Iams Cruelty?!

[Uniqueviking]

I called Kirsten yesterday to discuss the result of a large test on cat food done by the Danish Consumer's Counsil.

She brought the whole Iams issue to my attention as I told her I'm thinking about not feeding my 4 babies Hill's anymore after the test results showed that cheaper brands did just as well in the test (Whiskas did just as well as Hill's and also contains taurine).

The only reason I'm thinking about going off Hill's is because I found out that a brand that expensive doesn't even add Omega3 fatty acids to their formula.

Kirsten and I talked about the test results over the phone and I mention it would be much cheaper to switch to Iams and the cats would get the correct nutrition, BUT :(


www.iamscruelty.com

Go read, but prepared for a very sad and upsetting read. I didn't know about this, but needless to say I will NOT buy any of their products now.

[lat192004]

Hello poster from Denmark, I love that handle uniqueviking! I read the story from your attachment. It is true, sad, but true. Let me tell you about how I got to the cat food I'm using now. For maybe 6 years it was nothing but Iams, since I thought it was the best.To my cats it was horriable. I switched because the cats would not touch it, and I got tired of throwing the old away and replacing with fresh. I have a calico that was having chronic inflamation around her anal area. She was always wet, even antibiotics would not help. So in desparation I switched to the old standby Purina Cat chow to see what would happen. All of a sudden my indoor cats started gaining weight, and the infection the Calico had cleared up. It was the Iams cat food. So now the babies get Purina, Whiskas, or Meowmix, and they are content as can be. Iams seems to have been reformulated, as the cats stopped eating Iams during the summer of 2003. Purina rules, it's cheaper and the cats love it. Give 'em a can of tuna every other day, too, they love that.:)

[NoahsMommy]

You have to be careful with tuna...there are a lot of things in it that can be detremental to your cat's health.
http://www.maxshouse.com/Tuna_and_Cats_Nutritional_Facts.htm

I've read a lot of stuff on Iams. If you don't like that company, be mindful of the other products they sell...like, Eukanuba.

We feed Royal Canin and are very happy with the results. :)

[Uniqueviking]

Thanks for the info :)

My babies do get tuna, but only weekends (and they only get to share a can) and they get a large portion of shrimp 2-3 times a week as well.

I've always been feeding my cats Hill's - and having 4 cats on Hill's is expensive - but I've noticed lately Hairball Control doesn't seem to be working in my Beddy Bear (Jade) anymore + their poop seems very dry, so now I'm going to try and switch to Whiskas for a while and see how they react to that.


Edit: My babies will NOT eat Eukanuba so that is no problem. I think I will try out Royal Canin too :)

[lat192004]

You are right, just a little tuna and not very often. My cats are spoiled rotten. They actually beg when I'm in the kitchen for tuna, so I feed them very small servings. WalMart is where I buy cat food, and they don't have Eukanuba for cats, only Iams. Funny thing is the cats used to love Iams cat food. Then about a year ago they would not touch it:confused: . I have no idea why they stopped liking Iams. I tried the hairball and weight control and both refused to eat it. I guess they are both finicky:confused:

[NoahsMommy]

Originally posted by Uniqueviking
I think I will try out Royal Canin too :)
Royal Canin has been a miracle for our kitties. Noah used to vomit every day after eating...and had a ton of hairballs on top of that.

Micah...my kitty with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, where EVERYTHING makes him run to the litter box, can eat Royal Canin's "Special" with no problems. That in itself is amazing. Before, he could only tolerate his special raw diet.

My/their vet, who is also my dear friend was over on Friday. She kept saying how healthy our cats looked. That was a nice compliment, especially for Micah. Now, the only kitties that have to go to the vet are Samson and Phoebe (just for the company, though) for his eyes.

The Royal Canin is a bit expensive, but if it saves trips to the vet and keeps Noah from vomiting so much, its worth it to me. :)

They all share two cans of Innova wet a day. That is a REALLY great food company too, if you're looking for a new food. Micah is able to tolerate that as well, as all the ingredients are natural and there are no preservatives. ha ha, kind of like his meowmie! :D

[Craftlady]

Wal-Mart's Special Kitty brand is what put the weight on my gang. :(

Science Diet Light mixed with Purna One was our menu until Skinny came to live with us. All his problems with Coccidi (everyone was put on vet rx diet Eukanuba) we had to go special diet. I feed everyone it for couple weeks.

I read up and switched to Nutro brand (otherwise it was going to be venison diet, that was pricey big time) and we've had no problems and weight is under control and food agrees with Skinny.

Cheap food with allot of by products is not always the right course of action for everyone.

[catmandu]

I think that they are going to get Royal Canin ,Eukanuba , or the New Food that they love , The Nutro Indoor Complete Care Senoir , which is just what The Found Cats are!

[sirrahbed]

Thank you for posting this Uniqueviking! I live right here in Dayton, Ohio, the hometown of IAMS and I did not know this!! I just started feeding two of my kitties the IAMS W/D food about three months ago and it is very expensive! I thought I was doing a very good thing for them but I will not buy it anymore. I still have a whole bag and will bring it back to the vet with my receipt and a copy of this website. I have been reading about Purina One and think I will try them on that. They are supposed to be on a diet food, but I think if I limit amounts, they will be OK. I have always used freefeeding and I think THAT is the problem more than the type of food anyway.

