New to the forums, old question

[salvation81]

Hi all how are you ? I think happy new year is in order before i say anything

Anyways i am in somewhat of a predicament regarding my cat. You see i've been trying to find good wet food for her for a while now and when i finally started using Purina Gourmet Gold and Diamant i read that these are not good enough (although they do cost quite a bit).

So since not many stores deliver to Greece my question is which from the companies listed is the best ?

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• salvation81
• Jan 19, 2014

These are the ones i can get here (now anyways) so i could use some help.

Thanks in advance all

 

[raintyger]

Since many of these brands are not available in the U.S., I can't tell much just by the brand name other than to stay away from Hill's. Hill's has a reputation for high carb food and protein from non-animal sources.

In cat food you want something that is high protein (around 50%), moderate fat, and low carb (10% or less). Wet food is highly preferable. Here are some websites that tell about cat nutrition:

www.catinfo.org

www.fnae.org

 

[salvation81]

 
Since many of these brands are not available in the U.S., I can't tell much just by the brand name other than to stay away from Hill's. Hill's has a reputation for high carb food and protein from non-animal sources.

In cat food you want something that is high protein (around 50%), moderate fat, and low carb (10% or less). Wet food is highly preferable. Here are some websites that tell about cat nutrition:

www.catinfo.org

www.fnae.org

My job (and my passion) is technology related so i can't make heads or tails from such pages. I used to believe that the more expensive a cat food is the best it must be but since Gourmet Diamand are not considered good i can't use that way of thinking any more.

I heard that Applaws and Bozita are good but like i said i'm far from being an expert in these kind of things.

 

[laralove]

Are you feeding wet, dry, or both?

 

[vball91]

Check out post #8 in this thread. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/271042/almo-nature-applaws-or-taste-of-the-wild-dry-food

It's written by one of our European members who has tested a lot of different foods available in Europe. Hopefully, it will help you. And wet food is a lot better than dry. Price is not always the best indicator of the quality of the food. Learn to read ingredient labels. You want meats to be high on the list and as few grains/starchy vegetables as possible.

 

[salvation81]

 
Are you feeding wet, dry, or both?

Both with Wet food a lot more, shouldn't i ?

 
Check out post #8 in this thread. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/271042/almo-nature-applaws-or-taste-of-the-wild-dry-food

It's written by one of our European members who has tested a lot of different foods available in Europe. Hopefully, it will help you. And wet food is a lot better than dry. Price is not always the best indicator of the quality of the food. Learn to read ingredient labels. You want meats to be high on the list and as few grains/starchy vegetables as possible.

Again i am not very good with those things but i will try.

 

[laralove]

Both with Wet food a lot more, shouldn't i ?

Again i am not very good with those things but i will try.

All wet would be better. And protein rich pate styles are generally best. 

In looking over some of the brands, Schesir appears to add rice to most of their varieties. PetPlan seems to be fond of adding cheese and vegetables to their wet food -- unnecessary filler. A lot of the other brands, they don't have ingredients lists like US brands. I'm assuming more lenient reporting requirements for Europe are to blame! 

Here's some examples of ingredients lists and what to look for  (bad or at least unnecessary, as far as I'm aware, are in red) and it's generally the first few ingredients that you want to pay attention to:

Whiska's Indoor for Cats Chicken Flavor (Dry) ["Flavor" is an indicator of less than 3% actual meat. Avoid at all costs.]

poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, ground wheat, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, dried plain beet pulp, natural chicken flavor, animal fat (preserved with bha and citric acid), powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate, salt, taurine, dl-methionine, potassium chloride, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin e supplement, niacin, vitamin a supplement, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin b1], riboflavin supplement [vitamin b2], d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin b6], biotin, vitamin d3 supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, folic acid), minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide), yucca schidigera extract.

Hill's Science Diet Adult Indoor Cat Savory Chicken Entrée

Water, Chicken, Turkey Giblets, Meat By-Products, Liver, Powdered Cellulose, Corn Starch, Wheat Flour, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Titanium Dioxide, Guar Gum, Soybean Oil, Brewers Dried Yeast, Iodized Salt, Choline Chloride, Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Carrageenan, Calcium Sulfate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.

