Cat food debate?

clumsy kitty · Apr 17, 2008

I've switched from Felix and Whiskers wet food in the evening and a dry food in the morning to Hills dry food. It's pricey (£15 for a medium sized bag - owch) but the difference in 2 weeks has been amazing. Oscar's coat is so silky, his digestion seems much easier and even his cat breath has COMPLETELY gone! It's pretty shocking actually - I thought it was just expense for expense's sake but I wanted to give it a go. On the down side, he is craving junk a lot more because he's not getting his wet food anymore. Whenever I have a bag of crisps he's sitting with me, licking his lips.

I've just read that catfood list. How ridiculous - they gave Hills food 3/10. Obviously their experience wasn't good but mine has been! It's so subjective - just like we humans!

blaise · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by clumsy kitty

I've switched from Felix and Whiskers wet food in the evening and a dry food in the morning to Hills dry food... I've just read that catfood list. How ridiculous - they gave Hills food 3/10. Obviously their experience wasn't good but mine has been! It's so subjective - just like we humans!

There are many people recognized as experts in Feline Nutrition who advise that feeding almost ANY WET FOOD is better than an exclusive dry food diet.

Perhaps that review of Hills dry food might not seem so rediculous if you understood the rationale for the rating. If you go back there and click on the product name, you'll see this:

Hill's Prescription Diet Feline R/D Dry Review
Ingredients:
Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Powdered Cellulose 18.8% (source of fiber), Chicken Liver Flavor, Soybean Oil, Calcium Sulfate, Potassium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Glyceryl Monostearate, Iodized Salt, 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), Potassium Chloride, preserved with BHT, BHA and Ethoxyquin, L-Carnitine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Beta-Carotene.

Hill's Prescription Diet Feline R/D Dry Cat Food Rating:
Animal Digest - 1 point possible
Plus 1 point = No animal digest

Corn - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Corn Gluten Meal

Wheat - 1 point possible
Plus 1 point = No Wheat

Soy - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Soybean Oil

Gluten - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Corn Gluten Meal

Extra Goodies - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Powdered Cellulose, Chicken Liver Flavor, Iodized Salt

By-Products - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Chicken By-Product Meal

Animal Fat - 1 point possible
Plus 1 point = No animal fat

Pet Food Recalls - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Recalls for Hill's Pet Food

Class Action - 1 point possible
Minus 1 point = Class Action - Hill's Cat Food

Cat Food Rating for Hill's Prescription Diet Feline R/D Dry Cat Food:

Total Score = 3/10

Ask Susan Peters Cat Food Review:
Hill's Prescription Diet Feline R/D Dry Cat Food scored lower than most of the cheap brands of cat foods. Hill's Prescription Diet Feline R/D Dry is a pet food sold by vets as a "healthy" cat food. I don't like the use of Chicken byproducts as the only source of meat in Hill's Prescription Diet Feline R/D Dry...
................................................................................ ..............

Now, you did say that the ratings are "so subjective". IMO, there are 2 categories in that rating which could certainly fall under that umbrella: Recalls and Class Action Suits. However, the other ratings areas pertain to the actual ingredients. If you were to exclude those two subjective points, the Hills product would still score only 5/10 points.

I am willing to wager that, if you go looking for a higher rated food on that list, and then compare the cost of that product to Hills (which you say is "pricey", you'll probably find that you could do much better quality-wise.

If you want to learn what cats should be eating, have a read here.

clumsy kitty · Apr 17, 2008

wow, feel like I've been told off there. OK, whatever. Our vet recommended it to us - I tried it, and it did the job it was meant to do.

I think that people will always differ in opinions. On a side note, I've just checked the food and it's not Prescription food. It's just senior cat food so it's probably not even the same product, just the same brand.

momofmany · Apr 17, 2008

Something to think about here. I feed a lot of cats. I fed Science Diet to my cats for many years because my vet claimed it was the best food for them. After learning about the true premium brands here, I switched them over to Innova.

