Which wet food is best?

missmimz

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I just ordered the beef and hoki FN from Amazon. K9 Naturals is selling on Amazon too same price as Chewy. 
 
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yogakitty

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#4, although you don't list the calories per can.  Is this actually a freeze dried raw product?  Sounds like one I have in my arsenol ;)

All canned foods contain ash, they just don't always list it :sigh:   It's important to know when computing % of carbs on a dry  matter basis.  You want to try to stay under 3%.  This article discussed it: 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/what-makes-the-best-canned-cat-food
I looked over the link. I still don't know what to look for in terms of protein percentage though. It seems like most of the better brands are 9 or 10%?

And what is the fibre content? Does this go along with carbs by any chance? More fibre, more carbs?
 

lisahe

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@LisaHE that's a good price. The small ones of FN are about $2.19 here. Or more!

I feel like I should totally get rid of the Natural Balance now. I have a few cans left. Ugh. :/
Wow, that's a big difference... and I checked, I do pay $1.79, 10% off if I buy a lot of cans.

Personally, I'm not a fan of Natural Balance but I used to feed one of those little trays that the cats just loved... it was an occasional treat but then the company added some pea ingredient and something else I don't like to feed so I axed it. In the three years we've had the cats, I've cut a lot of foods because of recipe changes that included new ingredients I don't like to feed! I'm glad new things have come out, like Feline Natural canned, Rawz (another canned food I think is worth checking out: no gums or carrageenan; it's a basic soft pate and our cats love it), and the EZcomplete supplement that I feel so good about feeding.
 
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yogakitty

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lisahe lisahe you don't have any issues with the runs due to rotating foods? So far, I've noticed Simon is pretty good when I introduce new foods. He never seems to have any loose stools. I guess that's a good thing? And knock on wood, hasn't thrown up even once since we have adopted him. Knock. On. Wood!
 

lisahe

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@LisaHE you don't have any issues with the runs due to rotating foods? So far, I've noticed Simon is pretty good when I introduce new foods. He never seems to have any loose stools. I guess that's a good thing? And knock on wood, hasn't thrown up even once since we have adopted him. Knock. On. Wood!
No, no problems. (I also knock on wood about that. And spit over my left shoulder three times for good measure!) And yes, it's a good thing if you can switch up the foods without problems. I don't introduce new proteins often but when I do, I usually only give a little at a time.

You're lucky Simon has never vomited! One of our cats used to vomit food sometimes, then we figured out it was because she's sensitive to potato. She also vomits if she eats too much, too fast... so we feed five small meals a day and spread the food out on her dish so she can't inhale a pile of it. Which is to say that it's not always what you feed but how you feed it!
 

mrsgreenjeens

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#4, although you don't list the calories per can.  Is this actually a freeze dried raw product?  Sounds like one I have in my arsenol


All canned foods contain ash, they just don't always list it
  It's important to know when computing % of carbs on a dry  matter basis.  You want to try to stay under 3%.  This article discussed it: 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/what-makes-the-best-canned-cat-food
I looked over the link. I still don't know what to look for in terms of protein percentage though. It seems like most of the better brands are 9 or 10%?

And what is the fibre content? Does this go along with carbs by any chance? More fibre, more carbs?
I would say the higher the protein the better, unless you have a cat with late stage kidney disease.  As far as more fiber meaning more carbs, I've never thought of it in those terms, but now I'm beginning to wonder, because I don't honestly know where the fiber comes from.  But once again, here is another article that might help you...it at least explains a LOT:  http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-compare-cat-foods-calculate-carbs-dry-matter-basis
 
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yogakitty

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mrsgreenjeens mrsgreenjeens is protein something that should be reduced with kidney disease or is it also something that should be decreased when a cat begins to age in order to also avoid kidney problems? Not tsomething I have to worry about hopefully. My little guy is still going and God forbid any health issues.
 

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@mrsgreenjeens is protein something that should be reduced with kidney disease or is it also something that should be decreased when a cat begins to age in order to also avoid kidney problems? Not tsomething I have to worry about hopefully. My little guy is still going and God forbid any health issues.
Iwould  not decrease protein in order to try to avoid kidney disease.  It's only AFTER they get it that it's difficult for kidney's to process the nitrogenous waste from the protein they consume.  Per this article, senior may need even MORE protein to prevent muscle wasting.  http://www.thecatsite.com/a/a-scientific-take-on-cat-nutrition-by-dr-rachel-boltz
 

missmimz

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@mrsgreenjeens is protein something that should be reduced with kidney disease or is it also something that should be decreased when a cat begins to age in order to also avoid kidney problems? Not tsomething I have to worry about hopefully. My little guy is still going and God forbid any health issues.
It's old theory that kidney cats need low protein, or that older cats need protein. As @mrsgreenjeens  mentioned with older cats its more important that they get high protein to help with muscle wasting that happens as they get older. Cats naturally have a high protein need, so "high protein" isn't really high, it's just what they actually need. 
 

thegreystalker

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It could be that I overdo my gal's rotation in that we have several different brands/varieties in her menu.  No significant stomach problems so far. In the 12 months she has been with she has barfed only once, when during our first few weeks together I gave her a gravy-based low-end food (I didn't know any better at the time).  No more of that stuff.  The other day I ordered a couple of new brands to try;  Only Natural Pet (Turkey, Chicken) and Nature's Variety Instinct (Beef) all pates.
 

