what brands sold at wal-mart do you reccommend?

nekkiddoglady

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We live in a rural area, and there is just ONE small feed store that sells the good brands, but its open during weird hours, and with our work hours, its not feasable to get there to buy food.

We both work at walmart.. my BF is the main person who buys the cat food, he just picks it up when he gets off work (he works a midnite shift and gets off at 7am). Currently he buys the foods like meow mix, 9 lives, friskies, etc. He doesnt get the cheap "special kitty". I know there's stuff like Purina ONE, and Iams.. and something called Natural Life.. I know I've also seen Newman's Own, but not sure if our walmart carries the big bag (with 5 cats, we NEED the BIG bag!).
 

GoldyCat

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I read this and thought, "Didn't I just answer this question?"
Thought I was losing it. Then I realized the same question had come up in this thread.
Here's the short version of what I wrote there.

I checked the Walmart website, which gives the ingredient list for each type of cat food. The only dry food from their list that I would even consider giving to my cats is Newman's Own. You would have to check with your local Walmart to find out if they carry it.

You should stay away from anything the has by-products as the first ingredient or the only protein source. Also stay away from anything that has corn as the first ingredient, or split into two or three corn sources in the first six ingredients. If you add them together it would make corn the first ingredient.

I have no idea how the costs compare since I don't buy my dry food from Walmart.
 
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nekkiddoglady

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ya you did just answer it in the thread about persians.. but I asked here because I thought I'd get more input about foods if I started a thread in the nutrition section.
 

littleraven7726

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In my opinion, Iams Healthy Naturals is pretty good. My cats ate that for about a year and a half and did well. I think Wal-Mart carries some sizes of Purina Naturals. That is supposed to be pretty good (no dyes/artificial preservatives). Unfortunately, I've only seen the big bags of both of those at Petsmart in my area.


You could always try Iams Original, Wal-Mart usually has that in the big bags.

I've heard some of the Purina ONE formulas are pretty good, maybe other members could point you to those.
 

lizzie

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I know there are a lot of people who don't approve of Iams,but I have been feeding it for years with no issues.To be honest,as many as I have,I need any discount that I can get,and I work at Wal-Mart too...in personnel.I buy the regular in the orange bag and I also buy the hairball formula,and I mix them.My guys and gals are healthy,have shiny coats and are very active,and they've stopped throwing up so many hairballs.Even my senior kids have done well with it.I know...2 bags is about $50,but with 5 cats it ought to last you for awhile.I make sure they have plenty of water...in fact,I have the le bistro waterers (3 of them) because they just eat the dry food...no wet food at all.Many years ago,before I came upon the Iams,I tried the purina foods.Seems like I had more trouble with uti's and my vet said to not feed the purina anymore,which is really when he suggested the Iams...couldn't afford the brands he carries.I've been very satisfied with it,and so are my kids!
 

strange_wings

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^Wal-marts Maxximum Nutrition isn't that bad, honestly. Unless they dramatically changed the formula recently because of Mars tightened salmonella protocols it gets fresh meat (depending on the plants supplies, often human grade) and it does not have any dyes. I've used their kitten food several times in the past, used the regular formula for outdoor kitties, and given hundreds of pounds of it away to family. It does have grains, though, so it will make for more poop in the litter box than higher quality foods that have less or no grains.

About the best that you can find at walmart is the canned Iams and Natural Life.
 

GoldyCat

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I did look at Maxximum Nutrition once and thought it was a reasonable food. Unfortunately, the Walmart where I shop doesn't seem to keep it in stock. The one bag they had on the shelf was expired.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by GoldyCat

I did look at Maxximum Nutrition once and thought it was a reasonable food. Unfortunately, the Walmart where I shop doesn't seem to keep it in stock. The one bag they had on the shelf was expired.
Odd. iirc DH said there's a lamb and rice formula for cats - I've never seen that one at my local walmart, but it may be something people could check theirs for.
 

Willowy

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Maxximum Nutrition is a pretty good food, but it seems most Wal-Marts have trouble keeping it in stock. If your Wal-Mart is better about that---and maybe since you work there you'd have more access to the backroom stock---it's worth a try.

