Wet food out of question - best dry food??

carolina

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Hi,
Lucky is a 9-month old ragdoll, currently on Nutro Natural Complete Care Inside Kitten... I had done a lot of research, and it seemed to be a great choice... After doing more research, I want to go completely Grain Free to preserve her health. I wish I could do a wet diet, however with my traveling schedule I do not think it is feasible. Of course I do have sitters, but I rather have food available for her to eat throughout the day...

So, here are the choices I am looking at:

* Wellness Core Cat Food:
Ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Salmon Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Rosemary Extract.

*Pinnacle Peak Protein Chicken & Ocean Fish Dry Cat Food
Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Chicken, Potato Protein, Potato Flour, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid), Ocean Fish, Natural Flavor, Tomato Pomace, Dried Egg Product, Dried Cranberries, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Dried Yucca Schidigera, Bromelain, Papain, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Product, Ferrous Sulfate, DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Cobalt Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B Complex), Zinc Methionine, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Niacin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Potassium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement.

*EVO Cat and Kitten
Ingredients: Turkey, Chicken Meal, Chicken, Herring Meal, Chicken Fat, Potatoes, Egg, Turkey Meal, Natural Flavors, Vitamins, Apples, Potassium Chloride, Carrots, Cranberries, Alfalfa Sprouts, Minerals, Tomatoes, Herring Oil, Cottage Cheese, Ascorbic Acid, Dried Chicory Root Extract, Direct-Fed Microbials, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurin, DL-Methionine, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract

*Origen Cat and Kitten Food
Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, lake whitefish, chicken fat, sweet potato, whole eggs,de-boned turkey, salmon meal, salmon and anchovy oils, salmon, natural chicken flavour, sunflower oil, sun-cured alfalfa, dried brown kelp, carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes, apples, psyllium, dulse, glucosamine Hcl, cranberries, black currants, rosemary extract, chondroitin sulfate, sea salt.
 

sharky

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If you do a search you will find a number of threads on this ... try putting in grain free foods
 

laureen227

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of those 4, i like the Orijen best, ingredient-wise. but i didn't care for the odor - too fishy [i have fish issues
]. the cats liked it ok.
i've just ordered some of the Serengeti - i filled out a survey for Timberwolf Organics & received a $20 coupon. so, basically, i'm getting 8 pounds of kibble for $10.93 - of which $4.95 is shipping.
wonder if the kits will like it?
if not, i'll feed it to the ferals.
 

GoldyCat

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I tried Wellness Core with my cats. They liked it okay, but I couldn't stand the smell. They're now on Taste of the Wild, which they love, and which doesn't stink up the house.

I haven't tried any of the others you mentioned, so don't have an opinion about those.
 

fuzmugly

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I'm not sure there really is a 'best' food. I believe the best food is one that works best for your cat. Take a peak at the ingredient panel... Are there byproducts? Artificial colors? Artificial preservatives? If so, pass. These things do not belong in good cat food. Does your cat like the food? How is the condition of your cat's coat? Shiny? Flaky? There are so many variables when choosing a food. On Avoderm Zoe had flaky skin, I switched and it was gone within a few weeks. But what works for my cat may not work for yours.

A lot of manufacturers make samples available to their retailers. Ask your retailer if they have samples available. Larger stores like petco, petsmart, and petland may not. Seek out a local retailer, more often than not they'll have samples somewhere in the back. Plus it's also nice to support the locals. Also ask about the return policy. If your retailer goes through a distribution center they'll often accept returns (even if the bag is open) because they will ultimately receive a credit for the product. Again a lot of the larger stores shy away from this practice as it is a lot of work.

Fuz
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by FuzMugly

I'm not sure there really is a 'best' food. I believe the best food is one that works best for your cat. Take a peak at the ingredient panel... Are there byproducts? Artificial colors? Artificial preservatives? If so, pass. These things do not belong in good cat food. Does your cat like the food? How is the condition of your cat's coat? Shiny? Flaky? There are so many variables when choosing a food. On Avoderm Zoe had flaky skin, I switched and it was gone within a few weeks. But what works for my cat may not work for yours.

A lot of manufacturers make samples available to their retailers. Ask your retailer if they have samples available. Larger stores like petco, petsmart, and petland may not. Seek out a local retailer, more often than not they'll have samples somewhere in the back. Plus it's also nice to support the locals. Also ask about the return policy. If your retailer goes through a distribution center they'll often accept returns (even if the bag is open) because they will ultimately receive a credit for the product. Again a lot of the larger stores shy away from this practice as it is a lot of work.

Fuz
Excellent post. I agree - the best food for your cat is one that they will like enough to eat.


Having said that, you can always try to purr-suade them to a better food by gradually mixing in a better quality food with their current food - a little at a time and gradually increasing the new food over a period of 1-2 weeks.

We feed Orijen and both my cats love it. I didn't notice that it smelled particularly fishy as Laureen did so I suppose it will depend on how you rate it.
 

*pepper*

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The best food is one that agree's with your cat. Most here swear by Taste Of The Wild, but it was horrible my for my cats. I say try one ( or get samples to see which one they like the best) and try it a while and see how it agree's with your cat.
 

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After obsessing over what to feed my own kitten, I have come to realize that the best food is the one you feel comfortable feeding, and your cat feels comfortable eating. There are as many opinions on cat food as there are people who have cats to feed. I agree with the other posters, that you really need to try a bunch of foods, and then make your decision. Afterall, what one person swears by, might not be whats right for you cat. I tried the Core, but Kiwi wasn't fussy about it after the second bowl. I am now feeding her Before Grain, and she seems to really like it, and I like how it makes her coat beautiful and her poops virtually odorless. Good Luck!!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

We feed Orijen and both my cats love it. I didn't notice that it smelled particularly fishy as Laureen did so I suppose it will depend on how you rate it.
i'm allergic to fish - i think i'm more sensitive to 'fishy' smells than many are...
 

sakura

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They are all good foods from what I can tell and better than Nutro. I feed Wellness.

