Feeding Strays

There are 2 strays that I feed and they sleep in a house on my back porch. I feed them Friskies which they go through like water. Is there a better quality food for around the same price? I have 2 indoor cats of my own and 4 children so it needs to be around the same price range. Thanks

Where are you living - which country?

As a rule of thumb look at the ratio of animal products; should be as high as possible; proteins of course but in fact also fat.

Proteins and fats of vegetary is better then nothing but not so good as animal.

Carbohydrates are almost useless - and even in some degree harmful.
Groceries are more useful then cereals. Rice is probably better then cereals.

So in dryfood many foods have about 30% proteins, even some quality foods. But if the bigger part of the proteins are vegetary the dryfood is of course not good. Like it is common with cheap cat foods.
If most part of that 30% is animal protein - should be OK. (look at what is mentiioned first; is it the animal products or it is vegetary...).
Animal byproducts may actually be quite good as cat food.

Fat should be say 15-20%. Many dryfoods have too little fat, often so little as 10.

Extra E-vitamins is a plus. Extra C-vitamin doesnt hurt, but C-vitamin is in fact dont needed by cats. But C-vitamin is a harmless conservatory.


(for cats being too fat=to thick the solution is not less fat but less carbohydrates!.
Although for the homeless the usual problem is too little fat and nourishment - so at least 15% fat is necessary...)


As a rule of thumb, it is easier to make good wet food than good dry food. So some cheap wet foods are actually quite good having the animal ratio on 80+.
If wet food is possible in your conditions - do take a look.



A try to give an short answer.... Hope it helps some.

Thank you! I am in the US. I do feed them wet as well, usually friskies. I will read the labels a bit and see what I can come up with.

9 Lives, Friskies, Meow Mix and Purina Cat Chow are all
the same price range. My best recommendation is to
buy the dry chow in 25 lb bags from Costco - Kirkland
brand. This stuff is (supposedly) made by the same
people who make the Science Hill Diet stuff. Not
sure that's true, but it IS a complete chow and fairly
good at that. Price in my area is about 14 a bag,
which for 25 lbs is reasonable. My cats eat a rotation
I mix up the drys and never feed the same one for
too long. That way they never get "fixated" on one
brand.

You must probably simply go to the shops where you live, and look at what they have - and compare the contains. Alternatively of course, write up the names and look up at internet. (Here we can help you if we know exactly what brands and formulas you do have),


With the cheap cat foods, a good rule of thumb is the kitten formula or the active formula (=formula for active cats).

The kitten formula is usually best - more protein and more fat. But I have also seen the active formula as best, but the kitten being good second.

Both are usually noticeably better then the standard, volume product Adult cat.


Almost the same is of course with high quality foods, but they have so high quality the differences dont matter much....

I am not sure if your more after quality or cost!but at most farm and feed stores you can get HUGE bags of food very cheap!here there is a store I buy 25lb bag of catfood for only 7.99!Also if you are taking care of ferals as well as doing rescue work try contacting local pet stores and see if they would be willing to donate out of date or damaged food to you,or atleast sell it discounted!Good luck and it is great that you take the time and effort to feed the strays!

Thank you all for your responses. I am going to get some kitten food from the feed store. They are going to be spayed tomorrow (local rescue is paying) and I have agreed to continue to feed them. They will also stay in a spare room until they have healed. They hate to be inside though. They howl and yowl and cry like crazy. I have named them Winnie and Olive

We have let them in several times. They lay around for a while and then start crying. I don't know what to do for them. I really can't have 4 cats indoor with 4 kids, just too much for me.

It's great what you are doing for Winnie and Oliver. I know how it is to worry about outside cats, but if you are providing food and shelter and they have been spayed/neutered, things will work out. And if they do like to come inside for a bit here and there, at least you know they are okay. Keep up the good work that you are doing.

The other day I ran out of food for my cats so I ran up to the groc store to pick something up to get them through the night and morning. I bought Friskies. They ate 3 cans between them and that is almost triple the normal amount. So I'm thinking if you went to a better quality food even though it costs more up front they may not need as much.

Possibly you can make your own cat food cheaper. Search google for a recipe if they have one.