Food choice, new cat owner needs help

outadablue

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I recently adopted 2 kittens. I have had them about 7 months now and they each use the litter box about 4-5 times per day. I am dumping at least 7-8 poops and a gallon of clumped pee every day. I'm not sure if they are supposed to poop that much or am I feeding them the wrong food. I give them each 1/2 cup of dry food in the am and 1/2 cup of dry mixed with wet each night. Please let me know what I can do to remedy this situation. Thanks.
 

dogrunner

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Cats are carnivores and don't digest grain well. What goes in, goes out again
Ideally (budget allowing) you want to feed as grain free as you can. The bonus to that (besides less in the litter box) is that without a lot of filler, they actually eat less.

Wet food is better, but a high quality kibble with a water fountain is ok. Merrick, Natural Balance (made Tink really constipated, but that runs in Siamese genetics), wellness, Evo, Innova, Timberwolf Organics....read ingredient labels...what works great for one cat doesn't necessarily work wonderful for all. Just switch foods slowly (especially if switching from a heavy grain to a low grain) and give it a couple weeks to see how they do. I have Tink on Wellness and he's doing great--good coat, very little shedding, no constipation, he's lost his extra weight and he is bright eyed and full of energy. A good food can make a lot of difference!!!
 

tutti_bella

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Yes, I second that. A higher quality premium food is worth every penny. My kitty poops once or twice a day, firm stools, easy to scoop. She does pee like a waterjet first thing in the morning, otherwise, just about the right amount.

I feed her a variety of canned and free fed dry. She's doing really well on a grain free diet, since that is the food she's been eating the day she started eating solid (weaning) and I am glad to say that I would not have it otherwise.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by outadablue

I recently adopted 2 kittens. I have had them about 7 months now and they each use the litter box about 4-5 times per day. I am dumping at least 7-8 poops and a gallon of clumped pee every day. I'm not sure if they are supposed to poop that much or am I feeding them the wrong food. I give them each 1/2 cup of dry food in the am and 1/2 cup of dry mixed with wet each night. Please let me know what I can do to remedy this situation. Thanks.
that is a bit much in the output dept... what brands or brands are you using>>??

yes grain free is closer to nature but I prefer it be wet as the drys havent been proven safe long term... ie none to this pt are UTI safe
 

tutti_bella

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Originally Posted by sharky

yes grain free is closer to nature but I prefer it be wet as the drys havent been proven safe long term... ie none to this pt are UTI safe
Hi sharky, can you elaborate on the above? Do you mean to say that a grain free dry food is not advisable? And how can one prevent the occurance of UTI? Thanks!
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by tutti_bella

Hi sharky, can you elaborate on the above? Do you mean to say that a grain free dry food is not advisable? And how can one prevent the occurance of UTI? Thanks!
grain free dry is fine but realize unlike most foods on the market the first generation of grain free dry raised cats is not even middle aged yet...

the wets well we have had many nearly grain frees avail for yrs and grain free wets DO mimic a wild cats natural prey

utis depend on genetics mainly but feeding a DRY food within UTI friendly % is a good start as is a MAINLY wet diet
 

tutti_bella

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Thanks! I do plan on feeing my kitten a mainly wet diet because as far as I know, cats in the wild never do eat dry crunchy food. Also, I am quite skeptical when it comes to the advocacy given by so many vets and breeders alike re: a dry food diet. It's been said many times that feeding dry is good for feline dental health and that a wet diet contributes to diabetes and hyperthyroidism. I guess it is up to us to read up and get more well informed.
 

mlynn

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Try switching thier diet. Felidae or Solid Gold are both pretty affordable and have a lesser grain content. What fecal matter is... is waste... the more fillers and undigestiable grains that a food contains (and the cheaper the food - usually the more fillers exc it contains) the more waste to animal will produce. You may see a noticable diffrence in the amount of waste your cats produce by feeding them a food that contains less "waste" in it itself.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by mlynn

Try switching thier diet. Felidae or Solid Gold are both pretty affordable and have a lesser grain content. What fecal matter is... is waste... the more fillers and undigestiable grains that a food contains (and the cheaper the food - usually the more fillers exc it contains) the more waste to animal will produce. You may see a noticable diffrence in the amount of waste your cats produce by feeding them a food that contains less "waste" in it itself.
SOLID GOLD is VERY grainy/... it has 5 grains and three accesorry grainlikes
 
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outadablue

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I am writing today to update my situation with my 2 kittens (by the way, when can I officially call them cats?). I have Artie 11 mos and Sasha 7 mos.
I have revamped their entire diet based on some of the replies I got here. I am now feeding grain free, all natural dry (1/2 cup) in the am and Merrick wet food in the pm. Merrick canned is 70% protein, etc. My 2 little kitties are still putting out about 4 poops each daily, sometimes more. I am going through some huge amounts of litter during a month's time. Both of my kittens are slim and active. I wonder if it might be time for a check up at our vet;s office. What else on earth could be causing them to go so often?? I've been scouring this forum for someone else with this problem, to no avial. I love hearing from other cat owners. Thanks.

Oh yes, they drink a heck of alot of water, too. Not only are there about 8 poops total, the bottom of the litter box is pure goo, from all the liquid they eliminate during a 24 hour span. Help!
 

goldenkitty45

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IMO I'd just give one meal of dry and one meal of canned. What kind of food are you feeding. The better quality foods produce less waste as the cat is using the ingredients in a better way. If its poorer food, it more/less goes right thru the system without a lot of benefit and produces more stools.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by outadablue

I am writing today to update my situation with my 2 kittens (by the way, when can I officially call them cats?). I have Artie 11 mos and Sasha 7 mos.
I have revamped their entire diet based on some of the replies I got here. I am now feeding grain free, all natural dry (1/2 cup) in the am and Merrick wet food in the pm. Merrick canned is 70% protein, etc. My 2 little kitties are still putting out about 4 poops each daily, sometimes more. I am going through some huge amounts of litter during a month's time. Both of my kittens are slim and active. I wonder if it might be time for a check up at our vet;s office. What else on earth could be causing them to go so often?? I've been scouring this forum for someone else with this problem, to no avial. I love hearing from other cat owners. Thanks.

Oh yes, they drink a heck of alot of water, too. Not only are there about 8 poops total, the bottom of the litter box is pure goo, from all the liquid they eliminate during a 24 hour span. Help!
Merrick is a good food, but instead of grains they use starchy fruits and veggies which may not agree with your babies systems ... NO It IS NOT 70% protein ... dry matter protein is likely 45-55% ....
At this pt I would be asking for blood work ... thou they are young it could be there is something going on with organ function
 

vegaskitty

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Also, make sure your not feeding too much food, as that will cause more output. If your feeding a better food then before, you won't have to feed as much quantity usually.
 

sharky

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FYI : Merrick is a Quality Premium food
 
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