Since the wet food isn't a money issue for you and more of a convenience one, I would reconsider feeding at least some wet food, when you can. Cats are not natural water drinkers and a diet of 100% dry food means they live their life in a constant state of dehydration. (This leads to potential health problems in the future). Buying a water fountain can definitely help with this though, so I would look into that as well. You don't have to feed only wet food, just give the cat a 3oz can for dinner a few times a week. Any wet food is better than no wet food at all.

I feed my cats a measured portion of dry food in the morning and wet food at night, but if I'm out of town (like right now), I leave dry food out for them.

I can't leave dry food out for them all the time because they both overeat and get fat (a common problem with free-fed cats). It's probably ok while she is still under 1 year old, but I would watch what she eats. Dry food is packed with calories.
 
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carolina

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Originally Posted by Sakura

They are all good foods from what I can tell and better than Nutro. I feed Wellness.

Since the wet food isn't a money issue for you and more of a convenience one, I would reconsider feeding at least some wet food, when you can. Cats are not natural water drinkers and a diet of 100% dry food means they live their life in a constant state of dehydration. (This leads to potential health problems in the future). Buying a water fountain can definitely help with this though, so I would look into that as well. You don't have to feed only wet food, just give the cat a 3oz can for dinner a few times a week. Any wet food is better than no wet food at all.

I feed my cats a measured portion of dry food in the morning and wet food at night, but if I'm out of town (like right now), I leave dry food out for them.

I can't leave dry food out for them all the time because they both overeat and get fat (a common problem with free-fed cats). It's probably ok while she is still under 1 year old, but I would watch what she eats. Dry food is packed with calories.
Thank you for the advice - one question though: If I give her wet food every night while in town, do you think she will still eat the dry food without a problem? I could do that, I suppose... Provided that she will be ok eating dry only when I am out of town...

As far as the fountain, yes, I ordered one today because of hydration problem. Luckily she is a good drinker, as long as the water is fresh - so I think the fountain will definitely help!

I do free food her in the sense that I leave the food out for her throughout the day, but I do control the portions she eat... She has a daily quota, and that's it...
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

Thank you for the advice - one question though: If I give her wet food every night while in town, do you think she will still eat the dry food without a problem? I could do that, I suppose... Provided that she will be ok eating dry only when I am out of town...
You'll probably have to test her to see if she fixates on one or the other. I have the opposite problem with Toby. I can't feed him *any* dry. When I was feeding dry in the morning and wet in the evening, he figured out the pattern and decided he would pass on the wet in the evening and just eat the dry in the morning. He's a stubborn little bugger.
 

javern

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Of course it will depend if your cats like them
 

meowers

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I feed EVO, and my two love it!

After much money wasting, cat taste testing, driving from store to store
I finally settled on EVO cause my cats liked it and its very good for them . The only store that carries it around here is a feed store. you can get it online too, but check local feed stores first. if you decide to try it, that is
 

laureen227

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well, the Serengeti arrived yesterday [filled out a survey for Timberwolf organics & got a $20 coupon, so the 8 pounds cost me a bit over $10 - $5 was shipping
] & i opened 1 bag today & mixed it in w/the dry... having great difficulty keeping little kitty noses out of my way
i sprinkled a few kibbles on the floor - they were immediately scarfed down! i guess they like it, huh?
 
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carolina

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Thank you everybody!!!
I am currently transitioning her from Nutro to Orijen, and trying, with no luck, to add wet food into her diet. Ulike me, she happens to be VERY picky with what she eats
. Dry, dry and DRY!

Anyway, I think what I am going to do is rotate food - Orijen, Wellness and EVO, so she gets all sorts of nutrients...
Thank you so much for the insight; I think I got three great options here... and I Promise
I will keep trying to feed her wet food!
 

slave2_ragdolls

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I am kinda in the same boat here.......I feed my fur bunny's (6 of them) Nutro Complete care dry. I am looking for the cheapest.......lowest grain if any plus tons of Omega 3 and 6 for the coat
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

Thank you everybody!!!
I am currently transitioning her from Nutro to Orijen, and trying, with no luck, to add wet food into her diet. Ulike me, she happens to be VERY picky with what she eats
. Dry, dry and DRY!

Anyway, I think what I am going to do is rotate food - Orijen, Wellness and EVO, so she gets all sorts of nutrients...
Thank you so much for the insight; I think I got three great options here... and I Promise
I will keep trying to feed her wet food!
Try different styles of wet ... ie one of the readily accepted is Meow mix pouches which are chunk shredded with sauce or gravy ... some are grain free
Originally Posted by Slave2_Ragdolls

I am kinda in the same boat here.......I feed my fur bunny's (6 of them) Nutro Complete care dry. I am looking for the cheapest.......lowest grain if any plus tons of Omega 3 and 6 for the coat
look for foods with higher levels of chicken fat and oils
 

followedbydolls

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Originally Posted by FuzMugly

I'm not sure there really is a 'best' food. I believe the best food is one that works best for your cat. Take a peak at the ingredient panel... Are there byproducts? Artificial colors? Artificial preservatives? If so, pass. These things do not belong in good cat food. Does your cat like the food? How is the condition of your cat's coat? Shiny? Flaky? There are so many variables when choosing a food. On Avoderm Zoe had flaky skin, I switched and it was gone within a few weeks. But what works for my cat may not work for yours.


Fuz
ita! i have tried a few of the ones u mentioned but was never able to get any of mine to go grain free..

good luck!
 
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