[moosmom]

Uniqueviking


I've always been feeding my cats Hill's - and having 4 cats on Hill's is expensive

Try feeding 8 cats on SD!!! ;)

[Nomilynn]

I recently switched from Iams (after I learned about the company) to Chicken Soup and I've had nothing but great results. They are all eating less, pooping less, and drinking normal amounts of water. Bassett's fur has never been so soft. It's also very inexpensive; I can get a huge bag of it for only $28, which is less than half what I was paying for Iams.

[lat192004]

I'm cannot accept animal testing in any form, especially in the higher mammals like dogs and cats. Computer simulations can pretty much determine how long a cats or dogs teeth will go until they are really cruddy. Actually computer simulations can determine anything based on past research. I'm not with PETA, I'm only an animal lover. If you had the chance to see this testing on animals it would break your heart. It should stop, now! My cats hate Iams anyway.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

now I'm going to try and switch to Whiskas for a while and see how they react to that.


Whiskas has food dye in it and too much sugar. Cats on food like whiskas or Deli Cat often develope health problems. Diabeties, kidney falure, etc. Becareful feeding foods like those, they will cost you more in the long run, in medical bills. I feed my 7 cats Natural Balance and they do beautifully on it.

[Uniqueviking]

I'm staying with Hill's!

Kirsten printed out the article I sent her, and talked it all over with her vet yesterday. The whole Omega3 thing does NOT go for all Hill's products, only certain ones, like the Hill's Adult, Rabbit that was tested.

So my babies will keep getting their Hill's :)

[carole]

I too used to feed the cats whiskas, because it was what I could afford, however I now have changed them both onto a really good brand called EXCELLENCE, it has no food colourings, preservatives etc and all the necessary food nutrients like the more expensive brands, hills etc, however it can be bought in the supermarkets here, and since using it I am finding it works out cheaper, the cats full up quicker, eat less,and I donot end up throwing any food away,it works out to around three dollars a week for each cat.

Since Ash has been on it only a couple of weeks, I have noticed a huge difference in his coat, much shiner and healthier looking, so I am over the moon, no more smelly fish cat food either.

[Kirsten]

Originally posted by Uniqueviking
I'm staying with Hill's!

Kirsten printed out the article I sent her, and talked it all over with her vet yesterday. The whole Omega3 thing does NOT go for all Hill's products, only certain ones, like the Hill's Adult, Rabbit that was tested.

So my babies will keep getting their Hill's :)

Yes, my vet has said that as far as she knows, most of the Hill's products contain Omega 3-fat acids, but she's going to ask the company about it.

Mine are on Whiskas right now because after Luna had that clostridia problem, she can digest it better than Hill's which contains more fibre. So I think I'm going to get an omega3-containing fish oil to add it to their diet, that should work. And apart from the omega3-thing, Whiskas is good quality food according to that test.

Kirsten

[K & L]

We feed the ferals whatever is the cheapest. Our cats at home get Nutro.

[catmandu]

Thats the problem with Out Sourcing work ,is that you get people doing the Job , that dont really care! And that is a tragedy when it comes to Cats , and Dogs!

[sirrahbed]

DUH...I was confusing Hills SD and IAMS's - not the same right? Mine are are on Science Diet W/D. This is made by Hills and not IAMS, right?? Is SD considered a good food??? I know I want to try Purina One for Eliot, who does not need the low calaorie food, but the other two are supposed to be on prescription food...

[Craftlady]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
DUH...I was confusing Hills SD and IAMS's - not the same right? Mine are are on Science Diet W/D. This is made by Hills and not IAMS, right?? Is SD considered a good food??? I know I want to try Purina One for Eliot, who does not need the low calaorie food, but the other two are supposed to be on prescription food...

SD is different company from Iams,

In my own experience SD was to fatty and contains to many by products. We also mixed with Purna One which also contained by products. SD actually put weight on our gang.

What we are on now, Nutro brand has "no by-products". Their weight maintance food really works. With increased activity we are getting weight reduction for Thumper and Skinny is maintaining on the Nutro.

Compared to SD in price it's the same.

[NoahsMommy]

SD (Science Diet) is what we sell at work, prescription varieties only. Be careful when consulting your vet about "what food is better" if you're going to lump Science Diet in the choices. Most vets don't learn much about nutritional needs in vet school other than the basics.

Science Diet reps bombard vets with great deals and great varieties, but a lot of them are the same, have preservatives and have lots of by-products. I think if you look at the ingredients, they say "chicken meal" instead of "chicken".

But then, like us hoomans, each cat is different and if that food works, that's the best for your cat. :)

I was talking to our SD rep a few months ago and she said they stand by their food as "human grade" and they ask the vets to try the canned food. (EEWWWW!!) She said they have seminars where that's apart of the meeting.

[sirrahbed]

I am really confused about what to feed my cats. They really do not ENJOY the W/D at all. WHAT they LOVE is Meow Mix. But I want to feed them what is healthy. The W/D is what the vet recommends, but #1 they do not like it and #2 after three months of it, Emily has lost only 1 ounce. If I can spend this money on a better quality food - that is what I would rather do. I have been reading about Nutro and it sounds like a good food - will have to see if it is available here and if the babies like it.

[Craftlady]

Pet Smart carries Nurto brand of food.

[lat192004]

Originally posted by catmandu
Thats the problem with Out Sourcing work ,is that you get people doing the Job , that dont really care! And that is a tragedy when it comes to Cats , and Dogs!

True! True! True! Some labs don't give a darn, just get the results and get paid.

[carole]

I think cats are like humans they have different tastes, what suits one does not necessarily suit another, we all know they require certain nutrients to be healthy, just as we humans do, like Taurine for example, so I think if you are happy feeding your cat whatever and they are healthy you should continue to do so,whether it be Whiskas or Hills..:)