FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A 5.5-ounce can of "holistic pheasant" cat food sells for $1.73 at a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., specialty pet food store. Three blocks away, you can get the same sized can of a supermarket chain brand cat food for 39 cents.

Is the more expensive one better for your cat than the supermarket food?

Not necessarily, at least according to eight dog and cat nutrition experts at seven well-known veterinary medical schools who were interviewed by Consumer Reports. The bottom line of the article in the magazine's March issue: "There are quality foods at every price point," said Jamie Kopf Hirsh, the associate health editor who wrote the piece.

Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, was more direct: There is no scientific evidence that "any food is better than the next," regardless of price, he told Hirsh. Two years ago, a spate of pet food recalls - most connected to tainted wheat gluten imported from China - started consumers looking more closely at what they were feeding their pets. More than 100 brands ultimately were recalled and hundreds of animals are believed to have been sickened or died from eating these products.

Food and Drug Administration Spokeswoman Siobhan DeLancey said the agency, which regulates pet food along with the states, is working on updating pet food labeling requirements. But many pet owners remain confused by vague ingredient lists and terms that are more about marketing than nutrition.

Phrases like "holistic," "gourmet" and "premium" now are commonly found on pet food packages. But any product could make these claims because they aren't regulated and FDA does not define them.

There also are no FDA standards for "prescription" diets, usually sold by vets, and non-prescription diets. And "senior" foods do not need to be specially formulated, although manufacturers now must show proof of scientific claims, such as foods designed to reduce urinary tract infections.

Dr. Gary Edelson, an associate veterinarian with Hometown Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic in Weston, Fla., said there is no reason to believe higher-priced pet food is safer or more nutritious than less costly varieties.

"(You) would like to think that the more expensive the diet, the more expensive the ingredients" - which may sometimes be true. "But expensive also could mean you are paying for a marketing campaign."

He said the best way to tell that a pet is being fed the right product is if the animal is healthy and active, with a glossy coat.

Edelson always picks products with labels stating the food was developed through "animal feeding tests" under guidelines by the Association of American Feed Control Officers, a regulatory group that sets ingredient standards.

He also said he prefers companies with a nutritionist on staff, "so if there is a problem, I can talk to someone who can do some research on it."