ok i grew up thinking that dry cat food was better than moist but i hear that u think differently. what is the best food for cats i have a 4 year old 2 year old and about 5 month old?(dont know for sure). if its canned what kind and also how do i do it so they dont get dirreha. any input would be appritiated. currently they all get dry iams adult formula. also 2 old the cats have already gotten bladderinfection but not stones or crystals.
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feeding question
- Thread starter april31
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Firstly, welcome to TCS! Okay, IAMS is a very low quality food and they do animal testing. Although, some people believe that is just a "rumor", but there has been proof and sources. Anyway, I suggest high quality foods like Innova EVO, Timberwolf Organics, Felidae, California Natural, etc. These all have canned and dry formulas. I also suggest a raw diet, but you may not be interested in that at all. PM me if you'd like some more information on raw diets. Good luck!
Well, for what it's worth, I use dry kibble as the mainstay in my
cats' diets, and have fared very well. However, I should also
point out I've only had females, so I can't talk about urine
crystals and such like. (All three past cats lived well into
the double digits; 18-20.)
I go with what dry food my vet recommends, which I keep on
hand in a bowl all the time for the cats. In the past, I've been
able to simply fill a large bowl and keep it topped off. I currently
have a cat who is gaining weight and I want to head off any
weight problems at the pass, so I'm filling the bowl about
half-to-one-cup twice daily. Then I use organic wet food, bought
at a nearby health food store, as "goodies" to augment their diet.
I make sure they get plenty of water, and monitor output to be
sure they're eliminating normally.
Until these two new cats, I've never had a weight problem with
cats, so the system has always worked for me. And now that Treat
is getting used to the idea that the food is always there, (versus
set feeding times at the rescue where she lived until recently) and she
doesn't need to bolt it down, she's eating more normally.
Just another viewpoint. I'm willing to hear objections to it. :-)
Carol
cats' diets, and have fared very well. However, I should also
point out I've only had females, so I can't talk about urine
crystals and such like. (All three past cats lived well into
the double digits; 18-20.)
I go with what dry food my vet recommends, which I keep on
hand in a bowl all the time for the cats. In the past, I've been
able to simply fill a large bowl and keep it topped off. I currently
have a cat who is gaining weight and I want to head off any
weight problems at the pass, so I'm filling the bowl about
half-to-one-cup twice daily. Then I use organic wet food, bought
at a nearby health food store, as "goodies" to augment their diet.
I make sure they get plenty of water, and monitor output to be
sure they're eliminating normally.
Until these two new cats, I've never had a weight problem with
cats, so the system has always worked for me. And now that Treat
is getting used to the idea that the food is always there, (versus
set feeding times at the rescue where she lived until recently) and she
doesn't need to bolt it down, she's eating more normally.
Just another viewpoint. I'm willing to hear objections to it. :-)
Carol
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I have two cats with far different ages and needs..
Zoey is two yrs and allergic to wheat and soy( common cat allergies) .. She eats Nutro s Natural choice... why cause she love s it and two no by products no grd corn ( corn gluten is a protein) and no chemical preservatives...she doesnt like raw cooked or canned food cept for 1/4teaspoon a day..
Kandie is 17.5 yrs due to kidney issues she eats either high end canned free of the listed items or raw ... right now she is 75% raw 25% canned or homemade
I would have all raw if I could but I do what works for the animal
From my experiences with it, feeding canned only actually decreases the amount of waste cats produce since the bulk of the food is processed and used.
Dry food does NOT (as previously believed) help with keeping teeth clean. Due to the fillers and other ingrediants used to bind the little kibbles together, dry food actually leaves a residue on the teeth that attracts bacteria and promotes growth of infection in the gums.
Feeding dry food only may promote kidney issues, chronic UTI's or crystals, and diabetes in many cats. Feeding dry food only may also promote obesity in some cats which leads to all sorts of other health issues.
Dry food is comprised of mostly carbohydrates. Cats do not process carbs the way we do. Carbohydrates, when metabolized, convert into a sugar. Sugar isn't used in cats the way it is in humans for energy. Cats get their energy from amino acids, which are the byproduct of protein when broken down. The best protein source is meat.
