What brands of canned food do you feed?

rad65

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The general rules is 0.5 to 1 oz of wet food per lb per day (ideal weight, so if your cat is 14 lbs but should weigh 10 lbs, feed between 5 and 10 ozs of wet food per day)
 

txcatmom

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I've noticed that my one year old cats don't need as much as the can serving sizes suggest.  They get the 3 oz (per meal, twice a day) recommended for 6-8 pound cats, even though they all weigh more than that 9.5, 11.5, and 13.5 lbs.)  I only buy brands that recommend that amount (about 3 oz twice a day), but I have seen canned foods that have twice the suggested serving size, which seems like a waste to me, to buy twice as much food.  Eating the amount recommended for 6-8 lb cats seems fine.  They never seem overly hungry, maintain a healthy weight (I weigh them each month) and eat the food in 30-60 minutes time (not scarfing it down like they are starving.)  I think with high protein quality food, you may not need as much to satisfy them.
 
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hobo08

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I've noticed that my one year old cats don't need as much as the can serving sizes suggest.  They get the 3 oz (per meal, twice a day) recommended for 6-8 pound cats, even though they all weigh more than that 9.5, 11.5, and 13.5 lbs.)  I only buy brands that recommend that amount (about 3 oz twice a day), but I have seen canned foods that have twice the suggested serving size, which seems like a waste to me, to buy twice as much food.  Eating the amount recommended for 6-8 lb cats seems fine.  They never seem overly hungry, maintain a healthy weight (I weigh them each month) and eat the food in 30-60 minutes time (not scarfing it down like they are starving.)  I think with high protein quality food, you may not need as much to satisfy them.
I like the idea of the 3 oz cans because then I don't have to put any in the fridge and worry about him not eating it the next day. He has been getting Earthborn Holisitc 3 oz cans one every evening.

 
 

rad65

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You're going to have to work out what is right for you in terms of what size can to buy. I was feeding my cats the 3 oz size so I wasn't left having to throw any away, but those little guys were so expensive it was more frugal for me to throw away food every once in a while than to go through two of those things each day.

If you have 13.5oz, I highly recommend finding some can toppers at a pet store if you don't have them (something like http://www.petco.com/product/13553/Petco-2-in-1-Pet-Food-Can-Covers.aspx). They work much better than covering the can with aluminum foil and they keep wet food good for days since they're airtight.
 
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hobo08

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You're going to have to work out what is right for you in terms of what size can to buy. I was feeding my cats the 3 oz size so I wasn't left having to throw any away, but those little guys were so expensive it was more frugal for me to throw away food every once in a while than to go through two of those things each day.

If you have 13.5oz, I highly recommend finding some can toppers at a pet store if you don't have them (something like http://www.petco.com/product/13553/Petco-2-in-1-Pet-Food-Can-Covers.aspx). They work much better than covering the can with aluminum foil and they keep wet food good for days since they're airtight.
Thank you! Yep I have one can cover and meant to pick another up when I was at th get clinic, but forgot. 
 
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hobo08

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Well this is very disapponting, I just weighed Hobo and I am getting him at 17 lbs! That is horrible, I have not notcied him gaining weight but he was at 14.6 I had thought. Course that was quite a few months ago. I have an old scale not an electric one, so it may not be accurate, but it measured me at my right weight. It is so touchy that I could see it easily being off by 2 pounds, just when I look down to see what it shows, it seems to move.

:( So worried for my cat! I really need to get his weight off him.
 

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BG - only poultry flavors
Wellness - only poultry flavors
Natural Balance - poultry, but occasionally venison
Taste of the Wild - chunks in gravy
Solid Gold tuna on Saturday night only

I rotate brands, and flavors daily. My 7 (one outside feral) all willingly eat these brands and flavors.


My 6 inside cats get one meal a day of canned food. Some eat 1 oz. of this, but some eat more, up to 3-4 oz. They get as much as they want (except Claude).The rest of their diet is Wellness Healthy Weight kibble. They go through about 2 1/2 cups of that every 24 hours. My fatter boy, Claude's, canned meal is 1 oz. of Natural Balance Reduced Calorie. He is not so fat anymore, and he gets the tuna like everyone else on party night-Saturday. I weigh my cats at least once a month on a digital baby scale. Their weights are amazingly stable. They are all perfectly healthy, very active, and happy.

Robin
 

txcatmom

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I would not store food in a can in the refrigerator.  I wouldn't eat food stored that way (I'm pretty sure it would taste like the can.)  I love using small glass bowls with plastic lids for the leftovers.  Glass bowls can go in the microwave.  I reheat the leftovers at 50% power for the appropriate amount of time and stir the food around before serving so there aren't cold or hot spots.  Mine all eat the leftovers just fine...one prefers them, maybe because reheating brings out the aroma of the food?  I'm glad mine like the leftovers because I couln't buy the big cans and save more $$ if they didn't.  Maybe yours will be okay with leftovers too. 
 
