Choosing a wet food

snake_lady

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I think I've figured out the dry catfood information
(huge thanks to Sharky for that) Now its onto the canned food. Kizzy will be fed both wet and dry.

Some direct questions:

1. Is there certain ingreds that one should avoid in a wet cat food?

2. What should one look for in ingreds? As in, what are some good ingreds?

3. Aside from, whichever the kitty will eat, do you have any tips on wet foods?

I have found through reading other posts, that it is good to vary the wet food....which I am, same brand different flavors... but it is an expensive brand and I'd like to get something a little cheaper if possible.

I've also learned that "meat by-products" is not the best of ingreds... not knowing what meat, and it could be anything from beaks, to feathers, etc.

I have a can of Friskies: (I bought several different varieties when trying to get Kizzy to eat some..)

ingreds: meat by-products, water sufficient for processing, chicken, poultry by-products, brewers rice, natural and artificial flavors, minerals and vitamins, guar gum, caramel color, carrageenan, iron oxide, taurine, bitotin.

This one is obviously not a great food, with 2 by-products and brewers rice.

Actr1um (another one found at walmart)

ingreds: turkey, turkey broth, chicken giblets, brewers rice, chicken by-products, ocean fish, egg product, guar gum, salt, potassium chloride (umm isn't this another word for salt?), brewers dried yeast, choline chloride, vitamins, minerals, taurine.

Seems to be a slightly better food than the above... higher amount of actual meat, less by-products.

Performatrin Ultra: the expensive one I am feeding

ingreds:

Chicken
Chicken Bouillon
Chicken Liver
Diced Carrots
Egg Product
Diced Red Peppers
Potato Starch
Torula Dried Yeast
Guar Gum
Natural Flavor
Tricalcium Phosphate
Spinach Flakes
Menhaden Fish Oil
Oat Fiber
Calcium Carbonate
Sweet Potatoes
Pea Fiber
Sunflower Oil
Brewers Dried Yeast
Sea Salt
Sodium Phosphate
Potassium Chloride
Parsley
Sodium Ascorbate (Source Of Vitamin C)
Oregano
Sodium Carbonate
Flaxseed Oil
Dried Chicory Root
Dried Kelp
Taurine
Iron Proteinate
Sage
Zinc Proteinate
Dried Blueberries
Dried Cranberries
Dried Apples
Beta Carotene
Vitamin E Supplement
Yucca Schidigera Extract
Choline Chloride
Cobalt Proteinate
Copper Proteinate
Manganese Proteinate
Thiamine Mononitrate
Folic Acid
Niacin
Sodium Selenite
D-Calcium Pantothenate
Vitamin D3 Supplement
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
Riboflavin Supplement
Vitamin A Supplement
Potassium Iodide
Vitamin B12 Supplement
Biotin

Kizzy likes this one, but it seems to have a whole lot of ingreds that I'm not sure he needs... I think I will keep it for use maybe 1 can a wk.

Thanks for any input
 

sharky

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Some direct questions:

1. Is there certain ingreds that one should avoid in a wet cat food?
Same as dry only I aim for NO grains or no grains in the first 5 to 6 ingredients ... NO MEAT MEALS , cannot figure out why a wet food needs essentially dehydrated meat>>

2. What should one look for in ingreds? As in, what are some good ingreds?
MEAT and organs ... Ie this label chicken , water or broth( Broth is tasty but has some unknown ingredients), chicken liver , beef , turkey , beef liver , sweet potato
3. Aside from, whichever the kitty will eat, do you have any tips on wet foods?
try different styles ... mine 3 like pate one likes gravy
I have found through reading other posts, that it is good to vary the wet food....which I am, same brand different flavors... but it is an expensive brand and I'd like to get something a little cheaper if possible.

I've also learned that "meat by-products" is not the best of ingreds... not knowing what meat, and it could be anything from beaks, to feathers, etc.

I have a can of Friskies: (I bought several different varieties when trying to get Kizzy to eat some..)

ingreds: meat by-products, water sufficient for processing, chicken, poultry by-products, brewers rice, natural and artificial flavors, minerals and vitamins, guar gum, caramel color, carrageenan, iron oxide, taurine, bitotin.

This one is obviously not a great food, with 2 by-products and brewers rice.

