Recommendations for food

First time cat owner. We got a rescue from a friend and he is 1.5 years old. His name is Badger and he is such a sweetheart. The people we got him from were feeding him Rachael Ray cat food, I read that it wasn't very good for cats so We weaned Badger off of it and are giving him Purina complete Cat Chow right now. I also read that brand was not ideal either so I was wondering if anyone had a healthy yet pretty affordable cat food or brand I can look into for Badger. Also, they were feeding Badger some wet food along with dry food. Is that a good idea to serve both or should we only do one or the other?

The classic "what food is best" post. Be prepared for a dozen opinions in a thousand different directions. 

IMHO, I like to have dry food out 24/7 for free feeding and give wet food once a day and that works perfectly for us. However, my cats all have outdoor access during the day and are fairly active. They don't bored eat or overeat. That option doesn't work for everyone so it really depends on your situation and what works for you. The goal it to have a healthy coat and good body condition. Not weight, condition. If you are having a body condition problem and need to cut back the general rule of thumb is 20 calories per pound of sedentary indoor cat up to 35 calories per pound of hyperactive outdoor cat. 

That said.... which brand and food? That is where the real debate comes in. I think everyone can agree on a few points where diet is concerned:

* Cat are obligated carnivores and need a high protein diet.

* Grains specifically, carbs in a general sense, can and will lead to weight retention around the waist.

* By products belong no where in cat food. NEVER feed a "meat meal" or "meat by product" only named meats. 

* Meals are not horrible but should never be first.  

* Taurine is a critical component and Omega 3/6 is really nice to have too. 

* The first five ingredients are the most telling. You want to see a meat, a meat, a fat, a binder and usually a meal in those first five (although more meat is better). 

There are three main food types: 

* Dry food - you want to look at the label for a 40% + protein, 13-20% fat, around 10% moisture. Dry food is low in water and will NOT provide your cat with enough moisture on its own. Cats aren't big drinkers typically so you will want to monitor drinking habits. In my house my cats love fountains both inside and outside. It is not uncommon for a cat to be drinking for over a minute and have more than 3 ounces at a time. Which is good. Low water intake can lead to kidney problems and UTIs. So if you go dry only you want to watch for water intake. You will hear the term binder when it comes to dry food, that is the component that holds the meat together like eggs in a cake. The bad binders are grains, okay binder is potato, and better binder is peas or tapioca (at least from my personal research). I personally think a good quality dry food is as good as a wet food but there are strong arguments out their against it too. I will say it has worked for me and I am very attentive to my cats intake, water and body condition. 

* Wet food - By default they typically have a minimum of 75% moisture. You want to see at least 8% protein and 4% fat (since so much is moisture the percentages are different while still providing more actual protein per bite than dry, plus dry needs a binder to hold together which adds carbs). Most wet foods do not have the percentages or calories on the cans so you will have to look it up but it is important to do so. Wet foods are better for a low drinking cat because they provide the moisture they need. They are also typically more calorie dense, higher protein and lower carbs which is good for weight management.  However, you have to be careful because the calorie richness means that if you are trying to manage a body condition the cans can vary greatly in calories from one flavor to another in the same brand line. 

* Raw food - I am not familiar with this one and it is tricky enough that I am not going to try. There are nuances in a raw diet to ensure proper nutrition and it  is not as simple as grab some meat at the butchers. If done properly raw diet is arguable the best but if it is done slightly wrong it can be very bad. If you have the time and resources to dedicate to raw there is a raw thread for tips and advice. 

So all that said what is the answer to what is the best? It depends on your budget and what works for you. There is not an easy answer. You can check the sites review tab for specific brands and lines and what people think about them.  

I personally do Natures Variety because it fits my budget with three cats while being within the targets for protein, fat and moisture without any grains. If I could afford it maybe Young Again, Nulo, or Go! Fit + Free. If I needed a lower price point ..... I would have to read some labels and look for the specifics mentioned above or the closest I could find to them. For wet food, my cats jump around depending on sales between Fancy Fest, Tiki, and Taste of the Wild.  

I will caution that it is important to check the label of every bag you get. Pet food companies are horrible at quietly switching formulas and a change could take it away from the things that made you pick it. You also should always mix some of the old and new bags together between bags or mix them together when changing foods. Cats will get sick from sudden changes in food because their systems get used to one food. Sometimes even new bags of the same food can have minor differences so mixing a little of the new bag with the old bag prevents any problems. 

We use Nature's Variety, but I had a problem with their feeding guide. I had them give me a maintenance serving in cups, and that was too much food. I had them give it to me in grams, and Stewart still gained a lb after finishing his diet. I ended up doing NV Healthy Weight with them and Stew was getting 55 grams a day for weight loss and Tommy at 60 grams a day for weight loss. Then they are at optimal weight, they each got five more grams.

The girls are still on Nature's Variety, but the boys have moved on.
Tommy Gargoyle hit a urethral blockage Nov 30 16.

I moved the boys off kibble to Nature's Variety canned duck. Then 2 weeks or so later, only Nature's Variety raw medallions. By the end of the month I had ordered everything I needed from Whole Foods, IHerb, and Hare-Today and started making the boys homemade raw at 21 lbs of mix per month.
Getting onto wet food and diluting Tom's urine didn't exactly work as planned. He blocked again last month. Then again less than 48 later. We had him get the PU surgery to give him a wider urethra.

The girls are still on Nature's Variety Instinct Chicken with Raw Boost kibble. The rest of the boys' kibble went into the freezer in case I need someone to watch them for a day or two. And the girls free feed with an SureFlap feeder and rfid tags on their collar. The boys can't open it once the girls walk away.

Honestly when I started out doing this and hadn't turned into a total snob, I was feeding all my kittens Natural Balance, but I stopped after I noticed they were using brewer's rice. Their product line has grown and changed so much in 9 years that I wouldn't even know where to begin.

When the boys were on an expensive prescription diet for weight loss *crap ingredients* and I tried to afford all four cats their food, I had the girls on Hill's Ideal Balance.

For every anecdote about "good" cat food, there are three more anecdotes that counter the original anecdote;  and all four seem plausible!

I fed my gal Rachael Ray Nutrish when she first came home with me.  However, what I later read about possible digestive problems caused by corn gluten made me stop purchasing that particular formula.  Now for sure, you'll find some folks who swear they used to work in a vet office or a major pet food company and declare that corn is not unhealthy, or that their pet ate corn-based Cat Chow for 20 years with no severe health problems.  O.K., what have you.  If it works for your pet, go with it.  Just keep an eye on your cat's habits and coat.  Also, scrutinize your cat's deposits in the litter box.  Horrid odor and soft stools may indicate a problem.  Perhaps not a huge problem, but a problem nevertheless.