We went from about 28 pounds of Science Diet a week to about 10 pounds of Innova each week. Our food bill actually went down when we switched them to a premium brand.

So for those that don't think they can afford good quality foods, experiment with the amount they eat on those brands. You might just save money.

And for those that don't know Sharky I have this advice: listen to everything that she says. She is an expert in nutrician.

yosemite · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by Momofmany

Something to think about here. I feed a lot of cats. I fed Science Diet to my cats for many years because my vet claimed it was the best food for them. After learning about the true premium brands here, I switched them over to Innova.

We went from about 28 pounds of Science Diet a week to about 10 pounds of Innova each week. Our food bill actually went down when we switched them to a premium brand.

So for those that don't think they can afford good quality foods, experiment with the amount they eat on those brands. You might just save money.

And for those that don't know Sharky I have this advice: listen to everything that she says. She is an expert in nutrician.

Amen! Since I've switched to Orijen, I cannot believe how much further a bag goes.

clumsy kitty · Apr 17, 2008

Hmmm. This is disconcerting. Can it not just be subjective or is it a matter of fact? Like I said, Oscar seems to be doing really really well on his new food.

sharky · Apr 17, 2008

Originally Posted by Momofmany

Something to think about here. I feed a lot of cats. I fed Science Diet to my cats for many years because my vet claimed it was the best food for them. After learning about the true premium brands here, I switched them over to Innova.

We went from about 28 pounds of Science Diet a week to about 10 pounds of Innova each week. Our food bill actually went down when we switched them to a premium brand.

So for those that don't think they can afford good quality foods, experiment with the amount they eat on those brands. You might just save money.

And for those that don't know Sharky I have this advice: listen to everything that she says. She is an expert in nutrician.

Thank you but I am NOT an expert ... I still have ?? s but I will share what I know and help where I can ...

This week we have a TRUE expert in the Guest forum ... I am learning lot s and lots from Dr Jean ....

Originally Posted by clumsy kitty

Hmmm. This is disconcerting. Can it not just be subjective or is it a matter of fact? Like I said, Oscar seems to be doing really really well on his new food.

If he is doing well then the food is doing well for him... DO I think it is a Quality food NO but it is working for you and him thus ... it is the best you can afford and hell eat ...

FYI ... I have yet to find any scoring system for a food to be accurate ... ALL are biased and many have little to no scientific basis ... I use them as a guide ..

kitten_smitten · Apr 18, 2008

Before I go into a triad I want to be reassuring to all especially those feeding large numbers of cats in colonies and who have shelter, stray rescues -

Where was you cats life headed when you came along?

If you stole your cats from a good home with an owner who had endless monetary means then shame on you!!!

The reality is few if any here would fall into this category

A decent majority of us picked up our cats from the side of the road, at shelters, friends fixing to dump and ignorant people who have no business caring for themselves much less an animal.

I went to the pet food store and I got some of spa stuff but I do not know how long I will be able to afford it - it was $15.00 for 7 pounds - I now have six cats eating it and the wet food we feed them.

I read the recommendations and all the stuff about what is good for cats what to avoid and then I make up my own mind as best I can. I was surprised that price wasn't necessarily an indicator of what was in the bag. So I have learned a lot by reading all this information about cat foods and what is good and what isn't so good.

Many food listed higher priced than this one had by-product listed as the number one ingredient, corn gluten second which isn't so swell from what I gather -

After reading this list shown below I called up me hubby and told him to buy fresh milk we were having cat food for supper. This stuff reads better than many of the things I eat

Chicken and Brown Rice Adult Cat Food Ingredients:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Whole Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Taurine, L-Lysine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Salmon Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin C, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Potassium), Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium.

Crude Protein34.0% min Crude Fat18.0% min Crude Fiber3.5% max Moisture10.0% max Ash6.0% max Magnesium0.10% max Taurine0.15% min Omega 3 Fatty Acids*0.8% min Omega 6 Fatty Acids*3.5% min

{End Quote}

I mixed it in with the dry food they are presently on sense I have some who hate to switch foods - then have others who always prefer the newer stuff = go figure.

