evil cat food?

**ScantyNebula** · 04-10-2003, 01:09 PM

here

Whoa...

**Denyce** · 04-10-2003, 02:59 PM

Wow.

Ok. Please bear with me here in this post about the evil cat food. That article is extremely interesting. However, like most things that come out of the media you have to read it all with a grain of salt.

My background is a BS in Dairy and Animal Science. I spent a couple of years in my college career learning about the Meat Industry and worked in Meat Science research for several years after I graduated. I have been in meat packing plants all across the US. This includes the big 3 out in the midwest and several smaller ones here in PA. I have been everywhere from the kill floors to the rendering areas. No. They are not pleasant. And I will never say they are. However, not once did I ever see a dead pet or road kill about. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I just never witnessed it myself. There are abuses in the meat industry and there is always room for improvement. But there are also alot of good people that their main goal is to provide a safe product. The pet food industry is a offshoot of the meat industry. There has to be a place to go with the parts of animals that we do not eat. I am not going to go into detail about this.

I also have some problems with the pet food industry and have done so much research into what is a good pet food formulation. There is a delicate balance between good nutrition, reasonable costs and the health of our pets. It is true that our pets would not live as long as they do without the commercial pet food industry. Many years ago when cats had to scavange for their meals or had to depend upon table scraps and a bowel of milk they also didn't average the long lives they do now. It is not just a matter of good vet care. The good nutrition they receive is also an important part of that. I know with cats nutritional blindness is something that is just not seen as often because of the pet food industry. The ingredient Taurine is VITAL to a cats health. It is also difficult but not impossible to formulate a homemade diet with enough Taurine. If you plan on feeding a homemade diet it is best to consult an expert about this. Please don't just start giving your cat some chicken and rice and assume this is the best diet for them.

Saying all of this there are several pet food I will not feed my cats. But my problem is the preservative Ethoxyquin. It has been shown to cause intestinal cancer in cats. Yet several major brands still use this as the major preservative because it has such a majorly long shelf life. Science Diet is one of these. I also will not feed my cats SD because of some of the ingredients. Many many years ago my vet had me put one of my cats on Science Diet KD. I read the label. One of the primary sources of protein was PORK LUNG. Two problems with this. Neither pork nor lung is easily digestable by cats. While on paper the formulation worked but in practicality it didn't. But back to Ethoxyquin. Many cat foods will no longer use it as a primary preservative however, it is often used in the rendering process of the fat and meats. But since it wasn't directly added to the pet food it doesn't have to be listed as an ingredient.

Whew.

I then put my cats on a pet food called Wellness by Old Mother Hubbard. It uses natural ingredients and human grade proteins. I thought I had found the perfect cat food. However, after a year and a half my 2 cats that were a good weight are now too thin and the other 2 that needed to lose weight have gained. Also the 2 thin ones have been chewing the hair off of their bellies and legs. While I initially assumed this was just behavoral I now am wondering if it can be diet related also. So I have switched again to Royal Canin and have put the 2 thin chewers on the Sensitive Skin formulation and the other two chubs on the lite formulation. Now this isn't to say that Wellness is not a wonderful product. I still really like the ingredients they use and I have gotten most of my friends to switch to it and they are happy. Also my cousin is a certified vet technician and the clinic she works for will not sell SD but encourages the use of Wellness products.

As a finale to all of this I would encourage everyone to do research on what they are feeding their cats. Read labels. Be informed but don't overreact. The pet food industry while is not regulized (sp) it has also helped to give us pets that are living well into their teens and longer. Just please don't make your cat vegetarian. They are carnivores and really need the protein.

as a side note to this sermon I have also been reading about the link between moisture in diet and kidney disease. There seems to be a pretty direct link.

Sorry this was so preachy and long.

Denyce

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 04-10-2003, 03:13 PM

Wow, thanks for all the great info Denyce.

I certainly don't envy your job, but thanks for explaining it all so we know you have facts and are not just "spouting off."

It's interesting about moisture in the diet being linked to kidney disease. Tubby has only gotten dry food his entire life because he was unbearable with the few cans of wet food that he came with as a kitten (his previous mommy gave me everything she had, cat wise). He would beg mercilessly for the wet food, and he was only a kitten then so I figured it would only get worse as he got older, and there was no way I could afford to feed him wet only back then.

I have now started feeding T & P wet food a few times a week as a treat, but it's too late for Tubby since his kidneys are already bad. Guess I'll have to just remember this for future reference. Thanks again for all the good info, and taking the time to write it all up for us.

**Russian Blue** · 04-10-2003, 05:57 PM

I also have been reading the recent articles on moisture content and related illness. I have always tried to get Nakita to drink more by adding water and making a broth to her dry foods and giving her wet food on alternating days.

I also am not impressed with Science Diet. I have always been leary about over selling of products and mass marketing. I have always read the labels on cat food and educated myself early on with the key ingredients to watch out for.

