Ok, really, just how bad is fish if it's a grain free canned food?

I have FINALLY gotten my furbabies off of free fed kibble and onto scheduled canned with the plan of eventually  moving them to raw (you can follow my thread in the raw section of you want), but now my problem is that they really only like the fish canned food.  I am feeding them grain free canned, so I feel somewhat good about that, but still am feeling a little uneasy about the fact that it's a mainly fish diet, with some raw thrown in here and there.

Seriously, how bad is fish, and why?  If it's the ash content because of their bone,the % on the cans is still lower than on the "cheap" canned food. 

I will admit that I am carefully monitoring the litter box because I have heard about UTIs because of too much fish, but don't really know if this is the case of not.  So far, not an issue here, thank goodness.   I just hope I can get everyone to raw sooner than later so I can quit worrying about it.

BUT, until then, can anyone but my mind at ease?  (or not?)

Hey Sally! Here is an excellent article on the issue of fish in cat food. http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/why-fish-is-dangerous-for-cats/

The bottom line, IMO, is that if it's not causing problems for your kitties re: urinary health, then if this is what they will eat for a few months during this transition, it's not THAT big a deal. The real problem - again IMO - is getting them "unaddicted" to the strong flavor. Will they eat diluted fishy canned? If you mix a non-fish flavor into it so it's not 100% fish flavor, will they eat it? If so, maybe wean them off the fish that way, but slowly increasing the amount of non-fish food they're eating.

The other idea that just occurred to me is feeding them a non-fish canned food, but using dehydrated shrimp, salmon, or cod sprinkled on top. That way they get the strong scent to get them going, but it's not the entire food? :dk:

Well, this morning I tried mixing some shredded chicken and egg (Tiki) into some Weruva Mideast Feast (I think) that they usually love, and NONE of them would eat any of it!  Blew me away!  AND, to top that off, I got some freeze dried salmon yesterday, and they don't like that either.  Figures!  I guess salmon is TOO fishy, because boy does it stink!  I'm thinking I need to give it away quick because it really smells fishy, and it's freeze dried, so it shouldn't even have a smell, should it?  Whatever, bottom line, thank you for the info!  I feel a little better

This is just my opinion... But a little fish is not going to harm your cat!!  That is just silly!!  Most people are worried about mercury and overdosing on that.  However, every few years they decide the things we think are bad for us are actually good... Like eggs... For years everyone said not to eat them because they are bad for you now they say, No you should eat them... They have lots of protein and minerals your body needs.  I think anything in excess is bad.  And maybe there is a little dot of truth in all food rumors... But fish is an excellent source of taurine and cats need taurine.  So I feel as long as you don't just feed your cat fish, you should be fine and they don't have to worry about ODing on mercury.  It's probably beneficial for them, too?  And think about this, up until a few years ago, all cat foods contained fish of some sort.  Even today, cat foods still promote fish.  Mostly because it was cheap and cats like it.... But, if it were as bad as some think it is, it wouldn't be in foods at all.  That is just my 2 cents.  I think it's fine and even beneficial as long as you don't overdo it.

P3 and The King said:

But, if it were as bad as some think it is, it wouldn't be in foods at all. 

Click to expand...

If this were true, then we wouldn't be worried about checking the back of the cans for by-products or dyes or dangerous preservatives or food made in China... The truth is, just because it's 'always been in food' does not make it healthy.

Minka said:

If this were true, then we wouldn't be worried about checking the back of the cans for by-products or dyes or dangerous preservatives or food made in China... The truth is, just because it's 'always been in food' does not make it healthy.

Click to expand...

True, but fish is not a preservative or a dye or a by-product.  It has it's nutritional value.  Too much, like anything else, can be bad... This may be true.  But, it has it's good points too. 

Like any other ingredient, fish should be given as part of a balanced diet. And there is mounting evidence to show that you your cat can get a lot of benefit from eating just some particular nutritional components of fish. First off, fish is a great source of protein, whether you are a cat, or a cat owner. That means that pound for pound, it supplies a good amount of protein that is very usable by cats' bodies. It has the right amino acids - the components of protein - in the ratios we need them, although it's not going to be an exact match.

