Dry Food VS Wet Food

katstewart

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I have 5 cats. I want to spice up their food habits. I feed them Blue Spa Select dry food. Should I feed them wet food? I know 2 of them would not eat wet food. They don't even like Tuna, cooked chicken, deli meat NOTHING.. just dry food. The other 3 would eat cat foods & treats, tuna (only small amount once or 2 times a month) I give them.

I want them to be healthy. I read somewhere saying feeding only dry food would cause them dehydrated? Is that true?

Smoke who is 2.. he is pretty big... So is Bender who is big. I want to control their weights.
My 16 and half yrs old Ashley is skinny due to age but is eating great. Could I gain her weight????

I have been shopping for holistic food. I used to feed them Nutro Natural choice dry food. I recently changed to Blue Spa Select since it has no byproduct, soy, wheat, ground corn, etc (the nasty sstuff)

What do you feed your cats? I want to be a good Mommy feeding my precious children!!!


Thanks!
 

yiplong

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My brother has 2 cats, both 10 years old, and he feeds them exclusively IAMS. Both cats are healthy. I feed my cat exclusively Natural Balance dry and he's fine as well. I think a mixture of both dry and wet is the best, I just don't want the trouble of opening cans and cleaning up the eat area.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by yiplong

My brother has 2 cats, both 10 years old, and he feeds them exclusively IAMS. Both cats are healthy. I feed my cat exclusively Natural Balance dry and he's fine as well. I think a mixture of both dry and wet is the best, I just don't want the trouble of opening cans and cleaning up the eat area.
i personally think Iams is too expensive for what you get - i can find better foods for less money. i agree, tho - i'd prefer it if mine all would eat both, but i have 2 girls who are 'dry-only' cats. that's why i like to feed the highest quality dry i can afford... Pixel's 10, Java's 3, & they're both quite healthy. i also have cat fountains, to help increase their liquid intake, since they aren't interested in wet food.
now, the other 3 - they LOVE their wet!

ETA: i bought Royal Canin dry last time - they all love it! for wet, i feed mostly either Authority or Chicken Soup, w/a bit of 9 Lives gravy mixed in [the ferals get the 9 Lives].
 

natalie_ca

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My vet was pleased when he heard Chynna eats wet food. He was not so pleased when I told him Abby will only eat dry.

He said that wet food contains more protein than dry, and way less carbohydrates. Too many carbs leads to obesity and can also lead to diabetes, both in humans and cats.

I'm trying hard to get Abby to eat wet food, but she just doesn't care for it that much and will literally not eat for days if she doesn't have access to her regular dry food.
 

sharky

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ADDING wet will help... NOW like the dry by the best you can and the cats will eat...
 

yiplong

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Originally Posted by laureen227

i personally think Iams is too expensive for what you get - i can find better foods for less money. i agree, tho - i'd prefer it if mine all would eat both, but i have 2 girls who are 'dry-only' cats. that's why i like to feed the highest quality dry i can afford... Pixel's 10, Java's 3, & they're both quite healthy. i also have cat fountains, to help increase their liquid intake, since they aren't interested in wet food.
now, the other 3 - they LOVE their wet!

ETA: i bought Royal Canin dry last time - they all love it! for wet, i feed mostly either Authority or Chicken Soup, w/a bit of 9 Lives gravy mixed in [the ferals get the 9 Lives].
I agree that Iams is lousy for the price you will pay, and so is Royal Canin, Science Diet, etc. Granted that wet food/grain free dry is best for the cats, it is totally unnecessary to go out of your ways to feed them the absolute best. Even people don't eat the most healthy food, so why should cats? Even if you feed them the best, there is the no guarantee that the cats will stay healthy. So feed whatever they will enjoy eating and is of reasonable quality, and convenient to the owner, or whatever you want.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by yiplong

Even people don't eat the most healthy food, so why should cats? Even if you feed them the best, there is the no guarantee that the cats will stay healthy. So feed whatever they will enjoy eating and is of reasonable quality, and convenient to the owner, or whatever you want.
Some people DO eat healthy - we do and so do our cats. I do believe that quality food will help keep them healthy - it certainly can't hurt them.

As I said in another thread, I recommend feeding the best quality you can afford and what you can get your cat to eat.
 

darlili

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I feed both wet and dry on a daily basis (Nutro, actually). I like leaving a measured amount of dry down, as there are times where I may be late coming home, etc., and I know my cats enjoy grazing a bit during the day. So far, so good - both are healthy and at a good weight (my boy actually lost weight through controlled portions, which the vet helped me determine) and a bit more exercise.

