Cat Food Around the World

How are cat foods marketed in various countries? In the UK, Sainsbury's cat and dog foods depicted a clever cat and dog outwitting a burglar and then tucking into a reward of 'Scout' (dog food) and 'Paws' (for cats). 'Arthurs' has a white shorthaired cat who dips his paw into the can and eats what he scoops out. 'Sheba' foil trays 'show how much you love her' (supposedly it's a British Blue in the ads, but in actual fact the cat use is a Chartreux - a French breed not recognized in the UK).

'Felix' uses a mischievous cartoon cat whose long-suffering owner rewards his antics with 'Felix'. The ads generally show cats bounding around outdoors to build up a healthy appetite before returning home for food and a snooze - it reflects the British cats' indoor-outdoor lifestyle. In magazines, Whiskas may adopt a scientific tone. Most of the ads use mixed breed cats (moggies) though 'Sheba' uses a purebred. The overall message is no-nonsense cat pursues traditional lifestyle and eats nourishing nosh.

In American magazines, the ads reflect the fact that cats are kept mostly indoors and there are more purebreds than in the UK. The gourmet "Fancy Feast" is presented in a cut glass dish to a classy Shaded Silver Persian. Persians seem to have an association with feline gourmets - a Himalayan promoted "Max Cat" as food for finicky eaters. Some other American ads use hi-tech nutritional information, giving a scientific slant to the advert, to sell cat food. A few British cat food manufacturers are now promoting their brands 'urine pH control' properties or its scientific, vet-approved formulation, but we lag some way behind American manufacturers.

The internationally known Sheba brand is advertised on stylish black plate with a parsley garnish. This French-made advert is used all over the world with different voice-overs. Often claimed to be a British Blue, the elegant blue-gray feline is actually a Chartreux called "Top Gun" (source: "Atout Chat"). All in all, it's a touch of French elegance on British screens.

I am at a disadvantage with Japanese adverts since I cannot read Japanese. Luckily adverts all over the world rely on images to sell products so one advert for "Mimy" cat food uses a photo of a succulent piece of cooked fish, guaranteed to make owner's mouths water. "Carat" brand featured both a Shaded Silver Persian and a Spotted Silver Shorthair and "Kal Kan" (Whiskas/ Brekkies) combines pictures of healthy non-pedigree cats with graphs of supporting nutritional information. There is also a brand called "µ" (the Greek letter Mu) which combines science and pun!

The Australian Whiskas cat is shown licking his chops, but the classy-looking cat breeds seem to reserve their services for wormer adverts, of which there are a great profusion! Cat food seems to be less heavily advertised in the Australian magazines compared to the great number of competing brands which advertise in British and American magazines.

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