I would feel bad but crap this was the best stuff for the money I had in my pocket. I know many are saying 100% wet food is the best - I am not sure if I can afford wet food or the preparation for home made food for now six cats -

I want to do what is best for my kitties but then again if I end up homeless I am not doing me or them any good -

Tonight My husband brought home two kittens because the guy who had them was too {bad word} stupid to prevent his dog from killing momma and the other litter mates.

One baby feel asleep with her head in the dry food bowel - judging by the way they drank the water and all these vets saying cats have a low thirst sensation they were literally dying of thirst

Now were these kitties better off before we entered their lives?????Some how I think if they were able to make a choice I think they would choose to be here as opposed to being lock up in a yard with a cat eating dog!!!!!

I mean I didn't know cats could drink water like these babies did - and sleep they crashed - I didn't know cats could sleep so soundly in a cage either.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s206/tlr823/my four leged family/DSCF2166.jpg
{click to enlarge}

Should I feel bad about my limitations on what I can feed them. I am under the impression most if not all cats would prefer to live on the lowest grade cat food then to be dog food.

So while the good information flows - this should be taken as a learning opportunity so we can all do the best we are able.

However people who help kitties are hero's period . . . . this should be remembered above all else {IMHO}

yosemite · Apr 18, 2008

Originally Posted by Kitten_Smitten

Before I go into a triad I want to be reassuring to all especially those feeding large numbers of cats in colonies and who have shelter, stray rescues -

Where was you cats life headed when you came along?

If you stole your cats from a good home with an owner who had endless monetary means then shame on you!!!

The reality is few if any here would fall into this category

A decent majority of us picked up our cats from the side of the road, at shelters, friends fixing to dump and ignorant people who have no business caring for themselves much less an animal.

I went to the pet food store and I got some of spa stuff but I do not know how long I will be able to afford it - it was $15.00 for 7 pounds - I now have six cats eating it and the wet food we feed them.

I read the recommendations and all the stuff about what is good for cats what to avoid and then I make up my own mind as best I can. I was surprised that price wasn't necessarily an indicator of what was in the bag. So I have learned a lot by reading all this information about cat foods and what is good and what isn't so good.

Many food listed higher priced than this one had by-product listed as the number one ingredient, corn gluten second which isn't so swell from what I gather -

After reading this list shown below I called up me hubby and told him to buy fresh milk we were having cat food for supper. This stuff reads better than many of the things I eat

Chicken and Brown Rice Adult Cat Food Ingredients:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Whole Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Blueberries, Cranberries, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Taurine, L-Lysine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Salmon Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin C, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Potassium), Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium.

Crude Protein34.0% min Crude Fat18.0% min Crude Fiber3.5% max Moisture10.0% max Ash6.0% max Magnesium0.10% max Taurine0.15% min Omega 3 Fatty Acids*0.8% min Omega 6 Fatty Acids*3.5% min

{End Quote}

I mixed it in with the dry food they are presently on sense I have some who hate to switch foods - then have others who always prefer the newer stuff = go figure.

I would feel bad but crap this was the best stuff for the money I had in my pocket. I know many are saying 100% wet food is the best - I am not sure if I can afford wet food or the preparation for home made food for now six cats -

I want to do what is best for my kitties but then again if I end up homeless I am not doing me or them any good -

Tonight My husband brought home two kittens because the guy who had them was too {bad word} stupid to prevent his dog from killing momma and the other litter mates.

One baby feel asleep with her head in the dry food bowel - judging by the way they drank the water and all these vets saying cats have a low thirst sensation they were literally dying of thirst

Now were these kitties better off before we entered their lives?????Some how I think if they were able to make a choice I think they would choose to be here as opposed to being lock up in a yard with a cat eating dog!!!!!

I mean I didn't know cats could drink water like these babies did - and sleep they crashed - I didn't know cats could sleep so soundly in a cage either.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s206/tlr823/my four leged family/DSCF2166.jpg
{click to enlarge}

Should I feel bad about my limitations on what I can feed them. I am under the impression most if not all cats would prefer to live on the lowest grade cat food then to be dog food.