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hobo08

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I would not store food in a can in the refrigerator.  I wouldn't eat food stored that way (I'm pretty sure it would taste like the can.)  I love using small glass bowls with plastic lids for the leftovers.  Glass bowls can go in the microwave.  I reheat the leftovers at 50% power for the appropriate amount of time and stir the food around before serving so there aren't cold or hot spots.  Mine all eat the leftovers just fine...one prefers them, maybe because reheating brings out the aroma of the food?  I'm glad mine like the leftovers because I couln't buy the big cans and save more $$ if they didn't.  Maybe yours will be okay with leftovers too. 
What about a small plastic food storage container? I don't have any bowls that have lids.
 

txcatmom

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Plastic would probably be fine for storage.  I'm a little iffy on reheating things in plastic containers.  I'm afraid of chemicals leeching out from the plastic into the food.  I prefer to use glass dishes in the microwave.  I have a whole assortment of small glass bowls because I love using them for fruit, ice cream, etc...  If I run out of the ones that have lids (anchor hocking brand, I think) I just put saran wrap over one.  I remove any lids or plastic wrap before reheating the food.
 

bastetservant

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There is a problem with losing the taurine in cat food if you reheat it in the microwave.

I leave food out of the fridge to get to room temperature. If I can plan ahead. A little warm water added and mixed in canned food will warm food and add more fluids.

I've been storing partially used cans of food in the fridge, in the cans, with snap on plastic lids, for many years, with no ill effects. Cats like the leftover food fine as long as it is room temperature or warmed with warm water. It's never more than a day or two old.

Robin
 

angels mommy

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Plastic would probably be fine for storage.  I'm a little iffy on reheating things in plastic containers.  I'm afraid of chemicals leeching out from the plastic into the food.  I prefer to use glass dishes in the microwave.  I have a whole assortment of small glass bowls because I love using them for fruit, ice cream, etc...  If I run out of the ones that have lids (anchor hocking brand, I think) I just put saran wrap over one.  I remove any lids or plastic wrap before reheating the food.
I agree, I use wax paper to cover when reheating anything in the microwave. A good trick when you need it to not touch the food or it will get stuck, (cheese etc..) is to crinkle the wax paper in a ball, then open it back up again & make a tent w/ it. (makes it form able)
 

angels mommy

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I use Natural Balance. (mainly the limmited Ing, ones)  Turkey & giblets, chicken & liver,  chicken & green pea (use this one dry too), Duck & green pea, & once & a while, he likes the venison as well.
 

otto

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Saw this ^ in the Soulstic brand so I will not be buying that. I have done allot of reasearch for my dogs' food. so I figured I would follow pretty much the same guidelines. Except for the cat needing certain things of course.
Is the reason you won't feed fish because of the ethoxyquin? Or is there a worse reason for our little kittes? Thanks!
The Soulistic Good Karma chicken and gravy does not have menadione sodium bisulfate. Only the fishy foods. Many fishy foods contain this artificial ingredient. I had one pet food manufacturer (EarthBorn) tell me it was because

According to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) cat food that contains greater than 25% fish in the formula is recommended to have Vitamin K in the formula. Technically, this relates to the amount of Omega 3's that are in the product as they tend to thin the blood. Vitamin K has antihemorrhagic properties that are beneficial for cats. Normally, the pet produces enough Vitamin K on his own, but high Omega 3s push the need for added Vitamin K according to AAFCO.

They did not answer my question about it being an ARTIFICIAL ingredient in a supposedly "holistic" food.

I feed in the current rotation (some more often than others):

Before Grain: chicken, turkey, beef
By Nature: chicken&liver, beef&liver
Castor&Pollux: chicken and vegetable stew
Merrick: cowboy cookout (beef), thanksgiving dinner (turkey)
Natural life: chicken, lamb
Soulistic Good Karma chicken and gravy,
Wellness: turkey
Weruva: nine liver, steak frite

Used as snacks only
Natural Balance platefuls: chicken & Giblents, chicken&liver

Purchased, but not tried yet
By Nature organic: Chicken&turkey

On the list to try as I get low on other foods ( to add to the rotation):
Nature's Variety
Nature's Logic
 
