Starting a food experiment

zissou'smom

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So... I have a little extra money and decided to get some Merrick for Zissou. I got 2 of the 8-flavor variety pack. So we are going to try it. She has been eating mostly Iams Kitten pouches, but also various other flavors. I even bought her the tuna weight control on accident (someone was flirting with me at the store and I got distracted...) and she LOVED it. She doesn't really care between pate and chunky either.
Anyway. My experiment will be to feed her the Merricks for a while and see if theres a difference. If there is it'll get rotated in with the Iams, and if not I'll forget it.
I was inspired to do this because while I went on vacation my sister was feeding her 9lives wet and wow did she stink!!! She smelled...oily...when I got home. And didn't seem quite as happy, although it could be cause she missed me. As soon as I got her back on her regular diet (which, she did not like, mind you!) she started smelling like, well, kinda like the woods in spring? And she got softer and bouncier!
My point is, will Iams be the new 9lives (for Zissou, anyway)? Will I notice even more of a difference? Or will it be too short of a period? It will be about a month, all told (she'll get half a 3.5 oz can every day, so 32 days).
Any experience?
 

sharky

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In order to se a real difference you would need to feed the Merrick exclusively for about a month ... otherwise youll likely not see a bvenifit..
 

commonoddity042

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I recently swithced my cat over to an organic food and I am already seeing great changes. She has more energy (she's started hyperactively batting around toys that she'd usually ignore and DEMANDING play at least twice a day now, which she'd do once a day, if at all
), is even softer than she was before (which surprises me, as she was velvety before...now she's like a little cloud), and overall, seems happier. She never stunk us me as far as the litterbox went unless it was a time when I was serving nine lives while waiting for the store to get more of her usual (now former) chow in.

No way is she getting switched off this stuff.


(On a side note, I loved the life aquatic. Zissou looks a lot like my Pudge.)
 
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zissou'smom

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The people who temporarily rescued her for about a week were feeding her 9lives, and gave us the can they had left, and I looked at the ingredients, and, well, put it out for the raccoons (I actually like raccoons, and put it by the big dumpsters).
My sister thinks I'm crazy for spending so much money on the cat, since judging by my budget she should be eating Giant Eagle store brand (mmm mystery meat).
If I see such a big change, I'll have to figure out a way to pay for the stuff regularly. I understand the whole "better food=less expense in the long run". I just want to know if there is really a huge difference between what I consider a pretty good brand and a brand that is even better. Comparing the ingredients, it seems like it will be healthier. Comparing the little percentage charts though they aren't all that different?

First 7 ingredients of usual wet food:
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Wheat Gluten, Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Meat By-Products, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E, and Citric Acid),
First 7 of the Turducken:
Turkey, Chicken, Chicken Broth, Duck, Fresh Sweet Potatoes, Fresh Carrots, Fresh Snow Peas,

The vegetables in the Merricks kind of weird me out. Especially the Apple. Why? One thing I do like about the Merricks is that its not all chicken or beef like Iams is. Which seems better somehow. I don't know anything about meat though. And "meat by-products" is pretty gross sounding. I never noticed it before.
Then again, here is 9lives's:
Water sufficient for processing, meat by-products, chicken, wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, chicken broth, modified starch, (the next ones are steamed bone meal and "animal digest").

To me the difference between 9lives and Iams is vastlier than Iams and Merrick. So we'll see how it goes, and I'll keep the thread updated.


Oh, I'm not worried about the litterbox stink. Her poo doesn't smell 'less she just left her calling card. It's how SHE smells that I'm concerned about. Well, obviously her health is the most important, but I'm allergic to cats, and when she smelled ...oily... I was more allergic to her. And I'm more allergic to the sister's cats than Z. I'm not sure how to describe the smell of a cat. If you stick your nose down in the fur on her scruff, she smells good. Like a baby, kinda. And her breath doesn't stink.
On the 9lives, she smelled kinda like the cat version of a terrible hangover. Which, if thats an indication of how she felt, that food was bad news for her.

Pictures of Pudge???? You wanna see a lookalike, look at Zissou and then look at Abbysmom. Its uncanny. Positively uncanny.

Zissou loves that techno song on The Life Aquatic on the dvd menu.
 

commonoddity042

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Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

The people who temporarily rescued her for about a week were feeding her 9lives, and gave us the can they had left, and I looked at the ingredients, and, well, put it out for the raccoons (I actually like raccoons, and put it by the big dumpsters).
My sister thinks I'm crazy for spending so much money on the cat, since judging by my budget she should be eating Giant Eagle store brand (mmm mystery meat).
If I see such a big change, I'll have to figure out a way to pay for the stuff regularly. I understand the whole "better food=less expense in the long run". I just want to know if there is really a huge difference between what I consider a pretty good brand and a brand that is even better. Comparing the ingredients, it seems like it will be healthier. Comparing the little percentage charts though they aren't all that different?

