What to look for?

homeless

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Well I'm getting a 3yr.old cat tomorrow, and I dont know what to feed It? I'm getting a lot of mixed things, Wet, dry, raw. Different things to look for In a feed, not to look for? I'm very confuzed, can anybody give me some Do and Dont tips. What Ingredients to avoid, and some to look for? Like by-products? Something about corn, what kind of protein level does she need? How about the grains? Should I buy at pet store, or any where like the grocery store for example?? Should I feed only wet or solid? Does anybody have personal exp. with a variety of things. I was told she Is fed Dad's Cat food that she gets a local grocery store, and gets no can food? What kind of litter should I use?? I'm exhausted lol.
 

j_f_a

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*hugs* It's so hard isn't it? Knowing what to get that's best for your cat?

I would recommend a mix of dry and wet food. But as for brand? I'm sorry I can't help you out. Mitzy is on wiskas meat and go cat dry.
 

maxcat08

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Try to keep her on the same food as she's eating now, and phase in the new food. If she's only getting dry...then buy a few small tins of wet and see what she likes. There are lots of premium wet foods....Wellness, Merrick, Weurva, etc. They are sold at pet stores, sometimes at Petco...not at the Wal-Mart-types or grocery stores.

I use the regular clay litter and have for 20 years...have no trouble with it. Try to use whatever she's using now...so that there aren't too many sudden changes in her life all at once. She'll be a little nervous with her new surroundings for a few days. lots of love and hugs and soft talk will help her to feel comfortable.

I'm sure you'll get lots of advice...but take small steps at first so you don't get overwhelmed.

Good luck with your new kitty!
 

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Well to start with you will want to feed your new cat the same food it was getting before you got her. Many cats have problems with switching to new foods and can develop diarrhea and vomiting if done too quickly.

Once she gets settled in, you'll want to transition her to a quality cat food, and you'll need to do it slowly.

I feed wet in the morning and wet in the evening, then leave out dry kibble during the day. Many dry cat foods are high in carbohydrates, which cats are not designed to use. They need protein to be fit and healthy. Cats are also prone to dehydration, they frequently will not really drink enough to keep hydrated. Another reason that a dry food only diet is not terribly healthy for cats. When I feed the wet food twice a day, I add a little water to make it a little more wet. We feed Natural Balance (both wet and dry), but there are plenty of high quality foods around. Just remember that high price doesn't always mean high quality (though cheap almost always does mean low quality!)

You'll want to find a food that is nutritionally complete. Many "pouch" types found in grocery stores are really only intended as a treat, and are not actually a balanced meal for a cat. You can do a little research and find quality brands that are easy to find in your area, and then compare the ingredients.

Tuna and corn are two relatively common ingredients in cat foods that are not particularly good for cats.

I don't feed raw to my cats, so I am by no means an expert. But I think the reason some people DO go the raw food diet is that many important nutrients are destroyed in the cooking process. A quality canned food will add those important nutrients back in.

The general consensus that I have seen is that a diet consisting of primarily wet food is generally healthier for a cat. The old adage that dry food is better for their teeth has been shown to be untrue. Dry food crumbles and does not end up cleaning the teeth at all, but it can get wedge in the gum line.

My cats were both adopted from a shelter. They had both been fostered, one coming originally from the alley, and one originally from a hoarder home. My alley-cat had a rough coat and gingivitis. My hoarder-kitteh had chronic URI caused by warped nasal passaged (from an untreated URI) and snored like a drunken sailor. Their diet is now primarily wet (supplemented by me with L-Lysine to boost their immune systems) and they are both shinier, healthier and sleep better because Randy snores MUCH less.


SHORT VERSION:
The more moisture in your cat's diet the better
The less grain in your cat's diet the better
Protein sources should be named, and should not be "by-product"

Good luck with your search!
 
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homeless

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Thanks smirkitty! Your Information really helped, the price really doesn't bother me. I feed my dog Eagle Pack, but most of the time out Pet store doesn't have It In, so I have to specially order It. I dont think they get It for cats at all, I'd have to call and ask or look It up online. I'll do some research on some good brands of wet cat food
. I'd ask my vet but he swears by SD and my dog vomits a lot when she eats It. So I try and avoid any brands or food conversations lol.
 

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1st, check out this thread for LOADS of info: what food do you use & WHY?
i feed royal canin dry [out all day] & authority wet + about a tablespoon of homemade wet [in the evenings]. i have 2 dry-only eaters, & 3 wet eaters. because of this, i feed a higher quality dry vs. wet [altho authority's not bad]. both of these are carried by petsmart.
 

smirkitty

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Originally Posted by HomeLess

I'd ask my vet but he swears by SD and my dog vomits a lot when she eats It. So I try and avoid any brands or food conversations lol.
If by SD you mean Science Diet, yeah, not so impressed. Vets aren't really that well versed in nutrition. Doctors aren't really all that well versed in nutrition, either. But they speak from such authority that people take what they say as true.

*shrug*
 

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IMO its best to feed one meal of dry, one meal of canned. First find out what the cat is currently eating. Its not so bad to switch to high quality canned foods, but its better to slowly switch the dry.

