Which ingredients and/or manufacturers do you try to avoid when selecting a canned cat food?

[lisahe]

 
I'm still trying to work up the nerve to try something like that.  Bless you and everyone who's that dedicated, and a heck of a lot smarter than me. ;-)

Maybe if I hang out here long enough, some of that smartness will eventually start to rub off on me.

Raw food's not nearly as complicated as it seems at first, particularly with the pre-balanced commercial stuff, like I get. And our really love it.

 
Nothing I've looked at recently had menadione I don't think, but that doesn't mean it isn't still out there and I would avoid.  I've been avoiding carrageenan.  Apart from those I'm simply avoiding fish ingredients and stuff with carbs, or at least most.  Annoyingly, my new batch of Tiki Puka Puka has tuna oil!  Where did that come from?  I'm certain it wasn't in there before.....

I also don't seem to recall that there was tuna oil in Tiki's foods... is there anything particularly bad about tuna oil? They say it's only 1% or lower and my impression is that fish oil is generally considered a good thing in cat food. I'm inclined not to mind it since it's such a small amount, though (big though!) I'm not sure it's been purified to remove mercury and the like. I just sent a note to ask and will report back on what I hear!

 

[2bcat]

I also don't seem to recall that there was tuna oil in Tiki's foods... is there anything particularly bad about tuna oil? They say it's only 1% or lower and my impression is that fish oil is generally considered a good thing in cat food. I'm inclined not to mind it since it's such a small amount, though (big though!) I'm not sure it's been purified to remove mercury and the like. I just sent a note to ask and will report back on what I hear!

Eh, I'm probably inclined to let it go since it won't be a big amount, but it's just annoying as I'm not sure why the change when the stuff was fine before. I've been purposely avoiding fish ingredients in main food (sometimes there's been some in treats) mainly because of their supposed urinary history. But I kinda doubt it will be a big problem for them because they eat only wet food now. Who knows what they were eating when they had these supposed problem. Most likely a bit of tuna oil every few days will be the least of their problems.

Tuna is a trickier fish than some others to get uncontaminated AND sustainably fished. But it can be done. If I remember right Tiki's manufacturer claims to be testing the fish against things like mercury, and I think they claim that everything is sustainably sourced.

I have a suspicion that tuna oil is a way to use more of the tuna that goes into the cans that are predominantly tuna. Efficiency. Nothing wrong with that in general. Just slightly disappointed at what the result is, a can of food that used to be a fantastic completely fish-free option is no longer so.

Please do share what you find out though. I had in mind to contact them myself and probably still will.

 

[lisahe]

I've been purposely avoiding fish ingredients in main food (sometimes there's been some in treats) mainly because of their supposed urinary history. But I kinda doubt it will be a big problem for them because they eat only wet food now. Who knows what they were eating when they had these supposed problem. Most likely a bit of tuna oil every few days will be the least of their problems.

That's pretty much my thought, too -- least of my worries -- though I also avoid generally tuna for our cats! It's the mercury and purification that concerns me most. I'll let you know what/if I hear from Tiki.

 

[Kat0121]

I try to avoid anything with carrageenan in it as well as synthetic vitamin K so that leaves out most supermarket brands although I do keep a few cans of FF kitten food around in case they are being particularly fussy and I need to get food in them. I also try to avoid foods loaded with vegetables other than pumpkin because they are just a filler IMO. They don't eat them. 

Other foods I don't buy just because the princesses will not eat them

Blue Buffalo anything

Wellness anything other than the Divine Duos (and this has become a hit and miss thing. Lilith used to love these) 

Merrick anything other than pates

Pride by Instinct rabbit (another one they used to love now none of them will touch- even Henry and he's not finicky like the girls are)

Halo Spot's anything. They kinda like the pate part but all the veggies are left in the dish. They are very generous with the veggies too I noticed. 

I know that there's a lot more that they won't eat. It's not easy living with divas. 

I bought 2 cans of Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau thinking it would be a sure fire hit because they both eat Weruva and Soulistic. Sophie ate hers, Lilith wouldn't touch it. 

Henry doesn't like the shredded foods so I didn't even bother giving him any. 

 

[cheeser]

 
That's pretty much my thought, too -- least of my worries -- though I also avoid generally tuna for our cats! It's the mercury and purification that concerns me most. I'll let you know what/if I hear from Tiki.

Thanks so much for contacting Tiki.  I very much look forward to your update. :-)

For Oscar, I don't really mind a little tuna oil in his food as long as it's safe.  I'm just trying to steer clear of anything with fish in any form for Buddy, since we've finally started to find some non-fish flavored food that he can smell with his damaged little nose and will actually eat, and don't want to accidentally encourage any backsliding. ;-)

 

[lisamarie12]

I'm still trying to work up the nerve to try something like that.  Bless you and everyone who's that dedicated, and a heck of a lot smarter than me. ;-)

Maybe if I hang out here long enough, some of that smartness will eventually start to rub off on me.

 

We all learn from each other Cheeser, keep us posted and let us know how it works out.

 

[cheeser]

 
Halo Spot's anything. They kinda like the pate part but all the veggies are left in the dish. They are very generous with the veggies too I noticed. 

I know that there's a lot more that they won't eat. It's not easy living with divas. 

Thanks so much for sharing your list. :-)

We haven't tried Halo yet, because I *thought* they put garlic (or maybe it was garlic powder) in their food, and that's one of my personal squicks.  But maybe I'm confusing them with someone else, which is entirely possible.  I'm easily confusable. ;-)

And I sure know what you mean about living with divas!  For every can I buy that my guys love, I probably spend about $50 on ones they don't.

 

[lisamarie12]

We haven't tried Halo yet, because I *thought* they put garlic (or maybe it was garlic powder) in their food, and that's one of my personal squicks.  But maybe I'm confusing them with someone else, which is entirely possible.  I'm easily confusable. ;-)

Cheeser, IMO - way too many vegetables in Halo to justify paying a premium price (for a premium food). Half a can of their food is at least half filled with veggies - not cost effective and not necessary for obligate carnivores for whom veggies are entirely peripheral.

 

[Kat0121]

 
We haven't tried Halo yet, because I *thought* they put garlic (or maybe it was garlic powder) in their food, and that's one of my personal squicks.  But maybe I'm confusing them with someone else, which is entirely possible.  I'm easily confusable. ;-)

Cheeser, IMO - way too many vegetables in Halo to justify paying a premium price (for a premium food). Half a can of their food is at least half filled with veggies - not cost effective and not necessary for obligate carnivores for whom veggies are entirely peripheral.

I agree. Especially when you consider that the veggies end up in the trash. At least they do in my house. 

 

[cheeser]

Thanks much LisaMarie12 and Kat0121 for the heads up re: so many veggies in Halo.

Between that and the garlic issue, they've definitely moved from the 'haven't tried yet' column over to the 'never mind' category. ;-)

 

[lisahe]

 
Thanks so much for contacting Tiki.  I very much look forward to your update. :-)

For Oscar, I don't really mind a little tuna oil in his food as long as it's safe.  I'm just trying to steer clear of anything with fish in any form for Buddy, since we've finally started to find some non-fish flavored food that he can smell with his damaged little nose and will actually eat, and don't want to accidentally encourage any backsliding. ;-)

Nothing from Tiki yet!

I try not to feed too much fish, either, and definitely understand your concern about Buddy. Oddly, our cats seem to like the Gourmet Carnivore, which have olive oil, better than the Hawaii-theme foods, which have tuna oil.