So while the good information flows - this should be taken as a learning opportunity so we can all do the best we are able.

However people who help kitties are hero's period . . . . this should be remembered above all else {IMHO}

I don't think you'll find one person here that would disagree with you. This forum tries to educate folks on better nutrition. Folks who come here with questions about what they are feeding their cats get good answers from people with some knowledge and some folks with experience with different foods.

As has often been said, feed the best that YOU can afford and that YOUR cat doesn't have allergies to, etc., etc. And if you are feeding a colony of cats, it's a given that you won't be able to feed them expensive food.

The main thing that I've gotten from this forum is that we shouldn't be fooled by claims from food companies that their food is the best. These companies are marketing to the owners not the cats, i.e., Fancy Feast, Sheba, etc. Before I came to this site, I believed the advertising for Fancy Feast thinking it was premium food. Having said that, as has also often been said, if the only wet food your cat will eat is FF, that is better than NO wet food.

I honestly don't understand why some folks get upset (thread in IMO is a good example) because they are advised that there are better foods at comparable prices to feed their animals. It isn't done as criticism, it's done out of an honest desire to educate. Nobody is saying they have to buy top-of-the-line foods - just that for the money they are paying, there are better quality products out there. I'd like to think that most people would be happy to hear that they can get more bang for their buck - I know I sure like to get more for my money.

yiplong · Apr 18, 2008

Originally Posted by Kitten_Smitten

Before I go into a triad I want to be reassuring to all especially those feeding large numbers of cats in colonies and who have shelter, stray rescues -

Where was you cats life headed when you came along?

If you stole your cats from a good home with an owner who had endless monetary means then shame on you!!!

The reality is few if any here would fall into this category

A decent majority of us picked up our cats from the side of the road, at shelters, friends fixing to dump and ignorant people who have no business caring for themselves much less an animal.

I went to the pet food store and I got some of spa stuff but I do not know how long I will be able to afford it - it was $15.00 for 7 pounds - I now have six cats eating it and the wet food we feed them.

I read the recommendations and all the stuff about what is good for cats what to avoid and then I make up my own mind as best I can. I was surprised that price wasn't necessarily an indicator of what was in the bag. So I have learned a lot by reading all this information about cat foods and what is good and what isn't so good.

Many food listed higher priced than this one had by-product listed as the number one ingredient, corn gluten second which isn't so swell from what I gather -

After reading this list shown below I called up me hubby and told him to buy fresh milk we were having cat food for supper. This stuff reads better than many of the things I eat

I mixed it in with the dry food they are presently on sense I have some who hate to switch foods - then have others who always prefer the newer stuff = go figure.

Should I feel bad about my limitations on what I can feed them. I am under the impression most if not all cats would prefer to live on the lowest grade cat food then to be dog food.

So while the good information flows - this should be taken as a learning opportunity so we can all do the best we are able.

However people who help kitties are hero's period . . . . this should be remembered above all else {IMHO}

$15 for 7lb of Blue Spa is actually pretty good price. Over here, it costs about $20, and Evo is even more expensive, about $25 for 6 lb. If you are concerned with the price, premium food shouldn't be the place to look for value. It is inherent in the definition of premium brand that it is bad value for the money. Generally, the cheapest low profile food is the best value for the money, simply because it has no built-in brand name premium and has very little added cost such as heavy handed promotion and commercials, etc.

Even cats fed the lowest quality food are living like a king by animal standard, you shouldn't feel so bad about feeding them cheaper food.

laureen227 · Apr 18, 2008

Originally Posted by yiplong

$15 for 7lb of Blue Spa is actually pretty good price. Over here, it costs about $20, and Evo is even more expensive, about $25 for 6 lb. If you are concerned with the price, premium food shouldn't be the place to look for value. It is inherent in the definition of premium brand that it is bad value for the money. Generally, the cheapest low profile food is the best value for the money, simply because it has no built-in brand name premium and has very little added cost such as heavy handed promotion and commercials, etc.

