HELP!!! What Brands of Wet Food Would You Recommend That I Feed My Babies ?

[Purr-fect Cat Daddy]

I'm a brand new member and so I apologize, as I know this has likely been covered on here numerous times, but could you folks suggest the best brands of wet food to feed my fur babies. I feed them Hill's Science Diet in the dry food but I am looking for a somewhat affordable wet food with great ingredients and NO Carrageenan and NO Menadione Bisulfite Complex. Are there any great tasting foods with great, wholesome ingredients that do not contain these two substances? I'm having a difficult time finding a healthy, great wet food that is affordable and doesn't contain these either one or the other of these things.

Thank you, in advance, for any you advice can give me to help me to see that my babies eat better, more nutritional food, without worrying about possible toxins.

 

[Alldara]

I don't follow those ingredients to know, so I hope another individual will chime in. In the meantime: What's in My Cat's Food?: Designer Diets, Grain Free Diets | VCA | VCA Canada Animal Hospitals

 

[Purr-fect Cat Daddy]

I found out a year or so ago about Carrageenan being a known inflammatory and possible and I recently read that Menadione is a synthetic source of Vitamin K that many pet nutritionists claim could be toxic if consumed over a long period of time and should be avoided. So many cat foods have at least one of these. I'd like to find a good food that has neither

 

[Alldara]

I found out a year or so ago about carrageenan being a known inflammatory and possible and I recently read that Menadione is a synthetic source of Vitamin K that many pet nutritionists claim could be toxic if consumed over a long period of time and should be avoided. So many cat foods have at least one of these. I'd like to find a good food that has neither

Off of a quick search, looking for scientific peer-reviewed sources, I see only one study on synthetic vitamin K which states that it's non-toxic to animals: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/docume...-report-committee-veterinary-medicinal_en.pdf

As for carrageenan, I do see that degraded carrageenan is a carcinogen. I just don't know what particular foods don't have it as it's not something I pay attention to. My cats have never had any of the ulcers or issues listed from eating foods like Purina.

I'm home now. I don't see menadione or carrageenan listed in any of the Purina Pro Plan wets foods I have which include Salmon and Rice, Chicken and Rice, Urinary and Iams Perfect Portions Cuts and Pate. Applepaws don't have that listed either. That's all I have on hand. I usually have some Beyond too, which is also made by Purina. They updated their recipes after a longitudinal study so it's likely a safe guess that most of their recipes have removed carrageenan.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I know that Fancy Feast doesn't contain carrageenan, but it does contain Menadione Bisulfite Complex. I can only tell you that Feeby (19+ yo) has been eating that food for many, many years now. None of the foods I feed her contain carrageenan, but I do know that some of the Purina Pro Plan foods I do feed her contain Menadione. So, you can see how complicated it can get, as apparently no one brand is guaranteed not to have it in any of their foods. Orijen and Arcana that I feed Feeby don't appear to contain either.

Personally, I think you are going to have to come up with a list of foods you do like and then do a search on the internet for the ingredients of each to rule out those you don't want.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, I don't have your concerns about carageenan, but definitely do regarding the synthetic vitamin K.

These brands are ones that I researched a few years ago for no synthetic vitamin K. I admittedly haven't done my due diligence all that much just lately so things could have changed regarding the recipe ingredients, plus there are other brands on the market that I didn't consider at the time such as Evanger's and Dave's, but this should give you a starting point;
Koha, Kasiks, Merrick Backcountry, Tiki cat, and Weruva. Mouser is another brand to look at.

 

[maggie101]

I. Didn't realize vitamin k can be harmful ! I second weruva, food my cats crave more than anything. I rotate ff classics turkey& giblets and nulo minced

 

[maggie101]

Which would be the lesser of 2 evils : Carrageenan or Menadione sodium bisulfite complex ?

I am now feeding my cats a 100 % can /wet diet .. I have to buy at least 60 cans per month so unfortunately I cannot afford top quality , there is no way around that ... Right now they are eating Friskies and they love it but it does have both of these ingredients .. I have found a few...

thecatsite.com

 

[Alldara]

Does anyone have any of the research behind synthetic vitamin K being dangerous? I truly couldn't find anything..it might be my algorithm.

 

[maggie101]

Does anyone have any of the research behind synthetic vitamin K being dangerous? I truly couldn't find anything..it might be my algorithm.

Unraveling the Mystery of Synthetic Vitamin K in Cat Food | Adopt And Shop

adoptandshop.org

Wayyyyyy too much into for me! It seems like synthetic vitamin k is needed but just like all ingredients too much is not good

 

[Furballsmom]

Here's my perspective about it, along with the sidenote that not everyone agrees, the realization that every cat is different and some are more or less susceptible to issues, and also a little background on the ingredient;

Synthetic Vitamin K3 goes by several names when listed on packaging, including just menadione.

