Food Question

[Kitty Peon]

What do you feed your cat? How often do you change the flavours of her food? Do you keep feeding her the same things day in and day out or do give her a little bit of variety. I'm wondering if my Cleocatra gets bored of her food. Do you guy's think it's a possibility? I know I sound crazy and panicky but Cleo's my first and only child.
Thanks.

[Fuzzy317]

Our cats are free-fed Nutra Max Cat dry, and about twice a month they get a treat of Fancy Feast canned food.

None of our cats will eat the Fancy Feast tuna flavor, but they gobble down the other flavors (my dog will eat them too if we are not careful.......LOL)

Changing flavors is okay for us, but our Rosie gets gas really bad http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif , when we switch (by accident) to another dry brand. I don't think they get bored with the food, they are still eating it.

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Recently adopted by 3 cats: Jackson http://www.plauder-smilies.de/tiere/catmilk.gif , Rosie http://www.plauder-smilies.de/tiere/catsmiley.gif , Fluffy http://www.plauder-smilies.de/cat.gif , a dog: Eli http://www.plauder-smilies.de/dogrun.gif , some fish http://www.plauder-smilies.de/fish.gif , and my fiancee: Lynn (Vi Co Bi) http://www.plauder-smilies.de/remybussi.gif

[catwoman]

Ever since I started my cats on Science Diet's Adult Hairball Formula (a dry food,) they turn their noses up at anything else, including wet food. Now, if it only seemed to help the hairballs ...

[Logan]

There are a million answers for this one, just like dog food. But I agree with Spencer, the higher quality food, the better. I will tell you though that Mimi lived on Purina Kitten Chow for years before Butter came along and she did just fine. I just knew that Butter didn't need the extra calories from the kitten food, so I had to make a switch. One thing I have learned about buying the "premium" foods is that they don't eat nearly as much, so you don't have to buy it as often. I think its because their systems use so much more of the food rather than it just "passing through". Don't mean to sound gross, but its the truth, with dogs and cats. Butter and Mimi are eating BilJac that I buy at Petsmart. And my dogs eat Flint River Ranch food that I order over the internet. Flint River Ranch also makes cat food, which I am sure is good. I just haven't tried to switch them since they seem to be doing so well on the BilJac.

Many, many animals have done very well on Purina products, and if you have to do the "grocery store" thing, I think Purina or Iams are good choices. My cats love a taste of canned food too, and they will not eat Iams canned food at all. So, they get the occasional can of Fancy Feast, or Nine Lives, but the bulk of their eating is the dry.
Good luck with your decision. It is SO very confusing, isn't it?

[This message has been edited by Logan (edited June 21, 2001).]

[kgeorge]

I give Sundance a mix of Science Diet Hairball formula and Royal Canin (only available at PetCo.com or their store) Sundance loves both and as mentioned in an earlier post he doesn't eat as much.

[4 feline house]

KP-

It sounds to me like the gist of your question is should cats get a variety - for most cats the answer to this would be no. Not all, but most cats will become finicky if their food is constantly changed. Unless she is turning her nose up at what you are giving her, or unless she has to go on a therapeutic diet, or unless the brand she is getting becomes unavailable for some reason, don't switch. An occasional treat is fine, but the meal should remain the same.

[AvaJoy]

I feed my children dry Science Diet Hairball Formula which they both love, and also supplement with Whiskas wet food, switching flavors everyday. I stack the cans in my cupboard so that the flavors are repeated on a weekly rotation. I tried the premium canned foods, but they seem to prefer the Whiskas for some reason only known to them. They don't drink much water that I notice, so I feel that by offering the wet food it helps to keep them hydrated. This may be outdated, but the theory that males are more prone to urinary problems if restricted to dry food sticks in my mind. My FelV+ boy potentially will have his share of medical woes, so I try to avoid any additional complications. My senior female is healthy and I hope to keep her that way . . . for as long as possible.

[4 feline house]

I have a funny story about cats and food - or maybe it's cats and the fact that they are such creatures of habit:

We have three bowls for the cats in the kitchen, one in the middle for water and two on the sides for food. However, they never drink water out of the bowl on the floor (they use those big white porcelain water bowls instead) so the middle bowl has always been empty. For whatever reason, yesterday my son decided to fill all three bowls. Last night, everytime I got up to go to the bathroom (several times-kidney disease :rolleyes: ) the cats followed me into the bathroom, rubbing my legs and meowing, like they do when we've forgotten to feed them. I ignored them becuase I knew they couldn't have gone through all three bowls. This morning when I got up and went into the kitchen I saw why they were starving. The middle bowl was still overflowing, but the two side bowls didn't have even one kibble in either one! So they thought they were out of grub! :D

