Hi,
I've been reading through this forum and I'd like to try and feed my cats better. I have 4 adult cats: Promise, Tiny, Thufir, and Tre. Promise (4 yrs) is the picture of health, but the others all have some sort of health concern. Tiny is 10 and very overweight. Tre is 13+, has high blood pressure, is going blind, and showed a slightly elevated liver value on the last blood panel, but the vet didn't think prescription food was warranted at this time. Thufir is 9 and he had struvite crystals in his urine and got completely blocked up 3 years ago and he's been on the prescription urinary tract formula (Hill's CD) ever since.
After Thufir got put on the prescription food, I had to stop free-feeding them. Now I feed them 3 times a day and then take the food up. Thufir gets locked in the bathroom to eat and the others eat in the kitchen. I feed them before work, once I get home from work, and before bed. Until recently, it was almost all dry food with the occasional can of CD split between the 4 as a snack. Because of Tiny's weight, the 3 in the kitchen have been getting some sort of weight control formula, such as the Purina One brand.
So, I'd like to try and do a little better with the feeding. I'd like to change at least one meal a day to wet food, and possibly two if I can work out the logistics. I'd also like to find a better quality dry to feed. Right now, that high liver value from Tre's blood test is my biggest concern and I'd like to try and keep him healthy for as long as possible. Tiny's weight is also a concern to me because it puts her at a high risk for diabetes and other complications.
I did go shopping for some healthier food at the PetSmart this weekend and, based on the first 5 ingredients I brought home a couple cans each of Blue Buffalo Spa Select Tender Turkey and Chicken, Nutro MaxCat Turkey and Giblets Formula, and Nutro Natural Choice Chicken and Turkey Platter to see if the kitties will eat them. None of the dry food there really impressed me so I settled on a bag of Authority Senior Formula (not sure if this is OK with Promise who is only 4-1/2 though.) So far, the kitties seem to like these choices, and with the exception of the Blue Buffalo ($1.20/can) they seem pretty reasonably priced. Do these seem like decent choices? My options on stores are basically Wal-Marts, pet stores (PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus), or grocery stores and my budget is pretty flexible.
I'd also like any input / suggestions on the feeding schedule. Right now it's not uncommon for me to be gone to work for 12-14 hours, and in the next 8 months as I get really serious on my dissertation that may become 16-18 hours. This effectively pushes the two evening meals together and means I'm only feeding them twice a day. I'm concerned that may be too long between feedings, but I don't have a good way of leaving food out since my cats are on different foods.
I've been reading through this forum and I'd like to try and feed my cats better. I have 4 adult cats: Promise, Tiny, Thufir, and Tre. Promise (4 yrs) is the picture of health, but the others all have some sort of health concern. Tiny is 10 and very overweight. Tre is 13+, has high blood pressure, is going blind, and showed a slightly elevated liver value on the last blood panel, but the vet didn't think prescription food was warranted at this time. Thufir is 9 and he had struvite crystals in his urine and got completely blocked up 3 years ago and he's been on the prescription urinary tract formula (Hill's CD) ever since.
After Thufir got put on the prescription food, I had to stop free-feeding them. Now I feed them 3 times a day and then take the food up. Thufir gets locked in the bathroom to eat and the others eat in the kitchen. I feed them before work, once I get home from work, and before bed. Until recently, it was almost all dry food with the occasional can of CD split between the 4 as a snack. Because of Tiny's weight, the 3 in the kitchen have been getting some sort of weight control formula, such as the Purina One brand.
So, I'd like to try and do a little better with the feeding. I'd like to change at least one meal a day to wet food, and possibly two if I can work out the logistics. I'd also like to find a better quality dry to feed. Right now, that high liver value from Tre's blood test is my biggest concern and I'd like to try and keep him healthy for as long as possible. Tiny's weight is also a concern to me because it puts her at a high risk for diabetes and other complications.
I did go shopping for some healthier food at the PetSmart this weekend and, based on the first 5 ingredients I brought home a couple cans each of Blue Buffalo Spa Select Tender Turkey and Chicken, Nutro MaxCat Turkey and Giblets Formula, and Nutro Natural Choice Chicken and Turkey Platter to see if the kitties will eat them. None of the dry food there really impressed me so I settled on a bag of Authority Senior Formula (not sure if this is OK with Promise who is only 4-1/2 though.) So far, the kitties seem to like these choices, and with the exception of the Blue Buffalo ($1.20/can) they seem pretty reasonably priced. Do these seem like decent choices? My options on stores are basically Wal-Marts, pet stores (PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus), or grocery stores and my budget is pretty flexible.
I'd also like any input / suggestions on the feeding schedule. Right now it's not uncommon for me to be gone to work for 12-14 hours, and in the next 8 months as I get really serious on my dissertation that may become 16-18 hours. This effectively pushes the two evening meals together and means I'm only feeding them twice a day. I'm concerned that may be too long between feedings, but I don't have a good way of leaving food out since my cats are on different foods.