If money were no concern...

addiebee · Dec 29, 2009

I know... what a way to start a thread! BUT - if money were no concern and you HAD to choose a dry food for your kitties, what would it be?

My new vet wants Archie on grain free - so on the advice of the knowledgeable people here - I purchased a small bag of Taste of the Wild. The boys are currently eating Authority Sensitive Solutions - Turkey/Oatmeal.

Since 6 of the fosters live communally, they will all have to eat what Arch is eating. And yes, they get wet food, too, 2x/day.

BTW - this vet is not averse to raw, just that it would have to be done properly b/c of salmonella worries. I can't take that on with these guys so it is not a consideration.

carolina · Dec 29, 2009

Either Orijen 6-fish or the one I am transitioning my kitties to now, due to the high protein contents and low carbs - Evo Herring and Salmon Formula...
The vet wanted Bugsy to be on Purina DM, for diabetics, but it contains chicken, to which Bugsy is allergic to it, and it turns out that this food is even lower in carbs (much lower actually), and a point higher in protein... The Ingredients are much better of course... It is only 10% carbs if you can believe!

So, I think it is pretty phenomenal food...
Ingredients:Herring, Salmon Meal, Salmon, Herring Meal, Peas, Eggs, Herring Oil, Pea Fiber, Natural Flavors, Apples, Sunflower Oil, Carrots, Cottage Cheese, Dried Chicory Root, DL Methionine, Minerals & Vitamins ([font=verdana, Arial, Helvetica][font=verdana, Arial, Helvetica][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]including: Ascorbic Acid, Beta Carotene, Biotin, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Iodate, Choline Chloride, Cobalt Carbonate, Cobalt Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Dicalcium Pantothenate, dl-Methionine, Folic Acid, Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Niacin, Potassium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin C Supplement (Sodium Ascorbate), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement (Alpha Tocopherol), Zinc Proteinate.)[/font][/font][/font], Direct-Fed Microbials
here is the analysis:
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min).....50 %
Crude Fat (min).....18 %
Crude Fiber (max).....3 %
Moisture (max).....10 %
Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid) (min).....1.5 %
Carbohydrates NFE (max).....10 %
Vitamin E (min).....300 IU/kg
Vitamin C (min).....500 mg/kg
Taurine (min).....0.2 %
Magnesium (max).....0.15 %
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (min).....2.4 %
Total Microorganisms (min).....90,000,000 CFU/lb

boomerkitty · Dec 29, 2009

Orijin 6 fish here too. It is quite pricey, but one of the "cleanest" foods I have tried. By clean, I mean least amount of waste produced AND free of ethoxyquin. The less chemicals the better.

carolina · Dec 29, 2009

Originally Posted by BoomerKitty

Orijin 6 fish here too. It is quite pricey, but one of the "cleanest" foods I have tried. By clean, I mean least amount of waste produced AND free of ethoxyquin. The less chemicals the better.

I agree... If it was not for Bugsy being in a diet, I would be on Orijen for a long long time... Probably will come back to it once he loses the weight... IMO there is nothing better out there. It is the best of the best.

sharky · Dec 29, 2009

I would likely pick orijen or wellness

sweetpea24 · Dec 29, 2009

I would have a personal pet chef who would make the food for my kitties and my dog (of course, I would have multiple kitties and dogs if money were not an issue) - wouldn't be dry food though. If I had to pick a dry food, it would be Orijen or Now! grain-free

katiemae1277 · Dec 30, 2009

I have a question about the Orijen tho, with it being so high fish, wouldn't that possible be an issue with males and crystals? Isn't it too much fish that can cause those?

otto · Dec 30, 2009

According to Hills, it is the QUALITY of the fish that matters in cat food, rather than any fish itself.

I myself would not feed a fish flavor to any cat who had UT problems, but I have a healthy male cat who loves fish flavors and eats mostly them, much to my dismay. But they are supposedly high quality food (Wellness) and it's all wet food, and he is healthy (as far as UT issues) so I don't worry too much.

My FLUTD girl gets no fish of any kind ever.

katiemae1277 · Dec 30, 2009

one of my kitties had a blockage and I absolutely hate feeding my cats that crap scrip food, it really is awful, so I've been trying to find something of great quality at a comparable (or even cheaper

) price that is ok for Chaos (appropriate name, no?

) I think I'm going to look into that Wysong Uretic

sorry to go off topic a bit

but if money were no object and I didn't have Chaos' issues to worry about I would probably feed Wellness Core if it agreed with everyone

carolina · Dec 30, 2009

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

I have a question about the Orijen tho, with it being so high fish, wouldn't that possible be an issue with males and crystals? Isn't it too much fish that can cause those?

