Ingredients

ashleynicole · Sep 20, 2005

I know there are soo many posts about food. But I am just learning to read the labels correctly while trying to find a good food for Marlee. I've been looking up many of the types recommended on here, as well as reading some old posts and label-reading sites. And I am confused. Is 'meal' a bad thing? Because I've looked up both Nutro and Royal Canin, both of which have chicken meal or something similar as the first ingredient. I tried doing a search of this site to find the answer, but was having trouble. Also, does anyone use Nature's Recipe? I ask b/c that is what is used for my dog (my parents have her while I'm at college though) b/c she has a wheat allergy and they carry a venison food which she loves. I'm pretty sure they have cat food also, so was wanting some opinions. Once again, I'm sorry to post again on a topic that has been talked about so much!

emb_78 · Sep 20, 2005

Originally Posted by AshleyNicole

I know there are soo many posts about food. But I am just learning to read the labels correctly while trying to find a good food for Marlee. I've been looking up many of the types recommended on here, as well as reading some old posts and label-reading sites. And I am confused. Is 'meal' a bad thing? Because I've looked up both Nutro and Royal Canin, both of which have chicken meal or something similar as the first ingredient. I tried doing a search of this site to find the answer, but was having trouble. Also, does anyone use Nature's Recipe? I ask b/c that is what is used for my dog (my parents have her while I'm at college though) b/c she has a wheat allergy and they carry a venison food which she loves. I'm pretty sure they have cat food also, so was wanting some opinions. Once again, I'm sorry to post again on a topic that has been talked about so much!

Meal is not bad! By product is bad!

ashleynicole · Sep 20, 2005

Thanks

Sorry, this is new to me! Before finding this site, I never knew there was so much to consider when choosing kitty food.

hissy · Sep 20, 2005

You need to be wary of products where they list generic terms for what is inside- like bone-meal. meal, by-products-dried animal digest-

that type of stuff

lionessrampant · Sep 20, 2005

Originally Posted by AshleyNicole

Thanks

Sorry, this is new to me! Before finding this site, I never knew there was so much to consider when choosing kitty food.

Haha, yeah, it can definitely be confusing. But think of it this way: by switching your cat over to a more healthy food, you could be avoiding problems like diabetes and kidney problems! Which, by the way, would cost quite a bit more than just spending a few extra bucks on food every month!!

vanillasugar · Sep 20, 2005

I'm going to try to explain it to ya, but I might not do such a good job so bear with me

Meal (of a named meat source) is an excellent protein source. It's the meat with the water taken out of it, so it's heavier and denser than just meat. So for example, if a food has Chicken as the first ingredient and rice as the second, there may actually be more RICE in the food, by weight, because the chicken was weighed WITH water. Whereas if there's chicken meal as the first ingredient, followed by rice, there's more chicken in the food because it was weighed dry. Make sence? (I'm so sorry if that's totally confusing, it took me a while to get it too!)

sharky · Sep 20, 2005

I like meal first but also would love to see chn or real fish in the first five also... I like ingrdiants like chn meal , br rice , herring meal, rice

bengalbabe · Sep 20, 2005

Originally Posted by AshleyNicole

I know there are soo many posts about food. But I am just learning to read the labels correctly while trying to find a good food for Marlee. I've been looking up many of the types recommended on here, as well as reading some old posts and label-reading sites. And I am confused. Is 'meal' a bad thing? Because I've looked up both Nutro and Royal Canin, both of which have chicken meal or something similar as the first ingredient. I tried doing a search of this site to find the answer, but was having trouble. Also, does anyone use Nature's Recipe? I ask b/c that is what is used for my dog (my parents have her while I'm at college though) b/c she has a wheat allergy and they carry a venison food which she loves. I'm pretty sure they have cat food also, so was wanting some opinions. Once again, I'm sorry to post again on a topic that has been talked about so much!

"meal" is the stripped carcass cooked and cooked untill there's no nutrition left.

sharky · Sep 20, 2005

Originally Posted by bengalbabe

"meal" is the stripped carcass cooked and cooked untill there's no nutrition left.

there is still more left when the fat and h2o is taken out prior to cooking unlike chn or by product... I know the raw is working well for you but many of us have just dry and canned to deal with

... My raw is up to 1.5 days a week

ashleynicole · Sep 20, 2005

Lavender, you did a pretty good job, I understand what you are saying. Thanks to everyone for the opinions and replies. Its always hard, because everyone has their own opinions, and each little kitty is different! So I'm going to Petco (the only pet store in my town here) this week to do a little more looking around. Once all her tummy woes are gone, I'll try to slowly switch her. Thanks again!

sandtigress · Sep 20, 2005

I'm pretty sure I saw Nature's Recipe for cats at PetCo when I was there earlier, so maybe you could give that a try if you liked it for your dog!

pat · Sep 20, 2005

Hi, I'm obviously very late to this thread! The thing with meal, is that the proportion of bone and connective tissue also processed with the chicken meat will vary brand to brand. Here is the AAFCO Definition as provided on another site - be sure to read down to the descriptive paragraph: click here

I do still prefer to see chicken listed as the first ingredient. Re the Nature's Recipe - NO, NO, NO...that is my strong opinion! Here from the manufacturer's website, is the first ingredients of their Adult Formula Dry:"
Chicken by-product meal, ground rice, ground corn, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), corn gluten meal, dried egg product, herring meal, beet pulp, liver digest..."
I've highlighted the ingredients I do not choose to feed my cats.

bengalbabe · Sep 20, 2005

It's ok to give the cats bone obviously because they need the calcium. The problem is that "meal" is just the carcass and there is not enought meat left on the carcass to call it meat, that's why it's called "meal" instead. It is high in protein but so is chicken feces and feathers-they are high in protein but no one would consider them acceptable food sources.
Sharky~ (love ya but have to speak here)I understand not everyone can feed an all meat diet like I do for my cats but im just telling the plain truth about "meal", like it or not, the truth is the truth no matter if you like to hear it or not!

sharky · Sep 21, 2005

I just happen to know what the real chn can be also... which basically goes up with the house after cooking falling in actual quanity to 1/5 or 1/6th it s orginal wt... that = not get the right protein fat levals...Yes some companys use the leftovers others do it themselve... so We'll agree to diagree ....

winter hawk · Sep 21, 2005

In my opinion, one of the best commercially available cat foods on the market is made by Natura. Its called Innova-EVO. I'll attach the link and check the ingredients as well as the availability locally in your area.
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=home-tab

sharky · Sep 21, 2005

Originally Posted by Winter Hawk

In my opinion, one of the best commercially available cat foods on the market is made by Natura. Its called Innova-EVO. I'll attach the link and check the ingredients as well as the availability locally in your area.
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=home-tab

Evo reads well and my dog is liking it mixed with natural choice senior and bil jac, but for my bengal cross it just didnt work...

pat · Sep 21, 2005

Originally Posted by Winter Hawk

In my opinion, one of the best commercially available cat foods on the market is made by Natura. Its called Innova-EVO. I'll attach the link and check the ingredients as well as the availability locally in your area.
http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=home-tab

Yes, we've had some discussions on this previously here. You can find the past threads if you wish, by doing a search on Innova EVO.

Ingredients

ashleynicole

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emb_78

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ashleynicole

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hissy

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lionessrampant

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vanillasugar

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sharky

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bengalbabe

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sharky

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ashleynicole

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sandtigress

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pat

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bengalbabe

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sharky

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winter hawk

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sharky

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pat

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