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A lot of marketing there :-))).

These  formulas appeal to people who think the more complex, the better. Not always true. Note that there is little chance for a biochemist to predict what will happen in the metabolism with mix food. Some pairs of nutritional principles are known, but very few. This is for human metabolism, which is intensely studied. As far as the cats are concerned, well, I have doubts on how much is actually known.

===

I would rather go for number five which mentioned taurine in the formula. As you know, taurine is crucial for cat health. Number three also mentioned taurine, but towards the bottom of the list.

There is an European Directive concerning Consumer Protection that provides for the obligation to list the components in decreasing order of their percentages. So the higher in the list, the higher the percentage. I guess there is a similar NAFTA /USA law.

However, since the formulas are so complicate (marketing targets), I do not know if the other also contain taurine but, for the same marketing reason, the manufacturers choose to highlight other strengths.
 

missmimz

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A lot of marketing there :-))).

These  formulas appeal to people who think the more complex, the better. Not always true. Note that there is little chance for a biochemist to predict what will happen in the metabolism with mix food. Some pairs of nutritional principles are known, but very few. This is for human metabolism, which is intensely studied. As far as the cats are concerned, well, I have doubts on how much is actually known.

===

I would rather go for number five which mentioned taurine in the formula. As you know, taurine is crucial for cat health. Number three also mentioned taurine, but towards the bottom of the list.

There is an European Directive concerning Consumer Protection that provides for the obligation to list the components in decreasing order of their percentages. So the higher in the list, the higher the percentage. I guess there is a similar NAFTA /USA law.

However, since the formulas are so complicate (marketing targets), I do not know if the other also contain taurine but, for the same marketing reason, the manufacturers choose to highlight other strengths.
Taurine is naturally occurring in meat, and if the meat content is high enough on its own no supplemental taurine is necessary. This is more common in higher end foods. 
 

solomonar

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Taurine is naturally occurring in meat, and if the meat content is high enough on its own no supplemental taurine is necessary. This is more common in higher end foods. 
Yes and no. Taurine content depends on:\

- organ (more in intestine, brain and muscle)

- time elapsed from death - bacteria eats out taurine

- water presence - water washed out taurine

- preparation method - boiling, frying destroys taurine (that is why some recommends raw meat)

It is not clear for me from the label wheather there is about taurine content or taurine as supplement.If nothing mentioned I assume a zero content, as a matter of staying on the safe side.
 
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yogakitty

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Come to think of it, they all have salt except for #4, which is Ziwipeaks. I don't have Feline Natural on there, as that seems to be a winning yet expensive choice. I think I'll alternate it when I can. Ziwi is also pricey, but cheaper than the FN. At least here it is. Also cheaper online.....

How much of a problem is salt? I'm surprised some of these so called better brands have it....especially if kidney issues and dehydration are kitty culprits...
 

solomonar

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Come to think of it, they all have salt except for #4, which is Ziwipeaks. I don't have Feline Natural on there, as that seems to be a winning yet expensive choice. I think I'll alternate it when I can. Ziwi is also pricey, but cheaper than the FN. At least here it is. Also cheaper online.....

How much of a problem is salt? I'm surprised some of these so called better brands have it....especially if kidney issues and dehydration are kitty culprits...
Salt is natural in most animals and plants. It can not be avoided.

I am with you in what it concerns the impact on salt to cat metabolism. I am going to dig more for proved evidences and scientific descriptions.. For humans, pressure on the kidney is proved. But cat metabolism could be different  in this respect.

I am surprised to see how little scientific evidence is about most of the reccomandations that are spread between breeders and guardians. I am not saying that there are wrong. I am only saying that I would be more confident to see scientific articles, in scientific Journals, about cat metabolism. 
 

missmimz

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Yes and no. Taurine content depends on:\

- organ (more in intestine, brain and muscle)

- time elapsed from death - bacteria eats out taurine

- water presence - water washed out taurine

- preparation method - boiling, frying destroys taurine (that is why some recommends raw meat)

It is not clear for me from the label wheather there is about taurine content or taurine as supplement.If nothing mentioned I assume a zero content, as a matter of staying on the safe side.
Heart has the most taurine, which is muscle, not organ. Both Feline Naturals and ZP pack the raw food into the cans and gently cook. FN provides taurine percentages. If there isn't taurine on the label they aren't supplementing, but supplemental taurine, again, isn't necessary if the meat content is high enough. With FN you can see that heart is second on the ingredient list. 
 
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