Published Jul 6, 2023
We’ve rated Feringa on ingredient quality, species-appropriateness, recalls, and more. Read our Feringa review to learn how this brand stacks up.
The Cats.com Standard — Rating Feringa on What Matters
We’ve rated Feringa on six key criteria for quality. Here’s how it rates in each of these six crucial areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 8/10
- Ingredient Quality – 8/10
- Product Variety – 8/10
- Price – 7/10
- Customer Experience – 7/10
- Recall History – 9/10
Overall Score: 7.8/10
In total, we give Feringa 47 out of 60 ratings or a B+/A- grade.
How We Review Cat Food
To review Feringa, we spent hours researching the brand, learning about its history and product lineup. We studied the company’s sourcing and manufacturing practices and scoured recall databases for reports related to safety issues. To understand how other customers feel about the brand, we read dozens of customer reviews, identifying any common patterns or trends.
Finally, our reviewer independently purchased several packages of Feringa cat food and tried it out with their cats, taking notes on palatability, texture, smell, and more.
Based on this research and hands-on testing, we’ve rated the brand according to the Cats.com Standard. Learn more about the Standard here.
About Feringa
Feringa cat foods is one of the brands made by Matina GMBH. Matina GMGH is a German pet food manufacturer with headquarters in Munich. Along with pet foods, the company also makes foods for humans and snacks.
According to the company, all of their cat foods are free from soy, sugar, added flavors, preservatives, and artificial colors.
Other cat food brands made by Matina GMBH include Catessy, Concept for Life and Concept for Life Veterinary Diet; Purizon, Cosma, Greenwoods, My Star, Rosie’s Farm, Smilla, Tigeria, Tigerino, Wild Freedom, Zooplus Bio, and Zoolove.
A Feringa cat food site doesn’t appear in online searches. In order to find the site it’s necessary to visit the Matina GMBH site. The link to the Feringa page is here.
Feringa is described as being made by a “small family business” in Austria and Germany. The food is grain-free with a high meat content. The food is also described as species-appropriate.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
We didn’t find specific information about where Feringa is made, other than it’s made in Germany and Austria. Obviously, Matina is a large pet food manufacturer responsible for producing multiple brands of pet food for cats and dogs. However, they may work with smaller, perhaps family-owned businesses to produce individual brands such as Feringa. We just don’t have a way to confirm this information from Germany or Austria.
Matina states that their foods go through strict veterinary controls; and that their facilities use some of the most modern technologies. However, they don’t provide any details.
The company states that their cat foods are made with meat of human-grade quality but they don’t provide details about where the meat is sourced. The ingredients are said to be “top quality” and “species-appropriate” but, again, we didn’t find any mention of sourcing. Fruit, vegetables, and herbs are used instead of grains. They are said to be carefully selected but Feringa doesn’t say where they are from.
Recall History
We didn’t find any recalls online for Feringa but our Google results are only in English. If there are recalls in non-English language countries, they may not show up in our search results.
Matina GMBH has been in business since around 2005 so their cat food brands, such as Feringa, have been introduced since that time.
What Kinds of Cat Food Does Feringa Offer?
Feringa makes both wet and dry cat foods. Their wet foods also include a special line called Feringa Meat Menu which is popular.
Dry Foods:
- Feringa Adult Duck
- Feringa Adult Fish
- Feringa Adult Turkey
- Feringa Kitten Poultry
Wet Foods:
- Poultry
- Duck & Veal
- Rabbit & Turkey
- Lamb & Rabbit
- Beef & Poultry
- Rabbit & Turkey
- Trout & Chicken
- Salmon & Turkey
Feringa Menu Kitten:
- Turkey
- Chicken & Veal
Feringa Meat Menu (wet)
- Chicken with Squash & Catnip
- Rabbit with Parsnips & Catnip
- Lamb with Potatoes & Cat Thyme
Note that there are many other wet Feringa varieties on Zooplus.co.uk.
What Do Customers Think of Feringa Cat Food?
Let’s take an overview of some of the reviews of Feringa Cat Food.
Positive Reviews
We found lots of positive reviews for Feringa, especially for the wet cat foods. Customers particularly mentioned that their cats seemed to enjoy the taste of the food. Older cats and cats that had not had great appetites before suddenly started eating better.
We also found positive reviews for Feringa’s dry cat foods. Many customers mentioned that they liked the food for the price. They said that their cats loved the food. Some customers mentioned that they had been feeding the Feringa kitten foods and there was an easy transition to the adult dry food, with or without a wet food added.
Some customers also liked the fact that Feringa has single-protein wet foods available for cats with sensitive digestion or allergies.
Negative Reviews
On Zooplus.co.uk we noticed a series of very bad reviews for the Pure Meat Menu trial packs. Customers complained of bones in the food, cats getting sick, and the food smelling bad. These bad reviews for the trial packs seem to have started in 2016 but they have continued to the present (2023).
