High quality cat food recommendations WITH grains

meera mb · Aug 25, 2016

Hi Everyone,

Because of some specific stomach issues, my vet is advising that I try offering my cat a food that includes grains (previously on Acana Grasslands grain free food). Does anyone have any recommendations for high quality cat food with grains?

Thanks.

msserena · Aug 25, 2016

dry or wet? Wysong has decent food, IF your cat will eat it. nature's Variety Instinct is decent, they make dry & canned.

meera mb · Aug 25, 2016

Thanks, I am looking for dry food specifically.

missmimz · Aug 25, 2016

That doesn't make any sense. I'd run the other direction if a vet ever said that to me, because it would be glaringly obvious they know absolutely nothing about cat nutrition.

Cats are obligate carnivores, they don't need, and can't digest grains. If your cat is having digestive issues it's probably because of the grains, not because they need more grains. Here are some resources for you to read about, and you might want to look for a new vet.

http://feline-nutrition.org/nutrition/a-gut-reaction-to-cat-food

http://www.foodfurlife.com/cat-food-vs-cat-health.html

meera mb · Aug 26, 2016

Thanks, I am looking for dry food specifically.

I am well aware of the studied supporting a grain free diet as my cat was on a high quality grain free diet previously. However, you can also find numerous studies from vets saying the exact opposite. The point is, in my case, grain free is not working, which is why I am looking to try something new. So, any suggestions are appreciated.

manx · Aug 26, 2016

Have you considered trying out a Limited Ingredient Diet? That may help your kitties sensitive tummy. If you don't already know, an LID is a single protein, single carbohydrate, and short ingredient list food that avoids possible irritants such as carageenan.

Merrick's LID, wet and dry, seem to be very popular.

Performatrin Ultra LID is also very good. It's got more fibre than I'd like but that may be what your kitty needs. It's PetValu and Amazon exclusive.

Blue Buffalo Basics is also a good LID.

Try to stay away from chicken as that is a common allergen. Duck and turkey may be more digestible. Fish is fine as an occasional meal, avoid feeding only fish as that puts a strain on the kidneys.

If none of the LIDs work, the only grain containing cat food I'd recommend would be the regular Wellness.

meera mb · Aug 26, 2016

Thanks for the advice. My kitten is currently eating Acana Grasslands. Although she is not experiencing diarrhoea, her stools are wet and get stuck to her fur after using the litterbox.

We can't seem to figure out what might be causing the loose-ish stools.

manx · Aug 26, 2016

Meera MB said:
Thanks for the advice. My kitten is currently eating Acana Grasslands. Although she is not experiencing diarrhoea, her stools are wet and get stuck to her fur after using the litterbox.

We can't seem to figure out what might be causing the loose-ish stools.

Perhaps the Acana is too rich? Or she has a sensitive tummy and something in the Grasslands is setting her off. Could be the goat.

Is she shedding an abnormal amount and/or has dry skin? If so, she may have a food allergy.

I would definitely try her on an LID food before switching to grain. It may just be the Grassland's exotic proteins setting her off.

You could also see if she'll eat some pure pumpkin puree. The insoluble fiber will soothe her gut and harden stool in the meantime. Weruva and Soulistic make high quality wet foods with pumpkin and most dont have carageenan, which might soothe her tum as well.

Edit: I had a senior dog with constant soft stool for a year and a half. Even with pumpkin in his food, his poops was like wet playdough. At the advice of a vet who helped formulate the high protein grain free food he was on, we switched him to a lower protein formula and his stool hardened back to normal. Sometimes you just need to find the perfect protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio and mix of proteins for your pet as they are all different. I'd see how the grain free LIDs work before switching to a grain owob

meera mb · Aug 26, 2016

Great suggestions, thank you so much!

LTS3 · Aug 26, 2016

Manx said:
You could also see if she'll eat some pure pumpkin puree. The insoluble fiber will soothe her gut and harden stool in the meantime. Weruva and Soulistic make high quality wet foods with pumpkin and most dont have carageenan, which might soothe her tum as well.

Both Weruva and Soulistic (whch are made by the same company) have a pouched pumpkin supplement.

http://weruva.com/pumpkin-patch-up.php

http://soulisticpet.com/pumpkin-puree/pumpkin-pouch/

The Soulistic one is probably a bit cheaper than the Weruva one since you can buy it at Petco instead of an indendent pet store.

Or plain canned 100% pumpkin puree from the grocery store will work just as well and a large can costs the same as a 3 oz supplement. Extras can be frozen for later use in silcone ice cube trays. Libby's is one brand available in most supermarkets. Store generic will also work (and cost a little less), just be sure to read the ingredient label to make sure that it's just pumpkin and water.