On the negative side, some kinds of fish can also destroy certain vitamins. So, feeding fish to cats is a bit of a science, if nutritional balance is to be achieved. Another problem for cat owners is that cat food that has a lot of fish in it, frankly, smells horrible and can linger!

By extracting the best nutrients from the fish and adding them to cat foods, your cat can get the useful health benefits whether they eat their favourite chicken, beef or lamb varieties.

Even if you don't have a degree in fishmongery, you would probably suspect that white fish, such as sole and cod, is going to differ from oily fish, such as Mackerel and Tuna. In fact, if we were to isolate just one 'super-nutrient' that can be found in fish, then it has to be fish oil.  Your natural inclination may be to opt for white fish, but these contain very little of the valuable oils, so, it's the oily fish that should be your first choice.

The studies that scientists are publishing about the benefits of fish oils are just astounding. Want your cat to have good eyesight? Try fish oils. Your old cat is stiffening up? Try fish oils. Wish your cat was a bit brainier? Try fish oils.  Veterinary surgeon, Libby Sheridan from Hill's Pet Nutrition explains it like this, "There is a particular fish oil called DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid, that we know is involved in neurological development - that's development of the brain and its connections. Although some of that development occurs while the kitten is still in its mother's womb, it's clear that some changes are still occurring after birth.

I think the key is don't be tempted to just give extra fish or fish oil to your cat. Too much of any one nutrient can throw the body out of kilter and cause problems. Get veterinary advice before supplementing a diet, especially if your cat is ill. In most cases there will be a correctly formulated supplement that your vet can prescribe, or a suitable veterinary formulated special diet that can meet your pet's specific needs for all nutrients and that is tailored for that medical condition.

I wasn't arguing whether fish was good or not, but that you should not presume that because it is in a food, that it is healthy.

Minka said:

I wasn't arguing whether fish was good or not, but that you should not presume that because it is in a food, that it is healthy.

Click to expand...

I know.  I wasn't arguing either.  However, there are many people out there that think fish in any form is bad and go out of their way to avoid it.  That is not correct thinking.  Cats need it as part of a balanced diet.  And I wanted to point out it's "good points" so that people know that I don't just assume it's OK because it's always been in cat food. 

P3 and The King said:

Minka said:

I wasn't arguing whether fish was good or not, but that you should not presume that because it is in a food, that it is healthy.

Click to expand...

I know.  I wasn't arguing either.  However, there are many people out there that think fish in any form is bad and go out of their way to avoid it.  That is not correct thinking.  Cats need it as part of a balanced diet.  And I wanted to point out it's "good points" so that people know that I don't just assume it's OK because it's always been in cat food. 

Click to expand...

It's not true that cats need it as part of a balanced diet though. And I would still recommend to avoid it. All of these reasons are enough I would think. http://catnutrition.wordpress.com/2007/09/22/eight-strikes-against-fishy-feeding-for-cats/

Minka said:

It's not true that cats need it as part of a balanced diet though. And I would still recommend to avoid it. All of these reasons are enough I would think. http://catnutrition.wordpress.com/2007/09/22/eight-strikes-against-fishy-feeding-for-cats/

Click to expand...

Well, you have your thoughts on it and I have mine.  I believe and know it's good in moderation.  And it's a lot better than any preservatives or by products.  It has value.  But, I guess we can agree to disagree on it. 

P3 and The King said:

Well, you have your thoughts on it and I have mine.  I believe and know it's good in moderation.  And it's a lot better than any preservatives or by products.  It has value.  But, I guess we can agree to disagree on it. 

Click to expand...

Except it's important to remember that the fish used in pet food is usually (there are rare exceptions) the dregs of the dregs of the fishing industry. Those lovely essential fatty acids tend to oxidize and go rancid, or are preserved with ethoxyquin. I agree that the occasional treat of a sardine or some salmon isn't a big deal unless the cat has allergies or other health issues, but frequent feeding of commercial cat food with fish as the main ingredient is best avoided if possible.