Should I go with Cat Chow Naturals or Purina ONE SmartBlend Indoor Advantage dry food?

Those are my only two choices.

Cat Chow Naturals Calories per cup 425

ingredients:
Chicken meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn meal, chicken, salmon, powdered cellulose, ground whole wheat

Purina ONE SmartBlend Indoor Advantage Calories per cup 398   - Lower in fat

ingredients:
Turkey, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, soybean meal, whole grain corn, fish meal, dried yeast, powdered cellulose, soy protein isolate

Those are my only two choices, please no suggesting others

Help me pick one or the other

Which would you choose if you had to?

Cats are about 13 months old
 

sorry to tell you this but i've read recently that chicken isn't good for cats - it didn't specify whether natural or what. but you might want to look into it.

I see a lot of people worrying about how to feed their cats, wet or dry, but I've found over years with lots of gorgeous cats that it's good to give them mostly raw meat from the butcher shop for wet food. They start the day with a good quality low fat dry food. I have never had dental problems with my cats - I think the dry food helps with the plaque. Chicken is okay if they like it too, the same as we humans need to eat less processed food. My dogs (sorry to mention them on a cat site) have always been given real bones to chew, and again, no problems. We have to remember what they ate in the wild.

Hope this helps.

2ketzels said:

sorry to tell you this but i've read recently that chicken isn't good for cats - it didn't specify whether natural or what. but you might want to look into it.

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Nothing farther to the truth, sorry.....

leia mom said:

Those are my only two choices.

Cat Chow Naturals Calories per cup 425
ingredients:

Chicken meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn meal, chicken, salmon, powdered cellulose, ground whole wheat



Purina ONE SmartBlend Indoor Advantage Calories per cup 398  - Lower in fat
ingredients:

Turkey, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, soybean meal, whole grain corn, fish meal, dried yeast, powdered cellulose, soy protein isolate


Those are my only two choices, please no suggesting others
Help me pick one or the other
Which would you choose if you had to?
Cats are about 13 months old

 

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If you must, and can only choose one of them.... I would choose the one without poultry by-products meal. Lower in fat is not the issue - cats need fat.... I would go with Cat Chow Naturals.

I've looked over those 2 foods a lot. . .many friends of mine can't go out of town to get cat food so those are the best available choices. . .I think Cat Chow Naturals is better. And it costs less, which is a good point, too! Purina ONE Beyond is better than both of those, but costs substantially more. If you have to go with a Purina ONE formula, use the kitten kind--it has more meat. But still has by-products.

If you don't mind my asking, why are you limited to those two? Maybe we can help come up with ideas on how to purchase something ... else? :dk:

From the choices you offered;  Cat Chow Naturals gets my vote.  I would avoid byproducts.

I'm in the no byproducts crowd too, so I would choose the Naturals one

Hey! I looked this question up since I'm at the grocery store and was wondering the same thing. I know the question is old but wanted to update in case others see this thread and go for the recommendation - the first ingredient in the purines naturals one is actually chicken by-product meal

I once heard a quote: "Don't confuse me with facts - I've already made up my mind."

Should I go with Cat Chow Naturals or Purina ONE SmartBlend Indoor Advantage dry food

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Neither. Cats don't eat grain, except a tiny amt that might be in a mouse, bird.
Count the number of grain & plant matter ingredients those have. You should also research the % of total calories coming from carbs & the % of carbs on a dry matter basis (DM). I'll assure you, they're VERY high in carbs, which very often causes problems for cats.

If you added up all the non-meat ingred (supplying protein, fat, carbs) , it often outweighs the total meat. It even has cellulose. Do you think cats eat much ground paper?

Here's a test: Put separate bowls of meat, corn, corn meal, wheat, soybeans, cellulose, etc. out for a cat. See if they eat any except the meat.
Cattle feed mfgs "fooled" cows - strict herbivores - into eating animal protein by mixing it in feed & flavoring it. Look where that lead.
You don't feed iguanas or parrots hamburger.

If you don't mind the significant increased risk in cats - feeding dry food - of diabetes, FLUTD, UTIs, CRF, over weight & many more serious problems, OK.
Several are easily fatal.

Diabetes is "epidemic" in cats now. Vets says FLUTD / UTIs are two of the most frequent feline problems they see. Many vets attribut it to dry food, high carbs, low water.
Just do research - on vet articles. Start here: http://www.catinfo.org/. There's a wealth of info. There are many other good sites by vets, explaining cat nutrition & they're strict carnivores.
Fairly expensive dry almost killed 2 of our cats - it cost us a fortune in vet bills. I know many owners it did kill their cats.