And a final compelling point against dry food only diets ...
I have NEVER seen a cat walk into a corn field, wheat field, rice paddy or potato patch, grab himself a pawful and eat any of it. I have seen cats hunt, kill and eat rabbits, birds and mice though.
Dry food does NOT (as previously believed) help with keeping teeth clean. Due to the fillers and other ingrediants used to bind the little kibbles together, dry food actually leaves a residue on the teeth that attracts bacteria and promotes growth of infection in the gums.
Feeding dry food only may promote kidney issues, chronic UTI's or crystals, and diabetes in many cats. Feeding dry food only may also promote obesity in some cats which leads to all sorts of other health issues.
Dry food is comprised of mostly carbohydrates. Cats do not process carbs the way we do. Carbohydrates, when metabolized, convert into a sugar. Sugar isn't used in cats the way it is in humans for energy. Cats get their energy from amino acids, which are the byproduct of protein when broken down. The best protein source is meat.
And a final compelling point against dry food only diets ...
I have NEVER seen a cat walk into a corn field, wheat field, rice paddy or potato patch, grab himself a pawful and eat any of it. I have seen cats hunt, kill and eat rabbits, birds and mice though.
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I have NEVER seen a cat walk into a corn field, wheat field, rice paddy or potato patch, grab himself a pawful and eat any of it. I have seen cats hunt, kill and eat rabbits, birds and mice though.
So so true but I nearly died laughing at that picture
So so true but I nearly died laughing at that picture
You might want to check with your vet. When Tigger came down
with her kidney issues, I was warned to go for LOWER protein.
I know that's counter-intuitive with an obligatory carnivore,
but high protein puts quite a load on already stressed kidneys.
It's quite an interesting dance to get the natural protein diet
scaled to something the kidneys can handle!
Carol
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Her scores or values have gone done on the raw it is a quality and digesabilty issue vs the need to lower protein in a dry food enviornment... I work very closely with my vet ... she was the one recommending I go for canned and homemade to raw ...
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I agree that the higher protein levels on stressed kidneys can be a problem, however, canned foods (or raw, or homemade) usually contain more moisture than dry food, keeping the cat much better hydrated.
If I ever do see that happen, I sincerely hope that whatever powers that be will allow me to also have a high-end, digital quality video camera in my hand. *wink*Originally Posted by sharky
I have NEVER seen a cat walk into a corn field, wheat field, rice paddy or potato patch, grab himself a pawful and eat any of it. I have seen cats hunt, kill and eat rabbits, birds and mice though.
So so true but I nearly died laughing at that picture
I would be wary of what a vet suggests in regards to foods.
Vets are not required to learn about nutrition beyond the basics and will recommend whatever brand they themselves sell.
In most cases that would be Science Diet, which, IMO is pretty crummy food.
Your best bet is to learn to read and decipher pet food labels and research on your own and ask lots of questions, both here and of your vet.
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my cats are spoiled well kind of they dont get treats and oly get cat food but they are not lacking in the love department lol with 3 kids of my own that love animals they get plenty of attention. unfortunatly we dont have any pet stores with in 2 hours from here so im kind of stuck as to what kind of food besides walmart earl may and vets. and really as far as vet goes i asked him once when i was feeding them purina one kitten food he said to go i think with proplan i think thats the name but my cats kind of turned up noses to that one and i dont like changing too much dont want to upset stomache but i want to feed the best so if canned is better or another brand i would be sure willing to try it.
I've heard canned is better as well - but - I have 4 out of my 5 cats that will have nothing to do with canned food (yes - that's right - 4 out of 5 don't like it
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ok only the youngest is eating it so far now how much do i feed him hes eating it like crazy they are used to getting dry food all day since they always have a full bowl so how much canned should they eat a day
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read the can label... my vets once told me for a wet only one ounce per lb of kitty ... 6 ounces for a 6lb cat .... I recently found a label that stated to give like 2-4 ounces wet if dry was avail for ave 8-10 kitty