Actr1um (another one found at walmart)

ingreds: turkey, turkey broth, chicken giblets, brewers rice, chicken by-products, ocean fish, egg product, guar gum, salt, potassium chloride (umm isn't this another word for salt?), brewers dried yeast, choline chloride, vitamins, minerals, taurine.

Seems to be a slightly better food than the above... higher amount of actual meat, less by-products.

Performatrin Ultra: the expensive one I am feeding

ingreds:

Chicken
Chicken Bouillon
Chicken Liver

Diced Carrots starchy
Egg Product
Diced Red Peppers my RB Kandie loved this one
Potato Starch
Torula Dried Yeast possible allergen
Guar Gum
Natural Flavor
Tricalcium Phosphate
Spinach Flakes
Menhaden Fish Oil
Oat Fiber
Calcium Carbonate
Sweet Potatoes
Pea Fiber
Sunflower Oil
Brewers Dried Yeast
Sea Salt
Sodium Phosphate
Potassium Chloride
Parsley
Sodium Ascorbate (Source Of Vitamin C)
Oregano
Sodium Carbonate
Flaxseed Oil
Dried Chicory Root
Dried Kelp
Taurine
Iron Proteinate
Sage
Zinc Proteinate
Dried Blueberries
Dried Cranberries
Dried Apples
Beta Carotene
Vitamin E Supplement
Yucca Schidigera Extract
Choline Chloride
Cobalt Proteinate
Copper Proteinate
Manganese Proteinate
Thiamine Mononitrate
Folic Acid
Niacin
Sodium Selenite
D-Calcium Pantothenate
Vitamin D3 Supplement
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
Riboflavin Supplement
Vitamin A Supplement
Potassium Iodide
Vitamin B12 Supplement
Biotin


3 rd is good ... second I personally would not feed but my vet would approve ... 1st um it is a wet food
 

pintameez

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First off, cats are obligate carnivores. This means their diet should consist of mostly meat, bones, organs, connective tissue. The ultimate diet for our predator friends would be small prey: rabbits, mice, birds, etc.

The above information is FACT, not opinion. There is no getting around it: cats are carnivores.

Therefore, veggies & grains are NOT appropriate to feed (in the quantities and with the enthusiasm that most companies try to teach us). In the wild, cats would get very small amounts of these ingredients from the stomach of the prey. Some non-meat ingredients won't hurt them but doesn't help them, either. Alot of the "all-natural" brands contain seaweeds and berries and all this crazy garbage that is good for people, to try to convince owners that their pet needs the same diet - fooling you into thinking it's a health food, when it is not.

This is MY opinion: I currently feed my cats a diet consisting of mainly canned food that is either 100% meat or 90% meat, with NO grains whatsoever, and extremely little or no by-products. They get a supplement & an herbal remedy, as well as fresh water offered on both levels of my home, and a dry kibble (again, even the kibble is 90% meat, no grains & no by-products) simply because a soft wet diet is going to destroy their teeth & jaws, so the kibble provides crunch and a jaw workout. I also add water to the canned food with every feeding, so it is very moist - cats are really bad for not consuming enough water. I offer dehydrated meat treats, 100% natural, 100% meat, no preservatives or anything. They go nuts for those, especially the fish, although as a rule, I am not fond of feeding too much fish to my cats, the all-natural treats are the way to go if you want to feed fish.

Most people are unable or unwilling to offer prey to their domestic house cat. Some people have opted for the raw diet you can buy at pet health food stores, or have devised their own recipes based on those diets. Eventually, I will offer my cats prey, or at least the store-prepped raw diet.

Avoid grains. Avoid by-products. Feed small amounts a few times a day. Do not free-feed. Always provide fresh clean water for drinking.

Brands that I use/have used:
Evo Innova - good cans & kibble
Wellness - grain free types only, canned
Orijen - good cans & kibble
Old School Nutrition - 100% meat canned food
 
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snake_lady

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Interesting opinion. Thanks for sharing.

I do agree that cat's are carnivoires, but the prey they eat in the wild does ingest veggies, fruits, and grains. So the cats do get veggies, grains, and fruits in small amounts. Similiar to my snakes, which I've studied/researched their prey quite a bit... they eat the same things as a cat would... mice, rats, rabbits, and yes some eat birds too.

I think grain vs grain free is a very interesting topic
but not what this post is regarding.

