Innova?

silverphoenix69

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I've read some places saying Innova is good, then others say its bad. Is the Innova Evo better than just the Innova?

I want to put my cats on a more natural diet to help keep them as healthy as possible, but not going to raw. I want the closest thing to it though.

Does anyone have any recommendations for Innova? Or even a "better" food to feed?

Sorry this is so short but I'm dead tired *sigh*
 

sharky

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Natura the company that makes those has had a few issues/// BUT to be truthful ALL Pet food companies seem to have some issues...

Evo is a great food but only about 50% of cats who try it do well on it ...

Innova regular is IMHO too grainy ... I would use a single meat single grain first ....
 

blueandfrodo

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i was planning on switching my kitties to evo since that is what i also feed my ferret, but we ended up going all canned instead. evo is a great food imo but if you have any kitties that are bordering on being too chubby i would be super careful with portion amounts since evo is very high in calories - 612 cal/cup!! i was feeding orijen and i feel that either of these 2 kibbles are great. orijen is also high in calories - 540 cal/cup. if you don't have to worry about your kitties gaining then i would definitely chose evo.
 
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silverphoenix69

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Thanks
I know all foods can have their problems, I just want a food that has the "least" amount of problems, and is healthy for them. I don't no why I just didn't get the evo, I have it for my ferrets.

Thats why I wanted to switch to evo as well, because my ferrets are on it


And the chubby part is what I was a little worried about as well. Midnight is just over normal weight shes 5.6kg (she's also "big boned"). But I need Lightning and Lucky to gain some.

Twice a day I put a cup and a half in their bowl, but I'm thinking of switching that to feeding them all sepertly so that I can give them all how much their "supposed" to be eating. Don't no how well that'll end up working.

What other food other then the Evo is good, other then Orijen?
 

korina

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SilverPhoenix,

Both Evo and Orijen are great, since the recalls I have been feeding my cats a 50/50 mixture of the two brands.

To add to those two, I can vouch for Nature's Variety Instinct Dry, same caliber food but if it is only 475 callories and 40% protein, so weight gain and possible urinary problems for females is reduced.
http://www.naturesvariety.com/instin..._kibble_rabbit

Also Wellness now has a product called Core, they dont sell it at my Independent Premium Pet store, but they have it at Petco. My silly brother bought me a petco gift card, so I grabbed a 20 lb bag.
They also do the "bio-coating" that Natures Variety does.

I have nothing against Evo, but at my store Orijen is slightly cheaper so I now use Orijen as my "base" for food blending. Right now I am doing with the gift card bought Wellness. When that runs out I will mix Orijen with the Natures Variety, then after that, prob around August I will mix Orijen with Evo.

Not all cats tolerate mixing or changes, but it's something my cats have always from birth and have conditioned to it (back in the day I would mix the two Nutro brands).

Theres another grain free brand, cant remember the name but its trash, has weird stuff like smoked Salmon.

PS. Nature's Variety does source their rabbit meat from China, my kitty loves it, its her favorite Wet by far and NV says they audit and do alot of safety checks, just thought I would tell you.................
 

ilovemy2cats

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Innova is no grainier than any other at 28.88% carbs. I've been using Innova for the past year and am very satisfied with it. Also, 100% of their ingredients come from US sources. I doubt many companies can say that.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by ilovemy2cats

Innova is no grainier than any other at 28.88% carbs. I've been using Innova for the past year and am very satisfied with it. Also, 100% of their ingredients come from US sources. I doubt many companies can say that.
... Many premiums with grain are now in the low 20s for carbs and many grain frees are below that ... 28 % IMHO is very high since the mid grade food I once feed only had 24% carbs and only one grain
... If you do a search on here you will find that Innova while a good food according to many is on of many decent to good foods ...
 

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I feed my cats EVO ancestral diet because I have had to deal with feline diabetes. Lost one to the disease and the other has been controlled with the EVO 95% meat. No insulin. It comes in turkey/chicken, beef, duck and venison. It is pricey, but saving money on vet bills. It all evens out. This food is less than 10% carbs. The less, the better. Did I mention this is wet food? Good Luck.
 

ilovemy2cats

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Originally Posted by sharky

... Many premiums with grain are now in the low 20s for carbs and many grain frees are below that ... 28 % IMHO is very high since the mid grade food I once feed only had 24% carbs and only one grain
... If you do a search on here you will find that Innova while a good food according to many is on of many decent to good foods ...
Which dry foods (with grains) have carbs in the low 20s? The lowest I've seen is 25%. I also don't want to feed any foods with glutens in it since the pet food recall.
 

korina

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Originally Posted by farleyv

I feed my cats EVO ancestral diet because I have had to deal with feline diabetes. Lost one to the disease and the other has been controlled with the EVO 95% meat. No insulin. It comes in turkey/chicken, beef, duck and venison. It is pricey, but saving money on vet bills. It all evens out. This food is less than 10% carbs. The less, the better. Did I mention this is wet food? Good Luck.
Farleyv,

I feed my cat a rotation of wet foods and by far her favorite is Nature's Variety Instinct 95% (chicken and rabbit and lamb).