There's nothing wrong w/ by products - cats eat the whole animal they catch. Felines often start eating the internal organs 1st (ever watch nature shows or a house cat eat a mouse)? The internal organs have more calories & some nutrients not found in muscle meat - that's why bears eat the fish entrails & leave the rest, when they're trying to fatten up.

Poultry / meat or by product MEAL... is a different story. It's been processed to death (rendered) - several times & much of the nutrients, incl. essential amino acids have been destroyed. The "meal" (pulp) is what's left.
If canned food contains meat "meal," it should be way down the ingredient list.

2ketzels comment on an article about chicken being bad, may have to do w/ the poor quality (of any meat) that some mfgs use in pet food.
Maybe chicken that's full of antibiotics or pumped full of phosphates (containing phosphorous). Research that practice by many chicken producers.

But birds would be a natural part of wild cats' diets. They wouldn't eat fish in the wild - except for one "fishing cat" species, AFAIK. They shouldn't be fed much fish, as it's too high in magnesium & phosphorous - both can cause serious problems if much higher levels than wild cats' normal diet. Not to mention mercury.

We just rescued a cat that'd been fed dry, began having kidney failure & was abandoned to die by owners. She couldn't walk, eat - hardly make a sound. We force fed her over 3 weeks - quality canned food & pureed meat + vitamins + water. She now eats LOTS, runs - fast, jumps, plays, loves laps. One of the most gentle, affectionate cats.

If you care about what ingredient has that is beneficial or not, I would advise going to this site which has fabulous information. Right now it rates only dog foods but you will find any of your ingredients there and whether they are good or bad.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/
I am not convinced that dry food is as bad as so many would like others to think. The big thing I see about it is water content and how cats need that. Well, my cats drink water when they are thirsty so I am confused about that matter of importance. If I eat an orange I am likely not thirsty after. If I eat potato chips I am likely going to drink water afterwards.  My cat food has no grains and no unidentified "animal fat" which can be the grease from grease traps in restaurants. If it is identified as say chicken fat, well that is what it is. Go to that site and learn about ingredients, you won't be sorry

One last thing, I looked up the ingredients of their "Naturals" food and it is FAR from natural. Loaded with cereals for fillers as all the first ingredients other than chicken by product meal, which certainly is NOT quality chicken bu any far stretch of imagination. Check out the grains cereals and chemicals. How is this "Natural"? (Note the unidentified animal fat, read my other comment about that disgusting ingredient)

Ingredients:  Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Soy Flour, Ground Whole Wheat, Brewers Rice, Animal Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Corn Meal, Natural Flavor, Chicken, Salmon, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Spinach, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, 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.

I agree.  I do not believe the cries from some owners that dry food is the worst thing on Earth.  The smart thing to do is to read AND UNDERSTAND the labels.  There are zero grain formulas and minimal grain formulas and cats' parents should familiarize themselves with particular brands before they give it to their pets.  I spent some time with a fellow at a shelter recently, asking him for much advice.  The guy's opinion about dry food was that anyone who fed dry to their cats was a heretic.  I took his advice for what it cost me.  LOL.

One good remedy I read;  if you're concerned about hydration, occasionally soak your kibbles in water.  If your cat likes it then you're good to go.

Just because you have some examples of cats who are dry food and it didn't impact them that you know of does not mean it's ideal for them.

Cats are obligate carnivores and even the highest end dry foods have 20% carbs. Do you think there is some large dry food conspiracy and it's really as healthy and beneficial as wet or raw?

Both of these are pretty horrid, imho. If you must pick, I'd pick the Chow.

As mentioned above several times, you'd be doing your cats a favour to pick something healthier. Long-term, its in favour for you too since it'll cut down on medical bills. That doesn't mean "STAY AWAY FROM ALL DRY!!" although having wet food as their main food would be better in my opinion.

If you insist on dry food, i'd suggest looking for a better one. Look for something with meat as a main ingredient, and little to no plants or wheat. Brands that I've heard are great are Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Natures Variety Instrict and myself, since I'm in Europe I have limited access to some brands, only buy Orijen. Plus I only feed it as a snack, since my cat is still a kitten. If you're really dead set on the two foods you've chosen for some reason, money or otherwise, I'd atleast feed like a can of wet food for one of the meal every day - or even like, once every two days. But good wet food though, lol.

Picking the right food for your cats isn't hard. Just look for something that has meat as a main ingredient; has little to NO fillers (plants, wheat, rice, anything that comes from a plant) ; and something that is a complete food (added supplements).

