is one better than the other?

[cuddly calico]

I've been told wet food is better for kittens than dry food. I was wondering if this is true. If it is true, are there other supplies that are better than their counterparts? I have 4 weeks to decide on what products I will buy for my kitten. Brand names are appreciated along with their average cost. If there are any health benefits that you know of from the product you are listing, can you include it?

 

[jennyr]

AS a principle, most knowledgeable people would agree that wet food is better than dry, as it ensures the cat/kitten is kept hydrated and wet food has fewer 'fillers' in it that cats cannot absorb. It is closer too to what cats eat in the wild and what their systems have evolved to cope with. The old idea that dry food helps their teeth has been totally discredited. It is probably difficult to recommend products because every country varies in what is available, and even the same brand can be different depending on where you are. In general, buy the best you can afford and look at the list of ingredients - avoid carbohydrate fillers such as corn, and get foods that contain the maximum percentage of meat products.

 

[cuddly calico]

What other cat products have better brands than what the average person would buy? Such as litter and treats, toys and cleaners, collars and more.

 

[pinkdagger]

It's hard to narrow down one specific brand that does everything well - a lot of the better brands specialize in one thing and make only that thing, like Wellness or Weruva will be higher quality producers of food, and Nature's Miracle will make a good litter. Most of the time brands that are looking to expand on a lot of different products can put less effort into making any one product all that much better. And don't forget, some brands are like "hole in the wall" finds where they aren't well known, but they produce great results.

There are far too many brands to look over, and it will vary depending on where you're located. Some people have great experiences with X or Y brand, while others found they were absolutely awful. In most cases, my general advice would be to steer clear of cheap grocery or department store buys, since the brands that sell there are relatively low quality. Hartz has been responsible for a lot of mishaps and illnesses (and deaths) for pets, so I avoid Hartz like the plague.

Have you been to the Reviews section of the website? You can select types of products and look at them by brand or in order of rating!

 

[Willowy]

Litter is entirely up to you (and the cat, but a young kitten is not likely to have prexisting preferences)---there are so many different scents/textures/materials/etc., you just have to try a few to see what you like best. I usually recommend Tidy Cats Premium Scoop (Small Spaces or Power Blend) as a general starting point. If your mother has his claws cut out (), you will need to use a special soft litter until he's healed. The vet should sell you some.

Toys are also a matter of the cat's personal preference.

In most things, nobody can really say that one is "better" than the other because it just depends on what you like best. But, yes, wet food is generally better for cats, as most cats just don't drink enough water, plus most canned foods are higher in meat protein. I do find it hard to keep a teenage cat fed on wet food only, so a little dry around ages 4-12 months wouldn't be bad. You do need to limit it as he gets to be an adult so he doesn't get fat.

 

[cuddly calico]

"(and deaths) for pets, so I avoid Hartz like the plague."

I need information like this! I would like to know other brands that have serious problems like this. And I will definitely check out reviews. Anyone with stories of what brands worked well for their kittens, please share. I know it's different for all cats, so here is an insight to my kitten' s personality. He's shy and docile, very avid cuddler too. Also, anyone who has had a cat get sick or hurt from any product, I would like know the product so I don't buy it.

 

[cuddly calico]

Thanks for the info about soft litter. I will do my best to get my hands on it. I'm going to visit my kitten tonight, I'll post pictures if I can figure out how

 

[pinkdagger]

In my case, my (adult) cats like Friskies (pates) and Wellness wet food - but they found the chicken recipe alone less appealing (the beef and turkey one has yielded better results). I'm still exploring wet foods myself. They have also enjoyed Fancy Feast (classic pates). They love Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul and Go! Free + Fit dry food, which I've taken to hiding in the cat tower and putting in a rolling Kong toy at the end of the night to keep them busy and give them a snack before I head to bed.

My personal gauge for finding a good dry food is to look at the ingredients and see if meat sources are at least the first three ingredients. If they're not, I put it back. If they are meat, I look through the rest of the ingredients and calculate the price per pound. I don't buy foods with corn in them since they made my cat's poops horribly smelly and bulky. I don't mind some grain in foods either, but there are a lot of grain-free foods if this is the route you want to take.

This recall list should be handy.. unfortunately, even some of the better brands end up on this list, but it happens and at least they're dealing with it:

https://www.avma.org/news/issues/recalls-alerts/pages/pet-food-safety-recalls-alerts.aspx?fvalue=Cat

Our cats have been content with MaxxScoop, Arm & Hammer, and Fresh 4 Life litter. Those three are all pretty fine for sifting and not getting stuck between toes, you can get them unscented, and they're all pretty good with odor control. My boyfriend once bought a no-name brand litter and it was chunky and smelly and dusty beyond belief. I left a review on it, and it's available in grocery stores, but it was awful.

When it comes to toys, I've found wand toys and a laser pointer are always winners. I pretty much always recommend these straws because our cats love them, and so did the other cats in our younger kitty's foster home.

Since you're getting a little one, make sure you keep consistency with what he is eating and using for litter in his current home once he comes to live with you. Once he's comfortable, you can try various types of food and get them accustomed to variety and change, and transition him to whichever brands or products you choose. If you're looking for ways to find good food, TCS has some good articles that can help guide you if other members don't have experience with some of the brands you find:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/choosing-the-right-food-for-your-cat

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/what-makes-the-best-canned-cat-food

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/choosing-the-right-dry-cat-food

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transit...-to-a-new-type-of-food-canned-raw-or-homemade

As your cat gets older, you can start portioning their food into meals instead of free feeding, which is common for growing kittens since they need a lot more food and tend to be more energetic:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transitioning-free-fed-kibble-kitties-to-timed-meals

There are some articles on choosing a litter as well, but I'll just give you the articles page if you want to find more info:

http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/45/Cat_Care

 

[cuddly calico]

Thanks! This definitely will help a lot. I'm visiting the kitten today, so I'll grab th brand names there. That re-call list will be useful too.