Thanks for the tips.

I do try to stay away from by products now that I've learnt a bit more on feline nutrition, and definately would encourage others to stay away from them as well
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by PintaMeez

... and a dry kibble (again, even the kibble is 90% meat, no grains & no by-products) simply because a soft wet diet is going to destroy their teeth & jaws, so the kibble provides crunch and a jaw workout. I also add water to the canned food with every feeding, so it is very moist - cats are really bad for not consuming enough water. I offer dehydrated meat treats, 100% natural, 100% meat, no preservatives or anything. They go nuts for those, especially the fish, although as a rule, I am not fond of feeding too much fish to my cats, the all-natural treats are the way to go if you want to feed fish.
I'd agree with a lot of what you say, but kibble does nothing to help a cat's teeth. Cats do not "chew" - their jaws only go up and down not side to side like us. Unless the kibble is quite large, cats swallow it whole and even when they bite into it, they break the piece with the tip of the tooth which does nothing for the build-up of plaque at the root of the tooth. This is a common myth about kibble that folks buy into. There really is no reason to ever feed kibble - it's for the convenience of humans and does little to nothing for the cats themselves.

Fish is not that good for cats either. Our cats won't touch anything with fish in it so it's no problem in our house.
 

zoeysmom

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Snake_Lady,

A while back I asked if you had tried the regular old Performatrin wet. If you're looking to save money, it might be a better option than the one from Walmart. I think it sells here for $1.99 for a 13 oz can. Slightly over $1.00 for the smaller can.

When I first got my kittens, I posted for advice on the kitten formula of Performatrin wet. Here is what Sharky said:

Originally Posted by sharky

Any input would be great. Here is the info:

INGREDIENTS: chicken, chicken broththe only ??? is what other than broth is in this ... it could contain msg or similiar ingrediants it is COMMON IN premium foods, chicken liver, egg product, guar gumsome dont like this thou it too is a common ingrediant I would prefer not so high up, menahden fish oil, skim milkWHY as many are dairy sensitive , tricalcium phosphate, dried kelp, carrageenan, potassium chlorise, taurine, oregano, inulin, parsley, iron amino acid chelate, rosemary, sage, zinc amino acid chelate, yucca schidigera extract, vitamin e supplement, choline chloride, cobalt amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, niacin, sodium selenite, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin d3 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin a supplement, potassium iodide, vitamin b12 supplement, biotin.

CALORIE CONTENT: 1500 kcal/Kg 561 kcal/can (13.2 oz)

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein: 11.0% MIN
Crude Fat: 7.0% MIN
Crude Fibre: 1.0% MAX
Moisture: 78% MAX
Ash: 2.5% MAX
Calcium: 0.25% MIN
Phosphorus: 0.20% MIN
Magnesium: 0.03% MAX

Taurine: 0;08% MIN

Omega 6 Fatty Acids: 0.8% MIN
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: 0.08% MIN
Please note that I think the skim milk is NOT in the regular chicken formula. And my girls, who had no interest in the kitten formula, seemed to be fine with regular Chicken formula. I've only fed it a few times, though.

Hope this helps!
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

I'd agree with a lot of what you say, but kibble does nothing to help a cat's teeth. Cats do not "chew" - their jaws only go up and down not side to side like us. Unless the kibble is quite large, cats swallow it whole and even when they bite into it, they break the piece with the tip of the tooth which does nothing for the build-up of plaque at the root of the tooth. This is a common myth about kibble that folks buy into. There really is no reason to ever feed kibble - it's for the convenience of humans and does little to nothing for the cats themselves.
Really? I did not know that. I thought that eating dry did help with teeth. Is that the same with dogs do you know?

That's gotta be one of the biggest marketing schemes out there... I've seen so many foods or treats that say "help clean teeth".

Why is fish not good for for kitties????

Originally Posted by zoeysmom

Snake_Lady,

A while back I asked if you had tried the regular old Performatrin wet. If you're looking to save money, it might be a better option than the one from Walmart. I think it sells here for $1.99 for a 13 oz can. Slightly over $1.00 for the smaller can.

When I first got my kittens, I posted for advice on the kitten formula of Performatrin wet. Here is what Sharky said:



Please note that I think the skim milk is NOT in the regular chicken formula. And my girls, who had no interest in the kitten formula, seemed to be fine with regular Chicken formula. I've only fed it a few times, though.

