Feeding multiple cats

I'm curious as to what those of you feed your cats when you have more than one or two of them? I'm seeing more and more that canned food is way healthier than dry but how do you guys manage when you have a large number of mouths to feed? Do you go all canned, half canned half kibble, all grain free kibble?

I understand that feeding the best food is important and that some people will say if you can't afford the best food don't have pets. Many cats we have are rescues and I want them to eat better but am looking for something that isn't going to break the bank and will still be better than just Purina dry indoor food.

We live in a multi-family household so my cats have been free feeding because that is what my parents do. If I fed mine portions it would be an issue since they would still have access to the food set out all day. I want to at least get them on a good dry food until we move then I can worry about going the rest of the way with my cats diets. I have been talking to my parents about at least feeding set portions to each cat daily instead of free feeding. Most of the cats are at a healthy weight, my moms cat Lilly is fat and their youngest is getting chubby and it frustrates me. I believe it is time to make a change, why is it that the people and dogs in the house eat set meals but the cats get to graze anytime they want?

I've been looking at Blue freedom and some others to start. I've been picking the cat food bowl up for a few hours a day to lessen grazing time util I can at least get some kind of schedule going (this is going to be fun lol). My mom just rolls her eyes when I tell her I cannot be the only person in the house feeding the cats and dogs as it is going to be rough getting everyone fed. I know they are going to have to go in different rooms so they don't eat each others food so me being the only person putting in the effort isn't going to cut it. How can I make them see that grazing is bad for them without being a jerk about it? Sorry I ramble because it's frustrating.

Would an easy to understand site written by a vet help? http://www.catinfo.org

As to what to feed, Fancy Feast classics and Friskies pate style foods are all animal-based proteins with no unnecessary fruits and veggies. Fancy Feast classics have no grains or veggies; the Friskies pates have some rice flour, and that's it. Both are often on sale, and are reasonably priced. And some of the Friskies come in 13 ounce cans, even less per total amount.

Theses are what I feed our feral colony.

All of our indoor cats are rescues. I now feed them homemade, because it cost so much to feed the indoor kitties high quality canned.

What LDG said -- the catinfo site is very informative and changed my views on feeding so maybe you could show it to your mom. Also, cats don't graze in the wild -- they hunt and eat what they catch. And if they have leftovers some other scavenger comes along and finishes it off, so they're not able to nibble here and there at their leisure.

My cats came from the shelter and I feed homemade raw using catinfo.org's chicken thighs recipe (sometimes beef is added). It has saved me money and saved my cats' health (IBS).

We crunched the numbers for our Weruva canned food and our home made based on poultry thighs - home made is a little cheaper, as long as you stick to poultry.

I have had cats all my life (I am 52) and am now only getting wise to proper feline nutrition.  If the right diet can prevent a multitude of chronic problems, the extra cost of good food is offset by lower vet bills.  I can't walk out of my vet's office for under $100 every time I need blood work done on a cat...that's a LOT of canned food.