I did get the Drinkwell Platinum about a month ago - that was a excellent purchase (and my birthday present - now I get Petsmart gift certificates!). Both seem to enjoy drinking from the fountain more than their old bowls. Oh, now I get distilled water for them, but I get the Dominick's house brand.

But, honestly, IMO just buy the best quality you can afford and easily obtain, and, most importantly, that your cats will eat!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by yiplong

I agree that Iams is lousy for the price you will pay, and so is Royal Canin, Science Diet, etc.
i really don't think you can compare Iams or SD to Royal Canin, quality-wise...
Iams ingredients:
Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken, Corn Grits, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Powdered Cellulose, Fish Meal (source of fish oil), Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E, and Citric Acid), Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Sodium Bisulfate, Fructoogliosaccharides, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), DL-Methionine, Brewers Dried Yeast, Choline Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), L-Carnitine, Rosemary Extract
SD ingredients: Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.
RC ingredients: Chicken Meal, chicken fat (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract and citric acid), rice, corn gluten meal, corn, chicken, natural chicken flavor, wheat gluten, beet pulp, dried brewers yeast, salmon oil, dried egg powder, soya oil, pea fiber, chicory extract, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, sodium silico aluminate, DL-methionine, choline chloride, L-lysine, sodium chloride, sodium tripolyphosphate, taurine, Vitamins (di-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, biotin, riboflavin (vitamin B2), d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), Trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganese oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate).
i see a big difference!
 

yiplong

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Originally Posted by laureen227

i really don't think you can compare Iams or SD to Royal Canin, quality-wise...
Iams ingredients:
Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken, Corn Grits, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Powdered Cellulose, Fish Meal (source of fish oil), Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E, and Citric Acid), Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Sodium Bisulfate, Fructoogliosaccharides, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), DL-Methionine, Brewers Dried Yeast, Choline Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), L-Carnitine, Rosemary Extract
SD ingredients: Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.
RC ingredients: Chicken Meal, chicken fat (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract and citric acid), rice, corn gluten meal, corn, chicken, natural chicken flavor, wheat gluten, beet pulp, dried brewers yeast, salmon oil, dried egg powder, soya oil, pea fiber, chicory extract, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, sodium silico aluminate, DL-methionine, choline chloride, L-lysine, sodium chloride, sodium tripolyphosphate, taurine, Vitamins (di-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, biotin, riboflavin (vitamin B2), d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), Trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganese oxide, sodium selenite, calcium iodate).
i see a big difference!
I feel RC has better ingredients than Iams which is better than Science Diet. But RC and SD (especially RC) are more expensive than Iams, which makes them worse value than Iams
 

mrblanche

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My cats eat SD. One would anything I put down, but Punkin won't. I used to have a crate of "high quality" foods he wouldn't touch. He only weighed about half what he should when we got him; he was literally starving to death in the shelter. We considered ourselves lucky to find SOMETHING he likes. He's doing great, now. In fact Tuesday was his fifth birthday.

My brother has two cats who have never eaten anything "better" than Purina Cat Chow (except when I gave him the crate of stuff we'd bought for Punkin!), and both are now 15 without ever having a significant health problem (one impacted anal gland was the only vet visit ever). Of course, they ARE female, which seems to make a difference. But there have been times when they ate the cheapest store brand he could buy, because that was all he could afford.

It's great to know what is theoretically the best food available, and I find the information very interesting. I wish I could find one of the "high quality" foods Punkin would eat, but I'd rather have him well-fed with slightly less quality than starved on the best.

And we could discuss "best food" for humans...now THAT would be interesting!
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

My cats eat SD. One would anything I put down, but Punkin won't. I used to have a crate of "high quality" foods he wouldn't touch. He only weighed about half what he should when we got him; he was literally starving to death in the shelter. We considered ourselves lucky to find SOMETHING he likes. He's doing great, now. In fact Tuesday was his fifth birthday.

My brother has two cats who have never eaten anything "better" than Purina Cat Chow (except when I gave him the crate of stuff we'd bought for Punkin!), and both are now 15 without ever having a significant health problem (one impacted anal gland was the only vet visit ever). Of course, they ARE female, which seems to make a difference. But there have been times when they ate the cheapest store brand he could buy, because that was all he could afford.

It's great to know what is theoretically the best food available, and I find the information very interesting. I wish I could find one of the "high quality" foods Punkin would eat, but I'd rather have him well-fed with slightly less quality than starved on the best.