Feringa Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Main Protein Source | Calories | Price | Our Grade |
| Feringa Adult Turkey | Dry | Turkey | 391.8 kcal per cup | £8.73 per kg | A- |
| Feringa Classic Meat Menu Duck & Veal with Broccoli & Dandelion | Wet | Veal, duck | 119 kcal per 100 grams | £3.75 per kg | A |
| Feringa Pure Meat Menu Chicken with Pumpkin & Catnip wet cat food | Wet | Chicken | 95 Kcals per 100g | £7.08 per kg | B+ |
#1 Feringa Adult Turkey Dry Cat Food
According to the Feringa site, the company offers four different kinds of dry cat food. However, the page links to zooplus.co.uk where far more dry cat food recipes are available. We’ve noticed this before with brands sold on Zooplus.co.uk but we don’t have an explanation for it.
All of Feringa’s dry cat foods have a high meat content. They are grain-free and free of soy and lactose ingredients. According to the company, they are slow-cooked to better retain the nutrients in the ingredients.
Feringa Adult Turkey contains no meat or bone meal. It has no meat by-products or vegetable by-products. It uses no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors. The meat used is human-grade.
The recipe does contain salmon oil which is a good source of omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 is good for your cat’s skin, coat, heart, and brain.
Cranberries in the recipe are believed to be good for a cat’s urinary tract. They are a source of vitamin C and flavonoids. The recipe also contains pumpkin which is a good source of fiber. It’s beneficial for your cat’s digestive system.
The food does contain lignocellulose. Lignocellulose is a plant biomass that is being tried out for the production of biofuels. It is mostly considered to have low digestibility for livestock. It is unusual to find it in a pet food. It increases the fiber content in pet food. It could have some benefits for pets with digestive problems.
We do need to call your attention to the use of potato flakes in the food. Opinion is mixed on whether cats should eat potato products though they are not exactly species-appropriate. They are sometimes used in foods in place of grains. According to a recent report, the feline pancytopenia outbreak that sickened and killed some 350 cats in the UK in 2021, linked to some cat foods (not Feringa), is believed to have been associated with potato flakes used in the foods. The potato flakes are thought to have been the source of a mycotoxin, according to researchers at the Royal Veterinary College in London, UK.
This doesn’t mean that all cat foods that contain potato flakes will contain mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are molds that can be found in many kinds of cereal grains, nuts, spices, and other ingredients under the right (or wrong) conditions. But, we thought it was worth mentioning. Some cat lovers avoid food with grains because they are concerned about toxins. There are other ingredients that can also be harmful at times.
With no grain or soy, and with the inclusion of some ingredients that could benefit digestion, Feringa Adult Turkey could be a good food for some cats who may have sensitive digestion or allergies.
Feringa Adult Turkey dry cat food is a maintenance cat food suitable for adult cats.
Calorie Content: 391.8 kcal per cup
Ingredients
37% Turkey (Dried And Finely Ground), Potato Flakes, 10% Poultry Fat, 5% Pumpkin, Lignocellulose, 2% Salmon Oil, 2% Egg (Dried And Finely Ground), Minerals, 0.5% Dried Cranberries, 0.5% Catnip, Fructooligosaccharides (Fos), 0.25% Dried Blueberries.
Ingredients We Liked: Turkey, Poultry Fat, Pumpkin, Salmon Oil, Dried Cranberries, Fos, Dried Blueberries
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Potato Flakes, Lignocellulose (Needs More Explanation From Feringa)
Common Allergens: Turkey can be an allergen but it is less likely to be a problem than chicken; eggs are an allergen for some cats. Cats do not usually react to fats since allergens are found in proteins and not fats. However, a cat that is severely allergic to chicken could react to poultry fat if it contains any chicken fat.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Human-grade quality meat
- Contains several ingredients that are good for the urinary tract and digestive system
- Grain-free and free of artificial color, preservatives, and flavors. No sugar added.
Cons
- The use of lignocellulose needs more explanation from Feringa
- Potato flakes are not usually a good ingredient for cats
- Feringa is vague about the sourcing for their ingredients
#2 Feringa Classic Meat Menu Duck & Veal With Broccoli & Dandelion
Feringa Classic Meat Menu wet cat foods come in a wide selection of recipes. We found eight formulas listed on the Feringa page. The Zooplus.uk.co site lists even more varieties. These don’t include the kitten recipes or the Pure Meat Menu foods.
We wanted to look at the Feringa Classic Meat Menu Duck & Veal with Broccoli & Dandelion wet cat food recipe since these are less common meats. This food also gets very high ratings from customers.
The Classic Meat Menu foods are made with two kinds of meat (or fish) proteins. They are complete and balanced for adult cats. They contain 70 percent meat and/or fish protein and they are grain-free. Feringa makes these foods with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
These recipes have only a few ingredients. Along with the high meat content, they contain offal (internal organs such as heart and lung) from the same animal. They also contain a small amount of vegetable and herb. The duck and veal recipe contains 2 percent broccoli and 0.1 percent dandelion. Dandelion is believed to be good for the urinary tract, at least in herbal lore for humans.
Otherwise, the food only includes added vitamins and minerals.
Feringa Classic Meat Menu Duck & Veal with Broccoli & Dandelion wet cat food appears to be a good quality food based on the ingredients and the very good customer reviews.