Fancy Feast Classic Turkey and Giblets Feast (one of Oliver's faves before he went all raw)

turkey, liver, meat by-products, turkey broth, poultry giblets, artificial and natural flavors, guar gum, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, magnesium sulfate, taurine, zinc sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin e supplement, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin a supplement, copper sulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin k activity), pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide

I don't know if they have Fancy Feast there, but it's a grocery store option here, among the cheapest, but one of the better options. So price isn't always an indicator!

What you really want is for the first ingredients to be meat. Grain free is preferable for all food, and keep in mind that dry food was created for human convenience and isn't really very healthy for cats, so more wet when possible.

Note to all: Please feel free to point out omissions or errors in my red marking!

 

[salvation81]

 
All wet would be better. And protein rich pate styles are generally best. 

In looking over some of the brands, Schesir appears to add rice to most of their varieties. PetPlan seems to be fond of adding cheese and vegetables to their wet food -- unnecessary filler. A lot of the other brands, they don't have ingredients lists like US brands. I'm assuming more lenient reporting requirements for Europe are to blame! 

Here's some examples of ingredients lists and what to look for  (bad or at least unnecessary, as far as I'm aware, are in red) and it's generally the first few ingredients that you want to pay attention to:

Whiska's Indoor for Cats Chicken Flavor (Dry) ["Flavor" is an indicator of less than 3% actual meat. Avoid at all costs.]

poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, ground wheat, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, dried plain beet pulp, natural chicken flavor, animal fat (preserved with bha and citric acid), powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate, salt, taurine, dl-methionine, potassium chloride, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin e supplement, niacin, vitamin a supplement, thiamine mononitrate [vitamin b1], riboflavin supplement [vitamin b2], d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin b6], biotin, vitamin d3 supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, folic acid), minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide), yucca schidigera extract.

Hill's Science Diet Adult Indoor Cat Savory Chicken Entrée

Water, Chicken, Turkey Giblets, Meat By-Products, Liver, Powdered Cellulose, Corn Starch, Wheat Flour, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Titanium Dioxide, Guar Gum, Soybean Oil, Brewers Dried Yeast, Iodized Salt, Choline Chloride, Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Carrageenan, Calcium Sulfate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite.

Fancy Feast Classic Turkey and Giblets Feast (one of Oliver's faves before he went all raw)

turkey, liver, meat by-products, turkey broth, poultry giblets, artificial and natural flavors, guar gum, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, magnesium sulfate, taurine, zinc sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin e supplement, ferrous sulfate, niacin, manganese sulfate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin a supplement, copper sulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin k activity), pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, vitamin D-3 supplement, potassium iodide

I don't know if they have Fancy Feast there, but it's a grocery store option here, among the cheapest, but one of the better options. So price isn't always an indicator!

What you really want is for the first ingredients to be meat. Grain free is preferable for all food, and keep in mind that dry food was created for human convenience and isn't really very healthy for cats, so more wet when possible.

Note to all: Please feel free to point out omissions or errors in my red marking!

So Applaws and Bozita are not as good as people around the web claim them to be ?

 

[laralove]

 
So Applaws and Bozita are not as good as people around the web claim them to be ?

Applaws looks good. They add rice as well, but there's a lot of protein and no additives, so that's great. 

Bozita, I can't seem to find an ingredients list for it, as I encountered with some of the other brands.

 

[irinasak]

I am in a terrible hurry now so I will only post my top choices from the list above. I promise to come back later with arguments and ingredient lists.

Best choice (from the list above):

1. BOZITA

2. SCHMUSY (ONLY the NATURE MENU, preferably the cans, not the pouches)

3. PURINA GOURMET (it is Fancy Feast labeled for Europe. Only Gourmet Gold Pate)

3. APPLAWS, SCHESIR (NOT MORE than 15% of the total diet. They are supplementary feed)

4. I would use only as an occasional treat as is it supplementary and most flavors have fish:

Sushi cat

I would NEVER feed:

Hill's

Royal Canin

Whiskas

Felix

ProPlan

Stuzzy

I did not have the time to look at Chef ingredients and I did not find anything about Doca,

 

[salvation81]

 
I am in a terrible hurry now so I will only post my top choices from the list above. I promise to come back later with arguments and ingredient lists.

