Expensive cat food gambling

moggiegirl

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My cats wet food selection right now is very limited because it's based on what they're willing to eat. Rosie only eats Purina Pro-plan, Pet Gold Tuna and Crab or Tuna and Shrimp and sometimes Iams chicken, sometimes she rejects Iams chicken. Spotty doesn't eat as much wet as Rosie but he does eat some and sometimes he will even eat Natural Balance(But not Rosie)

I thought about ordering an occasional case of wet food from Pet Food Direct like people play the lottery. Spend the $26.00 or whatever it may cost at Pet Food Direct maybe once a month or once every other month depending on what I can afford, let them ship it to me, give the food to my cats and if they eat it great, if not I will have to realize I lost and wasted my money and drop the case of canned food in the Helen Woodward donation bin at Petco not knowing if someone else's cats are going to like it and if not Helen Woodward charity will have to decide what to do with it. The bin is for elderly and disabled pet owners who are bedridden and must have food provided for their pets.

What do you think of this occsional cat food lottery gamble? Is it worth it? Would you do it?
 

littleraven7726

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Originally Posted by moggiegirl

What do you think of this occsional cat food lottery gamble? Is it worth it? Would you do it?
I did it this spring. The $60+ wasted was not cool.
However, the shelter cats got some really good
food.


We're back to a majority of Purina products for canned. And I rotate in the occasional Nutro Indoor can and Avoderm can. That's all they will tolerate. And without that they get bored of the Purina.


Like you, I just make sure they get a good quality dry (about the only one they eat consistently is Nutro).
 
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moggiegirl

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Found another natural pet food website. www.onlynaturalpet.com. This is much better because you have the option of buying individual cans instead of whole cases. Spending $2.00 plus a little for shipping is like reasonable lottery spending. Better than going broke on the Pet Food Direct site, like the lottery addicts. Nothing against the company itself but it's a real bummer if you can only order a whole case for $26.00 and your cats reject it.
 

jencat

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Do you have any independent pet stores, bakery/boutiques or feed stores anywhere close to where you live so you could buy a few cans at a time before ordering a whole case online? They will usually take back any unopened cans as well if your cats don't like them. This is what I do instead of ordering online. The store I shop in will order foods for me as well. If you look on the websites for the different pet food brands they will typically have a store locator. Brands such as precise you can even find in some upscale grocery markets. I believe I got some at Whole Foods.
 

mschauer

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There are *hundreds* of different foods out there. Buying an entire case and only using 1 can will get very expensive very fast. Not to mention the shipping.

Isn't there a pet supply store in San Diego that has a good selection of high quality foods?
 
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moggiegirl

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Originally Posted by mschauer

There are *hundreds* of different foods out there. Buying an entire case and only using 1 can will get very expensive very fast. Not to mention the shipping.

Isn't there a pet supply store in San Diego that has a good selection of high quality foods?
I haven't found many within the distance of public transportation. I'm one of those people who don't drive. There is a Pet People not too far but I have to take 2 buses to get there. They carry Innova, California Natural, Felidae which have been rejected by my cats. Wellness I had to stop feeding because Rosie had a bad reaction to garlic lately (not in Wellness but I have to avoid everything with garlic since this), Merrick has been accepted and rejected by my Rosie who tends to change her mind on occasion (weird kitty). So there is not much there that is loved by my cats. I tried Trader Joe's located in Pacific Beach(far traveling distance by bus), They don't like Trader Joe's brand, Tried PetGuard from Henry's(also not a convenient bus location) they didn't like it either. So in this case finding a store with a wide selection of wet foods for my very finicky cats who may or may not like what I put in front of them within convenient public transportation travel, the answer is no. I pretty much have to buy whatever they will eat from petco (walking distance). I did order 2 trial cans from the website posted above. Evangers mackeral in gravy and the organic chicken formula. I'll let you know if they like those. Why is it cats will eat whatever dry food but they're very picky about the wet stuff?
 

tarasgirl06

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MOGGIEGIRL:

I think that's a WONDERFUL idea and I didn't know about the donation area -- what a great thing to do! I know about Helen Woodward and the great work they do, so it'd be of benefit to needy cats no matter whether they use it or it goes to cats
cared for by poor and elderly people. What could be better than that???

Premium Canned Cat Food
Organic Chicken, Shrimp, Turkey Vet Formulated, All Natural
www.healthypetnet.com
Natural Cat Food
Compare Your Brand's Ingredients to BLUE. Learn More Today!
BlueBuff.com

btw, saw these on TCS and thought I'd pass them along, just in case. I hope all TCS members take the time to look at the ads on site, because they are up there to help cats and the people who love them!
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by moggiegirl

Why is it cats will eat whatever dry food but they're very picky about the wet stuff?


I'm going through exactly the same thing. Unfortunately I have access to a large number of quality brands. Thus my comment on the expense is based on personal experience! I currently have a small warehouse of great food they won't eat!


I wonder if giving them so many different things so frequently is part of the problem. So now I'm sticking with what I know they will eat and just occasionally trying something new.

Probably won't make a difference though...
 

jencat

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Have you tried the Avoderm chicken formula (the ground kind, not the cuts) that they have at Petco? Even my picky non-wet food loving cat will eat it, probably because it smells really strong and fishy.
 

sharky

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yes I used to go once a month to the shelter and give them the one s the girl s wouldnt or couldnt eat
 

tarasgirl06

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That is so great!!! THANK YOU on behalf of all cats -- I love all cats and if I could, I'd make sure not one ever had to be hungry or wanting again!
 
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moggiegirl

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I've had mixed reactions to Avoderm, I've seen Rosie eat it sometimes and sometimes cover it up and walk away. Since it's at my local Petco I think I will give that brand another try and pick up not a case but a few cans since it tends to depend on Rosie's mood for it. Thankfully Spotty is eating some Natural Balance(but not necessarily consistently).

Do you think I might get more successful switching to more natural foods if I stopped buying Purina Pro-plan? The only risk in that is having a bunch of all natural wet foods that my cats decide on certain days not to eat so I have to feed the lower end stuff (purina) just to get more wet food into their bodies. I guess rotation of different foods might help. I've also had some luck in the past getting Rosie to eat something she otherwise wouldn't if I mix in a teaspoon of her favorite Purina Pro-plan chicken and liver formula and stir it up.
 
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