What SHOULD we feed our cats?

[sasvermont]

I just noticed a post in another thread about raw meat diets for cats.

I have read so much about what to feed and not to feed our furry friends. I really think it depends on so many things. I had a cat that lived to be 21 and she ate only dry food, water, a few table scraps every now and then.....

I do believe that each kitty has it's own little system and it's own needs. The secret is to break the code. I believe that they inherit certain strengths and weaknesses and then we get to deal with them and try to figure them out.

I don't believe there is any one food or style or better or worse...etc. etc. It has to do with the cat and that cat's health issues!

Cats are much like people, and have all kinds of issues with food/medications etc.

Does this make sense?

I would hate to see anyone person change a perfectly fine diet for their cat, just because someone else read something bad about that food. It might be the right food for another cat!

Amen!

[slick]

I agree SAS! Every kitty is different and it's between the kitty and the kitty's slave to figure out what is best. As with anything in life, listen to others, then follow your heart.

[Lorraine]

I Totally agree with you. What may be good for one cat, may not be good for another. I had been going completley nuts-and almost broke,running around searching for the perfect food for my cats. One particualr brand, which I heard very good things about, turned out not to be what my cat Sammy needed, because his fur turned dull, and coarse.Since I switched, his fur seems to be changing for the better.
Also, dairy products don't agree with many cats systems, but for some they do fine with it. My little Romeo LOVES yogurt, any flavor,cheese, milk, and eggs.And he has never had any stomach problems yet. Sammy on the other hand, drank some milk from Romeo's dish, and he got gas so bad, I thought his backside was going to explode!! He truly brought tears to our eyes that evening!
I considered trying a raw meat snack as a treat for my cats,but I changed my mind, because I am concerned with samonella, etc.
If cats coats are looking shiny, they are healthy, and enjoy what they are eating, then I agree to stick with what you find to work best for them.

[BastetsMum]

I tried the raw meat diet with Bastet - I believe it wsa too rich for her because she became a chronic *chucker*. She now eats Iams dry and has sardines for her poop and a tin of wet food once a week. No more chucking.

But yes I totally agree with you Sas

[krazyaboutkatz]

I also agree with you SAS. If a certain food works well with your cat then don't change the food just because someone tells you another food might be better. In other words "Don't fix what ain't broken."

[kimlovescats]

Yes, exactly!!! One thing we need to remember is changing a cat's diet can bring on severe digestive problems in itself... so why make a change if everything is working as is?

[catland]

I think there is a lot of truth to this. Right now, my kitties seem to all be able to eat the same food and are fine.

But some years ago, when we had two female kitties, Crystal and Lucy, Crystal loved to eat raw liver. Lucy wouldn't touch it. I think that it is possible that Crystal had a vitamin deficiency that the liver corrected. She also loved brewer's yeast tablets, which I heard were good for repelling fleas. Don't know if this is true or not, but Crystal was allergic to flea bites (she would just mow off her fur the poor thing) and she loved the brewer's yeast.

I also heard that we humans, at least as babies, will gravitate towards the foods that we need. I think we can discover our own vitamin deficiencies if we listen to ourselves enough.