This Food Sounds Good Except...

alleygirl

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
11,814
Purraise
24
Location
hiding in the bathtub
Only a few online stores listed. I would get a sample, but I'm not paying $9 shipping for a $2.99 sample bag
for something Riley may not even eat. If it ever becomes more available, maybe I'll try it then.
 

mschauer

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
6,753
Purraise
2,338
Location
Houston, Tx
Originally Posted by sharky

It is WHERE the carbs come from... Orijen has veggies and fruits in addition to potato so MORE carbs are from them
EVO has fruits and veggies other than potato also.
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
Originally Posted by mschauer

EVO has fruits and veggies other than potato also.
Not at the same level.. yes I actually compared the two side by side...
maybe I need a life..lmao..
 

mschauer

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
6,753
Purraise
2,338
Location
Houston, Tx
Originally Posted by sharky

Not at the same level.. yes I actually compared the two side by side...
maybe I need a life..lmao..
Actually there is no way to tell from the label what the quantities (I assume that is what you mean by "level") of the ingredients are. The quanity of fruits and veggies other than potato in the EVO could actaully be higher than that in Orijen. Or lower. Point being you can't tell.

I'm not trying to be argumentative. I'm just wondering how the "Orijen Bandwagon" got started. For someone looking for a high protein, low carb dry food, I think EVO is clearly better. But ever since Orijen became known everyone is acting like it is a "must have".

It could well be that my criteria is just different from most other folks. I am just wanting to hear from folks how they came to the conclusion that Orijen is so desireable.
 

sharky

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
27,231
Purraise
38
I did it by % ages and the commone knowledge of bvasic quanitys of per lb...

Orijen ash 7-7.5

Evo 9. something

right there orijen is IMHO safer

I will gladly explain all the issue s via PM... it is overall in favor of Orijen over Evo Via MY criteria with UTI health in mind
 

tickytat

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
432
Purraise
4
Location
Vermont, USA
Just started my fat cat on Orijen because I heard it was good for weight loss. She stopped eating her all wet diet no matter what I tried... it was no longer a "treat."


Yeah, I got sucked into the Orijen bandwagon because I heard it was "THE BEST" grain free dry. But everyone has their favorites.

IMO, "THE BEST" is whatever works best for your cat(s).
 

mschauer

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
6,753
Purraise
2,338
Location
Houston, Tx
Originally Posted by sharky

I will gladly explain all the issue s via PM... it is overall in favor of Orijen over Evo Via MY criteria with UTI health in mind
Why not post it here? I'm sure everyone is interested.
 

mschauer

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
6,753
Purraise
2,338
Location
Houston, Tx
A quick recap for those who might actaully be paying attention and then I'm off to pretend I have a life:

Why Orijen is seen as "better" than EVO:

momto3cats - Because the calcium and phosphorus levels are lower (actually the phosporus is about the same 1.5 vs 1.58)

sharky : Because the ash is lower and because she believes more of the carbs come from fruits and veggies other than potatoes.

I'd still loved to hear from others. Just cuz your cat likes Orijen better than EVO doesn't count. My cats *love* Pro Plan!
 

icklemiss21

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
16,465
Purraise
20
Location
in the land of poutine and ice
I think because she has posted it before several times... and I think I helped start the Orijen bandwagon when my vet remarked on the improvement in health in Scully (you are newer so don't know his story, so in a nutshell, I adopted him a few years ago, aged 9, with diabetes at 33lbs, he had 'issues' eating wet so we settled on a high protein dry. I fed EVO for a while and then they kept changing their formula just after he had an operation and as such he wasn't really eating it, so I tried something else and Orijen was LOVED by all 4 of my cats and the vet mentioned they all looked healthier on it), he lost weight better on it and his coat is better.

Now onto the ingredients (excuse any typos this list is long)

Fresh chicken meat, chicken meal (low ash), turkey meal, steamed russet potato, fresh caughty Northern Whitefish, chicken fat, fresh whole eggs, salmon meal, salmon & anchovy oils, tapioca, chicken broth, sunflower oil, flaxseed, Atlantic kelp, steamed carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes, sun cured alfalfa, apple fibre, psyllium seed, rosemary extract, chicory, burdock and marshmallow root (FOS), yeast extract (MOS), glucosamine HCI, cranberries, blackcurrants, rosehip, stinging nettle, marigold flowers, L-carnitine, fennel seed, chamomile flowers, milk thistle, chickweed, summer savory, chondroitin sulfate, mixed tocopherals (source of Vit. E) choline chloride, Vit. A, D3, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, Vit. K, B12, folic acid, biotin, pyridoxine (source of Vit. B6), iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, sodium selenite, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, lactobacillus, acidophilis, Lactobacillus casei, bifidobacterium (B.bifidus) and Saccharomyces (S. boulardii)
 

mschauer

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
6,753
Purraise
2,338
Location
Houston, Tx
Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I think because she has posted it before several times... and I think I helped start the Orijen bandwagon when my vet remarked on the improvement in health in Scully (you are newer so don't know his story, so in a nutshell, I adopted him a few years ago, aged 9, with diabetes at 33lbs, he had 'issues' eating wet so we settled on a high protein dry. I fed EVO for a while and then they kept changing their formula just after he had an operation and as such he wasn't really eating it, so I tried something else and Orijen was LOVED by all 4 of my cats and the vet mentioned they all looked healthier on it), he lost weight better on it and his coat is better.
That someone would have that kind of experience with a food would make me at least want to try the food. Maybe that's all the reason alot of people needed.