Katiemae, Orijen has two formulas, one regular, not high in fish, and the other the 6-fish which is the one I chose as Bugsy is allergic to Chicken.
The problem with fish is not so much the fish itself, but the the type of fish, the processing and where it comes from... The place where it is caught is specially important on fish high on the food chain - you don't want these to come from polluted waters (due to mercury)... That is why Orijen is a fantastic food...
First of their fish is fresh, not even frozen!!, and caught on unpolluted waters in Canada. As far as fish goes, it could not be better than this.
Now, feeding the high amount of fish that I feed to Bugsy, I do pay a LOT of attention to quality - I do not feed him cheap food... It costs me a pretty penny, but my boy is as healthy as he could be, in a mostly fish diet.

sharky · Dec 30, 2009

Here is a Note Canadas waters are far from unpolluted ... but orjen gets alot of their fish from a LOCAL lake

which makes it much better

Fish PROCESSING is the issue that I worry about for UTI health.... so far NO company completely de bones all fish ...

Orijens reg is low IMHO in fish and most of it is lake fish from a good source

Katie if you want the long detailed version PM me

snake_lady · Dec 31, 2009

Originally Posted by sharky

Here is a Note Canadas waters are far from unpolluted ... but orjen gets alot of their fish from a LOCAL lake

which makes it much better

Fish PROCESSING is the issue that I worry about for UTI health.... so far NO company completely de bones all fish ...

Orijens reg is low IMHO in fish and most of it is lake fish from a good source

Katie if you want the long detailed version PM me

agreed on our waters LOL..... far from unpolluted, though local lakes tend to be cleaner, tho some still have high mineral content. (not saying mercury, but other minerals).

Having a house full of boys, I won't touch something with high amount of fish in it.

IF my kitts could tolerate it, and money weren't an issue, I do like wellness core.

I'd prefer the ability to feed them all wet, but unfortunately that is above my budget right now....luckily tho, they get 75% wet now.

I'm happy with TOTW, the kitts do well on it as long as I mix a food with some grain in with it. And it doesn't break the bank

carolina · Dec 31, 2009

Originally Posted by sharky

Here is a Note Canadas waters are far from unpolluted ... but orjen gets alot of their fish from a LOCAL lake

which makes it much better

And I didn't say they weren't - I said the fish they use for their food come from unpolluted waters in Canada. Those specific fish used in that specific food come from those specific unpolluted waters in Canada

sharky · Dec 31, 2009

Originally Posted by carolinalima

And I didn't say they weren't - I said the fish they use for their food come from unpolluted waters in Canada. Those specific fish used in that specific food come from those specific unpolluted waters in Canada

I suppose like myself you actually looked up said lakes

.. the results were a touch different than the claims

carolina · Dec 31, 2009

Originally Posted by sharky

I suppose like myself you actually looked up said lakes

.. the results were a touch different than the claims

hummm.... not really... I already knew from the first time I bought the food...
IMO saying that they use fish that comes from unpolluted waters, doesn't means that I need to generalize and say that the whole country has unpolluted waters. That is why I said specifically the fish they use comes from unpolluted waters; NOT ALL FISH from Canada.
But this in a little bit will become an IMO thread about the waters in Canada, and that is really not my point - I am not interested in that at all...
But I just want to clarify that I NEVER WROTE that Canada waters are all unpolluted; and since this is being quoted...
That is all.

fastnoc · Dec 31, 2009

You know what the cruddy part of all this? You can buy the best food in the world, and if your cats don't like it, it's worthless. that's exactly what happened to my two brats.

They use to love Nutromax dry, but when they were at the rescue group for 1 month, they fed them a mixed dry of many different donated foods. By the time I got them back they refused to eat the nutro anymore.

now the ONLY thing I can get them to eat is the worst food ever. Meow Mix original. So I give them a little of it, and supplement it with nutro max kitten 'chicken and tomato' wet food.

It's the only way I feel that they're gettinge nough nutriants. I give them wet 3 times a day hoping to keep them off the dry.

if anyone has a better idea I'm open!

furryfriends50 · Dec 31, 2009

Some quotes about the fish from Orijen's site:

Biologically Appropriate foods mirror the variety of fresh meats that dogs & cats encounter in their natural environment.

Reflecting the natural diet, ORIJEN foods contain a diversity of fresh meat ingredients – sustainably fished or farmed by people we know and trust, and delivered to our door fresh (never-frozen) each day.

ORIJEN ingredients are unparalleled for their freshness, variety and quality, and to ensure they arrive as fresh as possible, our own refrigerated trucks travel throughout our region delivering free-run chicken, turkey, duck, wild boar and whole eggs from local prairie farms, and wild-caught fish from our cool, clear lakes and North Pacific waters.

Certified free of antibiotics and artificial growth hormones, our meat ingredients are produced exclusively from animals passed as ‘fit for human consumption’ by the Government of Canada.

Knowing where your pet food originates has taken on a new importance these days. We’re proud to name our local suppliers, whose poultry, meats and fish are known and welcomed as delicious & trusted fare at the dinner tables of Canadian households.

Our ingredient icons reflect the variety and quality of our fresh regional ingredients. And while each ingredient is distinct, they all possess world-class freshness, safety and uncompromising nutritional quality.

