Adopted my first kitty ever! - food tips

silva_unt

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Since this is my first cat, I wanted to find a forum that gave great information! This is by far the best I've come across!
I've specifically been looking through the topics under nutrution because I want to find the best food for my Neko. She is 7 months, indoor cat, very active, and currently on Science Diet Nature's Best. I noticed many of you mix dry foods and offer your cats a variety of canned foods. I want to try this! Neko's not fond of canned but we're working on it!

I want to feed 50%grain and 50%grain free. Is this okay? If so...
Wellness Core and Nutro Natural Choice Indoor are my two choices.
Feed back would be great! Thanks!
 

carolina

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Hi there neighbor!

I would just go Wellness Core 100%, and since he is a kitten, just offer is all the time, leave it out on the dish at all times... Cats don't need grains, and Core is a great food!

Transition slowly though, as it is much more protein rich than SD - start by adding a few kibbles for a day, move for 1/8, than 1/4, 1/2, etc... until you are feeding all of the new food, and none of the old - this should be done in the course of about 10 days.

For wets - many good brands!
Wellness, Evo, Natural Balance, ZiwiPeak, TikiCat.... Avoid corn, soy, by-product (especially "meat by-products", "meat by-products meal")...

If you can ever get to this store:
http://www.thecatconnection.com/
It is kittie's paradise, and the food selection is fantastic! Totally worth it to go there and shop for the moth.... Tip: leave your CC at home!


Enjoy your new kitty, and we expect pictures!!!
 

furryfriends50

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Personally I can not trust Nutro. They should learn from their past mistakes and even if they actually are trying to make thier food safer it ain't working. How many recalls have they had in the past year?

I think a mix of Wellness CORE and something like Natural Balance would be safer and healthier. Also try feed as much wet food as you can since dry isn't good for cats.
 
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silva_unt

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Originally Posted by furryfriends50

Personally I can not trust Nutro. They should learn from their past mistakes and even if they actually are trying to make thier food safer it ain't working. How many recalls have they had in the past year?
Wow, I didn't know this... thank you!
I think I will try Wellness Core 100% and feed canned foods that contain some grain.
Does anyone else have an alternative to Nutro?
 

carolina

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Silva - Where do you shop? for your choices I am getting Petco?
Try getting a selection of wet foods, wellness is a safe brand to go - Turkey and Chicken are very popular flavors; stay away from beef, kitties don't like that much...
Avoderm, Natural Balance, Solid Gold, Blue Buffalo are pretty solid foods available at Petco.... but again, if you cat drive some miles and got to the Cat Connection..... then you will get the BEST of cat food selection, for both wet and dry...

A combination of Dry and Wet is a GREAT way to go....
Leave the dry always available, and you can feed wet 2x a day, in the am and pm if you can afford, or only in the pm if you are in a budget...

Do you have a water fountain? Highly recommend you getting one.... Cats are not very good drinkers by nature, and a fountain helps enticing them to drink the recommended amount of water a day, helping to assure their kidney/urinary health.... Great investment!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B000L3XYZ4

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B001I449X6
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by silva_unt

Wow, I didn't know this... thank you!
I think I will try Wellness Core 100% and feed canned foods that contain some grain.
Does anyone else have an alternative to Nutro?
I forgot!!!!
Since you want to feed grains in a wet.... if you have a petsmart - a great alternative to Nutro is Petsmart brand "Authority" - great for the budget too, and pretty good quality!
 
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silva_unt

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Petco and Petsmart are my closest locations. I will check out Cat Connection as well.
She likes to eat a little at a time and make multiple trips to her food dish. With canned, its not appetizing 5-10 min. later when she returns to it so it goes to waste. I think a night time feeding of wet will work that way I can give her a little at a time. She prefers minced type over chunky too.

She LOVES water! Everytime I turn on the sink she's there drinking from it. She doesn't mind her water bowl either... which is good


Thanks! I will try canned Authority!
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by silva_unt

Petco and Petsmart are my closest locations. I will check out Cat Connection as well.
She likes to eat a little at a time and make multiple trips to her food dish. With canned, its not appetizing 5-10 min. later when she returns to it so it goes to waste. I think a night time feeding of wet will work that way I can give her a little at a time. She prefers minced type over chunky too.

She LOVES water! Everytime I turn on the sink she's there drinking from it. She doesn't mink her water bowl either... which is good


Thanks! I will try canned Authority!
Authority is pate style, so I bet she will like it!

A good solution for her eating just a little at a time: open a can, and divide the content into an ice tray (since she only eats a little bit, fill the cubes 1/2 or 2/3 way to the top) - put it into the freezer for a couple of hours... Take the cubes out of the tray and place them in a freezer ziplock bag - this will keep it fresh, prevent freezer burn, and save a BUNCH of $$$. I always keep the left overs in the freezer - it keeps it fresh this way.

Authority is GOOD food for the $$ - like $0.60 for 5.5oz! Kitties love it too...

If she likes to drink out of the fawcet, please consider getting a Drinkwell fountain.... You might spend $60 bucks now, but it will save you vet money in the future.... Seriously
 
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silva_unt

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carolinalima,

How do you suggest thawing before feeding?
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by silva_unt

carolinalima,

How do you suggest thawing before feeding?
Microwaving - 13-15 seconds should do it! - but watch it, if the QTY is very little, maybe not even that.... easy easy...
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by silva_unt

Thank you for all your advice!
Hey, no problem! You came to the right place - your head you go for a spin!


Welcome to TCS! You will make good friends here - there is a wonderful group of cat lovers here, and a priceless amount of knowledge!
 

goo

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Orijen for dry, ZiwiPeak and Wellness for wet. And once in a while I will let them having some cooked human food as treat, home make chicken soup(no salt no seasoning, no onion, no garlic, no peper), salmon or tuna(again no salt or seasoning), yogurt and carb meat(they love it).

Food is like cars, different people have different opinion but in general pet food that you can buy from supermarket or department store is a no no.

And do whatever it take to keep they teeth clean, i could be dental treat, bones or whatever. It will pay off big in their elder year.

Good luck.
 

auntie crazy

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Congratulations on your new kitty! How exciting for you!


Dry food is bad for cats and free-feeding it often leads to obesity as well as many other issues. See here for a good article explaining why. And here and here for more info on the consequences of feeding kibble.

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they have no need for fruits, veggies or grains and cannot, in fact, fully digest these products.

I'd recommend a canned grain-free diet for your kitty (actually, I recommend raw, but that's a tough sell sometimes *smile*).

(Side note - how hysterical - my littlest cat, Heather, just growled out the window at a passing dog.
)

Let us know what you decide to feed!
 

jack31

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I've not found any issue with feeding beef flavored wet or beef raw to my cats.

There isn't a protein mine aren't fans off--minus raw fish.

Leslie
 

auntie crazy

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Originally Posted by Jack31

I've not found any issue with feeding beef flavored wet or beef raw to my cats. There isn't a protein mine aren't fans off--minus raw fish. Leslie

Cats are as individualistic in their tastes as we are, and can even change their preferences from week to week. I would never not try something just because someone else's cat may not have liked it at some point.
 

furryfriends50

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Originally Posted by Jack31

I've not found any issue with feeding beef flavored wet or beef raw to my cats.

There isn't a protein mine aren't fans off--minus raw fish.

Leslie
The only thing most of mine have refused (that I have tried) was goat. I only tried that once so who knows if they just didn't feel like it that week or if cats just hate it
 
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