Iams, Purina ONE (the formulas with meat as the #1 ingredient---not all of them do, check the label), and Purina Naturals aren't terrible. But do try to get Maxximum if you can.

Stay far away from Meow Mix, 9 Lives, and Friskies....if that's the price range you're stuck with, go with Purina Cat Chow, it's better than the others.
 

fattykitty

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Originally Posted by Willowy

Maxximum Nutrition is a pretty good food, but it seems most Wal-Marts have trouble keeping it in stock. If your Wal-Mart is better about that---and maybe since you work there you'd have more access to the backroom stock---it's worth a try.

Iams, Purina ONE (the formulas with meat as the #1 ingredient---not all of them do, check the label), and Purina Naturals aren't terrible. But do try to get Maxximum if you can.

Stay far away from Meow Mix, 9 Lives, and Friskies....if that's the price range you're stuck with, go with Purina Cat Chow, it's better than the others.
Actually you want some kind of meat meal as the first ingredient since it is weighed before it is dried.
 

Willowy

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Well, yeah, I know that. I just meant that some Purina ONE formulas have corn as the first ingredient (now, the whole point of the ONE part is that all formulas used to have meat as the # 1 ingredient, but not anymore). I don't think any of them have a named meat meal as the first ingredient, though. Sometimes you're stuck with what you have available.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by fattykitty

What about Maxximum Nutrition, Purina Naturals, or or Iams Healthy Naturals?
Maxxium is one I would find decent

same for Naturals

Iam IMHO is just above typical grocery
 

3catsn1dog

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I feed my cats Purina Indoor. I had a problem where anything with red food pieces would turn Hercs poo red. So I started using this and havent had any problems.
 

otto

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I read this and thought,
Also stay away from anything that has corn as the first ingredient, or split into two or three corn sources in the first six ingredients. If you add them together it would make corn the first ingredient.

.
Well, yeah, I know that. I just meant that some Purina ONE formulas have corn as the first ingredient .
Corn is not bad. It's not ideal, of course, meat proteins being the desirable first two or three ingredients for a healthy cat, but corn is a better protein source grain than others because it helps keep the urine at the proper acidity and has a low allergen probability.
 

fattykitty

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Originally Posted by sharky

Maxxium is one I would find decent

same for Naturals

Iam IMHO is just above typical grocery
Sorry, I haven't been to Walmart in a long time (or anywhere selling Iams Healthy Naturals) so I haven't read the labels.
 

littleraven7726

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Originally Posted by fattykitty

Sorry, I haven't been to Walmart in a long time (or anywhere selling Iams Healthy Naturals) so I haven't read the labels.
I don't really think it's that bad. My cats did well on it, then Nabu's tastes changed so we had to find something else. I'm not a big fan of Purina Naturals because of the Powdered Cellulose in the list. Iams HN does not have that. I have a cat who is intolerant of that ingredient, and it's getting harder and harder to find foods without it.
 

Willowy

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First 6 ingredients of Iams Healthy Naturals are:
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Brewer Rice, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Meal

Regular Iams:
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Corn Grits, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp

and the first 6 of Purina Naturals are:
Chicken meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn meal

Purina ONE (chicken and rice):
Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols


I dunno....of those 4, I would probably go with Iams Healthy Naturals. It's nothing special, and I do think Iams is generally overpriced, but that one does look the "best" to me, given the limited choices. I still think Maxximum is better, and a better price, too.
 

sharky

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Thank you


Originally Posted by Willowy

First 6 ingredients of Iams Healthy Naturals are:
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Brewer Rice, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken Meal

Regular Iams:
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Corn Grits, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp

and the first 6 of Purina Naturals are:
Chicken meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn meal

Purina ONE (chicken and rice):
Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, wheat flour, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols


I dunno....of those 4, I would probably go with Iams Healthy Naturals. It's nothing special, and I do think Iams is generally overpriced, but that one does look the "best" to me, given the limited choices. I still think Maxximum is better, and a better price, too.
Hopefully some colors will help
 

cococat

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I would find a way to get to the feed store, even if it meant calling in the order, paying over the phone and picking it up in like 2 spare minutes on my way to work. Or I would order online and have it come to my door
www.petfooddirect.com
Good luck food hunting
 
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