Even cats fed the lowest quality food are living like a king by animal standard, you shouldn't feel so bad about feeding them cheaper food.

but for a similar price, if a better quality food is available, why not feed that? a good example [imo, only, of course!] is the chicken soup brand. it's less expensive than hills SD, but has far better ingredients.
hills sd: $22 for 10 pounds
Ingredients:
Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken liver flavor, DL- methionine, taurine, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, minerals (potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, salt, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), rosemary extract, beta carotene, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement).
chicken soup: $25 for 18 pounds
Ingredients:
Chicken, Salmon, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oatmeal, whole grain white rice, potatoes, cracked pearled barley, millet, turkey, duck, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, salt, choline chloride, chicory root extract, dl-methionine, potassium chloride, taurine, carrots, peas, apples, dried skim milk, kelp, cranberry powder, rosemary, parsley flake. Vitamins and minerals.
i usually read labels & do comparisons, then buy the one that has the best possible ingredients that i can afford.

yiplong · Apr 18, 2008

Originally Posted by laureen227

but for a similar price, if a better quality food is available, why not feed that? a good example [imo, only, of course!] is the chicken soup brand. it's less expensive than hills SD, but has far better ingredients.
hills sd: $22 for 10 pounds
Ingredients:
Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken liver flavor, DL- methionine, taurine, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid, minerals (potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, salt, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), rosemary extract, beta carotene, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement).
chicken soup: $25 for 18 pounds
Ingredients:
Chicken, Salmon, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oatmeal, whole grain white rice, potatoes, cracked pearled barley, millet, turkey, duck, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, salt, choline chloride, chicory root extract, dl-methionine, potassium chloride, taurine, carrots, peas, apples, dried skim milk, kelp, cranberry powder, rosemary, parsley flake. Vitamins and minerals.
i usually read labels & do comparisons, then buy the one that has the best possible ingredients that i can afford.

I don't think you understood what I said. I said premium brand food is generally worse value compared to non-premium food at cheaper price.
This doesn't prevent one expensive food to have better value than another similarly expensive food. Given any two items, even if both are grossly overpriced, one of them is likely to have relatively better value than the other. I think Hill's has one of the worst value/$$ of all brands. Their ingredients seem no better than Purina Cat Chow, but selling at 2-3 times the price. But, maybe they do have some magic formula that makes their food particularly good, this is certainly not apparent from just reading the label.
Your price for Chicken Soup is actually lower than the actual cost, because while SD is generally available from big box stores like Petco/Petsmart, Chicken Soup is not. Buyers either have to pay hefty shipping or go to small petshops, where everything is generally more expensive.

sharky · Apr 18, 2008

Originally Posted by yiplong

I don't think you understood what I said. I said premium brand food is generally worse value compared to non-premium food at cheaper price.
This doesn't prevent one expensive food to have better value than another similarly expensive food. Given any two items, even if both are grossly overpriced, one of them is likely to have relatively better value than the other. I think Hill's has one of the worst value/$$ of all brands. Their ingredients seem no better than Purina Cat Chow, but selling at 2-3 times the price. But, maybe they do have some magic formula that makes their food particularly good, this is certainly not apparent from just reading the label.
Your price for Chicken Soup is actually lower than the actual cost, because while SD is generally available from big box stores like Petco/Petsmart, Chicken Soup is not. Buyers either have to pay hefty shipping or go to small petshops, where everything is generally more expensive.

You evidently HAVE NOT priced things in your local area

Chicken soup is one of the best values in premium cat food and most feed stores have it under 20 $ for a large bag...

