HELP! Wet or dry food? What Brand? Foster and Smith?

Hello Everyone!

I have been reading a lot about opinions on feeding cats wet or dry food. I am looking to change cat foods but have heard so many different opinions I feel like I am in a rut.

I have five cats, ranging 1-2 in age. I am currently feeding them Nutro-Natural Choice (weight control for indoor cats type). I only feed dry food and leave it out all day for them to munch on. I also feed them wet food occasionally as a treat. I have noticed lately 2 of my male cats are gaining weight. This got me researching cat nutrition.

I am leaning towards Foster and Smith cat food. Has anyone had any experience with this food? I really wanting to get my babies on a feeding schedule...where I would only feed them at designated times during the day and acutally measure what they are eating. I just don't know what to do about feeding them wet or dry or a mixture of both?? I hear the wet food is good for keeping them hydrated, but have heard that wet food causes tooth decay. Others say the tooth decay thing is a wives tale... I just want what is best for my babies.

I also was wondering too... Two of my cats have pretty long hair and get big ol hairballs. I would like to switch to a food that will help with that too. I know Foster and Smith has a hairball type food, but what about my other cats? Will they need to be on a different type of food? Will the hairball food upset their tummies since they do not have as much hair going through their systems? Help!!

Any information would be much appreciated.

Wet food is ideal for weight, urinary health & general health. Dry food does nothing to clean teeth.

I have no experience with Drs. Foster & Smith food.

ONE DONT use wt control foods they are higher in carbs...the indoor is also ... I would actually say try an adult formula and see if they dont actually loose wt ... DO you know HOW much food you put down a day ??? on ave a 10lb cat eating only dry will eat about 1/2 cup a day ... Can you meal feed two or three time s a day??


Fosters and smith has garlic which makes it a NO NO to me

Wet is best ... try a variety at your local stores ... if feeding wet only figure on 1/2 oz to 1 oz per lb per day

wet and dry combo is what most find easy to do and relatively effective...

Thank you for the help.
I really had no idea that food was higher in carbs!
Is garlic bad for cats?
If I was to do a combonation of wet and dry, how much would you recommend feeding of each? Either way...Do you recommend feeding them on a schedueled time?
What do you feed your cats?
Thank you!

Lets see how btright I am tonight .. it is a inside joke

Garlic is a catch 22 ... it CAN cause Heinz anemia and death in some ... some cats can eat = to a clove a day for life without effect others eat 1mg or less and get sick...

take a 10 lb kitty ... say 1/4 cup dry and 3oz of wet ( approximation of course )

If you can yes... I feed measured free feed ... ie I know how much the bowl hold s and fill it only once a day...

Zoey eat s natural choice and taste of the wild mixed as well as some raw ( my dogs eat raw Zoey wont eat a full meal of it )

I use Nutro Natural Choice Indoor dry cat food...and I leave it down during the day, and feed some wet morning and night, more as a treat. My two tend to nibble the dry food during the day and evening - and, since I may have to work overtime unexpectedly, I like leaving them something to eat, just in case I'm late.

However, I measure out what I'm leaving for them - yes, my cats have their own measuring cups. My boy was overweight, and he actually lost weight (3 pounds) on Nutro Max hairball formula - well, because I took the darn bag to the vet and she figured out what amount I should be feeding him. I was, sad to say, overfeeding him. Oh, both my cats are short haired but had some issues early on - the hairball formula has more fiber, which may have made Dante feel fuller when he was eating it.

My two get about 1/2 cup dry per day, plus half of a 3 ounce can, divided morning and night. And the odd Greenie or three. So far, so good - but, any good vet will be happy to work on weight control issues with you, and most will let you bring your cats in for weighing, at no charge, if it's hard for you to manage it yourself.

Oh, if you can increase their exercise, that's always good.