Since my store doesnt stock Evo 95, or the new Wellness Core 95, I would have to order a whole case to try.

Have you ever fed your Instinct Chicken or other varieties? Did you see the consistency or the product itself to be very similar?

I like to get my cat as many sources of meats (as in farms) as possible, and the one downside to NV Instinct is whole flaxseeds which by opinion is either useless or harmfull. So I would like to find her another 95.

I also feed her Merricks Thanksgiving, and Pot Pie, as well as Nature's Variety Prarie cans, and Weruva Fish cans.
 

littleraven7726

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Have you checked California Natural (also made by Natura)? We're trying California Natural Chicken & Rice dry food, it's currently being mixed with what my cats have been eating. So far they like it. I found a store that carries the 15 lb bag for the same price as a 16 lb bag of Iams Healthy Naturals. My senior guy, Nabu, is really picky, and the fact that he likes the chicken & rice AND the herring & sweet potato (sample of that one) says a lot. He pretty much decided the only thing he will eat from the big box stores anymore is Purina, and that leaves Stimpy's coat too dry. He also likes the Chicken Soup and Katz N Flocken samples we got.
 

farleyv

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Korina, In my neck of the woods, there really isn't alot of choices for good food. I've never seen those brands here, but I am going to google them and try to find them in this area. I have to go 20 miles to get the EVO 95%. I had started giving all 8 of my cats this food, but my gosh it got soooo expensive. So now, I separate my diabetic cat and give him evo or Fancy Feast, which is on the diabetic list, but not all flavors and give the rest who are not diabetic 9 lives or friskies wet (everything is wet). 9 lives and friskies are on the list of ok foods. Look into the website "yourdiabeticcat.com. Tons of food information there, not just for diabetic cats. Shannon
 

korina

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20 miles? Thats not terrible, but if you live in the sticks Im guessing there is zero to nothing to do on that 20 mile journey

You MIGHT want to consider mail order, it may be cheaper.

But yea, Nature's Variety is a great company, they are famous for their raw products (they sell it frozen in store, or freeze dried).
Over the years they moved into wet, then dry.
http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_cat_can

Their 95% Instinct products only downfall is
a) it has whole flaxseeds, from what I have read these are useless and maybe MAYBE harmfull (completely subjective medical blog opinion). Humans and cats get EPA fatty acids from the oil, the little ammount of oil in a single seed is pointless.
b) It has a high caloric number just like grain free dry (Chicken is 220 calories, lamb is 260, vet says both my cats should max on 160 calories), although calories, Evo seems to be about the same.

c) Their rabbit product, my kitties favorite is made from Chinese rabbits. Not a total deal breaker, but with the US economy the way it is(Buy American!), and Food as dangerous as it is in ALL countries I was a bit mad when I found out this fact from Sharky.

Merrick's is marketed as "Low Glycemic" and grain free, it is both of them, at only 150 calories, Merricks is the cheapest in price, lowest caloric wet food I know of.
(as far as price, I get cases for less than 24$ (maybe 22.99)
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/...at_food_55.php

Wellness Core Cans, is a new product from a well known company.
Wellness is now carried at Petco, although I have not yet seen their "Core" line (means grain free) of wet in that store yet, but expect it soon as it just came out.
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_w...e_chicken.html
So anyways, enough ranting, call up your store and ask if they can order for you.

My store will order me anything I want (as long as their distributor carries it) and what is awesome and hillarious, is they beat the manufacture's direct prices!

I can get Food cheaper through my shop than ordering directly from Merricks or Evangers (another organic company, but not grain free).

I was hoping Sharky would stop in and answer the question for me, "Are Evo and Instinct similar in smell and consistency?"
Regardless what I will do is order a case of EVO chicken for kitty and hope she loves it. Worst case I end up with 20 cans I will feed to my friend's dogs....
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Korina

20 miles? Thats not terrible, but if you live in the sticks Im guessing there is zero to nothing to do on that 20 mile journey

You MIGHT want to consider mail order, it may be cheaper.