Best choice (from the list above):

1. BOZITA

2. SCHMUSY (ONLY the NATURE MENU, preferably the cans, not the pouches)

3. PURINA GOURMET (it is Fancy Feast labeled for Europe. Only Gourmet Gold Pate)

3. APPLAWS, SCHESIR (NOT MORE than 15% of the total diet. They are supplementary feed)

4. I would use only as an occasional treat as is it supplementary and most flavors have fish:

Sushi cat

I would NEVER feed:

Hill's

Royal Canin

Whiskas

Felix

ProPlan

Stuzzy

I did not have the time to look at Chef ingredients and I did not find anything about Doca,

Well the thing is that Purina doesn't have the best reputation around. I also use Gourmet Gold (pieces of mean/fish not pate) but now i am not so sure if these are any good.

 

[irinasak]

Well the thing is that Purina doesn't have the best reputation around. I also use Gourmet Gold (pieces of mean/fish not pate) but now i am not so sure if these are any good.

I know Purina has a bad reputation. Their products have cereals and dyes and sugars, all unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients. However, they somehow managed to keep the Gold pate line cereal free.

I have not found the perfect food. If the ingredients are high quality, they lack the vitamins and minerals a cat needs and are way too low in fat. If they have vitamins and minerals, they have rice or other grains and are too high in carbs. Or they have too much beef and pig, that can cause upset tummies in some cats. So the key is rotation, to make sure that what is missing in one food is found in the next.

Does zooplus deliver to Greece? There are better options there.

 

[salvation81]

I know Purina has a bad reputation. Their products have cereals and dyes and sugars, all unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients. However, they somehow managed to keep the Gold pate line cereal free.

I have not found the perfect food. If the ingredients are high quality, they lack the vitamins and minerals a cat needs and are way too low in fat. If they have vitamins and minerals, they have rice or other grains and are too high in carbs. Or they have too much beef and pig, that can cause upset tummies in some cats. So the key is rotation, to make sure that what is missing in one food is found in the next.

Does zooplus deliver to Greece? There are better options there.

Unfortunately they don't deliver here and i don't know which store does. Some UK stores do but they ask like 20Euros shipping fees for 10 cans, that's way too much.

 

[irinasak]

 
I am in a terrible hurry now so I will only post my top choices from the list above. I promise to come back later with arguments and ingredient lists.

Best choice (from the list above):

1. BOZITA

2. SCHMUSY (ONLY the NATURE MENU, preferably the cans, not the pouches)

3. PURINA GOURMET (it is Fancy Feast labeled for Europe. Only Gourmet Gold Pate)

3. APPLAWS, SCHESIR (NOT MORE than 15% of the total diet. They are supplementary feed)

4. I would use only as an occasional treat as is it supplementary and most flavors have fish:

Sushi cat

I would NEVER feed:

Hill's

Royal Canin

Whiskas

Felix

ProPlan

Stuzzy

I did not have the time to look at Chef ingredients and I did not find anything about Doca,

I presented earlier what would my choices be given the available options. Let me tell you why. (Of course, the human's option might not agree with the cat, especially if the cat has particular tastes and texture preferences). 

1. BOZITA - my experience is only with the chunks, not with the pate (pate is always higher in proteins than chunks or fillets).

Ingredients for CHUNKS IN JELLY:

Rich in Chicken:
Chicken (50%), pork, calcium carbonate, yeast (ß-1.3/1.6 glucan 0.01%) + vitamins and minerals

Haddock:
Chicken, haddock (4%), pork, beef, calcium carbonate, yeast (ß-1.3/1.6 glucan 0.01%) + vitamins and minerals

Contains coloring in the form of the minerals iron oxide and titanium oxide.

CONS:

- one cat loves it, the other two are like "meeeh"

- all have beef/ pig. For us this is not a problem, but I know some cats are sensitive to rich meats

-  the chunks are a tad low in protein and fat

2. SCHMUSY NATURE MENU

IMPORTANT! SCHMUSY FLAKES have grains!

