Felix

Felix is a British cat-food brand whose range includes wet food, dry food, biscuits, treats and milk products. The brand is currently owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare, the pet-care business of Swiss food group Nestlé. Although the information supplied identifies Germany as the requested country context, the brand itself originated in the United Kingdom and its historical development is closely associated with the British pet-food market. The business began before the Second World War as Felix Catfood Ltd, a manufacturer of dry cat biscuits operating from a factory in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. Its early identity was therefore based on simple dry pet-food products rather than the broad wet-food portfolio associated with the modern brand. In 1970, the Quaker Oats Company acquired Felix as part of its expansion in the United Kingdom's pet-food sector. Production was later transferred to Quaker's factory in Southall, west London, and the range was expanded to include tinned wet cat food. Felix faced a serious commercial challenge during the 1980s. The brand had a relatively small share of the UK cat-food market and was threatened with removal from major retailers because of weak sales and growing competition from retailer-owned products. At the time, Felix held about 6 percent of the UK market, while Whiskas held more than half. Quaker responded with a major relaunch in 1989. The relaunch combined a revised product range with the introduction of the distinctive black-and-white Felix cat mascot, which became the central visual and advertising element of the brand. The relaunch was supported by substantial newspaper and television advertising. Felix subsequently expanded its market share in the United Kingdom and in other European markets. By 1996, it had overtaken Whiskas as the UK market leader, although Whiskas later regained that position. The episode remains the defining turning point in Felix's history: it transformed the brand from a vulnerable pet-food label into a strongly recognizable consumer brand built around character-led advertising and accessible cat-food products. Ownership changed several times after the relaunch. In 1995, Quaker sold Felix together with its European pet-food division to Spillers, which was owned by Dalgety plc. Nestlé acquired the business in 1997, bringing Felix into the Nestlé Purina portfolio. Under Nestlé Purina, Felix has continued to be sold across the United Kingdom and a range of European and international markets. In some countries the same or related market offering uses different names: the brand is known as Pussi in Sweden and Denmark-related market contexts listed in the source material, and as Latz in Finland. The contemporary portfolio has emphasized wet cat food in pouches and tins, alongside dry products and treats in markets where those formats remain available. In the United Kingdom, Felix reportedly moved to producing wet food only in plastic sachets from 2018, reflecting lower demand for tins. Product availability and naming vary by country. The mascot remains central to brand recognition, and in 2023 musician Robbie Williams became the voice associated with a new advertising campaign featuring the song "It's Great to be a Cat."

Felix's origins lie in the British pet-food industry before the Second World War. Felix Catfood Ltd operated a factory in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, where it produced dry cat biscuits. The early business was narrower than the modern Felix portfolio and was primarily associated with dry food rather than the wet meals and pouches that later became important to the brand. A major ownership change occurred in 1970, when the Quaker Oats Company acquired Felix as part of its expansion into the UK pet-food market. Quaker subsequently moved production to its factory in Southall, west London. During this period the range was broadened, notably through the introduction of tinned wet cat food. The move into wet food helped establish the product architecture that would later support Felix's wider retail presence. The brand entered a difficult period during the 1980s. Felix held only around 6 percent of the UK cat-food market and faced pressure from both established branded competitors and retailer own-label products. Large retailers reportedly considered delisting it because of poor sales. Whiskas was the dominant competitor, with more than half of the UK market according to the supplied historical account. Felix therefore required more than incremental product changes; it needed a clearer identity and a stronger consumer proposition. Quaker relaunched Felix in 1989 with a new product range and the black-and-white cat mascot that remains the brand's defining symbol. Newspaper advertising was followed by television activity, giving the mascot a prominent and consistent role in communicating the brand. The campaign materially improved Felix's performance in the United Kingdom and helped it expand in European markets. By 1996, Felix had overtaken Whiskas as the UK market leader, although Whiskas later recovered its leading position. The period from 1989 to 1996 is consequently the central growth phase in Felix's history and demonstrates the commercial impact of distinctive character-based branding in a mature grocery category. The ownership structure changed again in 1995. Quaker sold Felix with its European pet-food division to Spillers, then owned by Dalgety plc. Two years later, Nestlé acquired the business. Felix subsequently became part of Nestlé Purina PetCare, giving it access to the distribution, manufacturing and marketing infrastructure of one of the world's largest food and pet-care groups. Felix has since been marketed in numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, continental European markets, Australia, Russia, India and Chile. The brand is not presented identically in every territory. In some Nordic markets it is sold under names including Pussi and Latz. Product formats also vary. The portfolio has included wet and dry food in pouches and tins, dry biscuits, treats and milk. In the UK, the wet-food range reportedly moved to plastic sachets from 2018 as demand for tins declined. The mascot continues to be the principal link between Felix's historical identity and its current communications. In 2023, Robbie Williams became the voice for a new campaign using the song "It's Great to be a Cat." This extended the brand's long-running use of entertainment and character-led advertising while keeping the Felix cat at the center of the brand world.

• 2023

  Robbie Williams fronts a Felix campaign

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Robbie Williams became the brand's new voice for an advertising campaign featuring "It's Great to be a Cat."

• 2018

  UK wet-food format shifts toward sachets

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Felix reportedly stopped producing UK wet food in tins and focused on plastic sachets because of declining demand for tins.