Calorie Content: 119 kcal per 100 grams
Ingredients
48% Veal (Heart, Lung), 26.9% Stock, 20% Duck (Heart, Gizzards, Throat), 2% Broccoli, 1% Minerals, 0.1% Dandelion
Ingredients We Liked: 48% Veal (Heart, Lung), 20% Duck (Heart, Gizzards, Throat), 0.1% Dandelion
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Broccoli
Common Allergens: None. It’s possible that a cat that is severely allergic to poultry could have a reaction to duck but it’s very unlikely.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- High in meat protein, including offal which is good for cats
- No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- A good variety of recipes in the Classic Meat Menu line of wet foods
- Very good customer reviews
Cons
- Feringa doesn’t provide information about the source of the ingredients
- Broccoli and some of the other vegetables added may be unnecessary
#3 Feringa Pure Meat Menu Chicken With Pumpkin & Catnip Wet Cat Food
We mentioned earlier that we found quite a few negative reviews for Feringa Pure Meat Menu wet foods on the Zooplus.co.uk site. Not all of the reviews are bad. There are many very positive reviews for these foods online. This is Feringa’s most expensive food. The meat is human-grade. The recipes have a single source of protein. They contain 95 percent meat or fish protein so they are popular with people who have cats with allergies and food sensitivities.
The Pure Meat Menu foods are also grain-free and gluten-free. They contain no added colors, flavors, preservatives, or other artificial additives.
According to Feringa, the food is based on a species-appropriate, natural diet for cats.
Along with the 95 percent chicken in this food (including heart, gizzards, liver, and skin), the food contains pumpkin. Many cat lovers know that pumpkin is a good source of soluble fiber. It improves digestion and helps avoid the formation of hairballs. It can help with both diarrhea and with constipation.
The food also contains seaweed meal and spirulina. Seaweed meal is also a source of fiber. It’s also a good source of many nutrients. And, it’s a source of prebiotics. Spirulina is a blue-green algae. It’s a source of copper, magnesium, and many other minerals and vitamins. It contains antioxidants that help cells fight prevent damage from free radicals.
Some customers have mentioned that the added taurine level in these foods is too low. Taurine is naturally found in meat and seaweed, such as we noted in this food. Since these foods are 95 percent meat, it’s possible that Feringa has reduced the added taurine because of the taurine that is already present in the meat ingredients, seaweed meal, and spirulina.
The ingredients of Feringa Pure Meat Menu Chicken with Pumpkin & Catnip wet cat food look good. They could be a good choice for cats with certain food sensitivities or allergies. If there are problems with the food, as some customers have stated, it may be due to something in the manufacturing or packaging.
Calorie Content: 95 kcal per 100 grams
Ingredients
95% Chicken (35% Meat, 20% Heart, Gizzards, Liver, Skin), 2.25% Pumpkin, Seaweed Meal, 0.5% Catnip, 0.14% Minerals, 0.1% Spirulina
Ingredients We Liked: 95% Chicken (35% Meat, 20% Heart, Gizzards, Liver, Skin), 2.25% Pumpkin, Seaweed Meal, 0.5% Catnip, 0.1% Spirulina
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: None
Common Allergens: Chicken can be an allergen for some cats. Some cats can become sick from catnip. It’s very rare but it is possible for some cats to be sensitive to it, especially if they over-indulge.
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Very high in human-grade meat (or fish)
- No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or other additives
- Grain-free and gluten-free
- Pumpkin is a good source of fiber
Cons
- More expensive than Feringa’s other foods
- Some customer complaints about the foods
- Feringa doesn’t provide information about the source of their ingredients
How Much Does Feringa Cat Food Cost?
Feringa wet cat foods are typically sold in packages of 6 on the Zooplus.co.uk site. We found the Feringa Pure Meat Menu foods, 6 cans, 200 grams each, for around £8.49.
The Feringa Classic Meat Menu wet cat foods (6 cans, 200 grams each) are currently selling for about £6.49 on the site.
There is some variation in price, depending on the recipe.
We found the Feringa dry cat food available in 3 400-gram packages for about £7.79. Two-kilogram bags are selling for £12.49.
Overall, Is Feringa Cat Food a Good Choice?
Based on the ingredients and other information about Feringa, we think their cat foods are good choices. That includes both the wet and dry foods. We’re not sure why there were problems with the Pure Meat Menu foods for some customers. We didn’t find anything odd in their recipes.
If you are interested in Feringa, we can recommend them, including the Pure Meat Menu foods. If you have any problems with their wet foods, please let us know. We would be interested in hearing about them.
Based on the ingredients and comments from people who have fed Feringa, we think the food is similar to Animonda and Smalls. One customer online compared it to Farmina.
Where Is Feringa Cat Food Sold?
Feringa is sold on Zooplus.co.uk and Bitiba.co.uk in Britain. We also found it from other online retailers in the UK such as PetsRaw.com, Alifant.co.uk, Amazon.co.uk, and on other sites.
All 3 of our beasts eat Feringa, and I’ve never seen them more enthusiastic about food. We use the cold pressed variety for dry.