Simba Yim's meals

As a first time cat-adopter, I'm bound to make mistakes.
When I saw him dreaming (paw twitching, closed eyes moving etc.) I thought he might be having a seizure or something and I started panicking when he awoke and slowly blinked at me as if to say, "Hmmmm?" and then he went back to a deep sleep.

Now I've scared myself silly now after reading a bunch of cat food reviews and threads regarding nutrition, health problems related to food, etc.

Simba is currently eating Purina ONEÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] SmartBlend™ Chicken & Rice Formula. He gets fed twice daily at 9AM and 9PM. At first we tried to free-feed him but he would demolish a daily serving in the morning, then use the litter box in the afternoon, and then beg for more food at night. Then we split it up into 2 feedings so he wouldn't be starving at night.

This is the food he was eating at the shelter alongside with a small can of food. Mom asked the volunteers at the shelter and the vet about a complete dry food diet. They agreed that a dry-food diet would be fine, and that we stick to this Purina ONEÂ[emoji]174[/emoji] SmartBlend™ ...

I'm confused because some online reviews are positive (i.e.: first ingredient being meat) while some are negative (i.e.: contains rice, soy, corn products.)

He drinks plenty of water and that's why I have not opted to feed him wet food as well...
Is this a big mistake?
Some are gung-ho about organic, prepared foods.
Some seem to prefer wet food+dry food diets.
Others claim the wet food is unnecessary, or rejected by their cats.
I'm wondering if I am doing him a disservice by not offering him wet food knowing he will eat it.

The other day, I gave him a baby carrot and he ate it when I cut it into kibble sized pieces as a in-between snack... I don't want to spoil his appetite but I would like to provide him with small, healthy snacks because...

He is healthy, playful, and vibrant. We recently purchased a Furminator. It came with a bottle of their waterless spray shampoo and it left his fur feeling even more soft and looking more glossy!

But I digress...
Purina also produces a Salmon & Tuna Flavor that I was going to buy [for flavor variety] before his current bag runs out but I'm a worry-wart! Could someone more experienced give me their analysis of this food and whether I should consider changing to something else?

Taken from their website:
Crude Protein (MIN)\t 34.0%
Crude Fat (MIN)\t 13.0% \t
Crude Fiber (MAX)\t 2.0% \t
Moisture (MAX)\t 12.0% \t
Ash (MAX)\t 7.0% \t
Linoleic Acid (MIN)\t 1.4% \t
Calcium (Ca) (MIN)\t 0.8% \t
Phosphorus (P) (MIN) 0.7%
Magnesium (Mg) (MAX) 0.09%
Selenium (Se) (MIN) 0.35 mg/kg
Vitamin A (MIN) 11,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E (MIN) 250 IU/kg
Taurine (MIN) 0.15%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (MIN)* 1.5%
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles

Ingredients:
Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), whole grain corn, fish meal, soy protein isolate, animal liver flavor, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, caramel color, choline chloride, salt, calcium carbonate, Vitamin E supplement, taurine, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

No Supplements Necessary:
Purina ONE provides 100% complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance of adult cats. There is no need to add vitamins, minerals or other supplements, unless specifically directed by a veterinarian.

It is not the best nor the worst out there... Yes I think for the $$$ you likely can do better where can you shop?

Fish , Soy and Wheat make up roughly 75% of all food allergens in cats... Corn is in the top 10 but is also LESS digestable than most grains...

Poultry by product meal is heads , feet , intestines and some other stuff... ie we do not get the Exact percentages of bone ( my big issue).. plus many cats dont eat that in the wild ( some do)


MY Motto : Buy the best food you can afford, YOUR cat will eat and DOES WELL on...

I bought this food from the shelter (they have a supply shop) but I live near many stores (Petco, Petland Discounts, privately owned stores, Costco, etc.) and am willing to buy online as well!

Do you have any recommendations?

I've read reviews on Wellness, Innova EVO, Natural Balance, Kirkland brand, Chicken Soup, Timberwolf, Blue Spa, Blue Buffalo, Science Diet, etc. and they all seem to have people who love them and people who hate them. Hence, my confusion.

How about something that will not unconfuse you ... No food is perfect( not even raw works for all cats and some seem okay on a Vegan diet)...

I feed Kirkland because it agrees with my 3 ibs/ibd kitties and the cost for the quality cannot be beat ... Of course I have 4 to feed and a dog ... A 25lb bag would cover a single cat for 5-7 months which may be an issue in freshness...

If I were feeding just one cat I likely would try for Blue Buffalo s Wilderness ... It is a grain free that is NOT too high in protein and usually well tolerated ... Realize it is 15-20$ for a 4-6 lb bag

Hahaha! That is true!
Health is not as easy as simply feeding highly rated food and expecting great results. Especially with all the factors that come with individual tastes, health, genetics, etc.

I think I will try Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken with Sweet Potatoes Adult Dry Cat Food and see if he likes it.

A 12 lb. bag is on sale at Petco's website for $33.29

They also make a "Blue Buffalo Indoor Cat Dry Food, Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe" A 15 lb. bag is $34.99

But in the product description it says: "Hearty whole grains like brown rice, barley and oats will keep your cat supplied with the complex carbohydrates needed for energy. "

But cats don't need grain for proper nutrition. Do they?!

Hence more confusion! Why would they advertise another food they make like that when they also produce a 100% grain-free food!?

No cats Biologically do not need any grain... some do better with some as it can aid in hairball prevention and other digestive issues...

Pet food marketing is BILLIONS of $$$ a year in sales

Grains are cheaper than meats, so if they can make a product with grain and market it as healthy, they get better profits.

I use Blue Buffalo for both my cat and my dog, I personally love it and they do too. It is not the cream of the crop in terms of feeding options, but it is good.

One thing a lot of companies don't want you to know is that meat byproducts can be obtained from what's called 4D animals - Dead, Dying, Deformed, and Diseased. They're cheaper cuts, and extra cheap because the animals they come from aren't human grade. So you want to always avoid food or treats that contain meat byproducts.

Corn gluten meal is supposed to be better than whole corn for animals, but cats don't need it. If you see it in treats, it's alright, but try to avoid any sort of corn in food.

Also, one reason why alternative grains are popular in pet foods is because the major ones - corn, wheat, soy - cause a lot of food allergies to crop up in animals. So grains like oatmeal can make the food cheaper to produce, cheaper for consumers, and also avoids the major food allergy groups. It's not bad to have, but the more meat in your cat food, the better.

As for wet vs. dry, dry is fine for now, but a lot of people recommend switching to wet as the animal gets into their senior years. It helps keep them interested in food, and also makes sure they get some daily water intake. My neighbors have a senior cat who they spoil rotten, they mix his daily wet food with extra water to help loosen it up, and it also gives him all of the water he needs for each day, they rarely see him drinking. So it might be something to look at for the future.

Thanks very much for your insight sharky and Seulf!
The 4D meat sources sound awful.
Thanks for clarifying the grain issue too!

Right now he inhales his food on sight and he has a good drinking habit so I'm not worried now, but I will definitely make changes if he gets older and seems less interested in eating.