Now onto the ingredients (excuse any typos this list is long)

Fresh chicken meat, chicken meal (low ash), turkey meal, steamed russet potato, fresh caughty Northern Whitefish, chicken fat, fresh whole eggs, salmon meal, salmon & anchovy oils, tapioca, chicken broth, sunflower oil, flaxseed, Atlantic kelp, steamed carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes, sun cured alfalfa, apple fibre, psyllium seed, rosemary extract, chicory, burdock and marshmallow root (FOS), yeast extract (MOS), glucosamine HCI, cranberries, blackcurrants, rosehip, stinging nettle, marigold flowers, L-carnitine, fennel seed, chamomile flowers, milk thistle, chickweed, summer savory, chondroitin sulfate, mixed tocopherals (source of Vit. E) choline chloride, Vit. A, D3, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, Vit. K, B12, folic acid, biotin, pyridoxine (source of Vit. B6), iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, sodium selenite, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, lactobacillus, acidophilis, Lactobacillus casei, bifidobacterium (B.bifidus) and Saccharomyces (S. boulardii)
Thanks for doing that. I know it was a pain. It is interesting that it varies quite a bit from what is on their web site. I don't know that it is important but it is interesting...

I really wonder about labelling standards differences in various countries. I'm getting the idea that the standards aren't as strict in other countries as in the US.

I guess I have hijacked this thread long enough. Sorry ConsumerKitty!
 

icklemiss21

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
16,465
Purraise
20
Location
in the land of poutine and ice
I emailed them about the difference in ingredient list, Bumper and Scully both have issues with foods, even when it is a difference in ingredients, and Orijen have changed their ingredients before (it used to have deboned turkey and it was dropped when the new look bag came out) so if it is different I want to get a bad sooner and mix to get them used to it.

I will let you know what they say
 

misty8723

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Messages
7,688
Purraise
8,129
Location
North Carolina
Originally Posted by mschauer

I'd still loved to hear from others. Just cuz your cat likes Orijen better than EVO doesn't count. My cats *love* Pro Plan!
Okay, here's how I got started with Orijen. When the recall hit, I was in the process of (1) switching them to California Natural from a lower quality dry food (Authority) and (2) trying to ultimately get them onto an all-wet diet. After the recall, I freaked out about glutens of any kind, and most of the wet I was feeding had glutens. I basically had to change everything they were eating. Based on my own research, the extremely knowlegable people on this board, and the fact that Cindy was turning her nose up at most of the new varieties of canned I was trying, I decided I would go grain free dry. I tried every kind of grain free dry available, and neither of my cats would touch any of them. I was about to give up, but I was hearing so many good things about Orijen, I finally decided to order a bag. I didn't have much hope of success, but to my surprise, both my cats loved it. They're doing well on it, althought I'm still trying for a more wet than dry overall diet plan.

I don't know much about feline nutrition. I wish I did. But some of my criteria at the moment is none of the obvious bad stuff (like by-products), no glutens, no soy, no garlic. And then the final criteria is that my cats actually eat it.

The other reason I didn't want to give them Evo (dispite the fact that they won't eat it anyway) is that I've heard it can cause cats to gain weight. Swanie, at 15 1/2 pounds, definitely doesn't need to gain any more weight.
 

momto3cats

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
1,143
Purraise
131
Location
TX
I think part of it is the fact that several people tried Orijen shortly after it came out and posted glowing reviews here. That made a lot of people interested in trying it, at a time when it was still very hard to find. So, there was a lot of discussion as to where to buy it and how much we wanted to try it.
 

icklemiss21

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
16,465
Purraise
20
Location
in the land of poutine and ice
I got a reply
ZEA MAYS is corn silk, a botanical that is derived from filaments inside the leaf of the corn plant. It is not the corn kernels or grain. This link will take you to Botanical.com where you can learn more about the composition and function of this novel botanical. http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/corsi105.html

As regards the changes to our other botanicals, this is an unfortunate circumstance of selling in the USA market, where AAFCO regulates botanicals. While all ORIJEN botanicals are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) and widely used in holistic medicine for dogs and cats, no one has ever registered these as supplements in foods for animals, and AAFCO views them as 'novel' as they have never reviewed them for use in pet food. We also had to change the wording on our packages as (according to AAFCO) there is no such thing as fresh chicken meat! The updated botanicals reflect those that are recognized by AAFCO, and that replicate our original list as closely as possible.

The changes to the original ORIJEN formula are really very, very small and most of the changes are really a result of AAFCO rulings resulting in our having to rewrite the ingredient panels. That said, and even though AAFCO doesn't allow us to say it - our meats, fish and eggs arrive at our factory FRESH (never frozen, no preservatives) each day.

ORIJEN is of course entirely grain free.
 

mschauer

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Messages
6,753
Purraise
2,338
Location
Houston, Tx
Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I got a reply
That's great! Thanks for looking into it. I've been sure for some time that are are differences in labelling standards in other countries. Not surprising really. Why would they be the same?
 

bazkitty

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jun 4, 2006
Messages
297
Purraise
11
How does Orijen compare to Serengeti in your opinion?
 

icklemiss21

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2005
Messages
16,465
Purraise
20
Location
in the land of poutine and ice
I have fed Serengetti, mine prefer the taste of Orijen so I stick with it, they didn't get fed enough of the Serengetti to be able to tell if there was a difference in weight loss / coat etc

A while back there was a thread on the differences of each, I will see if I can drag it up
 
Top