I recommend Royal Canin, Nature's Choice, Max Cat for dry and Natural Balance, Max Cat for wet food.

As for litter, I've used many clumping litters - now we use wood pellets. But if you decide to do the pellets (a lot cheaper) you will have to start with the clumping litter and slowly add pellets - most cats don't know that the pellets are litter


Be sure to get a good tall scratching post/treehouse - minimum of 4 feet tall (since you have a grown cat, its better to go larger on the treehouse). And cat nail clippers - you need to trim nails once a week (at least check and trim).
 
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homeless

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Thanks! I'll go to Petsmart and try and find some kitty stuff. All she's giving me Is her left over food, which Is just dry cat food they brand Is called Dad she said? I've never heard of this before, but she gets It at the grocery store for like $5.99 a bag, and a kitty litter box. I've heard of Royal Canine but never tried It, and Natural Balance. I'll look up there Ingredients on the online store
. Thanks (PS: smirkitty yes I was talking about Science Diet. I did try It but like I said It made my dog sick!). I just got her today a few hours ago, so I just sat down a little over her own food and her litter box.
 

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I have found that things like meow mix and grocery store dry foods are just cheap, full of sugar and make my cats throw up faster. We use Nutro here and they have almost no issues with throwing up. Once in a while, and I have found it more related to hair ball issue then the food.

We do feed tuna here... but in oil. not water. I use 9-lives but then again I'm feeding 6 cats on one can per night/small can. Seems I just got 2 more cats then we have had. My mother-in-law passed away last week and we are getting her cat. My sd's sister can no longer take care of her cat(who once lived here to begin with).. so I am going from 6 to 8 soon. I think I be buying the larger cans of 9 lives... if places still carry them<G>

Litter, the clumping kind. Also I have 5 cats that go outside during the daytime. Lockdown is at night.

think I need to update my profile<g>
 
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homeless

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Well I went to that link, and I only got threw page 1 before TCS started going really slowly and sending up error pages. But It looks like I'm leaning towards Wellness wet and Californa Natural dry, but we'll see
 

maxcat08

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Originally Posted by smirkitty

Vets aren't really that well versed in nutrition. Doctors aren't really all that well versed in nutrition, either. But they speak from such authority that people take what they say as true.

*shrug*
I add a BIG second to those statements....!!!!!
 

maxcat08

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Originally Posted by HomeLess

Well I went to that link, and I only got threw page 1 before TCS started going really slowly and sending up error pages. But It looks like I'm leaning towards Wellness wet and Californa Natural dry, but we'll see
I think you'll be happy with the Wellness brand...both dry and wet. It has done my cats a world of good! It is affordable and seems to be sold in lots of places. I like the high quality ingrediants.

I haven't seen California Natural here. Canada doesn't have the variety that the US has...darn it..LOL
 

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I feed raw. I make it myself and I buy it. If you ever interested in it at a later date there are a few of us here who can help.

I would check out Wellness CORE. It is higher protein which is good for a cat and grain free. The Wellness cans are rich and have a lot of good fat in it that will help the cat's coat. I love Wellness as a company.
Merrick has come out with a grain free food that my cats won't eat. They are stuck on raw

One piece of advice. Mix it up with flavors in the cans and companies but stick to the same quality. My cats have gotten so finicky but it is my fault for not mixing it up when I had the chance. Now they are reluctant to try new things.
 
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homeless

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Ya CC12 thats what many were saying In the forum post. So this Is what I decided lol
. I couldnt find CA Natural In petco or Petsmart. But I'm going with Solid Gold, Nutro Natural Choice and Wellness for Wet/Canned. Then I'm going with either Natural Balance or Wellness for dry
. What do you guys think of my picks, I really like the Ingredients, I tried for no by-products, corn, grain free, and no salt. Though I hear some fish Is fine, I figured human Tuna In oil would be fine as a treat now and then.
 

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Originally Posted by HomeLess

Ya CC12 thats what many were saying In the forum post. So this Is what I decided lol
. I couldnt find CA Natural In petco or Petsmart. But I'm going with Solid Gold, Nutro Natural Choice and Wellness for Wet/Canned. Then I'm going with either Natural Balance or Wellness for dry
. What do you guys think of my picks, I really like the Ingredients, I tried for no by-products, corn, grain free, and no salt. Though I hear some fish Is fine, I figured human Tuna In oil would be fine as a treat now and then.
I would recommend if you give human tuna as a treat (but not very often please), it is better to give the tuna in water rather than oil. Some cats can have recurring UTI issues with too much fish in their diet so be aware of that. My cats won't eat anything with fish in it. We currently feed Merricks wet morning and night with 1/3 cup Orijen dry for snacking.
 
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homeless

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I am aware that Its dangerous thats why I tried to avoid any food products with fish In IT
 

sharky

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welness core for dry would be my pick for dry

FISH is NOT dangerous to the ave cat
 
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homeless

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I looked at both Petsmart and Petco and can't find any Wellness CORE? Would Natural Balance be ok to feed her (dry), or just plain Wellness? Or does anybody know somewhere I can get It.
 

sharky

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MOST petco s are getting it ...

natural balence is fine ... I am not a huge fan of reg wellness but it to would be fine
 
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