And we could discuss "best food" for humans...now THAT would be interesting!
YOU are a example of FEEDING the BEST the CAT will eat... you are in a big group of cat owners


YES some cats do fine on lesser foods as do some humans but most of us who have done it both ways found the cats to be healthier overall on a better food..
I will happily talk about human nutrition as I actually went to school for that ...lol.. thru pm or make a post in the lounge please though
 

goldenkitty45

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Most of my rexes were dry food eaters (only the kits had canned for awhile) and they were mid to older teens when they passed on. If you want to feed canned that's fine - but don't worry about the ones that don't want it. Maybe they will sample it in time.

I've never heard of a cat that turned down shredded boiled chicken breast!
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

I do. I have two that won't touch it.
ZOey must be related
... she hates boiled chicken
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by yiplong

I feel RC has better ingredients than Iams which is better than Science Diet. But RC and SD (especially RC) are more expensive than Iams, which makes them worse value than Iams
IMO, any food w/'powdered cellulose' as an ingredient is not worth the $... Iams' ingredients aren't any better than some supermarket brands, yet they cost 3-4 times as much.
i also don't like feeding by-products if i can avoid it.
i've noticed a big difference in my cats' stool quantity & smell, plus much softer coats, feeding a higher quality food than SD or Iams.
otoh, if the cat won't eat it, that's a whole 'nother ball of wax! mine simply refused to eat any of the grain-free drys i tried

 

yiplong

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Originally Posted by laureen227

IMO, any food w/'powdered cellulose' as an ingredient is not worth the $... Iams' ingredients aren't any better than some supermarket brands, yet they cost 3-4 times as much.
I am not saying Iams is great food, but it has to be better than the supermarket type.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by yiplong

I am not saying Iams is great food, but it has to be better than the supermarket type.
i've read the labels - it's not. here's one that's available at my supermarket [these are the kitten formulas, which is what i get if i'm desperate for cat food & can't make it to the feed or pet store] - Purina ONE : Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soy flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), fish meal (source of DHA), whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, non-fat yogurt, wheat gluten, brewers dried yeast, phosphoric acid, caramel color, animal digest, salt, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, potassium chloride, choline chloride, taurine, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, DL-Methionine, niacin, calcium carbonate, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.
even Meow Mix is as good as Iams: Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Yellow Corn, Soybean Meal, Beef Tallow Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols (Source of Vitamin E), Fish Meal (Source of Ocean Fish Flavor), Brewers Dried Yeast, Salmon Meal, Turkey By-Product Meal, Powdered Cellulose, Animal Digest, Tetra Sodium Pyrophosphate, Phosphoric Acid, Calcium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Alanine, Taurine, Manganese Sulfate, Red 40, Niacin, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Yellow 5, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Blue 2, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Rosemary Extract, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D Supplement, Biotin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity).
 

yiplong

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top 5 ingredients of Meow Mix
Ground yellow corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, soybean meal, beef tallow

top 5 ingredient Iams
Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn grits, ground whole grain sorghum, corn meal,

Both are from the standard adult cat formula. Iams contains two meat ingredients, and they #1 and #2, the only meat ingredient out of first 5 in Meow Mix appears on #3.

I took care of my brother's cats for a few months and they had Iams, while mine had Meow Mix, I personally felt that Iams is much better, although also much more expensive, so I am not sure if it is worth the $$$.

Note: I am not sure where you got your ingredient list, but Purina One's ingredients for adult formula is as the follows:

Purina One

Corn gluten meal, ground yellow corn, chicken, brewers rice, wheat flour,

which is much less quality than Iams.
 

littleraven7726

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

It's great to know what is theoretically the best food available, and I find the information very interesting. I wish I could find one of the "high quality" foods Punkin would eat, but I'd rather have him well-fed with slightly less quality than starved on the best.
That's how my cats are too. One will eat super high quality if it agrees with him (he has issues with foods with lots of meat sources) the other recently decided he won't even eat Nutro Max.
Iams Healthy Naturals have been a nice compromise.

To All:
Not sure what formulas you are looking at, but Iams has plenty WITHOUT cellulose. I know because one of my cats CAN'T digest it so we don't buy any food with it in.

Iams Original with Chicken:
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Grits, Corn Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E, and Citric Acid), Fish Meal (source of fish oil), Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Sodium Bisulfate, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Brewers Dried Yeast, Choline Chloride, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid], Calcium Carbonate, Minerals [Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate], Salt, Rosemary Extract.


Iams Healthy Naturals with Natural Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Brewer Rice, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Egg Product, Natural Chicken Flavor, Sodium Bisulfate, Potassium Chloride, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Animal Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), DL-Methionine, Dried Apple Pomace, Dried Carrots, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Peas, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Folic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Dried Spinach, Dried Tomato, Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Rosemary Extract.


The most expensive "best" food ever doesn't do a bit of good if kitty won't eat it. And I have one who won't.
 
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