Cat Foods - WHAT is good??

[jenluckenbach]

For a good 15+ years I have fed Hills prescription c/d to ALL my cats. I have never run across allergies or adverse effects of any kind. The only difference was that prior to c/d I had 4 cases of crystals/blockages (in 5 years), and since c/d I have only had 1 (Rutherford ended up making the calcium oxylate crystals, that blocked him. The crystals at the opposite end of the ph spectrum)

But, having said that, I have been looking into finding a food with better ingredients. Innova looks good. I am also trying Fromm. VERY good ingredients, low ash and magnesium (important for urinary tract health). Even nutro and royal canin can't compare with their ingredients.

And even after saying THAT, I am not ceertain that I will change their food. Why fix it if it ain't broke?? c/d from Hill's has been very good to my cats.

[GreyhoundGirl]

LOL, I've been thinking of starting a thread about this. It seems there are SO many dog food fights, but no cat food fights. But then, I didn't want to start fights, so I kept inside. I'm curious as to what other responses you'll get.

[kittycats_delight]

LOL, I've been thinking of starting a thread about this. It seems there are SO many dog food fights, but no cat food fights. But then, I didn't want to start fights, so I kept inside. I'm curious as to what other responses you'll get.

Well you really don't know much about the cat side if you thing something like this would start fights. Everyone has their own opinion and we respect that and it is pretty unusually to see fight here on the cat side. We have one common love here and that is our cats and what is best for them.

[Freedom]

I know there are a lot of natural dog kibbles out there and the raw diet is very well-known in the dog world, however are there the same choices for cats? I know of one person that feeds their cats raw on occasion.

If you google "feline raw diet" a LOT of sites come up to look at.
Here is jsut one of thousands; I picked this one because there is a listing of supplies you need, and a pictorial of making the food.
www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/feline.htm


Here is how I approach this issue: foods can initially be graded by price.

grocery store brands - cheap, convenient, and goodness knows there are plenty of cats (and dogs) out there who survive on it. Thrive? Maybe not.

premium foods - at pet stores. Cost more, a little less convenient, and better quality.

prescription foods - at the vet. VERY expensive, not readily accessible (you are limited by the vet's hours).

Next, ask your vet what he/she suggests. This will tell you where the vet is coming from (if the vet only recommends the food he sells, he is in it for the money!)

Then tell the vet you are considering the raw diet (even if you aren't), and what supplements would be necessary? This tells you what vitamins/minerals etc. to look for when reading labels. Be ready to write down the answer to this question. For example, cats need taurine for their eyes; dogs don't need this.

From that starting point, you have a base of knowledge to make some decisions. Don't forget, you are NOT the final decision maker! All the research in the world isn't going to ensure your cat eats what you buy.

And if you are like me, there will come a time, even if just once every 3 years, when you are stuck, there is NO cat food in the house, it is late at night on a holiday weekend with nothing open the next day, and the grocery store is the only thing available. So you go buy a little to tide you (and the cat) over until you can get back onto the regular routine.

My vet recommended Science Diet 13 years ago, when I got my first cat. My cats do well, coats are great, energy is high, vet visits are minimal, so I have been happy with the results.

[catcrazylady]

I'm sure my reply won't be popular but due to the large number of cats I'm feeding cost is an issue. I feed Purina Cat Chow with L-Lysine and crushed vitamins added in. I wish I could afford to go to some of the better brands but its not an option here. I do add canned food to their dry twice a day for breakfast and dinner feedings. I do believe that wet food is good for cats but that is just my opinion.

I will say that we only feed Hills at the shelter and the vet recently told me that she only feeds that to her animals. She did say that with Hills she has had less problems with her animals as they age in comparison to any other foods she has tried.

[catmandu]

The Found Cats do well on the Nutro Complete Care Indoor Diet, and thats what they have been eating for a while now.
They love Eukanuba and Science Diet and Royal Canin.
And Fancy Feast, and Iams and Nutro Pouches.
The one I wouldnt feed is the No Name Garbage.
Presidents Choice in Canada has a Turkey and Giblets that the Porch Cats all GOBBLE up!!!

[momcat]

Groucho has never been a picky eater. Our vet recommended Iams weight control, Groucho loves it and is doing well on it. Plus there are no litter box problems.

[carole]

Ok i am a little confused, because Lexie has crystals the vet has recommended Science Diet C/D, but others mentions Royal Canin which i can obtain as well, so please can anyone give me the facts on both and why SD has been unpopular for some and not others, i really do need to make the right choice here for Lexie, Royal Canin might be a little cheaper, but there is not much in it for me, i just want her to have the right stuff that will work.

[jenluckenbach]

Royal Canin has a reputation of being a food with better ingredients than Hills. But I was never much of a label reader, until lately. So when c/d was recommended to me YEARS ago, I used it. And it has always been good to my cats.
My question to those against Hills, is this:
Do you simply not like the ingredients OR have you rtried it and had bad results?
Carole, I would go with the vet recommendation. If it works well, than stick with it (like I did). If you are not pleased with the results try something else.

Each cat is different, and even the BEST food is not the best food for each and every cat.

[Uabassoon]

Three out of our four eat blue buffalo spa select. Tuna eats royal canin s/o as prescribed by his vet.

http://www.bluebuff.com/products/cats-spa-select.shtml

I usually shop at Petsmart because it is most convinent to me and this was by far the best food avaliable there. I really like the ingredients, these are the first 5.
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Fish Meal, Whole Ground Barley

I've noticed that Nutro is very popular here, these are the first 5 ingredients on their indoor formula.

Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice Flour, Poultry Fat

I much prefer the blue buffalo because it has more sources of protien and does not have corn listed in the top 5.

A lot of brands that make high quality dog kibble also make versions for cats as well such as Wellness, Wysong, Felidae and many others. Just like you would with dog food check the ingredients. If you wouldn't want to eat what is in the food, then odds are it isn't good for your kitty!