Purina Pro Plan cat food is almost all dry, sold by what the cat needs rather than by flavour. The recipe names do the work here, and once you know what they mean the choice takes about a minute.
What the range names mean
Healthy Start is the kitten food. Vital Functions is the standard adult. Longevis is the senior one. Light is the reduced-calorie version.
Delicate Digestion is for cats whose stools have never been quite right, or who bring food back up more than they should.
Renal Plus supports kidney function, which is one of the most common problems in older cats.
Sterilised is a prefix, not a separate food
This is the bit that catches people out. Sterilised isn't one recipe. It stacks on top of the others, so you'll find Sterilised Vital Functions, Sterilised Delicate Digestion and Sterilised Longevis Senior.
Neutering lowers a cat's energy needs while their appetite stays much the same, which is why so many put weight on afterwards. If your cat is neutered, take the Sterilised version of whichever recipe suits, rather than the standard one plus smaller portions.
Hydra Care isn't a meal
The one wet product here is Hydra Care, and Purina describe it as a complementary food rather than a complete one. It's a hydration supplement fed in a separate bowl alongside normal food, aimed at cats who don't drink much.
Useful for the right cat. But it won't feed one on its own, so don't buy it expecting wet food.
When Pro Plan isn't the right buy
It's a dear food, and if your cat is well on something cheaper, holding weight with a decent coat, there's no nutritional reason to move. Switching costs you a fortnight of gradual changeover and a fair chance of an upset stomach for no gain.
And Renal Plus is not a general upgrade for an older cat. Kidney diets work by restricting things a healthy cat needs. If your vet has raised kidney function, buy what they named. If nobody has, speak to your vet before starting one. The rest of the specialist range sits on our Purina Pro Plan Veterinary page.
What most people buy here
Vital Functions for a healthy adult, in the Sterilised version if your cat is neutered. Delicate Digestion instead if digestion is the reason you're looking.
If you'd rather compare across brands first, the whole dry cat food range is on one page, and senior cat food has the older-cat options together.