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hobo08

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The Soulistic Good Karma chicken and gravy does not have menadione sodium bisulfate. Only the fishy foods. Many fishy foods contain this artificial ingredient. I had one pet food manufacturer (EarthBorn) tell me it was because
According to AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) cat food that contains greater than 25% fish in the formula is recommended to have Vitamin K in the formula. Technically, this relates to the amount of Omega 3's that are in the product as they tend to thin the blood. Vitamin K has antihemorrhagic properties that are beneficial for cats. Normally, the pet produces enough Vitamin K on his own, but high Omega 3s push the need for added Vitamin K according to AAFCO.
They did not answer my question about it being an ARTIFICIAL ingredient in a supposedly "holistic" food.
I feed in the current rotation (some more often than others):
Before Grain: chicken, turkey, beef
By Nature: chicken&liver, beef&liver
Castor&Pollux: chicken and vegetable stew
Merrick: cowboy cookout (beef), thanksgiving dinner (turkey)
Natural life: chicken, lamb
Soulistic Good Karma chicken and gravy,
Wellness: turkey
Weruva: nine liver, steak frite
Used as snacks only
Natural Balance platefuls: chicken & Giblents, chicken&liver
Purchased, but not tried yet
By Nature organic: Chicken&turkey
On the list to try as I get low on other foods ( to add to the rotation):
Nature's Variety
Nature's Logic
Thank you for pointing that out. I also see the Sunrise Chicken and Pumpkin also does not have the menadione.
 

otto

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Thank you for pointing that out. I also see the Sunrise Chicken and Pumpkin also does not have the menadione.
You're welcome :)

One thing to keep in mind is caloric content varies wildly, not only from brand to brand, but in some brands, from formula to formula.

For instance the Wellness foods are very high in calories, with the grain free canned chicken being highest at 220calories for a 5.5 ounce can. The Turkey is slightly lower.

The Before Grain 96 % beef is 137 calories for 5.5. ounces and the 96% chicken is 157 calories per 5.5 ounce can

All the By Nature 95% formulas contain 120 calories per 6 ounce can.

Weruva's foods are all about 84 calories per 5.5 ounce can and Soulistic is 94-98 calories per 5.5 ounce can.

I keep a daily cat journal and record everything they eat, what time, what brand/flavor and how much, one of the reasons I do this is so I can make sure they are getting the correct calories every day, with such a wide variety of foods.
 
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hobo08

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You're welcome

One thing to keep in mind is caloric content varies wildly, not only from brand to brand, but in some brands, from formula to formula.
For instance the Wellness foods are very high in calories, with the grain free canned chicken being highest at 220calories for a 5.5 ounce can. The Turkey is slightly lower.
The Before Grain 96 % beef is 137 calories for 5.5. ounces and the 96% chicken is 157 calories per 5.5 ounce can
All the By Nature 95% formulas contain 120 calories per 6 ounce can.
Weruva's foods are all about 84 calories per 5.5 ounce can and Soulistic is 94-98 calories per 5.5 ounce can.
I keep a daily cat journal and record everything they eat, what time, what brand/flavor and how much, one of the reasons I do this is so I can make sure they are getting the correct calories every day, with such a wide variety of foods.
Gah! So much to pay attention to LOL The calories are a big thing I have to watch for because he is overweight. :(
 
 

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Gah! So much to pay attention to LOL The calories are a big thing I have to watch for because he is overweight. :(
 

True, for an obese cat calories are definitely important - BUT earlier in this thread you said you were going to feed for ideal weight.  I need to interject that you said you thought he should be at 10 pounds, but you definitely cannot feed a 17-pound cat only enough food for a 10-pound cat. The max a cat should lose is 2% of current body weight per week.  Here is a great article on feline obesity from CatInfo.org: Feline Obesity. I think the formula for weight loss is 15 calories per pound, so for your cat 255 calories per day - again, losing no more than 2% body weight per week - and adjusting up or down depending on how he is losing.  

It doesn't have to be but so much work!  You can choose what brands you want to feed (hopefully so far on the thread you have a working idea of at least 5-6 brands with different flavors among them), work out how many calories per can (here's that chart I linked to earlier again - tells you how many calories per can) and maybe keep that on a cheat sheet by your feeding area?  Then you'll have the numbers right there to make up a day's calories and divide between the meals (2 125 calorie cans, 2 100 calories cans plus half of another, etc.).  Okay, it might be a bit of work at first, haha, but once you do it for a week you'll get it!  Then as he loses you can reduce the calories!  


If you need to write the numbers down as you feed them to keep it straight, you could always..... start a journal thread here!!!  Heehee!  I need another 5- or  7- or 18- or 25-page thread to be obsessed with!!!  
 

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For canned food, my cats like Narure's variety, Nature's logic, Organix, California natural venison, Innova, 

Is there any reason that you make your cat eat in that position on cat tree?  Is that better for  his joints?
 
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