Thinking about switching dry foods...

catnurse22

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Okay. As of now my three boys (all neutered, healthy 1-3 year olds with no history of urinary/kidney/weight issues) are on Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Young Neutered Cat dry and Authority wet. I'm fine with the Authority wet. The main reason for the RC dry is we carry RC at the vet clinic I work at and I thought I was getting a pretty good deal ($34 for a 17lb bag) for a pretty good food. Now I know RC isn't the best food out there. But mine have been on it for a year+ and are all very healthy boys with beautiful coats. I've considered switching them to a higher quality food but haven't because I didn't think I could afford it.

But, we aren't expecting our shipment of RC at work until the end of the week and the boys are out so I went to PetSmart to get non VD RC, but it was 6 dollars more for a pound less!! So, I looked at the other brands of dry and was amazed at how low the prices were!! All are within 5 dollars of what I'm paying now. After looking through the ingredients of several different varieties (Avoderm, ProPlan, Nutro Max, Eukanuba, Blue Buffalo) I came home with a small bag of Blue Buffalo Spa Select Adult Chicken and Brown Rice formula. The only other higher quality brands available around town are Wellness as far as dry goes.

Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Whole Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Blueberries, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Taurine, L-Lysine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmeric, Salmon Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin C, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Potassium), Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium.

Analysis
Crude Protein \t34.0% min
Crude Fat \t18.0% min
Crude Fiber \t3.5% max
Moisture \t10.0% max
Ash \t6.0% max
Magnesium \t0.10% max
Taurine \t0.15% min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* \t0.8% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* \t3.5% min

So, what are your opinions? If you don't like then what are your suggestions for a dry food that's around $30-$40 for a 15-17lbs bag? Knowing I can't get TOTW, Orijen, or any of the other "rare" brands.
 

rosiemac

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I buy a 10 kg bag of Royal Canin for £45.99 which in $$$ works out at $73.64

I buy that one because it's the "Intensive fur ball" brand which they say works twice as much as other furball kibbles, and i have to admit it does seem to do the job because Rosie and Sophie only hack up a fur ball twice a year now
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by CatNurse22

Okay. As of now my three boys (all neutered, healthy 1-3 year olds with no history of urinary/kidney/weight issues) are on Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Young Neutered Cat dry and Authority wet. I'm fine with the Authority wet. The main reason for the RC dry is we carry RC at the vet clinic I work at and I thought I was getting a pretty good deal ($34 for a 17lb bag) for a pretty good food. Now I know RC isn't the best food out there. But mine have been on it for a year+ and are all very healthy boys with beautiful coats. I've considered switching them to a higher quality food but haven't because I didn't think I could afford it.

But, we aren't expecting our shipment of RC at work until the end of the week and the boys are out so I went to PetSmart to get non VD RC, but it was 6 dollars more for a pound less!! So, I looked at the other brands of dry and was amazed at how low the prices were!! All are within 5 dollars of what I'm paying now. After looking through the ingredients of several different varieties (Avoderm, ProPlan, Nutro Max, Eukanuba, Blue Buffalo) I came home with a small bag of Blue Buffalo Spa Select Adult Chicken and Brown Rice formula. The only other higher quality brands available around town are Wellness as far as dry goes.

Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, OatmealThree grains in general not great this high up definately DOES NOT impress me, Salmon MealIf Uti issues present this may be a ??able, Whole Potatoesa heavy starch ... , Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Blueberries, Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids)all are fine but only the sweet potato has truely something to give tha ave cat ... the rest is to make it look good for us humans , Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, Taurine, L-Lysine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Turmericfine if used medically under proper vet care
, Salmon Oil (natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Black Malted Barley, Oil of Rosemary, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin C, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta Carotene, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Potassium Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Potassium), Cobalt Proteinate (source of Chelated Cobalt), Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, Bifidobacterium longum, Enterococcus faecium.

Analysis
Crude Protein \t34.0% min
Crude Fat \t18.0% min

Crude Fiber \t3.5% max
Moisture \t10.0% max
Ash \t6.0% max
Magnesium \t0.10% max
Taurine \t0.15% min
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* \t0.8% min
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* \t3.5% min


So, what are your opinions? If you don't like then what are your suggestions for a dry food that's around $30-$40 for a 15-17lbs bag? Knowing I can't get TOTW, Orijen, or any of the other "rare" brands.
Blue IMHO is a decent food but I put it with royal canin ,nutro and authority ... which in many formulas these are LESS grainy than Blue

this formula has 3 grains 2 meats 2 starches and 1 accessory protein

If I understand the RX food is not for a issue??
 
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catnurse22

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Originally Posted by sharky

Blue IMHO is a decent food but I put it with royal canin ,nutro and authority ... which in many formulas these are LESS grainy than Blue

this formula has 3 grains 2 meats 2 starches and 1 accessory protein

If I understand the RX food is not for a issue??
No, rx food isn't for any health reasons.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by CatNurse22

No, rx food isn't for any health reasons.
than pick any food you are comfortable feeding...
 

goldenkitty45

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My cats are on the RC Urinary (cause of Charlie). But they raised the prices recently (now $45 for the bag) and Sharky recommended a few others that would work for Charlie.

I'm planning on switching them to Nutro Max Cat food when this bag is half gone. They get selected types/brands of canned food (Blue Buffalo, Wellness, Avoderm, Natural Choice, Natural Balance and Iams - in chicken, lamb, venison, and beef only). NO fish based foods.

I also am feeding them raw chicken thighs and beef twice a week.
 

skimble

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Originally Posted by CatNurse22

So, what are your opinions? If you don't like then what are your suggestions for a dry food that's around $30-$40 for a 15-17lbs bag? Knowing I can't get TOTW, Orijen, or any of the other "rare" brands.
I get Taste of the Wild around here at $26 for 15 lbs. I don't recall the price of the 30 lb bag, but it might be cheaper per pound to get the larger size if you can store in an air tight container.

Are any of these places close to you? http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/dealer_locator/
 
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