Nature's Variety Instinct had a LID dry food but it's grain-free.

mybabies59 · Aug 26, 2016

You in canada or the states. I order from TLC, but it has no grains but its one of the best around. Grains arent the best, but with grains Im not sure

oldgloryrags88 · Aug 26, 2016

Meera MB said:
Thanks, I am looking for dry food specifically.

I am well aware of the studied supporting a grain free diet as my cat was on a high quality grain free diet previously. However, you can also find numerous studies from vets saying the exact opposite. The point is, in my case, grain free is not working, which is why I am looking to try something new. So, any suggestions are appreciated.

My best advice for you would be to get Blue Buffalo Healthy Living. It is relatively cheap and has no corn, wheat, or soy. But it does contain rice, so not grain free. Evolve is the same but cheaper. I like Evolvle better. If its a kitten, they make kitten food too but as does Blue Buffalo. That's about the only two I could suggest. I'm sorry. Cats are carnivores though and really have no use for grains.

I like Taste of the Wild, Instinct, Orijen, Blue Buffalo Wilderness, Blue Buffalo Freedom, Mauri. But all of those are grain free. What were you feeding your cat prier to going back to grains?

missmimz · Aug 26, 2016

Meera MB said:
Thanks, I am looking for dry food specifically.

I am well aware of the studied supporting a grain free diet as my cat was on a high quality grain free diet previously. However, you can also find numerous studies from vets saying the exact opposite. The point is, in my case, grain free is not working, which is why I am looking to try something new. So, any suggestions are appreciated.

Where are these studies? if they exist please send me links because I can send you links all day that prove the opposite. There are no studies that suggest that grains are good for an obligate carnivore. Just because "one" subpar quality "grain free" kibble didn't work for your cat does not mean that you need to go with one with MORE grains. That's literally the exact opposite of what you should be doing. Cat don't have the means to digest grains properly. Whatever is giving your cat digestive issues is likely some filler IN that "grain free" food, as "grain free" doesn't mean a food that is filler free. Often "grain free" foods have potatoes, peas, and other starchy ingredients that cause tummy upset issues.

I highly suggest you move towards wet food, specifically something limited ingredients and simple to digest, something like Merrick LID.

oldgloryrags88 · Aug 26, 2016

missmimz said:
Where are these studies? if they exist please send me links because I can send you links all day that prove the opposite. There are no studies that suggest that grains are good for an obligate carnivore. Just because "one" subpar quality "grain free" kibble didn't work for your cat does not mean that you need to go with one with MORE grains. That's literally the exact opposite of what you should be doing. Cat don't have the means to digest grains properly. Whatever is giving your cat digestive issues is likely some filler IN that "grain free" food, as "grain free" doesn't mean a food that is filler free. Often "grain free" foods have potatoes, peas, and other starchy ingredients that cause tummy upset issues.

I highly suggest you move towards wet food, specifically something limited ingredients and simple to digest, something like Merrick LID.

Yeah that.

meera mb · Aug 26, 2016

As I am not a veterinarian and do not have the requisite training, I am not going to argue about what school of thought is correct. That being said, I did consult with other veterinarians and they also acknowledged that the scientific evidence supporting a grain free diet is limited. In any event, I do not have enough information to conclusively state one option is better than the other, and I am not sure if anyone really has that at this point in time. Although it may seem like common sense because cats are natural carnivores, domestic cats in our homes are not living the same lifestyle as they did in the wild.

Again, I am just trying to find the best for my baby and am happy to try other grain-free diets. I just like to do my own expert research and consult with professionals who have actually dedicated their lives and studies on animal nutrition. There are ample articles outlining that the grain-free craze did not come from the veterinarian community:

-http://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/DecipheringFactFromFictionGrainFree.pdf

-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-solomon-dvm/grainfree-pet-food-trend-_b_5429538.html

Acana Grasslands is a very high quality grain free food but like some of the others have commented on, may have been too rich for my girl. I appreciate everyone's suggestions!!

oldgloryrags88 · Aug 26, 2016

Meera MB said:
As I am not a veterinarian and do not have the requisite training, I am not going to argue about what school of thought is correct. That being said, I did consult with other veterinarians and they also acknowledged that the scientific evidence supporting a grain free diet is limited. In any event, I do not have enough information to conclusively state one option is better than the other, and I am not sure if anyone really has that at this point in time. Although it may seem like common sense because cats are natural carnivores, domestic cats in our homes are not living the same lifestyle as they did in the wild.

Again, I am just trying to find the best for my baby and am happy to try other grain-free diets. I just like to do my own expert research and consult with professionals who have actually dedicated their lives and studies on animal nutrition. There are ample articles outlining that the grain-free craze did not come from the veterinarian community:

-http://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/DecipheringFactFromFictionGrainFree.pdf
-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-solomon-dvm/grainfree-pet-food-trend-_b_5429538.html

Acana Grasslands is a very high quality grain free food but like some of the others have commented on, may have been too rich for my girl. I appreciate everyone's suggestions!!