[ July 16, 2001: Message edited by: 4 feline house ]

[shais_mom]

When Jodi gave me Kylie, she bought me Cat Chow to keep her on familiar groun. I have been giving her 1 tsp on canned food mixed with her dry food about every other day or so. She just stinks when she eats just that! :eek: I have Iams hairball formula for her but haven't tried it yet until she is done with the cat chow. I also bought Whiskas Savory nuggets, which she tolerates, and I bought Friskies semi-moist food today and I will only give her half a bag with her dry food. I am constantly on a quest for the right food for her, I searched forever for the right dog food and am very happy with what I found.
I found Royal Canin at Pet Supplies Plus, just didn't try yet.
I love reading topics about dog and cat food keep the comments coming!! ;)

[TheAntiPam]

I noticed that one of my cats has VERY stinky poo when I give her any moist food. This is a major problem in the litter box area, which is also the human's litter box (bathroom). Based on what I know of human digestion, extra smells in the bathroom means something is not being digested quite right.

Since both cats seem to eat and live healthy with the premium dry food (Iams) I have given up on adding any moist food. A lick or two once in a while of some tasty human food is all they get extra.

Just so you know, I've been using the same dry cat food for 7 years, and none of my cats has turned me in to the food police! ;)

[shais_mom]

I think I found some cat food that Kylie likes dry!! Just bought it today!!
I wanted the Royal Canin hairball formula but they didn't have a trial size of it so I bought the Royal Canin Special 33 For Sensitive and Fussy cats. The first ingredient is Chicken and the next is Rice Flour. I dumped what was left in her dish and put a little bit of her food in the bowl and she jumped up and started eating it right away!!! Normally she turns her nose up unless she has the tsp of canned food or moist food mixed into it. Of course when I went on vacation and had someone coming over and feeding her she ate just the dry food, but as soon as the new mom aka SUCKER came home she started meowing for the additives. I am trying to get her off of that b/c of the smell of the litter box when she eats the canned food. whew!!!
I also bought some trial size nutro that is complete care. Which is supposed to help with less shedding, fewer hairballs,cleans teeth, freshens breath, easy to digest for sensitive stomachs, and improve skin and coat!!!
I get so excited when my finicky pets eat their food!!

[cr7clark]

I know what you mean when you say that the cat box stinks after our babies have eaten wet food....Bo's poops really stink after she eats Fancy Feast, especially the seafood varieties. I think it's because wet food is fresher...haven't we noticed that about ourselves? Just remember the last time you went to a good restaurant and ate a big steak, didn't YOUR poops smell worse???
Anyway, Bo enjoys Science Diet Adult Feline Maintenance dry food and gets 1/3 cup in the morning and evening. She gets the Fancy Feast on Sunday mornings as a treat, and boy do we change the box on Sunday afternoons!

[4 feline house]

Bosmom! That's an interesing observation! http://home.t-online.de/home/520073165529-0001/smileys/blabla.gif :o :eek:

[shais_mom]

I know when I read that yesterday, I had to laugh out loud. You either have to deeply love your animals like we do or work in the medical profession to talk like that!!
I am an xray tech and it is know that "you might be an xray tech if you eat popcorn out of an emesis basin!" Of course I have never done that but I have observed people using an enema bag as a beer bong!!! Now that was interesting!!! ;) :p :D :D

[ September 22, 2001: Message edited by: shais_mom ]

[AvaJoy]

Originally posted by SpencerTheLion:
<STRONG>...almost forgot about your Felv+ kitten. Is everything well? Hope you don't take offence, but I would try to avoid getting him around the other kittys - know that's hard :(.</STRONG>

Thanks for asking . . . Meeshe is doing just fine, and he is growing up to be long and lean; when I pick him up he is solid muscle, and heavy! Lily is heavy but flabby due to her age, AND the fact that I have switched canned food from Whiskas to Fancy Feast. She cannot get enough of it!! I noticed her appetite was dropping off where Whiskas was concerned, so thought I'd try it and looks like I have created a monster. :eek: Meeshe likes it as well, and both fortunately still love their Science Diet dry food. Not to worry . . . they are never allowed in the same room together, and have their own bowls and toys. They never come in contact with each other, although they have been known to do some hissing and posturing at each other through my French doors.

[ September 16, 2001: Message edited by: AvaJoy ]

[4 feline house]

Avajoy, I think it's amazing you can keep two cats in the same house and have them never come in contact - logistics-wise and resolve-wise! It's a great testament to how much you love them. I kinda feel sorry for them, never being able to experience the joy of being friends, but of course the alternative is worse....