Good luck

Actually the opposite. It sounds like a wet food 'conspiracy" to me. Why not look at the ingredients of the food before making claims of 20% carbs. I use Diamond Naturals (see below). Not seeing 20% carbs in this one and also contains10% moisture. 64 years old, have 3 cats and had them all my life. Never had a problem with any cat with issues eating dry food. Daughter is a cat lady with 11 well taken care of vetted and spayed rescue feral cats. Feeds Blue Buffalo, another low/no carb blend. Never had one issue with any of these of any other cats. Sister in law, 4 cats, same thing. I dunno, not hearing about anyone I have ever talked to saying, my cat is not healthy or sick because of dry food.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min.) 26.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 16.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 3.0%
Moisture (max.) 10.0%
DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) 0.05%
Zinc (min.) 150 mg/kg
Selenium (min.) 0.3 mg/kg
Vitamin E (min.) 150 IU/kg
Omega-6 Fatty Acids* (min.) 2.5%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min.) 0.4%

Moisture does not = carbs in a food. If you do a calculation to determine carbs the food you listed is 50% carbs. Hard to argue a food is "ok" for animals that are supposed to be eating mostly protein when the food your feeding is 1/2 carbs.

I never said moisture=carbs, where did you get that from?

To make YOUR point about dry vs wet protein, my food has 26% protein and here is an expensive wet food brand, fancy feast, note how it has 1/2 the protein.

Also, please post a link to the carb calculator you use so I can see how you came up with that crazy figure.

Fancy Feast

• Crude Protein (Min)11.0%
• Crude Fat (Min)5.0%
• Crude Fiber (Max)1.5%
• Moisture (Max)78.0%
• Ash (Max)3.0%
• Taurine (Min)0.05%
  
  Lots of moisture...YAY!!!
  Low on protein....booo
  
  Oh, here is Sheba, even more expensive
  
  Guaranteed Analysis:
  Crude protein, Min, 10.0%
  Crude fat, Min 2.5%
  Crude fiber, Max 1.5%
  Moisture, Max 80.0%
  Ash, Max 3.5%
  Taurine, Min 0.05%
  
  Once again in the lead is moisture, I guess cats are too stupid to drink water for that. Better to have moisture than silly ingredients giving 26% protein.

imwilling said:

 
Actually the opposite. It sounds like a wet food 'conspiracy" to me. Why not look at the ingredients of the food before making claims of 20% carbs. I use Diamond Naturals (see below). Not seeing 20% carbs in this one and also contains10% moisture. 64 years old, have 3 cats and had them all my life. Never had a problem with any cat with issues eating dry food. Daughter is a cat lady with 11 well taken care of vetted and spayed rescue feral cats. Feeds Blue Buffalo, another low/no carb blend. Never had one issue with any of these of any other cats. Sister in law, 4 cats, same thing. I dunno, not hearing about anyone I have ever talked to saying, my cat is not healthy or sick because of dry food.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min.) 26.0%
Crude Fat (min.) 16.0%
Crude Fiber (max.) 3.0%
Moisture (max.) 10.0%
DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) 0.05%
Zinc (min.) 150 mg/kg
Selenium (min.) 0.3 mg/kg
Vitamin E (min.) 150 IU/kg
Omega-6 Fatty Acids* (min.) 2.5%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min.) 0.4%

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According to PetMD, the way to determine the amount of carbs is to add the protein, fat, moisture, fiber and ash and subtract that from 100 and the remaining number would be carbs. Using that method, the food I feed, Orijen Cat & Kitten clocks in at 17% carbs. I looked at Blue Basics grain free turkey and potato and they clock in at about 35%. Blue Healthy Living is about 30%. The food I used to feed, Nature's Variety LID turkey clocks in at around 25%. They don't list the ash in the guaranteed analysis like Orijen does. BB doesn't either. AAFCO doesn't require it though. 

At the end of the day though, we call have to make our own decisions about what to feed. My cats eat a mostly canned diet with the dry used as a topper for when they are being fussy. They also eat it as their main food if I have to be away for a day or two so that would be a couple of days a year. The right food for our pets is one that they will eat and we can afford. The fanciest, most expensive, nutritious food in the world is worthless if it's going into the garbage disposal and not your cats belly.  I don't even want to think about how many cans of high end food have gotten thrown out in my house because the diva sisters and their diva in training brother refused to eat them.

You know your cats best. If the cats are thriving and happy and the vet has given them clean bills of health, then give them what they will eat that works with your budget. I do not like to feed dry to mine but they want it so I keep it to a minimum and I try to make sure that the food is as nutritious as possible. This is why I only use it as a topper and they do not get it every day. I also use Pure Bites freeze dried chicken breast as a topper so I alternate between the two.  The things we do to make them happy. 

When I got the girls, they were on Science Diet dry at the Humane Society. Henry was on various types of Purina dry at the shelter. The smell from the litter boxes could clear a room of buzzards. It was awful. I changed all of them over to wet only immediately. The smell went away. This may not be the case with all cats but it sure was with mine. We reached a happy medium. I get them to eat the wet foods which I think are better for them and they get a bit of dry which they like along with a daily probiotic.