But yea, Nature's Variety is a great company, they are famous for their raw products (they sell it frozen in store, or freeze dried).
Over the years they moved into wet, then dry.
http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_cat_can

Their 95% Instinct products only downfall is
a) it has whole flaxseeds, from what I have read these are useless and maybe MAYBE harmfull (completely subjective medical blog opinion). Humans and cats get EPA fatty acids from the oil, the little ammount of oil in a single seed is pointless.
b) It has a high caloric number just like grain free dry (Chicken is 220 calories, lamb is 260, vet says both my cats should max on 160 calories), although calories, Evo seems to be about the same.

c) Their rabbit product, my kitties favorite is made from Chinese rabbits. Not a total deal breaker, but with the US economy the way it is(Buy American!), and Food as dangerous as it is in ALL countries I was a bit mad when I found out this fact from Sharky.

Merrick's is marketed as "Low Glycemic" and grain free, it is both of them, at only 150 calories, Merricks is the cheapest in price, lowest caloric wet food I know of.
(as far as price, I get cases for less than 24$ (maybe 22.99)
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/...at_food_55.php

Wellness Core Cans, is a new product from a well known company.
Wellness is now carried at Petco, although I have not yet seen their "Core" line (means grain free) of wet in that store yet, but expect it soon as it just came out.
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_w...e_chicken.html
So anyways, enough ranting, call up your store and ask if they can order for you.

My store will order me anything I want (as long as their distributor carries it) and what is awesome and hillarious, is they beat the manufacture's direct prices!

I can get Food cheaper through my shop than ordering directly from Merricks or Evangers (another organic company, but not grain free).

I was hoping Sharky would stop in and answer the question for me, "Are Evo and Instinct similar in smell and consistency?"
Regardless what I will do is order a case of EVO chicken for kitty and hope she loves it. Worst case I end up with 20 cans I will feed to my friend's dogs....
Note my descriptions are a touch off at times... Evo LOTS of gums with fat on top , very most meat
Instinct is much drier ... less "juices " and gums ...
 

korina

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Originally Posted by sharky

Note my descriptions are a touch off at times... Evo LOTS of gums with fat on top , very most meat
Instinct is much drier ... less "juices " and gums ...
Huh? Sharky, thanks for finally coming, I was waiting for you. See how I give you props for the chinese rabbits and whole flaxseed, I hate to have to give a disclaimer for my cat's favorite food.

Now onto your wacky post
Is it a joke Im not getting? help me out
 

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My two cents about regular Innova: I fed it to my cats for several years and they did quite well on it (with the exception of Sprout who has food sensitivites). However, the price kept going up and it got so expensive that I finally decided to switch to a grain free in a different brand - the price was about the same. I'm now feeding my two who get dry Taste of the Wild, which is grain free and much cheaper than the regular Innova.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Korina

Huh? Sharky, thanks for finally coming, I was waiting for you. See how I give you props for the chinese rabbits and whole flaxseed, I hate to have to give a disclaimer for my cat's favorite food.

Now onto your wacky post
Is it a joke Im not getting? help me out
no not a joke... EVO has what most would call a thick fat layer ( in reality it is different coming agents with a bit of fat ..

instinct has little of a gum/ fat layer on top and is much drier
 

korina

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Originally Posted by sharky

no not a joke... EVO has what most would call a thick fat layer ( in reality it is different coming agents with a bit of fat ..

instinct has little of a gum/ fat layer on top and is much drier
Oh shoot, I am ridiculous, I thought you were talking about gum meat, gross and silly I know (in California where I once lived, they would sell tacos with more expensive beef cheek or lip, never ate em!).

By Gum you mean guar gum, and carageen, I got ya.

As far as instinct goes, except for the chicken, ALL their cans are "dry".

My cat eats too enthusiastically, and if I don't chop up her Instinct Rabbit or Lamb real good (I will slice filets with a cheap steak knife, then chop that up) she will drop the food all of the floor as it falls out of her mouth (she eats like a dog).
 

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Originally Posted by sharky

... Many premiums with grain are now in the low 20s for carbs and many grain frees are below that ... 28 % IMHO is very high since the mid grade food I once feed only had 24% carbs and only one grain
...
Jennifer....
Would you share the names of food that has grain but is in the low 20's for carbs.
I have tried searching here but can't find any food with grain, that low in carbs.

Every food I check, using the calculator linked below is much higher in carbs.

http://www.scheyderweb.com/cats/catfood.html
I need help.
Thanks
 

ilovemy2cats

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Originally Posted by sharky

Natura the company that makes those has had a few issues/// BUT to be truthful ALL Pet food companies seem to have some issues...

Evo is a great food but only about 50% of cats who try it do well on it ...

Innova regular is IMHO too grainy ... I would use a single meat single grain first ....
What issues has Natura had? I don't recall hearing about any. As far as grainy, the carb percentage of Innova is 28.88% just about the same as any other food with grains. I would like to know what food has less that is not grain free. One good thing about Natura, ALL of their ingredients are from the USA including the vitamin mix. Most companies get their vitamin premix from China even though the other ingredients might be from the USA.
 
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