[Doxiedoxie]

I just picked a new kitten out from the shelter and brought him home Wednesday. I carefully read all the labels on the food and selected Innova, which is what I feed my dogs. Nutro's has Corn in it near the top of the ingredient list and I know corn is not a great ingredient, certainly not very digestible for man or beast, so I was afraid to get it. I also picked up two cans of Iams kitten food in case lil Fritz was a finiky eater. Well, ALL he will eat is the DOG food, which is a senior formula and not ideal for kitten growth, or the food off our plates when our back is turned. He is so skinny, he needs to eat, but I dont want to feed him junk. Do you think when he settles in he'll accept the Innova dry or should I indulge him by buying other brands? By the way, he wont drink out of his own water dish either, he likes the dogs dish or the toilet. Keeping lid down from now on. would love suggestions ofr Finiky Fritz. :confused:

[NoahsMommy]

Doxie,

I don't know too much about kittys, as my 4 month old is my first. But my neighbor just brought home a baby kitten and they feed him Nutro Max Kitten mixed with Nutro wet food. He loves it!!

My kitten eats Nutro Max Kitten too and he loves it as well. I am not sure about the whole corn thing, but Nutro is one of the best brands you can get.

Good luck! I hope Fritz eats soon. :)

[4 feline house]

If he's a kitten, he needs kitten food. If he's skinny, he needs kitten food. If he's a skinny kitten, he doubly needs kitten food!

[TheAntiPam]

Mixing the wet and dry kitten food is a good idea! Also remember, YOU are the adult, no matter what the kitten thinks. It is very unlikely that the kitten will allow itself to starve, so you need to be very VERY firm in supplying the right food and water.

You may have to put the kitten in a room alone with the food, etc. to get things rolling. As many PetTalk people will testify, what seems cute when a pet is small often becomes a problem when they grow up. Give you new sweetie lots of love - a mix of fun and hugs AND control! :D

[Doxiedoxie]

Thanks for the replies. I think upon re-reading, it sounds like I bought Innova dog food for this cat, when in fact I meant I bought Innova cat food. Innova doesnt make kitten food, but the Innova had protein and fat content in the same range as the Nutro's Kitten formula.

I will be firm then, and continue as I am doing, he is closed in the room he shares with my daughter all night, that is where his food and litter is. So he has plenty of chance to eat the cat/kitten food. I don't know why he'd rather compete with the dogs for theirs! Maybe he thinks they are his new litter mates.

Thanks again for the advice! We sure love our kitty! I have always adopted adult cats so this is a first.

[Cynthia]

My two big guys, Stump and Emmett, eat Purina One Chicken and Rice dry food daily and seem to be happy with it. (Emmett especially loves to play "food hockey" with it on the kitchen floor; if no one plays with him, he knocks a few pieces out of the dish and starts whacking them around the floor! He also likes to have me toss the food in the air so he can catch it in his mouth.) At dinner time I give them a small amount of wet food that I buy at Fresh Fields (Whole Foods Market). The brand is Lick Your Chops and they like the turkey and brown rice flavor. Yes, it's way more expensive than other brands, but I know that they're not eating a lot of preservatives or by-products. :rolleyes: :D I also use a filter on my kitchen faucet, so yes, my guys get filtered water too!

[thelmalu99]

I swear by Nutro Natural Choice. Now they call it "Complete Care", but it's just as good.

I started feeding it to Charlie (Rainbow Bridge) and within a month I noticed an improvement in his coat.

When I got Elvis and Danny from the shelter, their coats were really dull, but now everyone tells me how beautiful and glossy they look.

I recommended it to a friend who also has two cats, one of which is a Maine Coon, and everytime I see her she thanks me because their coats are so beautiful now.

It's really good stuff.

PS-Doxie, one of the great things about Nutro is that they don't use corn. They use rice. At least the dry food. I am not sure about the wet.

[ September 25, 2001: Message edited by: thelmalu99 ]

[nsweezie]

Since you are in Canada, this may interest you.
My vet told me to feed my cats only food approved by the Canadian Vet Association. All of the foods sold through your vet should have the seal, and some other kinds too, although not Friskies and similar types. Surprisingly my local grocery store (Sobeys) does have the seal.
Apparantly companies can submit their products to the CVA for free, the CVA tests the nutrients etc. Kinda makes you wonder why all cat food available in Canada doesn't have the stamp
You should be able to see the CVA stamp on the label of canned food, or on the side of dried food.
I'm not sure if there is a similar thing for US foods, I would be interested in hearing.

[ September 25, 2001: Message edited by: nsweezie ]