• 1997

  Nestlé acquires Felix

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Nestlé purchased Felix, which became part of the Nestlé Purina pet-care portfolio.

• 1996

  Felix overtakes Whiskas in the UK

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Felix became the leading UK cat-food brand by market share, although Whiskas later regained the position.

• 1995

  Quaker sells Felix to Spillers

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Felix was sold with Quaker's European pet-food division to Spillers, then owned by Dalgety plc.

• 1989

  Felix is relaunched with its mascot

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  A new product range and the black-and-white Felix cat mascot were introduced during a major advertising-led relaunch.

• 1970

  Quaker Oats acquires Felix

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Quaker Oats purchased the company as part of its expansion into the UK pet-food market.

• Felix Catfood Ltd begins operations

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  The business began operating before the Second World War as a manufacturer of dry cat biscuits from Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

• Production moves to Southall

  [1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Manufacturing was transferred from Biggleswade to Quaker's Southall factory, and the range was expanded to include tinned wet food.

An accessible, mass-market cat-food brand built around convenient meal formats, broad product variety and a highly recognizable black-and-white cat mascot. Its marketing emphasizes playful character branding and everyday feeding occasions.

• Wet cat food

  Felix wet cat food

  Wet food is one of Felix's core categories and has been sold in both pouches and tins, depending on market and period. The category became especially important after Quaker expanded the original dry-biscuit business with tinned food. In the United Kingdom, the brand reportedly moved its wet-food production toward plastic sachets from 2018 as consumer demand for tins declined.

• Dry cat food

  Felix dry food and biscuits

  Dry cat biscuits represent the historical starting point of the Felix business. The original Felix Catfood Ltd operated as a dry-biscuit manufacturer before the Second World War. Dry products have remained part of the broader Felix offering in markets where they are distributed, although current availability may differ by country.

• Cat treats

  Felix treats

  Felix also sells treat products as part of its cat-care range. These products extend the brand beyond complete meals and support informal feeding and reward occasions. Specific formulations and names are market-dependent.

• Cat milk

  Felix cat milk

  Cat milk is among the additional products associated with the Felix brand. It broadens the portfolio beyond wet and dry food, although the precise product range and distribution footprint vary across countries.

• Wet cat food

  Felix chunks in jelly

  Chunks in jelly is a wet cat-food format associated with Felix, offering meat pieces in a jelly texture. It is part of the brand's mass-market wet-food range sold across multiple markets.

• 2023It's Great to be a Cat

  United Kingdom

  Robbie Williams became the voice of Felix for a new advertising campaign built around the track "It's Great to be a Cat."

  Source
• 1989Felix relaunch and mascot campaign

  United Kingdom · Europe

  Felix was relaunched with a revised product range and the black-and-white cat mascot. Newspaper advertising and later television commercials gave the character a central role in rebuilding recognition and demand. The campaign substantially improved Felix's market position. By 1996, the brand had overtaken Whiskas as the UK market leader, although Whiskas later regained the lead.

  Outcome. The campaign substantially improved Felix's market position. By 1996, the brand had overtaken Whiskas as the UK market leader, although Whiskas later regained the lead.

  Source

• 2018

  UK wet food moves toward sachetsStrategy

  Background

  Demand for tins had declined in the UK market.

  Action taken

  Felix reportedly shifted UK wet-food production to plastic sachets.

  Aftermath

  The UK range became more concentrated on sachet packaging, while product formats continued to vary by market.

  Source

• 1997

  Nestlé acquires FelixM&A

  Background

  Felix was part of Spillers' European pet-food activities.

  Action taken

  Nestlé acquired the brand and placed it within its Purina pet-care business.

  Aftermath

  Felix continued as an international pet-food brand under Nestlé Purina ownership.

  Source

• 1995

  Felix is sold to SpillersM&A

  Background

  Quaker sold its European pet-food division.

  Action taken

  Felix was transferred to Spillers, which was owned by Dalgety plc.

  Aftermath

  The brand remained in the European pet-food sector before being acquired by Nestlé two years later.

  Source

• 1989

  Felix adopts a character-led relaunchStrategy

  Background

  The brand faced weak sales, retailer delisting risk and intense competition from Whiskas and own-label cat food.

  Action taken

  Felix introduced a new range and made a black-and-white cat mascot the center of its advertising.

  Aftermath

  Market share increased in the UK and Europe, and Felix became the UK market leader by 1996.

  Source

• 1970

  Quaker Oats acquires FelixM&A

  Background

  Quaker Oats was expanding its presence in the UK pet-food market.

  Action taken

  Quaker acquired Felix Catfood Ltd and subsequently incorporated the business into its pet-food operations.

  Aftermath

  Production later moved to Southall and the brand expanded from dry biscuits into tinned wet food.

  Source

• 2023

  Robbie Williams becomes the voice of Felix in new advertising campaign[1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Other

  Robbie Williams was selected as the new voice associated with Felix cat food for a campaign built around the track "It's Great to be a Cat."

• 2018

  Felix changes UK wet-food packaging format[1]Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product generation

  The brand's UK wet-food production reportedly shifted to plastic sachets, reflecting reduced consumer demand for tins.

1. 1Felix (cat food)en.wikipedia.org