One of the main reasons Vitamin K is considered to be so important and requiring supplementation in animal food, is because poultry have short digestive systems, and are more likely to show deficiencies.

So, back in 2017 or thereabout my angel Poppy's liver numbers were starting to edge to the high normal range. He was about 12-13 years old. I started doing research, and also began trying to wean him off of Purina's brands, (with limited success) because at the time they used synthetic vitamin K3 in every food they manufactured. Poppy got triaditus in 2019, and after that his liver and pancreas numbers never did come down into a "normal" range the vet felt comfortable with.

Because his former owner fed him wet and dry Purina brands, and I did the same, to a degree even after I learned about the ingredient because he had to eat something, this meant that he'd been ingesting menadione multiple times daily over his lifetime. It is water soluble, for what that's worth.

When I was initlally researching, I found a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that described it being dangerous, specifically to the liver. That has since been changed with MSDS' updates, where that body organ isn't directly mentioned. However, the ingredient itself has not changed.

This below is an old article. I'm assuming AAFCO lifted their requirements since then, or added a clause, otherwise literally every food would have it. However, when spinach et al is utilized in the food, there is no requirement to add menadione. The article does describe the dangers;
The ONLY Approved Vitamin K Supplement in Pet Food

https://datasheets.scbt.com/sc-205990.pdf

From a FDA paper, updated in 2023, their conclusion;
Vitamin K is an important nutrient for all animals, but not all sources are safe for the animal, and some may raise food safety concerns. Therefore, feed formulators and livestock producers should be aware of what sources of vitamin K are appropriate for the animals they are feeding and choose ingredients accordingly.

 

[Purr-fect Cat Daddy]

I can't thank you folks enough for your thoughts on this. So many cat foots, including some high-quality ones contain menadione bisulfite complex. I am currently caring for 18 sweet little fur babies(some I've had for years and some I have rescued over the past few months) and I don't want to feed their little bodies anything that could harm them. I am looking at some of the brands that have been mentioned in this thread. Keep the thoughts and suggestions coming. Thank you so much.

 

[Alldara]

Here's my perspective about it, along with the sidenote that not everyone agrees, the realization that every cat is different and some are more or less susceptible to issues, and also a little background on the ingredient;

Synthetic Vitamin K3 goes by several names when listed on packaging, including just menadione.

One of the main reasons Vitamin K is considered to be so important and requiring supplementation in animal food, is because poultry have short digestive systems, and are more likely to show deficiencies.

So, back in 2017 or thereabout my angel Poppy's liver numbers were starting to edge to the high normal range. He was about 12-13 years old. I started doing research, and also began trying to wean him off of Purina's brands, (with limited success) because at the time they used synthetic vitamin K3 in every food they manufactured. Poppy got triaditus in 2019, and after that his liver and pancreas numbers never did come down into a "normal" range the vet felt comfortable with.

Because his former owner fed him wet and dry Purina brands, and I did the same, to a degree even after I learned about the ingredient because he had to eat something, this meant that he'd been ingesting menadione multiple times daily over his lifetime. It is water soluble, for what that's worth.

When I was initlally researching, I found a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that described it being dangerous, specifically to the liver. That has since been changed with MSDS' updates, where that body organ isn't directly mentioned. However, the ingredient itself has not changed.

This below is an old article. I'm assuming AAFCO lifted their requirements since then, or added a clause, otherwise literally every food would have it. However, when spinach et al is utilized in the food, there is no requirement to add menadione. The article does describe the dangers;
The ONLY Approved Vitamin K Supplement in Pet Food

https://datasheets.scbt.com/sc-205990.pdf

From a FDA paper, updated in 2023, their conclusion;
Vitamin K is an important nutrient for all animals, but not all sources are safe for the animal, and some may raise food safety concerns. Therefore, feed formulators and livestock producers should be aware of what sources of vitamin K are appropriate for the animals they are feeding and choose ingredients accordingly.

I also appreciate you sharing your research. I know it's a lot to go back through and try and find things.

 

[Alldara]

Ah it's quite frustrating that the MSDS sheet only has mouse testing that's not going to be accurate for humans or cats! Still 500mg per kg as the toxicity rate is quite high.

I won't personally worry about it for now. Though I did want to note that Purina's FAQ lists that they use it, and it's safe, so that those of you who are concerned know it's still there. I can't see when it was last updated but other sections seem to be updated from when I was last on it.
https://www.purina.ca/faq

 

[game misconduct]

grain free high protien