or permanently impaired -- concern pet food.

Examples of these purposes include the support of renal function in renal insufficiency, the reduction of acute intestinal absorptive disorders, the regulation of glucose supply and support of skin function in dermatosis and excessive hair loss.

Enforcement of the legislation relating to pet food is the responsibility of local authority trading standards officers. This includes sampling and analysis.


Principal Legislation:

The Feeding Stuffs (England) Regulations 2005 (there are separate but parallel Regulations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). These Regulations contain provisions on labelling, undesirable substances and particular nutritional purposes, and set down the offences and penalties for their breach.
EC Regulation 1831/2003 on Feed Additives. This Regulation contains provisions for the control of feed additives in pet food.
EC Regulation 183/2005 on Feed Hygiene. This Regulation sets out the operating standards with which pet food establishments must comply.

Just thought I'd post this reply I got from Butchers today telling me that the colourant is actually caramel, which they tell me is natural.

Hi Liz

Thank you for your email; it is always lovely to hear when someone who takes such an interest in their cats well being and the quality of the food they are fed.

We are a small family run company that takes a great deal of pride in producing a complete, well balanced pet food which has been developed to provide your cats (and dogs) with all the nutrients they need in a completely natural format. We have a very strong 'all natural' ethos and our foods will never include any of the following 'nastys' - Cereals, Soya, Gluten, bulking agents, emulsifiers, preservatives or artificial colourings and flavourings.

With regard to the information listed on the can you will find the statement ‘Contains EEC permitted colourants’ this refers to a very small amount of natural caramel which used in some of our Classic cat food recipes. Although caramel is a completely natural ingredient which is used to help with the cooking process it is a natural colourant when used in larger quantities and therefore we are required to declare this inclusion on the label in order to adhere to EEC regulations and governing legislation. The largest amount of caramel found in any of our Classic cat foods is 0.23% which as I’m sure you will agree is an incredibly low amount.

I hope this helps put your mind at ease and your cats continue to enjoy their favourite Butcher's Classic dinner with your vote of confidence.

Kindest regards

Lorraine
Consumer Services
Butcher's Pet Care Ltd