In the end, you can get the best food possible but your cat may turn its nose up at it. You have to find a balance between what you can afford, quality of food, and what your cat will eat.

**ScantyNebula** · 04-10-2003, 06:20 PM

I feed toby Whiskas ...it has Ethoxyquin in it ..so are you saying i should try to find a food without that preservative?

Any suggestions for food available in Canada? dunno if you knew of any =/

**Denyce** · 04-10-2003, 08:34 PM

Well thanks for appreciating the info. I don't work in meat science any longer. I do still work in a lab however, we test plants, soils, biosolids, manures and composts for nutritional content. Much less gory.

I would never say it is too late for any kidneys. One of my mom's cats has trouble with chronic cystitis. She helps her cat to get more moisture by adding water to a smaller amount of the canned food making it kinda soupy. Tribble loves it this way. Also we have 3 of those Fresh Flow waterers in the house. I have noticed all of the cats drink more water with these than they did the regular bowls of water. And they really aren't noisy. Well except for when the pump gets clogged with cat hair or it is low in water.

My first cat almost never drank water...or when she did it was when I wasn't looking. She died of kidney failure before she was 14. My second cat lived to almost 15 but she passed away from intestinal cancer. She drank and played in her water constantly. The whole issue makes perfect sense. Cats need more protein than most animals for good health. But the increased protein places a burden on the kidneys..therefore extra water to help flush the kidneys would keep them in better working order longer. Sorta like keeping the oil changed in your car every 3000 miles. Things need to keep flowing smoothly.

One of the reasons Science Diet is so heavily pushed by the vets is that they receive a pretty big kick back from the company for selling the food. Right there I see a big conflict of intrest. However, I have also been told that they are coming out with a natural line of food since they too are seeing the trend of things.

ScantyNebula,

It is entirely up to you what you want to feed your cat. I would not say that Whiskas is a horrible food. I think your furbaby could do very well and lead a long healthy life on it. I personally do not like the information I have heard about ethoxyquin and it makes ME feel better to give my cats a food that I believe does not have it as a primary preservative. However, making me feel better has also increased our pet food bill to about 60 a month US for four cats.

Denyce

**ScantyNebula** · 04-10-2003, 08:46 PM

hmm...yea...price can be high, that Iams stuff seems to be good, therefore it costs a lot more .. do you know if that brand has that preservative? I don't want to feed my kitty food that's giving him a risk of cancer =/

**Denyce** · 04-10-2003, 09:39 PM

No I don't believe that Iams uses Ethoxyquin as a primary preservative.

**HayleyRosie** · 04-11-2003, 06:38 AM

I feed my two Techni-call Kitten. I'm not sure if they use ethoxyquin but now you have me wondering. I'll have to find out.

**ScantyNebula** · 04-11-2003, 06:49 AM

worst thing is that Iams food is so damned expensive .. its almost double the price in comparison to Whiskas!

I think for now I will stick with what he has, maybe try a few other brands ... and once the financial situation is better I will get him the best he can have

**moosmom** · 04-11-2003, 08:17 AM

Denyce says:

like most things that come out of the media you have to read it all with a grain of salt.

After working in the newspaper business (writer, reporter) I can attest to Denyce's quote.

The best thing you can do for your pet if you are not satisfied with the pet food industry is to change it. I have 7 cats so, unfortunately is isn't feasible to cook for them. I did try a can of "stew" which was all natural with vegetables and chicken in a sauce. They HATED it!

Oh well, I'll stick with Pro-Plan canned food and Science Diet. They are all healthy and I've haven't had any complaints yet. Well, maybe about the SERVICE, but not the menu

**smokey the elder** · 04-12-2003, 08:20 AM

I've heard about BHA and BHT not being good for cats, but have never heard of the antioxidant ethoxyquin. (I'm a chemist.) Science Diet has a new formula that is preserved with vitamin E and citrate, "natural" antioxidants. I'm not sure how good, bad or indifferent it is; bottom line: my cats love it, they have good coats and...um...deposits, and seem healthy enough.

Food is one of those issues where you'll get n+1 opinions from n people.

**shais_mom** · 04-13-2003, 03:52 PM

I feed both Keegan and Kylie Royal Canin brand dog/cat food.
Keegan gets Royal Canin Sensible Choice Lamb and Rice reduced calorie and Kylie gets Royal Canin Slim with hair and coat mixed in.
I am not sure if it is available in Canada.
It is an excellant food, but if expense is a problem...... It is much more expensive than Iams. But the better quality food = they eat less = less out put = less litter scooping/pooper scooping.
But I swear by it. My greyhound Shaianne (RB) , had trouble with cholitis and gastritis and their holistic blend formula was the only thing she could eat that didn't make her sick.
And Kylie had trouble with that for awhile too, and she does great with this brand. I even had to switch her from their Indoor formula to their Slim and no trouble.
Kylie does enjoy Whiskas in the pouch as a treat every once in awhile.