FRESH LAKE TROUT | NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN
Native to the deep, cold lakes of Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan,

FRESH NORTHERN PIKE | ALBERTA & SASKATCHEWAN
Our native Northern Pike thrives in the lakes and rivers surrounding our factory.

FRESH LAKE WHITEFISH | NORTHERN ALBERTA & SASKATCHEWAN

FRESH WALLEYE | NORTHERN ALBERTA & SASKATCHEWAN
Canada’s lakes are a well managed and treasured resource that produce an abundance of Walleye.

FRESH PACIFIC SALMON | VANCOUVER ISLAND
Caught off North Vancouver Island, our Ocean-fresh, our salmon are delivered to our door FRESH each day.

FRESH PACIFIC FLOUNDER | VANCOUVER ISLAND
Caught-wild from the Pacific Northwest waters off Vancouver Island, fresh Pacific flounder enjoy an international reputation for top quality.

FRESH PACIFIC HERRING | VANCOUVER ISLAND
Caught-wild off North Vancouver Island’s cool and pristine Pacific Northwest waters, our Pacific Herring is delivered to our door fresh (never frozen, no preservatives) in our own refrigerated trucks.

I'd still like to know WHICH lakes the fresh water fish are from.

I do personally question the quality of water around Vancouver Island. I don't mean to offend anyone by this! Victoria used too (don't know if they still do) pump their untreated sewage into the ocean. That sewage slowly made it across the border and some parts of the Northern Washington coast. I do wonder how it affected Canadian waters as well. However the waters they say that get the fish from are north and the sewage has been coming south...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...sewage10m.html

Now on the original topic: I'd probably feed EVO dry or Wellness CORE if I could feed wet food as well. However if I couldn't feed wet food I'd have to pick something high quality with grains but don't know what; the reason is that the grainfree dry's tend to be more dehydrating than the high quality grain-in foods...of course they are still dehydrating but at least somewhat less!

furryfriends50 · Dec 31, 2009

Originally Posted by fastnoc

You know what the cruddy part of all this? You can buy the best food in the world, and if your cats don't like it, it's worthless. that's exactly what happened to my two brats.

They use to love Nutromax dry, but when they were at the rescue group for 1 month, they fed them a mixed dry of many different donated foods. By the time I got them back they refused to eat the nutro anymore.

now the ONLY thing I can get them to eat is the worst food ever. Meow Mix original. So I give them a little of it, and supplement it with nutro max kitten 'chicken and tomato' wet food.

It's the only way I feel that they're gettinge nough nutriants. I give them wet 3 times a day hoping to keep them off the dry.

if anyone has a better idea I'm open!

Can you get samples of other dry foods? Maybe they would love some of the high quality dry's...I know cats that have switched from horrible dry foods (think dollar store brand that had NO meat ingrediants) to grain free wet food. They never looked at that dry food again

Ingrediants in the nutromax kitten wet food:

Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Beef Liver, Turkey, Cod, Dried Tomato Pomace, Brown Rice, Wheat Gluten, Food Starch, Egg Product, Sunflower Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Salt, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Parsley, Taurine, Iron Oxide, Sodium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Biotin, Sodium Selenite.

I thought tomatoes were bad for cats? Also personally I wouldn't feed any food with wheat gluten in it.

I think that a lot of the adult grain free wet foods are also great for kittens...of course that is if they would eat it!!!

sharky · Dec 31, 2009

Originally Posted by furryfriends50

Can you get samples of other dry foods? Maybe they would love some of the high quality dry's...I know cats that have switched from horrible dry foods (think dollar store brand that had NO meat ingrediants) to grain free wet food. They never looked at that dry food again

Ingrediants in the nutromax kitten wet food:

Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Beef Liver, Turkey, Cod, Dried Tomato Pomace, Brown Rice, Wheat Gluten, Food StarchI want to know from what : corn , wheat, rice or tapioca all are common, Egg Product, Sunflower Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Salt, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Parsley, Taurine, Iron Oxide, Sodium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Biotin, Sodium Selenite.

I thought tomatoes were bad for cats? Also personally I wouldn't feed any food with wheat gluten in it.

I think that a lot of the adult grain free wet foods are also great for kittens...of course that is if they would eat it!!!

The more you research the more you will learn... I too had issues with tomato but after research I learned that ONLY the GREEN parts are poisonous.. A fully ripe tomato with no green ( ie top removed ) is safe and in some cases very beneficial ...

Wheat gluten , oat fiber, tapioca starch are merely used as thickener s in a gravy formula ... I prefer them to chemical agents to thicken ... of these I prefer oat fiber as it serves double duty ..

addiebee · Jan 1, 2010

JT - how old are Wil and Tink now? Are they on adult food? I am in the process of switching my boys to Taste of the Wild. THEY LOVE IT!!! Many feed stores like Tractor Supply Company sell it. It is a good quality dry.

If money were no concern...

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