Feeding fish every day?

Hi,

I have a new foster cat and she does not seem to like any wet cat food unless it contains fish.  I was fine with this bc I found a food she loves (Soulistic) but then looked it up online and found that it contains a synthesized Vitamin K supplement that is toxic in certain doses.  So, I found some other Soulistic flavors that do not have the supplement but she is not eating them unless I sprinkle with Bonito flakes.  Then, I read feeding fish every day is bad but I am not sure why.

Is it the quality of the fish source?  Is it radiation?  Is fresh water fish different?

Lastly, I feed as high a quality grain free as possible.  Is there a wet cat food that is grain free that sources their fish responsibly and doesn't use waste from the fishing industry?

I am going to try to get her on a raw diet but since she is a senior, it might be too late if she is addicted to carbs (this was my experience with my last cat T'ai RIP my beautiful boy)

Thanks!

Peace, Maria B

This is a really thorough explanation of all of the problems with fish: http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/why-fish-is-dangerous-for-cats/

I avoid feeding any flavors of food that are fish-based, but my cat does get freeze dried fish as a special treat when I need a high value reward. I try to get small fish, like Vital Essentials minnows, because fis lower on the fod chain have less toxicity build up. Cats like fish so much because they decide most of what they eat based on smell, and fish is very smelly. Bonito flakes are mentioned in the article as not being too bad as far as toxicity levels go, so if it takes sprinkling some bonito crumbles on top to get her to eat a mostly fishless meal, then I think that sounds ok. To make nonfishy food more attractive, you can try microwaving it to bring out the smell, and experiment with other toppers like a little parmesan cheese.

High fish diet has been linked to all sorts of things, including hyperthyroidism. Lots of cats are addicted to fish. The best way to wean them off is to do what you're doing, feed non-fish flavors and use toppers until you can get her onto less fish flavors. A can of fish flavored food once a week is okay in my opinion, but that's about it. 

http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/why-fish-is-dangerous-for-cats/

You might try something like Weruva, which has some flavors that have some fish in them but aren't fish based. Funk in the trunk is a good one. 

My gal gets a canned fish meal about once a week or less.  Fish content is hard to avoid in some brands.  I feel a bit better about giving food made from farmed salmon (in terms of contamination).  My preferred fish is sardines, given their small size and therefore less (if any) mercury contamination.  My gal loves the Sardine and Shrimp recipe from Natural Variety.  She also enjoys Rachael Ray Salmon kibble, which is in her bowl about once a week.  I may try giving her a trout or a catfish recipe canned food.

The link Molly92 & Missmiz provided is great.

I don't have much to add, however, I also love fish myself & it's ashamed it's in such a pitiful state.

This is a far out intervention to your problem, but I've always wondered about having your own fish pond for food.

You would need to know what you were doing, and you would need to have lots of knowledge regarding freshwater aquatics and your local ecosystem. It's truly part of a dream I have for myself when I eventually move to my own property. I would love to have a pond with fish I can safely eat w/o the added chemicals, and toxins.

Inherently I do not think fish is bad. For example, my husband's from Africa and lived on the coast. He would eat fish all the time. The people their ate fish much more often then they ate cow. Many of the people there had their own fish ponds too. For them to being eating fish maybe 3-4 times a week for the whole lives their source of fish must have not been that contaminated 

Fish seemed to be the primary diet for the strays in his area; but they are specific wild cat breeds. Whole communities of cats wait @ the docks for the fishermen. 

Fish though is not healthy to give to your cats as their sole source of food. It's especially important to never give raw fish. An enzyme in raw fish  destroys thiamine, which is an essential B vitamin for your cat. A lack of thiamine can cause serious neurological problems and lead to convulsions and coma. When you cook fish for your cat also be careful of bones.

Some stores do sell fish that they claim to be fished sustainability and responsibly. The only commercial store that I somewhat trust is Whole Foods Market. They are able to tell you exactly where it came from, if it was farmed/wild, and how it was processed. They sometimes have videos of the specific fish farms that they buy from. 

Source:

http://www.pet-happy.com/is-it-safe-for-your-cat-to-eat-fish/