Ingredients for SCHMUSY NATURE CANS:

Turkey, Rabbit, Rice & Mineral Soil: Lean meat, turkey (20%), lung, rabbit (10%), liver, offal, rice (4%), mineral soil (0.2%) + vitamins and minerals

Even if it has 4% rice, it is still ok in carbs (5.7%).

CONS: weird ingredients like pasta, pomegranate, apple pulp and byproducts (I am ok with some byproducts, as the diet of a cat in the wild would have some byproducts too)

3. PURINA GOURMET GOLD PATE

Chicken: Meat and animal by-products (min. 4% chicken), minerals, sugar and vegetable by-products + vitamins and minerals

CONS: SUGAR ARRRGH  and vegetable by-products 

4. APPLAWS, SCHESIR

Applaws Chicken with Wild Rice: chicken (75%), chicken stock (24%), wild rice (1%) NO vitamins and minerals added

Schesir in jelly Chicken fillet: chicken fillet (51%), rice (1.5%). NO vitamins and minerals added

CONS the lack of vitamins and mineral means anemia and development issues. The ca/ph ratio (1:33 instead of the recommended 1.2:1) lead to calcium deficiency (bone problems). It has 1% fat, it should be 5+% fat. Low fat means constipation and lack of energy (cats need fat for energy and for converting vitamins)

It should not be more than 15% of a cat's diet.

The ones I would never feed have:

FELIX : Meat and meat by-products (min. 4% of the specified type), vegetable protein extracts, fish and fish by-products, minerals, sugar

WHISKAS: Meat and animal derivatives (incl. 4% poultry, 4% fresh meat), grains, minerals, vegetable protein extracts,derivatives of vegetable origin

HILL'S: With Beef:
Meat and animal by-products (at least 4% beef), grains, cellulose powder, minerals, sugar, DL-methionine, yeasts, oils and fats

OR MY FAVORITE

Ingredients:
(minimum Liver 26 %, minimum Chicken 5 %): Pork liver, pork, chicken, ground maize, wheat flour, maize starch, cellulose, animal fat, digest, rice flour, calcium carbonate, dried yeast, caramel, potassium chloride, DL-methionine, calcium sulphate, dicalcium phosphate, taurine, iodised salt, vitamins and trace elements.

ROYAL CANIN: Ingredients:
meat and animal derivatives, fish and fish derivatives, cereals, vegetable protein extracts, oils and fats, derivatives of vegetable origin, minerals, sugar OR

Ingredients
Meat and animal derivatives (chicken and pork), cereals, eggs and egg derivatives, derivatives of vegetable origin, minerals, sugar (max. 0.5%).

So long story short, I try to stay away from GRAINS (I tolerate some rice as I feed Applaws and Schmusy with rice), SUGARS (Gourmet has those), VEGETABLES (I understand pumpkin but chunks in tomato sauce?! really?! - that's Felix), DYES (caramel or stuff I can not pronounce) and BYPRODUCTS (even high high high end foods like Grau admit in having some offal and/or byproducts, so I really think that only the supplementary ones do not have byproducts).

 

[stephiedoodle]

I have recently really perrused the ingrediants list on the whiskas food that i buy via subscribe and save on amazon and im appaled i get 2 boxes of 48 for £9.50 a piece and the content of them is horrid I did find  a pate sold in pets at home for 0.69p per 90g can and its 75% meat

 

[irinasak]

I have recently really perrused the ingrediants list on the whiskas food that i buy via subscribe and save on amazon and im appaled i get 2 boxes of 48 for £9.50 a piece and the content of them is horrid I did find  a pate sold in pets at home for 0.69p per 90g can and its 75% meat

Could you please provide a kink for the 75% meat pate? I would like to see the dry matter analysis (which removes the water from the equation).

 

[stephiedoodle]

here is the url http://www.petsathome.com/shop/wainwright-s-adult-cat-turkey-with-vegetable-pate-90g-121527

 

[irinasak]

Thank you. It has some bad reviews, and has veggies and cranberry extract and yucca extract, but I would give it a try.

 

[sweetpea24]

Yucca is good for joints so maybe that's why it has it?