Best Brand of Cat Food

Thanks Judy, I think next time we have to buy food, we are going to try it. We have been very lucky so far, but I want to make sure they stay healthy and happy!!!

I'm looking for Eukanuba in the local stores but I can't find it. The people there keep telling me that Eukanuba is Iams and it's the same. One salesperson even told me that Eukanuba is a cheap version of Iams quality cat food... They say that Eukanuba is cheaper than Iams because it's not as good ):

I'd love to compare the labels myself, but I can't find Eukanuba anywhere...

Anne,
Eukanuba is the Iams Co. top of the line food.
Judy

Eukanuba is FAR superior to Iams. They are made by the same company. As has been already stated, Eukanuba is Iam's top of the line product. Not the other was around!

Yeah, I'll try and look up the importer. I just bought 3 packages of regular Iams (it was either that or just canned food the whole week ). I'll see where I can get the Eukanuba.

Their website has a phone # to call and international listings. It is http://www.eukanuba.com ...hehe what a surprise. You can also find all the nutritional values too.

Thanks for the link!

I found my local distributor there and called them. Eukanuba will be here within a month (possibly less).

My vet recently recommended
'the Missing Link' as a supplement to help my 18 yr old gain a little weight (good health per blood tests)
Anyone tried this
'Missing Link' ?


vet strongly recommended fresh liver/organ meats. Even if chewing a little difficult.

Ktty also takes "Felo-Form"
to add taurine to diet. He is on science diet senior + canned

My young kitties are on Eukanuba
kitten for the first time and I must say doing well. Wonder about Vitimin supplements for them. Vet says not nec. ???

I'm no expert, but from what I've heard there's no need to supplement quality cat food. So if you're feeding Eukanuba, I guess there's no need for supplements. Adding vitamins and minerals can actually harm the cat if it becomes an overdose - so I'd follow your vet's advice.

I would not add any artificial and/or isolated nutrients to a diet. If the ingredients are good they are unneeded and may do harm.
If the cat is on a meat based diet, which they all should be, added taurine in unnecessary as it is found naturally in the meat. The taurine which they add is an artificial isolated protein (chemical) which they make in a laboratory.
If a dry food package has taurine added, you can be sure that the food is not meatbased, but is grainbased.
I fed "missing link" once to my dog, and she promply got hot spots. She never had them before or since, once she recovered.
Look at the package. Are the ingredients those which your cat would hunt for if he was in the wild?
You vet is right in telling you to feed by products. They are a very necessary part of cat nutrition. There are nutritional substances in by products that cannot be gotten from feeding muscle meat. They are an exceptional food if they are clean and uncontaminated.
If your cat is healthy and you are worried about weight, add a little real butter to his diet. He needs more calories. Or maybe he is having a hard time digesting at his age, in which case he needs digestive enzymes. Is there a reason why he is on a special diet?
Judy

Anne and Sandie
Didn't know where to post
my update so please check my vet stress reply this am


I used to supplment my young
kitties' diet w/vit but you are right, my vet says with quality pet food not needed even possibly harmful these days.

After many decades of cats and
most of them livng into late
teens, (kidney failure still a
major killer) I strongly agree
a quality food pays for its self
in the long run. Plus dry diet
becomes more important today since most experts recommend dry
exclusively. (I admit, I feed
both wet & dry and snacks)

Anyone feed Eukauba for seniors?

Thanks fo your input Judy.
Puff diet is only of concern
because we want him to add
a few lbs. He did get organ meats but I sopped when chewing became difficult. My vet likes the taurine supplement for seniors.

Puff is lactose tolerent so yes,
vet added a little cream to diet
likes cream cheese. He gets a little butter/marg from my toast
good for hairlballs to.

Readers: remember Puff is
18/1/2 I don't recommend his diet
for others esp all his extras.

I'll be careful trying "missing
link with my dogs.Thanks for warning

I'm going to Pet Smart will look for a Eukanuba Senior

I personally feed only premium brands, California Natural, Felidae, Innova, they are Organic, as well as having no bad ingredients or preservatives in them. Are you aware of where your vet gets his dog food information? Mainly, when they are still in vet school, representatives from "dog food" companys come in & give their talks, and as I understand it they are not given much time in nutrition. Their are several good books out now about how pets should be fed & cat food is not the best way. Yes lots of dog & cat foods do indeed have floor sweepings, road kill, diseased animals & even our companion animals that have been put to sleep (with the flea collars intact). The injection that is put into animals to put them to sleep is still preserved even after the rendering process has taken place. It is also proven in dogs that the vaccines are giving them cancer & causing many other health problems, they should not be administed year after year, I would imagine this is true for our cats also. I home cook for my dogs & do not vacinate every year any more.

