Is fancy feast truly horrible for cats?

[bonepicker]

W

I am glad I read this before I started using Sheba Cat as a cheap alternative to the more expensive brands I use. It has synthetic vitamin K in it. Gross. Thank you! O_O

I will not be touching Fancy feast then. The safest and cheapest wet cat food I have found that meets my criteria as far as I can tell is Nutro Natural Choice Soft Loaf Turkey and and Chunky Loaf Chicken Pates. The place I work at and shop at sells them for 1.19 a can. They are only slightly cheaper with my employee discount. There are no grains, veggies, or carbs of any sort in the food. Furthermore, I do not see any other red flag ingredients in the labels.

Chunky Loaf Chicken:

Chicken
, Chicken Broth
, Chicken Liver
, Pork Broth
, Natural Flavors
, Guar Gum
, Sodium Phosphate
, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols)
,Minerals (Calcium Carbonate
, Potassium Chloride
, Ferrous Sulfate
, Zinc Oxide
, Copper Proteinate
, Manganese Sulfate
, Sodium Selenite
,Potassium Iodide)
, Salt
, Vitamins (Choline Chloride
, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1]
, Vitamin E Supplement
, Niacin
, d-Calcium Pantothenate
,Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6]
, Vitamin A Supplement
, Vitamin D3 Supplement
, Biotin
, Vitamin B12 Supplement
, Folic Acid)
, Taurine


Soft Loaf Turkey:

Turkey
, Turkey Broth
, Turkey Liver
, Pork Broth
, Natural Flavors
, Minerals (Calcium Carbonate
, Potassium Chloride
, Ferrous Sulfate
, Zinc Oxide
,Copper Proteinate
, Manganese Sulfate
, Sodium Selenite
, Potassium Iodide)
, Sodium Phosphate
, Xanthan Gum
, Vitamins (Choline Chloride
,Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1]
, Vitamin E Supplement
, Niacin
, d-Calcium Pantothenate
, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6]
, Vitamin A Supplement
, Vitamin D3 Supplement
, Biotin
, Vitamin B12 Supplement
, Folic Acid)
, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols)
, Carrageenan
,Carob Bean Gum
, Salt
, Taurine


The only issue is that Nutro Natural Choice's other formulas have ingredients I do not approve of and thus I cannot provide her any variety on just Nutro Natural Choice. Thus, I have resorted to buying some Wild Calling every so often (so expensive but they come in 5.5 oz cans so you get a day's worth of food per can) to offer her some novel proteins without any of the crap in them. Of course, Wild Calling is packaged by Evanger's but as with most endeavors, it is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. Thus far I have had no problem with Wild Calling and she seemed to enjoy the novel protein sources so much!

Who would think feeding one's feline baby would be such an expensive pain.   

What about Pride by instinct or Natures Variety by Instinct or wellness Devine duos? Or Catatouille stew ny Natural Balance?

 

[Kat0121]

 
DO NOT LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE! Now my cat is addicted to crap dry food because I chose to listen to these crazy old cat ladys!

If your cat is "addicted to crap dry food" it is because that is what you chose to buy and feed to your cat. If you re-read your own previous posts in this thread you stated that you were looking for cheaper foods. The majority of people here recommend a wet only or raw diet. 

Quoting you from this thread from 4/22/14;

" So I bought Authority and my cat won't eat it. Do you people really spend $4.50 per day on cat food? I am about to give up and just start feeding my cat dry food, because the only wet food that isn't 4.50 a day is FF."

After you made this statement, others answered you and advised that while FF is not the best food out there (it's also not the worst) it is certainly better than dry food and if that is what you can afford and your cat will eat, then go for it. 

 

[Kat0121]

 

you can also get good deals by ordering from Wag.com, chewy.com and petfooddirect.com. If you have an Amazon account, you can find deals with them as well. If you use the subscribe and save, you can get great deals. I get a case of the Nature's Variety Prairie Homestyle for $14.02 this way and it's 12 5.5 ounce cans.  It works out to .58 a serving which is just about the same price as a can of FF

 

[bonepicker]

They a

Oh well I looked at it and was all set to try it - the ingredients look great & its on sale at pet supplies plus 10 for $8 but then I did a google search and came up with some really bad reviews - mostly dog food but no way am I taking a chance. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/nutro.html 
They are recent reviews and there's a facebook page seeking a recall of the new formula. Thanks anyway - oh my gosh I think I'm going to start cooking food and buying supplements. Someone on another thread recommended this so that's where I'm headed next - http://www.knowwhatyoufeed.com/alnutrin_supplements.html -you can buy your own organic chicken and meat -  cook it --and then supplement and that looks like for me what I'm going to do. Just can't deal with these commercial products anymore..

They are talking about dry. Dry is usually where recalls are not canned. I feed NO dry.

 

[marc999]

I use kibble for treats (i.e. after play-time treat / trimming nails, grooming, brushing teeth),

timed feeder tiny snacks while I'm at work,

and for those nights I'm going to be away. 

Otherwise, crack those cans and enjoy the sweet tasty aroma of your favorite canned cat food.

 

[thehistorian]

The post you quoted is old. I have since tossed out Wild Calling and picked up Nature's Variety Instinct and a few others. I still use the Nutro Natural as my girl loves it.

 

[chromium blues]

 
If your cat is "addicted to crap dry food" it is because that is what you chose to buy and feed to your cat. If you re-read your own previous posts in this thread you stated that you were looking for cheaper foods. The majority of people here recommend a wet only or raw diet. 

Quoting you from this thread from 4/22/14;

" So I bought Authority and my cat won't eat it. Do you people really spend $4.50 per day on cat food? I am about to give up and just start feeding my cat dry food, because the only wet food that isn't 4.50 a day is FF."

