OK there HAS to be a cheaper way to feed my cats

nance

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And still eat healthy...I'm getting fed up with the price of wellness core and grain free ...I just got back from buying 4 cans of grain free and a small bag of wellness core ..it cost me 29.50 and will only last me 5 days...feeding 5 cats...Homemade diets or raw I bet would end up being cheaper ? I've been thinking about making the switch..but I am alittle worried and not even sure where to start....but at this rate I am spending around 150/175 a month the feed my cats..There has to be a cheaper way....any suggestions ?
 

jack31

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How about Taste of the Wild grainfree dry? It runs about $24 for 16 lbs here. And perhaps buy a non grain free wet instead?

I've been debating this all myself lately as we are adding a 3rd to the family. I've decided to opt for grain free dry and good quality wet--petsmart's authority brand.

Leslie
 

carolina

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Have you tried Taste of the Wild? It costs about $25 for a 15lbs bag and it is a pretty decent grain free food...
If you buy wellness canned: Buy the large dog food - it is cheaper, and the same formula as the cat food...
Another option: Get a costco card - their Kirkland (costco own brand) cat food has pretty good ingredients, and costs only $15.00 for a 25lbs bag. If you have male kitties that are over 7 yr old, you might want to consider a food with grains anyways, so kirkland might be a good idea...
For wet food, Authority (petsmart own brand) is pretty good, and costs only $0.67 for a 6oz can.
 

sharky

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where are you shopping and what brands are avail ... I buy a case of grain free wellness cans (12-13) for 24-28 $ this is with a 10% case discount... I also use the kirkland dry as it is good and CHEAP
 

tdonline

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Wellness wet dog food is the same as the cat food? Really??

I'm beginning to revise my feeding plans too. I'm feeding Innova and Natural Balance wet and and dry. I'm considering going with both of them for dry only and still get a high quality kibble and feeding wet with Authority and Natural Balance (and any other wet I can find that will help with one of my kittie's soft stool) mixed. Natural Balance is $1.39 for a can while Authority is $0.68. And I feed them twice daily for wet so it will be a significant savings.

The kitties were on Authority wet when I adopted them and I switched them out because I didn't think it was good enough. But since then have heard on TCS that it's pretty good stuff and I looked at the ingredients again and was pleasantly surprised by the lack of filler products. My only concern is whether my cats will eat it again. The only wet food I can get them to eat with gusto is NB.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by tdonline

Wellness wet dog food is the same as the cat food? Really??

I'm beginning to revise my feeding plans too. I'm feeding Innova and Natural Balance wet and and dry. I'm considering going with both of them for dry only and still get a high quality kibble and feeding wet with Authority and Natural Balance (and any other wet I can find that will help with one of my kittie's soft stool) mixed. Natural Balance is $1.39 for a can while Authority is $0.68. And I feed them twice daily for wet so it will be a significant savings.

The kitties were on Authority wet when I adopted them and I switched them out because I didn't think it was good enough. But since then have heard on TCS that it's pretty good stuff and I looked at the ingredients again and was pleasantly surprised by the lack of filler products. My only concern is whether my cats will eat it again. The only wet food I can get them to eat with gusto is NB.
CORE wet is the same ... the grain free reg the cat comes in 3, 5.5 and 12.5 oz cans you have to ask ( My store orders the big ones in just for me )
 
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nance

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I'm in Ontario Canada and only have really 3 store to buy from...Pet Valu (http://www.petvalu.com/petproducts/cats.htm Berry's pet food and a speciality store that carries pricer foods like Orjien...go nautral ....wellness... I haven't asked about buying a case of cans but I don't think I'd be saving alot...the large cans are 3.20 with 5 cats I add a small can of cheaper foods to make it go alittle farther lately...plus they get alittle dry(core) as well..I'd like to stick with the grain free...its been so far so good with my cats...
 

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So you can try both Taste of the Wild and Arcana, the latter made by the same people as Orijen... Arcana is much more affordable though... I feed Orijen 6-fish, but I am sure I wouldn't be able to afford it for 6 cats... I LOVE Orijen, and since you are in Canada... Have you looked into Arcana?
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by Nance

I'm in Ontario Canada and only have really 3 store to buy from...Pet Valu (http://www.petvalu.com/petproducts/cats.htm Berry's pet food and a speciality store that carries pricer foods like Orjien...go nautral ....wellness... I haven't asked about buying a case of cans but I don't think I'd be saving alot...the large cans are 3.20 with 5 cats I add a small can of cheaper foods to make it go alittle farther lately...plus they get alittle dry(core) as well..I'd like to stick with the grain free...its been so far so good with my cats...
I shop at PV


TOTW is $40 for the big bag. (grainfree)

I can say that our petvalu does NOT give any discounts on Wellness by the case. I've asked.... it is can price X 12. But a non-chain store might.
 
