Now I am super confused as to what to feed my cats!

happyviking

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I have been feeding my cats IAMS kitten kebbles, because the first 2 ingredients are meat and meat by products, not just corn and fillers. But the 3rd IS corn and by products aren't the best... I want my cats to be fed properly, but I'm not able to purchase food that is more expensive than the IAMS; that's about as high as I can go. I see some of you recommending Nutro to feed. Is the price comparable to that of IAMS? Why is this food better than IAMS? Do you happen to know the first few ingredients in Nutro?

And now I read this: "The idea of one pet food providing all the nutrition a companion animal will ever need for its entire life is a myth." So then what do I do? Do I use canned in addition to the kebbles, or something else? How often, and what do I do?
This is the great page I read it at, from Animal Protection Institute: http://www.api4animals.org/79.htm
I'm just confused now, that's all!
 

lionessrampant

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Nutro Natural Choice is barely more expensive than Iam's, I think a couple bucks or so (but don't quote me on that, I don't feed either brand). But, with the absence of those fillers, you'll end up having to feed your cat less, so your food bill will come out about the same. From what I have read and heard, Nutro is quite superior to Iam's, although my experience is limited to this board and ingredient lists. I know there are reps for Nutro wandering around this forum that you could ask, though! Good luck!
 

kateyes

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I don't live in the states so I don't know about prices but I have been looking into the same subject you are [what to feed my cats].
Here are some websites that might interest you:
http://www.geocities.com/jmpeerson/canfood.html
http://www.catinfo.org

And now I read this: "The idea of one pet food providing all the nutrition a companion animal will ever need for its entire life is a myth."
I agree with that quote. Its pretty impossible to find the perfect food but we can always find food thats healthier for our cats, thanks to all the information out there we can make better choices when feeding our kitties.

In the first link I shared you'll find a long list of different brands and how many carbs they have.. try to aim below 8 or 10 percent.
 

sharky

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Nutro is the best readiuly available food out there... The ingrediants are good I feed the dry to one amd wet to all ... I do work for them so Pm me any questions.. I will give my testimonals on the dog.. Gigi is a yorkie I adopted at 3.5 yr old ... she had a bad coat and I didnt know why she ate kibbles and bits since it was the only one I found she would eat... I ran into a Natural balence domonstror about a yr later ... she gave me info and some samples ... Gigi ate it and within in a few months had the coat all my dogs have had nice but not a show dog... about a yr later I started working for Nutro so I tried her one some.. took four tries to find the one she wanted but she started eating... she has had mainly Nutros natural choice senior for 2.5 years with others mixed for a bit of extra flavor ... she looks like the show dogs on tv coat wise her itching was reduced 50% and she has ear trouble but not the horrible infections she had ... It is a good food

My Zoey has only met one food she wasnt into ... she is transitioning herself from indoor natural choice kitten to regular natural choice adult...

Kanide is now 17 yrs old and at friskies for the first 13 ish .... i had her on a few premiums efore Nutro but Nutro was the only one the vet okayed after finding out she had CRF ... she ate max senior for about 2yrs before Sissy( that is me ) took her to a wet /homemade / raw diet


I like the foods , no food will work for all ... Nutro is the best food for the $$$ I have found...
 

pat

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Here is the page listing all of the formulas in my favorite line by Nutro - click here. You can click on any formula, and it will take to a full page listing the ingredients, why they use them (benefits), and the guaranteed analysis of each.

I agree, cat nutrition can be confusing..many messages out there as to what is best, proponents of raw only, those who believe if you feed canned only you will get dental disease, those who want no/low carb foods, those into homecooked diets (the way I am leaning when I can do this).

A very good way to compare prices on many brands is to simply go to www.petfooddirect.com, as they do sell a huge number of brands. It's not going to necessarily be the exact price you'll find in a brick and mortar store, but it will allow you to do extensive price comparisons, quickly.

There are many, many threads in this forum on cat nutrition, best cat foods, natual cat foods, recommended cat foods, and I probably need to get a sticky created of key articles.

But my bottom line is no by-products, no animal digest or artificial flavors and colorings, no BHA/BHT or Ethoxyquin,meat or poultry as the first 3-4 ingredients, no corn - cracked/whole or ground or meal, corn gluten meal if used at all, not as the first ingredient, no soy, no multiple carb sources in one formula (i.e. rice and wheat flour and barley etc.). My personal choice is also to not purchase treats or foods containing garlic, but that is a whole other issue.