After you made this statement, others answered you and advised that while FF is not the best food out there (it's also not the worst) it is certainly better than dry food and if that is what you can afford and your cat will eat, then go for it. 

Why go from so-so canned food to rotten dry food? Its cheaper to feed good quality dry food than it is to feed only canned. I don't understand why the immediate leap? A lot of people feed both, a sort of compromise.

 

[otto]

Why go from so-so canned food to rotten dry food? Its cheaper to feed good quality dry food than it is to feed only canned. I don't understand why the immediate leap? A lot of people feed both, a sort of compromise.

It may be "cheaper" in the short term to feed dry food but it certainly isn't in the best interest of the cat's health. And when the vet bills start, that dry food won't seem so cheap.

Feed a canned diet, Learn to read labels, learn what to avoid, shop sales, feed a variety of brands. Just takes a little effort, that's all.

 

[bonepicker]

Maybe people who fed dry and later on had issues with blockages or diabetes in their cats could contribute to this thread and let us know how much those vet bills were. No nasty comments when those people come forward. This forum is for learning purposes. Thank you!

 

[chromium blues]

I'm not going to argue the dry food versus canned food issue. People feed what they feed and cats are so individual, no one thing is going to work universally. I'm just trying to understand why someone would go from feeding Fancy Feast to feeding "crap" dry food as though there were only the two options out there, and I was hoping someone would elaborate.

 

[zoneout]

2 cats with blockages - vet bills $5,800
1 cat with diabetes - vet bill $2,300

 

[2cats4me]

 
That sucks. I have one cat who won't eat any wet food besides Sheba or FF, and the grocery store FF is like half dented cans, so I order Sheba off Amazon for her. It's more expensive that way, but if you have Prime it's still only like 65-68 cents per can and they have good sales sometimes.

@PeppermintPlant    ..  I know this is an old post but just wanted to let you know you can buy Sheba at Petsmart now ...

 

[bonepicker]

According to GoodGuide, Fancy Feast is rated slightly lower  than Innova (7.3 Innova to 6.3 for fancy feast). My vet actually started my cats on Fancy Feast Grilled Turkey. When you look at the cost difference, if you have 1 cat, it's not a big deal. I have many and the price difference, plus they all love the FF meaning the same flavor and not having to switch up, makes it a worthwhile trade off. I have never had a health issue with any cat (past 20 years) using FF. The grilled Turkey seems to be the most popular with cats since it is the 1 variety that is constantly out of stock at 2 different PetSmarts and 1 PetCo.

This site seems like a really good source: http://www.goodguide.com/categories/334088-cat-food They rated almost 700 cat food (canned) and have reviews of dry food as well

This guide is not to be believed, some of the stuff is crappy

 

[Kat0121]

 
I'm not going to argue the dry food versus canned food issue. People feed what they feed and cats are so individual, no one thing is going to work universally. I'm just trying to understand why someone would go from feeding Fancy Feast to feeding "crap" dry food as though there were only the two options out there, and I was hoping someone would elaborate.

I don't think any of us knows what that particular poster was ranting about or how everyone who offered their opinion on the subject became "crazy old cat ladys". I for one, am not old. 

 Maybe they just got frustrated with trying to find a food their cat would eat and in desperation, threw their hands up and gave the cat what it wanted rather than keep buying better quality foods that go uneaten. That's my guess but I don't know.

It is up to each one of us to find a diet that is healthy for our cats but also something that they can afford and their cats will enjoy. That's not an easy task. I know.My 2 are super picky and many, many cans of premium cat food went down the garbage disposal while I was on the hunt for a rotation that they would eat. I personally transitioned them off dry food (Science Diet at the recommendation of the Humane Society) after doing research and deciding that it would better in the long run for all 3 of us to spend more on food now and have them actually enjoy what they ate (they were underweight and ate reluctantly while on the dry) than spend more on vet bills later. We have a good rotation in place now and they eat with enthusiasm. They have both put on a healthy amount of weight which they are maintaining, their coats are softer and shinier and they have plenty of energy. Do I spend more on their food than I do on my own? Yeah,  I do and people think I'm crazy but I don't care. Is it worth it? Yes. It is (Lilith and Sophie agree

). This is me, though. Is that the best way to go for everyone? Probably not but so what? We all have to make our own choices as to what's best for our families and our cats are part of our families. I am constantly looking for deals on the foods L&S like and buy them from different retailers. Amazon's subscribe and save is one way to get good deals on food and have it dropped off at the door for free. I get a case of Nature's Variety Prairie Homestyle through my S&S for $14.02 delivered. It's 12 5.5 oz cans which works out to .58 a serving which is the going rate for a can of Fancy Feast in my area. You can get deals on the better quality foods, you just have to be willing to look for them. 

 

[AbbysMom]

It is up to each one of us to find a diet that is healthy for our cats but also something that they can afford and their cats will enjoy.

That is absolutely the bottom line, whether is it dry, canned, raw, homemade or a combination. What one may consider to be "crap" may be the only option for a completely different cat. We are not here to tell others what they must feed their cats or to make them feel guilty for what they do feed. We are here to educate and guide in a kind manner.

After many different foods over the years my cat now eats a combination of wet and dry prescription food. It is currently managing her issues well. I pay an outrageous amount for her food. Another cat may do awful on her diet and quite a few people could not afford it and would need other options.

For anyone that is wondering what to feed your cats, please do a little research. We have some excellent articles on this site at a starting point:

Please check out the threads listed at the top of this forum.:

http://www.thecatsite.com/f/64/cat-nutrition


This thread was started two years ago and has strayed far from the original topic and will now be closed.