chicken soup - weight gain?

dara678

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hi everybody!

i am thinking of switching my fur-babies from nutro dry (indoor complete care formula) to chicken soup just because i think the ingredients look better (plus with all the pet food recall scare) but i am worried that they will gain weight. right now they are of normal weight, a little bit on the chubby side, so i want them to maintain how they are. has anyone ever experienced weight gain in their babies with chicken soup?
 

jpawz

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Originally Posted by dara678

hi everybody!

i am thinking of switching my fur-babies from nutro dry (indoor complete care formula) to chicken soup just because i think the ingredients look better (plus with all the pet food recall scare) but i am worried that they will gain weight. right now they are of normal weight, a little bit on the chubby side, so i want them to maintain how they are. has anyone ever experienced weight gain in their babies with chicken soup?
I have been feeding the Chicken Soup for Cat's (both dry & wet) for about a month but I also rotate with other wet and dry foods so I am not the best to answer....*but*....

Many cats may bulk up when switching to more premium diets --- but when I say 'bulk up' I don't necessarily refer to fat gains.

A few of my cats seem to developing better muscle tone over the last couple of months. Just like in humans, when we are eating better and exercising, we may show better tone and muscle which can *appear* as bulk but its actually more definition. Lean muscle mass.

When switching over to higher grade foods, you should find your cats are eating *less* on average. But they may have overall better tone and definition which may appear at first to seem like weight gains.

THat has been my experience working with and having pets.....

Probably not the 'leanest' of diets out there but certainly not an unhealthy one:


Chicken Soup canned : http://www.chickensoupforthepetlover...t_cat_formula/

Chicken Soup dry: http://www.chickensoupforthepetlover...t_cat_formula/

For comparison--

Nutro Indoor Complete Care dry: http://www.nutroproducts.com/ncccia.asp
Nutro Indoor Completel Care can: http://www.nutroproducts.com/nccciacr.asp

Both Nutro and Chicken Soup are quality foods, and both have some extras. They actually seem pretty comparable? You may not see much of a change.
 

sharky

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Basic Numbers


Chicken soup reg has 30% protein and 20% fat and no l carnitine to assist with fat metabolism

Nutro natural choice indoor 33% protein 14% fat and 140mg lcarnitine to aid in fat metabolism...

I think the number will tell you something


the wet

chn soup 10% protein = 40-50 %protein dry matter ... 5 % fat = 20-25%

nutro 9% protein 36-45% protein 5% fat plus a small amount of L carnitine
 

jpawz

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Sharky--

I am happy you stumbled onto this!

I suspected the Chicken Soup was slightly > fatty than Nutro, which is just another reason why I don't feed it exlusively.

It was a nice find when the recalls started since mine can be so picky and this was pretty easily accepted.

I think CS is a good food, especially a good transition food (where one might be trying to shift over to a leaner, higher protein line), and certainly still a quality food.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Jpawz

Sharky--

I am happy you stumbled onto this!

I suspected the Chicken Soup was slightly > fatty than Nutro, which is just another reason why I don't feed it exlusively.

It was a nice find when the recalls started since mine can be so picky and this was pretty easily accepted.

I think CS is a good food, especially a good transition food (where one might be trying to shift over to a leaner, higher protein line), and certainly still a quality food.
I often recommend chicken soup as a entry premium similiar to Nutro max for those with limited $$
 
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dara678

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Thanks everybody for all the help!

I think I will stick with Nutro for now, despite the food recall mess (though their dry isn't included) because I'm paranoid about my fur-babies getting fat ... I work in the healthcare field and with all the health problems of obese children and adults I see I would hate to see my babies going through it too. Anybody else have any experience?
 

fosterkitty

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after trying every cat food and diet cat food known to man, I put all of my cats on California Natural chicken and rice and everyone loves it and my fat cat lost 3 lbs, and my skinny cat maintained her weight. Not saying its for everyone, but it worked well with my crew.
 

starryeyedtiger

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I recently switched mine onto Chicken Soup and they haven't gained any weight
 

jpawz

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Well...I already posted.

But that was yesterday.

And I have cats.


Today is another day and 3 of my 5 cats decided they don't like the Chicken Soup after all (after over a month! Pfft!)

<<insert maniacal laughter here>>

But to echo a previous poster, all of my cats love the California Natural and Nutro (have used Nutro in the past as well). I really like the Natura line--

http://www.naturapet.com/
 

amitya

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I switched 19 yr old Beavis who had been eating Science Death all his life until 2 novembers ago( when we inherited him) to Chicken Soup adult. He has since slimmed down considerably and is now maintaining a healthy weight. His dandruff has just about stopped and his coat isnt greasy like it was on the science death crap food. Beavis wont eat any canned (he wont even sniff it) so its not wet food thats helped him.

JME!
 

ladycat

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my Bentley lost a little weight on the chicken soup...but I don't think he likes is as much as the nutro either!!! however he's had more dandruff actually
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by ladycat

my Bentley lost a little weight on the chicken soup...but I don't think he likes is as much as the nutro either!!! however he's had more dandruff actually
Chicken soup is far lower in fatty acids than the Nutro ... that explains the dandruff...Nutro has more protein than the chicken soup
 

maxie's mama

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I have 3 babies... nicky 10 years old - great shape
maxie 1 1/2 years old - petite and in great shape
MY BIG PROBLEM... COSMO - 1 year old and obese,
FOOD- they are feed 1 cup of premium food in a.m. and 1 cup in p.m.
(they share the food (dry) )

Any suggestions... I cant understand it, the other 2 are in perfect condition
and now Cosmo is so lazy. Wet is not an option.

H E L P!!!!
 

momto3cats

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Originally Posted by Maxie's Mama

I have 3 babies... nicky 10 years old - great shape
maxie 1 1/2 years old - petite and in great shape
MY BIG PROBLEM... COSMO - 1 year old and obese,
FOOD- they are feed 1 cup of premium food in a.m. and 1 cup in p.m.
(they share the food (dry) )

Any suggestions... I cant understand it, the other 2 are in perfect condition
and now Cosmo is so lazy. Wet is not an option.

H E L P!!!!
It sounds like Cosmo is eating more than his share. I would try reducing the amount of food to a cup and a half per day, total. Half a cup per day, per cat is usually plenty for average size cats.
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by Maxie's Mama

I have 3 babies... nicky 10 years old - great shape
maxie 1 1/2 years old - petite and in great shape
MY BIG PROBLEM... COSMO - 1 year old and obese,
FOOD- they are feed 1 cup of premium food in a.m. and 1 cup in p.m.
(they share the food (dry) )

Any suggestions... I cant understand it, the other 2 are in perfect condition
and now Cosmo is so lazy. Wet is not an option.

H E L P!!!!
Is there a chance that Maxie and Nicky each eat about 1/2 cup a day...so that would be one cup...maybe Cosmo eats a full cup on his own. Between that and maybe a slow metabolism, that might explain it.

What did the vet say about Cosmo's weight?

Can you supervise while they eat, and remove the food when they are done...or at a set time, say 20 minutes later? That way you know how much each one gets.
 
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