 

[jodiethierry64]

It's hard to narrow down one specific brand that does everything well - a lot of the better brands specialize in one thing and make only that thing, like Wellness or Weruva will be higher quality producers of food, and Nature's Miracle will make a good litter. Most of the time brands that are looking to expand on a lot of different products can put less effort into making any one product all that much better. And don't forget, some brands are like "hole in the wall" finds where they aren't well known, but they produce great results.

There are far too many brands to look over, and it will vary depending on where you're located. Some people have great experiences with X or Y brand, while others found they were absolutely awful. In most cases, my general advice would be to steer clear of cheap grocery or department store buys, since the brands that sell there are relatively low quality. Hartz has been responsible for a lot of mishaps and illnesses (and deaths) for pets, so I avoid Hartz like the plague.

Have you been to the Reviews section of the website? You can select types of products and look at them by brand or in order of rating!

My God why do they allow that product(hartz) on the market? I've heard of so many deaths from my Facebook feline lovers! If not for this site, I could of been one!!!!!

 

[peaches08]

Other posters gave great advice, especially about over the counter products like Hartz.  A good argument for mom:  "If you won't wear it, neither will the cat/kitten."  I normally don't encourage children to disobey parents, but this is something I;d commend a child for showing their behinds about.  Hartz kills...literally.  So do many other over the counter products like aspirin.  There are many things we just can't give cats.

Also, I want to mention a common myth that if the product is natural, it's also safe.  Natural does not always equal safe.

Also, have you looked at pet-proofing the area?  Houseplants, etc.?

www.catinfo.org is a great source of information, although a bit of a long read if you're facing the end of school.  She even has a canned food list that you can print out if needed. 

Treats aren't really necessary, but I can appreciate why you asked since it is such a big part of some people's pet ownership.  A great treat, if your mom will let you, is to give a water-packed canned sardine.  GREAT for Omega oils!

 

[cuddly calico]

They shouldn't allow things like that to continue. I totally agree. I'm trying to learn now of dangerous and harmful products so that I can protect my little kyo. I want kyo to be a healthy kitten.

 

[cuddly calico]

I have cat proofed my room. I put away all breakable or punishable items, removed all sharp objects. And even set up areas where the cat can perch all around. I did remove all plants. No food items 're left in my room. I put away all choking hazards including jewelry and coins. She probably won't buy sardines, do you have a second suggestion that is as good if not equal?

 

[peaches08]

I have cat proofed my room. I put away all breakable or punishable items, removed all sharp objects. And even set up areas where the cat can perch all around. I did remove all plants. No food items 're left in my room. I put away all choking hazards including jewelry and coins. She probably won't buy sardines, do you have a second suggestion that is as good if not equal?

I'm a raw feeder so she isn't going to like my other suggestions, LOL!  Hopefully others can help with that.  I think some use kitten kibble as treats...?  Basically attention and love will go further to build a relationship with you and kitty than treats will.  Especially if you're the one feeding her, you've already got that food connection established.  But someone feeding you only goes so far...it's the interactions that build a relationship.

 

[pinkdagger]

Kyo is such a cute name!

I honestly have no idea how Hartz is still selling. If I recall correctly, they've had numerous reports of illness and death for a good decade now. In some cases, the controversy passes and companies return to marketing and selling as if nothing happened (Iams was called out several years back for "Iams cruelty" within their facilities, but they're still going strong). I think the general public sees a good price and grabs it without doing research. Some people say the FDA doesn't want to pay for independent testing of Hartz, so they just forget about it.

My cats also really like Pure Bites as treats. They're just dried meats and come in different flavours. Most cats usually like Temptations treats, but they're easy to overfeed (and cats tend to beg or scrounge for them. We woke up one morning to see our older cat had opened a small drawer and chewed holes into three bags of treats and scattered them all over the living room). I reserve treats for less comfortable things, like rewarding the cats for accepting a claw trim. Don't want to get them hooked!

If you go grocery shopping or can get to a grocery store yourself, sardines are pretty cheap. I sometimes use raw as a treat outside of meal times, but it's kind of messy if they need to set it down on the floor between chomps, and some people might be uncomfortable with it.

 

[cuddly calico]

Exactly. I love cats. I've always wanted one. I couldn't think of anything better Han reading a book with a cat curled up on my lap.

 

[cuddly calico]

I'll have to remember pure bites. I have to tryout different treats and see which ones Kyo likes. How often should I feed a kitten a day? And hold I leave food out all day? (Kibble of course, wet food only at meal times)

 

[peaches08]

While it's on my mind, please be careful of dried meat treats from China.  Actually, maybe anything food-related for your pet from China.  This isn't in response to anyone's suggestions, it just popped into my head that a novice needs to know this and beware.

 

[pinkdagger]

Lots of people suggest free feeding for young kittens because their tummies are so small, so they can't gorge and fast like older cats do. They usually start to taper off free feeding and start onto meal feeding when kittens are closer to a year old, since most of them are done or close to done growing. I've never dealt with a cat under 1 year, but I don't see a problem with free feeding dry and meal feeding wet several times a day. I would still suggest measuring and monitoring food intake and litter box to make sure he has a strong appetite - if you're keeping track of his portions, you'll be a step ahead in case he ever starts to feel ill and his appetite declines.

 

[cuddly calico]

Thank you I had been wondering that for a while!