First 7 ingredients of usual wet food:
Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Wheat Gluten, Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Meat By-Products, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E, and Citric Acid),
First 7 of the Turducken:
Turkey, Chicken, Chicken Broth, Duck, Fresh Sweet Potatoes, Fresh Carrots, Fresh Snow Peas,

The vegetables in the Merricks kind of weird me out. Especially the Apple. Why? One thing I do like about the Merricks is that its not all chicken or beef like Iams is. Which seems better somehow. I don't know anything about meat though. And "meat by-products" is pretty gross sounding. I never noticed it before.
Then again, here is 9lives's:
Water sufficient for processing, meat by-products, chicken, wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, chicken broth, modified starch, (the next ones are steamed bone meal and "animal digest").

To me the difference between 9lives and Iams is vastlier than Iams and Merrick. So we'll see how it goes, and I'll keep the thread updated.


Oh, I'm not worried about the litterbox stink. Her poo doesn't smell 'less she just left her calling card. It's how SHE smells that I'm concerned about. Well, obviously her health is the most important, but I'm allergic to cats, and when she smelled ...oily... I was more allergic to her. And I'm more allergic to the sister's cats than Z. I'm not sure how to describe the smell of a cat. If you stick your nose down in the fur on her scruff, she smells good. Like a baby, kinda. And her breath doesn't stink.
On the 9lives, she smelled kinda like the cat version of a terrible hangover. Which, if thats an indication of how she felt, that food was bad news for her.

Pictures of Pudge???? You wanna see a lookalike, look at Zissou and then look at Abbysmom. Its uncanny. Positively uncanny.

Zissou loves that techno song on The Life Aquatic on the dvd menu.
Here's a photo of her (squinting b/c of the camera)





and a closer one(the camera decided she didn't need ears :p . The camera is way off when it comes to what you see through the viewfinder and what the final product ends up being)
 
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zissou'smom

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Awww Pudge! She looks like the winter-coat version of Zissou...You're right, they do look alot alike. Esp. the eyes. The gold/green thing. I always though Z was very unique in that.
Zissou also makes that face that Pudge is making in the first one, but not necessarily at the camera. Just anytime she's annoyed.
Zissou says "HI!!!"
 
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zissou'smom

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The shipment of Merrick came in today, while Zissou and I were out on a walk. I gave her half a can of the Grammy's Pot Pie.

She seemed really confused, and sort of sniffed at it for a minute, like :censor::censor::censor: is this! It doesn't smell as strongly as the usual food, but she was practically jumping at the plate as I set it down. She hasn't finished it yet, but she has eaten a good amount of it. She crunched down on a bit of vegetable and I think it scared her, but she buried it for later! So the experiment is off! She seems to like it okay so far...

But, I read something on a review site that said that Merrick recycles meat from various slaughterhouses in Texas? How can that be true, since it doesn't say "meal" or "by-product" on it? Is this just another rumor like the one about Iams? Please answer if you know, because if its true I'm not buying it again!
 

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I haven't heard anything negative about Merricks. That's what we feed our babies. They only like Granny's Pot Pie and Thanksgiving Dinner though. Neither of them will eat anything with fish or seafood in it.
 
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zissou'smom

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So far she's had the
Grammy's Pot Pie- ate all of it, but seemed confused
Surf n Turf- ate it all eventually, but didn't seem to love it
California Roll- Hooey crap, my apartment smells like a freaking fish market. But, wouldn't you know she would just absolutely love the stinkiest thing I've ever smelled.

(will edit as she tries them all!)
 

commonoddity042

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Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

So far she's had the
Grammy's Pot Pie- ate all of it, but seemed confused
Surf n Turf- ate it all eventually, but didn't seem to love it
California Roll- Hooey crap, my apartment smells like a freaking fish market. But, wouldn't you know she would just absolutely love the stinkiest thing I've ever smelled.

