Indoor Formula?

[jaycee]

this is a question for only indoor cat owners who do not require a special diet for health conditions. im trying to decide which formula i should feed my indoor cat so i am wondering if you feed your cat indoor formula cat food, or a different formula and why. im adding a poll so it will be easier to keep track. thanks

julie

 

[phenomsmom]

I feed indoor formula. Phenom just seemed to like it the best and the kitten will eat anything!!

 

[arlyn]

I feed an indoor formula.

Only because it seems to keep my voracious grazers from grazing on my spider plants.
So apparently, it has something that they'd normally get from grazing grass?

 

[sharky]

Read labels ... Many indoor formulas are nearly wt control and have less than disired ingrediants

 

[urbantigers]

I just feed normal adult to Jaffa and kitten for Mosi. Formulas for indoor cats are fairly recent over here and it's confusing with formulas for just about everything (indoor, hairball, neutered cats, sensitive stomachs...) so I've just stuck to the vanilla variety and as they've never been overweight I've seen no reason to change. The brand I feed doesn't do an indoor formula anyway.

 

[cdubbie]

I feed Royal Canin Indoor 27. I believe it is lower cal (but not weight control lower cal) than a regular formula. It also is good for hair control (indoor only cats usually groom more) and less stinky poo (actually, it is close to non-smelling on the Royal Canin).

Smidge likes it and it works. I dont want to mess with what's working.

 

[laureen227]

i feed chicken soup adult dry, & a mixture of chicken soup canned & meow mix market selects. mine are all indoor only. i like the ingredients in the chicken soup formulas for the price. as a teacher in the south, i'm limited in what i can afford - & the chicken soup is fairly comparable to the more expensive 'premium' brands, which offer an 'indoor' formula.

 

[zak&rocky]

I have been feeding regular formula stuff. The only kitty I am concerned about is Rocky because he is overweight.. Part of his problem is due to the steriods he gets regularly for feline asthma, also he hardly eats any of the wet food I put out- he isn't able to smell so good, and I think he just prefers dry. Anyway I saw the nutro indoor at the petstore last week, and was debating buying it. Any thoughts on nutro indoor compared to nutro? I don't really feel I should put all of the cats on weight management diet, but if an indoor formula would be more appropriate that would be good. I do have a problem with them chewing on my cactus... (not a pokey kind, one of the kinds with big chained leaves).

 

[cearbhaill]

I don't get the point of an "indoor formula"- cat nutrition is the same whether they go outside or not. I think it's just a marketing ploy some guy in a suit dreamed up.

It's supposed to contain greens that keep indoor cats from eating houseplants? Is it this reason entirely, and is it supposed to be better than cat grass? Or are there other claims?

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by Cearbhaill

I don't get the point of an "indoor formula"- cat nutrition is the same whether they go outside or not. I think it's just a marketing ploy some guy in a suit dreamed up.

It's supposed to contain greens that keep indoor cats from eating houseplants? Is it this reason entirely, and is it supposed to be better than cat grass? Or are there other claims?

greens , they are lower fat as the marketing says indoor cats are fat

, higher fiber

 

[laureen227]

Originally Posted by sharky

greens , they are lower fat as the marketing says indoor cats are fat

, higher fiber

well, maybe in general. but of my 4, Pixel's the only one who's overweight, & she's just slightly pudgy - probably 'cause she refuses to eat wet food!

 

[meow meow]

Originally Posted by zak&rocky

I have been feeding regular formula stuff. The only kitty I am concerned about is Rocky because he is overweight.. Part of his problem is due to the steriods he gets regularly for feline asthma, also he hardly eats any of the wet food I put out- he isn't able to smell so good, and I think he just prefers dry. Anyway I saw the nutro indoor at the petstore last week, and was debating buying it. Any thoughts on nutro indoor compared to nutro? I don't really feel I should put all of the cats on weight management diet, but if an indoor formula would be more appropriate that would be good. I do have a problem with them chewing on my cactus... (not a pokey kind, one of the kinds with big chained leaves).

A employee at Petsmart told me that Nutro Indoor contains some sort of oil to prevent excessive shedding. Hard to tell if "indoor" is just a gimmick or really useful.

 

[laureen227]

Originally Posted by meow meow

A employee at Petsmart told me that Nutro Indoor contains some sort of oil to prevent excessive shedding. Hard to tell if "indoor" is just a gimmick or really useful.

i'd need to read labels & see percentages before i'd believe that. he's just quoting what the Nutro rep told him, in all likelihood!

 

[cearbhaill]

Originally Posted by laureen227

i'd need to read labels & see percentages before i'd believe that. he's just quoting what the Nutro rep told him, in all likelihood!

Plus- if it is in processed catfood it is rancid oil anyway, and quite counterproductive as regards free radicals. It might help the coat, but a cold pressed fish oil would help the entire cat. [/hijacking]

 

[sharky]

I read the label for Nutro and yes it has oil but it is the same as my regular natural choicemy ZOey eats

 

[vanillasugar]

I'm a firm believer that all these "specialty" formulas (like indoor, or in RC's case, all the specific breed foods) are a complete marketing ploy. An indoor cat who is free fed mediocre quality dry food and doesn't get enough excersice is going to get fat no matter WHAT food they're on, whereas an indoor cat, who is fed the proper amount of food a day, and is PLAYED with, will be much happier and healthier in the long term.

 

[fatkitties]

I did Nutro Indoor Weight Management and my cat GAINED a pound over the course of a year. I was doing "all the right things" too. I switched her to mostly wet food (still using the IWM) and she lost weight.

I recently (couple months ago?) switched to Felidae All Life Stages and I'm very happy with it and we'll stay with it. They get a lot of wet, too.

 

[shadowbaby]

The main difference between regular and indoor cat food of the same brand (like nutro) is the addition of l-carnitine. Nutro Adult and nutro indoor adult are very similar in fat/protein content, but the indoor has 150mg/kg of l-carnitine which is supposed to help burn fat.

 

[momto3cats]

I have looked at a few indoor formulas, and I would not feed any of them. There are no greens listed in the ingredients, they just have lower protein and higher fiber.

 

[jaycee]

i looked at authority today and noticed that the indoor forumula actually has more protien than the regular formula.