Sportmix is one I commonly recommend for base premium quality yet a lower than grocery price, 35 lbs for 14$ ... If you do a search you will find out I have covered GROCERY foods for those unable to get to or afford "premiums"

katiemae1277 · Apr 18, 2008

I have to chime in on Chicken Soup~ best food in that price range, hands down! IMO, it's a better food that many more expensive brands, plus I've never had a cat refuse it

Kitten Smitten- if you can get ahold of Chicken Soup, it's ingredient list reads almost identically to Blue Spa but at a lower price. Chicken Soup's website has a store locator, it is available at most feed stores- where prices are usually lower than big box stores BTW

or if you have Pet Supplies Plus by you, they usually carry it or will order it for you, mine keeps it on stock basically just for me

I feed it to 13 cats and at about 4 bags a month it runs me around $100, which for feeding a premium food to 13 cats is not bad, at least to me.

As for wet food, my crew is irritatingly particular, no premium for them

but they do love Meow Mix pouches/cups and since there are no by-products in it I feel pretty good about feeding it, like it's been said, any wet food is usually better than no wet food

kitty_fever · Apr 18, 2008

Does anyone notice a smelly poop problem with chicken soup? My friend feeds it to her kitties and boy do they STINK on it! The poo is not runny or mushy just smells really bad!

katiemae1277 · Apr 18, 2008

Originally Posted by kitty_fever

Does anyone notice a smelly poop problem with chicken soup? My friend feeds it to her kitties and boy do they STINK on it! The poo is not runny or mushy just smells really bad!

there has been reports of that, but I personally have never experienced it- I've fed Nutro in the past and THAT sure did it

so that's why every cat is different, you won't know, unless you try!

sharky · Apr 18, 2008

Yes all cats are different ... chicken soup has some smell issues but not as much as some...lol.. Katies group is a bit rare that smelled on nutro but it shows different cats different results

aileen06 · Apr 18, 2008

I've noticed with my cats when they are young if a food has any kind of fish in it they have the smelly poo problem. Once they start getting older it seems they can digest the fish better and don't have the smell problems anymore.

kitten_smitten · Apr 19, 2008

Chicken Soup's website has a store locator, it is available at most feed stores- where prices are usually lower than big box stores BTW

This is a good idea - thank you.

I live in BFE Texas feed stores we have - the Pet Smart I bought the blue spa at is 25 miles one way - so a feed store would probably be good. $100.00 a month for 13 cats isn't bad either.

Sense reading some of Dr. Jean's post I bought some L-lysine for Ferocious now to get her to actually eat it . . . . .I couldn't find capsules. - any way I won't have to depend on it being in the food itself if I am giving her a supplement.

My kitties eat the Meow Mix in the bowels - except we had given Fussy and Ferocious too much junk filled kitty snacks and now they want to turn their noses up at the good stuff. No more junk food for them!!!!

My brats turned their nose up and good quality stuff - the oldest Mischief had a change of heart after watching the new arrivals snag my unattended donut and head under the couch. Two kittens working together each trying to hold one end of my donut and scamper with crumbs trailing. Apparently they learned to work together.

I have never had a cat want donuts and coffee for breakfast I had forgotten these guys have been living off scraps and bugs - they are half starved - and do not really care what they eat or drink. After the morning incident and thankfully spilled coffee on the carpet instead of on or in kittens . . .. no more unattended coffee and donuts. Mischief eyeballed all this did a 180 and went back in the bathroom and ate all of his food . . . .

I will be checking out the web site thank you for the suggestion

mama of bronte · Apr 19, 2008

Originally Posted by Kitten_Smitten

This is a good idea - thank you.
My brats turned their nose up and good quality stuff - the oldest Mischief had a change of heart after watching the new arrivals snag my unattended donut and head under the couch. Two kittens working together each trying to hold one end of my donut and scamper with crumbs trailing. Apparently they learned to work together.

I have never had a cat want donuts and coffee for breakfast I had forgotten these guys have been living off scraps and bugs - they are half starved - and do not really care what they eat or drink. After the morning incident and thankfully spilled coffee on the carpet instead of on or in kittens . . .. no more unattended coffee and donuts. Mischief eyeballed all this did a 180 and went back in the bathroom and ate all of his food . . . .

I will be checking out the web site thank you for the suggestion

lol... this just totally made my morning... darn kittens for being so cute! that is an adorable story... it must have been so cute to watch!

Cat food debate?

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Darksome Duo!

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