Dietary Questions And Concerns

[Sketchyeh]

Hey guys!

So many questions! I've been learning a lot about foods, vitamins, and all sorts of health-related stuff, and it got me thinking about how I'm doing as a pet parent. This is more me questioning if there are any ways I can improve on what I'm already doing, and some opinions on a few ideas I have. Any help is appreciated

Cats:
Finn - 2 1/2 months
Krueger - 4 1/2 years

What I'm feeding:
B.F.F wet food - usually tuna + chicken
(Sometimes) Performatrin Ultra grain free wet food
Stella and Chewy's Duck Duck Goose raw meal mixers
Performatrin Ultra grain free dry food

As of right now, they get a 1/4 of a can each of B.F.F wet food in the morning at 8 AM and dry food + raw meal mixers at night at 8 PM. If I'm home during the day I'll usually give them a handful of kibble or some treats in between the two times, maybe around 2pm. I feel good about the dry food I'm feeding, and I like the wet foods, but I am open to any wet food suggestions you may have! So far I've had the most luck with B.F.F

Here are my questions!

1. Can I feed both my cats Performatrin Ultra Healthy Weight despite their age difference, or do they have to be fed separately? Is it a good idea to start my older cat on this food at all?
Krueger has always been a skinny cat, but since he's moved with me from my parent's house (thus, no time outside and only one floor to roam), I've noticed he's gained a fair bit of chub. He is a neutered DSH male, about 11.5 lbs. Brochures and information I've found say it should not affect cats who are already a healthy weight but I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be harming my kitten.

2. L-lysine vitamins or Vitamin+? Or neither? Should kittens be given vitamins?
I thought about purchasing some vitamins to give to one or both of them. Head to Tail has a good line, I think. Would you recommend vitamin+ or L-lysine for an adult cat with no real health issues (other than the weight) and possibly a healthy kitten?

3. Freeze-dried raw or frozen raw?
Krueger has been on dry food his entire life. I can usually get him to eat at least some wet and/or raw food, though not very much. He has no aversion to freeze-dried treats, and I'm pretty sure Finn will eat anything, so should I try giving them freeze-dried raw instead?

4. How can I stop my kitten eating all the wet and raw food?
I have one cat who isn't keen on wet/raw, and another who loves the stuff! I don't want Krueger to miss out on what is essentially an entire day's worth of food, so how can I make sure either Krueger eats his food faster or Finn leaves his alone?

5. Because Krueger is so picky, should I try to get an appetite stimulant and give it to him when I'm about to feed the wet/raw food?

6. As it stands right now, how am I doing?
I know there is no one perfect way to feed your cats or make them healthy, but I get a discount at work for all this awesome food and stuff, and I want to give them the best I can!


I grew up in a home where we fed our pets all grocery store brand food, so this is a huge learning curve for me and quite a lifestyle change for my older cat. I lost a cat to an intestinal problem a few years ago, who had been fed Whiskas his whole life, so I want to do better with these two furballs, but I also do not make enough money that I can afford the top-of-the-line foods, either. I think for the price that PUGF is REALLY good stuff, and I have a lot of faith in it. I just mostly want to make sure that I'm heading in the right direction.

 

[Kieka]

1. A kitten has different nutritional needs than an adult. I would not feed that food to a kitten as it is specifically geared towards weight loss or maintenance and a kitten needs the exact opposite. A kitten should be eating a high protein, high fat, nutritionally dense food as much as they want everyday. Your kitten should be eating food labeled as "kitten" or "all stages". That specific food islabeled as a healthy weight food but it is filled with carbs and grains, which can lead to weight retention especially around the midsection. Personally, I don't see it as a viable option for either cat. If your older one does need to loose weight portion control on a high quality grain free food is more effective, IMO.

2. I personally don't worry about vitamins. Most commercial foods have plenty of added vitamins and minerals to be approved as a balanced food. There are specific cases where a cat could benefit from a specific vitamin or mineral but those should be discussed with a vet in conjunction with a balanced diet.

3. Which ever your cats will eat is the best option. My guys won't even touch the frozen but will snack on freeze dried. That is more of a personal choice.

4. A kitten needs as much food as they will eat. I notice you have structured meal times for the kitten and designated amounts. But you're feeding a food that is lower in fat then a kitten needs. There is a good chance that your kittens diet is not meeting all his nutritional needs fully and that is why he wants more food. I know the balance between adult and kitten can be hard. When I've had both I have kept out a bowl of kitten kibble all the time so the kitten has access. I usually kept it in a different spot so the adults are less likely to eat it. But I accept that my adults might get a little chunky and need a reduction elsewhere to compensate.

5. No. I would not give an appitite stimulant to try to overcome a picky eater.

6. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with your rotation for an adult. I think it is lacking a little for a kitten but I have already stated that above.

 

[lisahe]

Kieka already has most everything covered here but I'll just add that I love feeding our cats freeze-dried raw food: it's super-convenient and you don't have to worry about defrosting. Just be sure to rehydrate it unless you're just using small amounts as treats. We feed our cats two meals a day of freeze-dried raw food and a small snack of frozen food. We don't feed much Stella & Chewy's because it's fairly bony, which can cause constipation; past data on S&C food has also shown high phosphorus levels but I don't know where that stands now. It might be worth checking if you want to feed more S&C. I do use a bit of their food, though, because our cats seem to like have a little mixed into their meals.

Instead of an appetite stimulant -- I agree with Kieka that's not a good idea for tempting a picky eater -- you might try sprinkling something on the food that will entice Krueger to eat. We have a slightly picky cat, too, and I sprinkle egg yolk powder and a little crumbled freeze-dried raw food on many of her meals. Ireland is pickiest about her canned meals but I've given in a little to her by feeding more Nutro Natural Choice and a weekly can of Fancy Feast: she eats those right up without toppers and they're all high-protein, low-carb. We think Ireland gets mild nausea sometimes so you might want to watch for that; licking the lips is a typical symptom. One thing that seems to have really helped is feeding one meal a day of homemade cooked food with the EZ Complete supplement.

As for wet foods, I might look to limit the amount of tuna fed, particularly given the connection between feeding fish and developing thyroid disease. One option might be some of Weruva's Cats in the Kitchen foods: there are some that are chicken-based that have some fish. We feed a small can of one of those every two or three weeks, as a treat. Our cats love them! Like you, we also had a cat with digestive issues -- she'd been pretty much addicted to fish-based foods and it was hard to get her off them! For more on feeding fish to cats, you might want to check this vet-written post.

It can be very hard to find just the right combination of foods to feed two cats. For us, the biggest concern is feeding foods that are high in protein and as low in carbs as possible. Kieka mentioned this, too, and I'll expand a bit by saying that kittens particularly need meat protein (not what gluten or potato or pea protein, which are used in all too many foods these days--it's really important to check labels) to develop and adult cats particularly need meat protein because it helps keep them trim and satiated. Cats just aren't built to eat carby vegetables, they're built to eat meat. This is why I'd much rather feed Fancy Feast Classics than any high-end food that contains potatoes or peas! (Beyond that, one of our cats vomits if she eats potato...)

Anyway, good luck and keep asking questions!