Hope this helps!
Thanks for posting that nutritional info
I did glance at it the last time I was in there....but I couldn't see any in a 'stew' type mixture (which is what he's eating now). If he does eat the one I bought from walmart (its a pate style) then I'm going to try the performatrin. It seems to look pretty good and comes in the big cans.

I'd like to see him eat a variety of foods....without breaking the bank.

Thanks for the input everyone
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by PintaMeez

Brands that I use/have used:
Evo Innova - good cans & kibble
Wellness - grain free types only, canned
Orijen - good cans & kibble
Old School Nutrition - 100% meat canned food
Where do you buy Old School Nutrition?? Would you happen to have a nutritional analyses or ingred list for it? Thanks.
 

zoeysmom

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Ahh...no, I think they are all pate style. Sorry...I must have missed you saying that you need a stew style.

I don't remember if I've mentioned this to you before in your threads, but my girls will generally not eat regular pate style food. And with the stew style, they tended to lick the gravy and leave the rest.
I discovered if I put a bit of water in it and mixed it up in the blender (my magic bullet has never got so much use!) so that it's a gravy consistency, they will lick it right up.

My Pet Valu here has Merrick's, which are stew style and good quality. That said, they are quite pricey!
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Really? I did not know that. I thought that eating dry did help with teeth. Is that the same with dogs do you know?

That's gotta be one of the biggest marketing schemes out there... I've seen so many foods or treats that say "help clean teeth".

Why is fish not good for for kitties????



Thanks for posting that nutritional info
I did glance at it the last time I was in there....but I couldn't see any in a 'stew' type mixture (which is what he's eating now). If he does eat the one I bought from walmart (its a pate style) then I'm going to try the performatrin. It seems to look pretty good and comes in the big cans.

I'd like to see him eat a variety of foods....without breaking the bank.

Thanks for the input everyone
Merricks Granny's Pot Pie and Thanksgiving Day Dinner are both stew type foods and look good enough for us to eat. That's what our cats like (the only wet they like that is a quality food). Unfortunately in Canada I pay $1.69 per 5.5 ounce can which can add up.

BLAISE has given you info on the fish issue.

ETA: There is one food that Sharky says will has been hailed as helping with the tartar - it is Hill's Prescription Diet T/D. We get a small bag from the vet and mix a few pieces into thier Orijen so that if it really does help, at least they are getting some. I wouldn't feed only that as it isn't the best quality food.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by zoeysmom

Ahh...no, I think they are all pate style. Sorry...I must have missed you saying that you need a stew style.

I don't remember if I've mentioned this to you before in your threads, but my girls will generally not eat regular pate style food. And with the stew style, they tended to lick the gravy and leave the rest.
I discovered if I put a bit of water in it and mixed it up in the blender (my magic bullet has never got so much use!) so that it's a gravy consistency, they will lick it right up.

My Pet Valu here has Merrick's, which are stew style and good quality. That said, they are quite pricey!
Ohhh, good idea.... I will have to try that. Thanks for the tip.

Originally Posted by BLAISE

some reasons
thanks


Originally Posted by Yosemite

Merricks Granny's Pot Pie and Thanksgiving Day Dinner are both stew type foods and look good enough for us to eat. That's what our cats like (the only wet they like that is a quality food). Unfortunately in Canada I pay $1.69 per 5.5 ounce can which can add up.
OUCH....I pay 2.69 for the holistic listed above (13oz)

I will definately have to do some more looking, now that I know what to look for
 

sylorna

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Where do you buy Old School Nutrition?? Would you happen to have a nutritional analyses or ingred list for it? Thanks.
I was looking at the old school nutrition today. It is literally what it says on the can, so if it's "chicken flavour", the ingredients are: "chicken, water". They also have a dry, but it has more ingredients involved, such as sweet potato.
 
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snake_lady

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Originally Posted by Sylorna

I was looking at the old school nutrition today. It is literally what it says on the can, so if it's "chicken flavour", the ingredients are: "chicken, water". They also have a dry, but it has more ingredients involved, such as sweet potato.
This is an old thread


But yes, I've already found it.... although I don't like the dry, I do feed the wet on occassion as it is supplemental feeding only.
 
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