Brands I like include PetGuard, Felidae, Nutro Natural Choice, Natural Balance - especially their venison and green pea formula for cats with known or possible food allergy issues , Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul, California Natural Chicken and Rice, some of the canned cat foods by Evangers, Active Life canned foods (currently not in production, should be back in production soon).

hth,
 
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happyviking

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

I agree, cat nutrition can be confusing..many messages out there as to what is best, proponents of raw only, those who believe if you feed canned only you will get dental disease, those who want no/low carb foods, those into homecooked diets (the way I am leaning when I can do this).
Thank you!
I also wonder if I should supplement Nutro with something else, to get a more balanced diet? Since none can do 100% of their needs, I mean. Should I then give some canned food of the same brand, or is there no nutritional difference between the dry and canned? Or should I keep a second brand for some variation? Then there is the issue of stomac upset if they don't get that food regularly... I mean, how do I work this out????
Thank's for all the information, I'll check out the links. This is all very helpful to me!!!
Just takes me a while to get out of this confusion, that's all...
 
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happyviking

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Well, I checked out a link, and I am really NOT getting it now...

Here's what I found on the ingredients list on Nutro natural choice for kittens: Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Oat Fiber, Sunflower Oil etc. etc.

While on the bag I have of Iams for kittens, the first few ingredients are: Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn grits, corn meal, chicken fat, fish meal, dried beetpulp dried egg product etc etc.

Well, the Iams seems better to me, if the first few ingredients should be meat and avoid fillers?
I must be missing something here???? Because it seems like you all agree on the same, both what a cat needs and which food is a better option? Please help clarify, if you can... Thank's so much!
 

pat

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Originally Posted by HappyViking

Well, I checked out a link, and I am really NOT getting it now...

Here's what I found on the ingredients list on Nutro natural choice for kittens: Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavors, Oat Fiber, Sunflower Oil etc. etc.

While on the bag I have of Iams for kittens, the first few ingredients are: Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn grits, corn meal, chicken fat, fish meal, dried beetpulp dried egg product etc etc.

Well, the Iams seems better to me, if the first few ingredients should be meat and avoid fillers?
I must be missing something here???? Because it seems like you all agree on the same, both what a cat needs and which food is a better option? Please help clarify, if you can... Thank's so much!
As I said, I'm okay with corn gluten meal (which is a source of protein) so long as it is not the first ingredient or the only ingredient present as a protein source. So...the nutro has chicken meal as it's first ingredient..good, one prominent carb - rice (better than corn), mixed tocopherols (my preferred preservative)...but with Iams, you have corn grit,s corn meal, chicken by-product meal..yuck, ick, yuckapoo! In no way is this superior to the Nutro Natural.
 

bikeman

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Chicken by-products are heads, beaks, feathers, feet, bone, eggs and shells, organs they can't sell to others, etc. Does that explain it?
 
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happyviking

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Ok, I think I'm getting it now...
Thank you, I'll be getting this brand next time I'm out shopping, then do a gradual change.
 
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happyviking

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One more question please?

I've read that kittens should be able to have a bowl of food to nibble on whenever they want -free feeding- because they are so active and need alot of calories.
I now read on the on-line page on Nutro for kittens, that when kittens reach 3 mo. they should be fed only 2 times a day...
What do you think? Will they overfeed on this cat food if free fed?
I have had overweight cats in the past,
but feel I have learned by my different mistakes in why they got overweight.
Now I want to make sure they stay slim and healthy, although I'm not gonna starve them of course... What would you recommend?

Thank's again, I hope I'm not being a pain!
 

arlyn

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We free feed here, no overweight cats, some heavier than others, but all are at healthy weights.

I think a lot of that has to do with the individual cat.
Most cats that are free fed from kittenhood self regulate rather well.

Of the heavyweights I've had, one was fed on a schedule twice a day and then (in my absence) he was suddenly being free fed, he did not know how to self regulate.
The other was from an overweight mother and possibly learned binge eating habits from her.

If you do decide to free feed, I would give scheduled daily canned food feedings, it helps to nip the gorging in the bud.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

We free feed here, no overweight cats, some heavier than others, but all are at healthy weights.

I think a lot of that has to do with the individual cat.
Most cats that are free fed from kittenhood self regulate rather well.

Of the heavyweights I've had, one was fed on a schedule twice a day and then (in my absence) he was suddenly being free fed, he did not know how to self regulate.
The other was from an overweight mother and possibly learned binge eating habits from her.

If you do decide to free feed, I would give scheduled daily canned food feedings, it helps to nip the gorging in the bud.
 
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