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nance

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I'm making the switch for my dogs from go natural to orjien( for a change )..they are both grain free as well....However they are chihuahua's and don't eat alot....so it goes alot further....I can buy the larger bag of wellness core for the cats it goes alittle further but its $34 plus tx thats the 5 pound bag...I see on the site they have a 12 pound bag but they don't carry that in the stores here...I've been reading up on raw for sometime now...I guess I am stalling ....I don't think I'd have troubles making it...or storing it but I worry about them not likely it or it giving them diarrhea...I know its a slow process...I wonder if it would be cheaper than the wet I feed them now a day....
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

If you buy wellness canned: Buy the large dog food - it is cheaper, and the same formula as the cat food...
No it isn't. They don't even have the same flavors in dog vs cat.

As far as I know, the only ones you can substitute and buy dog food is the BG canned, and Evo 95%.
 

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Originally Posted by Nance

I'm making the switch for my dogs from go natural to orjien( for a change )..they are both grain free as well....However they are chihuahua's and don't eat alot....so it goes alot further....I can buy the larger bag of wellness core for the cats it goes alittle further but its $34 plus tx thats the 5 pound bag...I see on the site they have a 12 pound bag but they don't carry that in the stores here...I've been reading up on raw for sometime now...I guess I am stalling ....I don't think I'd have troubles making it...or storing it but I worry about them not likely it or it giving them diarrhea...I know its a slow process...I wonder if it would be cheaper than the wet I feed them now a day....
The way I did raw and feed myself , local meats with NO antibiotics , hormones , fed natural diets and free range ... raw = the price of canned or exceeded it ...

I would use 1- 1.4 lbs of raw a day which would be about 3$ a day... Canned runs me about 30-35 $ a month ( yes I do use some meow mix and other grain containing when they are on sale ... Dry runs me about 10 $ a month and treat about 5 $ a month... so RAW would be double plus for my five ...
If I used a commercial formula raw it would increase the price another 25%

Are you willing to give some grain?

Here the big wellness cans run 2.29-2.99 a can before the case discount

ONLY Wellness CORE is the same in dog and cat at this time
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by Nance

....I don't think I'd have troubles making it...or storing it but I worry about them not likely it or it giving them diarrhea...I know its a slow process...I wonder if it would be cheaper than the wet I feed them now a day....
Try it
It is ultimately healthier for your kitties, and yes, it would be cheaper than what you feed them now....

We have a good "raw feeding" forum here....check it out.... If your kitties would eat it, I'd say go for it.
 

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Originally Posted by sharky

Canned runs me about 30-35 $ a month
You have five cats, right? How much of their diet is canned? If canned makes up a significant part...then please tell me how you pay so little!!!
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by MissKalamata

You have five cats, right? How much of their diet is canned? If canned makes up a significant part...then please tell me how you pay so little!!!
for one of the cats it is 50-75% the 3 others it is 25% or so and one eats about 10%

I buy 13oz cans( of a grain free ) usually at about 2$( I get a case discount) a can and hit the sales for other bargains... I shop the feed stores and do utilize the dog foods that work for cats and it pays to make friends with the owners of the pet stores ( ie I did some free work for one and got about two months of wellness free) another store give me a 20 % discount , yet another give case and pt discounts

canned runs a touch over a 1 a day
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

No it isn't. They don't even have the same flavors in dog vs cat.

As far as I know, the only ones you can substitute and buy dog food is the BG canned, and Evo 95%.
Core is the same.
 

sharky

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there are a few dog ones my vet approved on a case by case basis...

The Core is one I use as the BG does not fly with mine ... and wow is the "dog" label a savings about 50 cents a can

Nature s variety is another one
 

snake_lady

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

Core is the same.
ohhh, gonna have to check that out... although I can't remember having seen wellness core canned locally


Ok, colour me blind, but I just looked on the site, and I do not see wellness core dog food.

nvm, found it....

Dog Core canned

Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Chicken Meal, Turkey Liver, Sweet Potatoes, Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Carrots, Apples, Spinach, Parsley, Blueberries, Broccoli, Kale, Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil, Salt, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Potassium Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Cobalt Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Biotin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement.

Protein 12%
Fat 8%
Fiber .5%

Cat Core canned

Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Chicken Meal, Turkey Liver, Dried Ground Potatoes, Natural Chicken Flavor, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Cranberries, Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil, Taurine, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Chicory Root Extract, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Niacin, Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Panthothenate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Biotin.

Protein 12%
Fat 7%
Fiber 0.5%

aside from some ingreds being in different orders, I've bolded the ones I'm concerned about. The dogfood has salt pretty high up and no taurine.... is that ok????
 

sharky

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my local pet store asked the rep who said it was the same ... when I compared the cat and the dog they were identical ( of course who know s with formula changes being so rampant
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by sharky

my local pet store asked the rep who said it was the same ... when I compared the cat and the dog they were identical ( of course who know s with formula changes being so rampant
I think that is the problem with giving cats a food formulated for dogs. The formula may be appropriate for cats at one time but the manufacturer isn't under any obligation to keep it that way. They could change it at any time without notice so that it is still appropriate for dogs but maybe not so appropriate anymore for cats.

If the dog food only makes up a part of the cats diet, maybe the dog forumla would always be close enough to a cat forumula that the other cat food fed would make up for any difference????
 
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