Maybe try Purina Cat Chow? That's a food formulated by vets in the past ( I think??) its been around for YEARS and considered a 'good' cat food. Science Diet pays vets to advertise their foods for them (even my vet admitted this). My vet applauded me for feeding those foods above I said in my previous comment.

What foods did your vet suggest? How old is your cat? What do you think about the above food choices in my previous comment?

I am going to have to disagree with you on cats being okay on grains and that they're different than lynxes, etc. But she is **YOUR** cat. Feed her a food that works for you, her, and your vet. I'm happy to help you out but my opinions will differ. Please don't let anyone beat you up over your choice, your vet's, and your cat. Do what feels right.

neely · Aug 26, 2016

Just out of curiosity, were you feeding Acana grain free manufactured in Canada or the U.S.? The reason I'm asking is because Champion opened a new facility in Kentucky and changed the formula from what is manufactured in Canada.

meera mb · Aug 26, 2016

Thanks

My kitten is 8 months. I am thinking of trying Wellness. If that does not work, I will definitely look into the LID options.

My vet did not really push one brand over the other, he said we can try a different version of Acana to see if that does the trick!

missmimz · Aug 26, 2016

Meera MB said:
domestic cats in our homes are not living the same lifestyle as they did in the wild.

Again, I am just trying to find the best for my baby and am happy to try other grain-free diets.

-http://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/DecipheringFactFromFictionGrainFree.pdf

-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-solomon-dvm/grainfree-pet-food-trend-_b_5429538.html

Acana Grasslands is a very high quality grain free food but like some of the others have commented on, may have been too rich for my girl. I appreciate everyone's suggestions!!

It doesn't matter if their "life style" is the same, what matters is how their bodies digest the food we provide them.

That article you linked is sponsored by PG Pet Wellness, which is Iams, which is owned by Proctor and Gamble, a huge manufacturer of low quality "grain" pet foods. So lets just think about how bias that article actually is.

I'm interested in facts, and facts tell you that an obligate carnivore doesn't need peas, wheat, grains, rice, corn, or anything else in their food. It's very simple, they require meat to function at their highest level. No one is claiming Vet's are responsible for the "grain free" craze. I don't buy into or care about grain free foods, because like i mentioned above, they just replace "grains" with other starchy ingredients.

Acana is subpar food. It's not "rich," it's kibble. It's dry, and it lacks high amounts of meat, which is why they've added all the other things in there like potatoes. peas, beans, and whatever else. Champion pet food's recently made terrible changes to their food line (there's a huge thread in this community about it). They market their food as "bio appropriate" yet it's loaded with things that are NOT appropriate for cats. This is basic, all you have to do is read the ingredients list.

No one is trying to argue with you. If you want what's best for your cat, do your own research and follow where the evidence leads you. "Evidence" is not your vet, unfortunately. I don't come on these thread and tell people not to feed kibble or to avoid grains for pure entertainment, I do it because I don't want other people's cats to suffer the way I've seen some of my own cats suffer (before I knew better, of course).

oldgloryrags88 · Aug 26, 2016

missmimz said:
It doesn't matter if their "life style" is the same, what matters is how their bodies digest the food we provide them.

That article you linked is sponsored by PG Pet Wellness, which is Iams, which is owned by Proctor and Gamble, a huge manufacturer of low quality "grain" pet foods. So lets just think about how bias that article actually is.

I'm interested in facts, and facts tell you that an obligate carnivore doesn't need peas, wheat, grains, rice, corn, or anything else in their food. It's very simple, they require meat to function at their highest level. No one is claiming Vet's are responsible for the "grain free" craze. I don't buy into or care about grain free foods, because like i mentioned above, they just replace "grains" with other starchy ingredients.

Acana is subpar food. It's not "rich," it's kibble. It's dry, and it lacks high amounts of meat, which is why they've added all the other things in there like potatoes. peas, beans, and whatever else. Champion pet food's recently made terrible changes to their food line (there's a huge thread in this community about it). They market their food as "bio appropriate" yet it's loaded with things that are NOT appropriate for cats. This is basic, all you have to do is read the ingredients list.

No one is trying to argue with you. If you want what's best for your cat, do your own research and follow where the evidence leads you. "Evidence" is not your vet, unfortunately. I don't come on these thread and tell people not to feed kibble or to avoid grains for pure entertainment, I do it because I don't want other people's cats to suffer the way I've seen some of my own cats suffer (before I knew better, of course).

Yes! Thank you! My male does NOT eat any type of kibble. He has urinary problems on it and became blocked TWICE before I got him. All canned for him.

High quality cat food recommendations WITH grains

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