(will edit as she tries them all!)
It's always the stinkiest food which gets the Four-Paw Stamp of Approval! I am happy to hear that She likes her new food.
 

sharky

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I havent heard any thing negative about merrick ///
 
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zissou'smom

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So, we've tried every flavor, except southern boil or whatever its called because that went to the terribly sad stray today (see Cats SOS), and now she hates them all. I always put her wet food down at noon. Usually its gone by 2-ish. Now some is still around when I go to bed. At first she LOVED it, now she'd rather eat dry which is way unusual for her.
What do I do? Try another brand or go back to the one she loved? Oh, and I will definitely feed her what's left (I bought two of every flavor, so she's got the duplicates to get through)
 

sharky

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Try different brands... one I found great for my oh my not wet food girl was meow mix pouches and evangers
 

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I am not sure if I should post here but I gave skittles the Nutro and no more purina one and I love it. She does not poop so much and her litter has no smell. Also she had the farts nightly and they are gone. I hope I am giving her a good food.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by momof3rugratz

I am not sure if I should post here but I gave skittles the Nutro and no more purina one and I love it. She does not poop so much and her litter has no smell. Also she had the farts nightly and they are gone. I hope I am giving her a good food.
If she has no gas and less poop I think you found a very good food for her
 

momof3rugratz

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Good because she was BAD... The litter wasn't bad just always full. I notice today I was able to just scoop. I think she goes 1x a day poop maybe 2 where before it was alot and I never had to wonder if she was constipated because within a day or 2 we had to change the whole thing. Since Wednesday night I have done great.
 

commonoddity042

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Originally Posted by sharky

Try different brands... one I found great for my oh my not wet food girl was meow mix pouches and evangers
I second the Meow mix pouches. The ingredient list is good, and I've never had a cat (out of 1 resident and 8 fosters of varying ages) turn it down. It's what I fed Pudge before I switched her over to Felidae (for convenience. she loves the meow mix pouches, and i'll still buy it for her when i can, but i can't get out to the store very often. i can't wait to get my drivers' license.)
 
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zissou'smom

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Well, she loves wet food, just not Merrick. She likes every single flavor of Iams' wet food, the canned or the pouches. Is Meow Mix better than Iams'? I'll have to check the ingredients... I'm aiming upwards, not just trying to find a different food. She's fine with what she is on now, I'm just trying to get her to eat something better.

I've heard good things about Nutro.
 

commonoddity042

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Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

Well, she loves wet food, just not Merrick. She likes every single flavor of Iams' wet food, the canned or the pouches. Is Meow Mix better than Iams'? I'll have to check the ingredients... I'm aiming upwards, not just trying to find a different food. She's fine with what she is on now, I'm just trying to get her to eat something better.

I've heard good things about Nutro.
Here's the list for Deep Sea Delight

TUNA, FISH BROTH, MACKEREL, CHICKEN, CHICKEN LIVER, GIBLETS (POULTRY LIVER AND HEART), WHEAT GLUTEN, DRIED EGG, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, GUAR GUM, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CARRAGEENAN, VITAMINS (VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, NIACIN, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), FOLIC ACID, MENADIONE SODIUM BISULFITE COMPLEX (SOURCE OF VITAMIN K ACTIVITY), BIOTIN, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT), MINERALS (ZINC OXIDE, FERROUS SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, COPPER SULFATE, CALCIUM IODIDE, SODIUM SELENITE), CALCIUM SULFATE DIHYDRATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM NITRITE (TO PROMOTE COLOR RETENTION).


The List For What's the Catch:

TUNA, FISH BROTH, OCEAN FISH, SHRIMP, VEGETABLE OIL, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, GUAR GUM, CARRAGEENAN, VITAMINS (VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMN B6), VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, MENADIONE SODIUM BISULFITE COMPLEX (SOURCE OF VITAMIN K ACTIVITY), FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT), MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE), SODIUM NITRITE (TO PROMOTE COLOR RETENTION).

and the list for Fliet Meow:

TUNA, FISH BROTH, TUNA LIVER, BEEF, GUAR GUM, VEGETABLE OIL, CARRAGEENAN, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, VITAMINS (VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, MENADIONE SODIUM BISULFITE COMPLEX (SOURCE OF VITAMIN K ACTIVITY), RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), FOLIC ACID), MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE), SODIUM NITRITE (TO PROMOTE COLOR RETENTION).

(some flavors have a better list than others.) Nutro is a good food as well. If shell eat Nutro pouches and you've no problem with the cost, I say go for it.
 
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zissou'smom

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Well, by cost comparison,
24 nutro natural choice kitten pouches are 12.49 on petco.com
24 iams kitten pouches are 10.69 on sale from 15.99
24 meow mix pouches are 13.99, but the pouches are .25 oz smaller than the other two. So Iams is actually the most expensive, and nutro is actually the cheapest, on this site.
Too bad meow mix doesn't make more un-fishy flavors. I don't know how I feel about it being fish-heavy unless I know for a fact they're all from a farm. I know I sure as *#ll am not eating anything out of Lake Erie (or any other lake or ocean), or Zissou either. Mmmm, mercury poisoning... Plus she gets sick of fish flavors faster than beef or chicken flavors.
 
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