[Edited by My3boys on 02-09-2001 at 10:25 PM]

Mythreeboys,
I alwys welcome new information ,
PUff is doiing so well, I decided not to chance "Missinng Lnk" His felo supplement seems to improve his appetite. He can take 2% milk and a little cheese
but the vet recommended cream was too much
I have heard the talk about our pet food and hope that feeding quality foods somewhat lessens
the risk of unspeakable ingredients.

Yes, I DO have concerns about over-vaccinating. Especially,
with older animals. Puff just got all his shots but it had been several years.

Mykatsmom, it sounds like you are doing something right to have your cat live to 18 1/2 years of age, I have just in the last year found out how bad some foods are. I personally have never had a cat live past 14. I'm curious as to what you had been feeding your cat all these years. I know that all cats will react differently to any brand of food, some cats will live forever on bad food & some cats will die young on good food, I think that the genetics has lots to do with it also.

Hi My3boys,
Until a few years ago I had 5 'boys' and my two shep/huskies were males also. (They were put down at 15)

Most of my cats succumbed to kidney disease but most all of my cats have lived to late teens.
I had two go to 19. I have
always fed the best as kittens
and added vitamins in the 'old days' not as concerned in middle years and the best possible after 12/14.' Honestly all fed differently and all had individual tastes/preferences

Currently I have a 10 yr old male (a neighbor's runaway)
"V" for visitor. Puff my 181/2 yr old male, a rescued male, 8mos
Velvet, came with rescued sib huskey from my vet. and just recently a rescued male 6mos
male RuPaul (my too pretty to be a boy Turkish Van)

The young ones are first time Eukanuba kitties and are doing well. one can take milk and
one won't touch canned food.
Neither are 'snack kitties'.

I'm CA high desert and unbelieveably, it's pouring rain and threatening snow so purusing this site I followed a link to
http://www. mypetsname.com
try it it's fun and cute photos too.

Hi My3boys,
Until a few years ago I had 5 'boys' and my two shep/huskies were males also. (They were put down at 15)

Most of my cats succumbed to kidney disease but most all of my cats have lived to late teens.
I had two go to 19. I have
always fed the best as kittens
and added vitamins in the 'old days' not as concerned in middle years and the best possible after 12/14.' Honestly all fed differently and all had individual tastes/preferences

Currently I have a 10 yr old male (a neighbor's runaway)
"V" for visitor. Puff my 181/2 yr old male, a rescued male, 8mos
Velvet, came with rescued sib huskey from my vet. and just recently an internet rescued
6 mos male, RuPaul, (my too pretty to be a boy Turkish Van)

The young ones are first time Eukanuba kitties and are doing well. one can take milk and
one won't touch canned food.
Neither are 'snack kitties'.

I'm CA high desert and unbelieveably, it's pouring rain and threatening snow so purusing this site I followed a link to
http://www. mypetsname.com
try it. it's fun and cute photos too.

Well, there is always going to be a new oppinion and new facts out there. We can only do what we feel best for our friends. There is no perfect way to feed our cats. I personally dont feed wet and let them eat free choice. They get snacks on occasion and seem to be very healthy and happy. I use science diet hairball mixed with eukanuba now. I find it very helpful when it comes to the litter box and the hairballs. Their coats have always been good. I fed purina for years and the only difference I have found is the litter box. This is enough reason for me to stick with it!! I am going to start a thread on vaccines so we can chat about that issue.

Sandie,
Yes, all are different eaters.

My vet and her partners would strongly agree with you. They prefer dry only. New kitty
just gobbled up both and I still feed wet because my elderly are used to it.

I'm reading that many of you are using "hairball formula', I
haven't tried because it was 'new' and I thought maybe a 'gimmick'. Also they are on Eukanuba kitten. My two young kitties are thick-medium long-haired. IT really makes
a noticible diference?

I think the "hairball" formulas and all the special formulas are gimmicks and/or remedies for the inadequate diets that we feed to begin with. If they are fed properly, they don't need special diets in most cases, as the food, itself, is making them sick.
Remember the "taurine" fiasco?
All they needed there was an adequate diet. Don't ever believe the "balanced and complete" BS. It is only balanced and complete for what is known today. Next week or next year it will change, because we will never know ALL there is to know about feeding our animals. (which they instinctivly know and practice when given the chance)
Judy