Nutrition + Indoor / Outdoor Classification

Hello fellow cat loverz [emoji]128570[/emoji]!! I have a 2 yr old female bengal named Quorra. I'm currently in the process of switching her dry food from "Purina Indoor Delights" to "Royal Canin Indoor Adult 27."

Her diet will soon consist entirely of "Friskies Savory Shreds" + "Royal Canin Indoor Adult 27." I finally decided that Quorra deserves a higher quality food. (She may have been allergic to the dry "Indoor Delights" anyway.) I'm hoping this new food will stop the allergic reactions she's had to the previous dry food. My reasoning for the "Royal Canin Indoor 27" was that a general "Indoor" choice seemed fitting. The "Indoor 27" also aids in cleaning cat teeth - I do not brush her teeth.

I do consider Quorra an indoor-only cat as she only is allowed outside when supervised on a leash. However, I'm wondering if she is allowed outside at all, then that means she is exposed to everything an outdoor/neighborhood cat would be exposed to.

So does this classify her as an "indoor/outdoor" cat? Just curious...

Any feedback appreciated. Thank you!! [emoji]128153[/emoji][emoji]128570[/emoji][emoji]128153[/emoji]

Given that she's only outside on a leash, I personally would classify her as indoor only.  However, others may have different ideas.

I only posted to encourage you to brush your cat's teeth. Doing so is one of the most important things you can do for your pet's health.

Since you live in the US, you can probably get a better-quality food for about the same price as Royal Canin. Check out some specialty pet boutiques and ask for recommendations. I like Nature's Variety but there are a lot of good ones out there.

You might also want to see if she'll eat Friskies Classic Pate flavors instead of shreds. The shreds are higher in carbs and have less meat than the pates. But of course if she only likes shreds it's a little hard to argue with a cat! :lol3:

Indoor foods have fewer calories and less fat than regular foods. It's not about what she's exposed to; it's about how much exercise she gets. Indoor formulas frequently have more carbs, too, so you may not want to stick with an indoor food. Cats do better with lots of animal protein.

Siruh said:

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• siruh
• Jul 25, 2016

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What a beautiful girl you have there [emoji]10084[/emoji]️

LavishSqualor said:

I only posted to encourage you to brush your cat's teeth. Doing so is one of the most important things you can do for your pet's health.

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I couldn't agree more about toothbrushing--it's far more effective for cleaning teeth than dry food. And it really is easier than most people think, especially after you find a toothpaste your cat will like. Our two love CET toothpastes and even look forward to it as a treat. (Feeding them right after their teeth are brushed helps, I'm sure!) Here are a couple Cat Site articles that might be helpful:

about toothbrushing: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/brushing-your-cats-teeth

about dry food and toothbrushing: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/does-dry-food-actually-clean-your-cats-teeth

Willowy said:

Since you live in the US, you can probably get a better-quality food for about the same price as Royal Canin. Check out some specialty pet boutiques and ask for recommendations. I like Nature's Variety but there are a lot of good ones out there.

You might also want to see if she'll eat Friskies Classic Pate flavors instead of shreds. The shreds are higher in carbs and have less meat than the pates. But of course if she only likes shreds it's a little hard to argue with a cat!

Indoor foods have fewer calories and less fat than regular foods. It's not about what she's exposed to; it's about how much exercise she gets. Indoor formulas frequently have more carbs, too, so you may not want to stick with an indoor food. Cats do better with lots of animal protein.

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I totally agree more with Willowy's comments about foods, too, particularly given the fact that you mention allergies, @Siruh. It sounds like you don't know what's causing them, is that right? I'd be particularly careful to stay away from wheat and corn ingredients, which are (either separately or together) ingredients in both the Friskies shreds and the Royal Canin foods. Willowy is so right about animal protein! Simple recipes, which are easiest to find in canned foods, often make it easier to figure out what's causing a food allergy or sensitivity.

Good luck! Quorra is a beautiful cat!

Thank you very much for the input!! [emoji]128568[/emoji]

I did need the reassurance that I must start brushing her teeth. It's difficult enough to trim her claws lol. But if it must be done for her well-being then so be it! I'll need to research techniques/products some more.

I think I will see how well she does on the "Indoor 27" formula before I make another switch. So far so good! Royal Canin seems to be a legitimate brand - it's the dry brand initially given to me by the breeder.