With all of this talk about pet food...

[columbine]

My vet picked my cat's food! I think the people who hang around here got started because they really focus a lot on their non-human companions, reading labels and taking them for regular checkups and such, and so we tend to give more credence to veterinarians than advertisements...

Love, Columbine

[Fuzzybuns]

I can understand that but I also take the fuzzybuns to regular check-ups and am in great contact with one of their vets as she is also a friend of mine.
They have two vets, a holistic vet and a "regular" vet (my friend)...both know the diets and both wholeheartily approve saying "if it's not broke, don't fix it".

None of my cats are ever sick...no diarrhea and no vomiting and as I mentioned, many of my past cats have lived into their late teens and early 20s and were healthy. My mom has a healthy 18 year old on the same foods.
Now Toby's brother Gus, my sisinlaw has him, was sick for his first 8 months on Iams, Science Hill and another food. His vet pretty much gave up and said to "try Kit-n-Kaboodle or something". Besides the fact that she was disgusted with this vet, she tried it and he hasn't been sick again.

Please don't think I'm arguing over who's right or who's wrong...I guess I just don't understand how these foods can be bad if I have three very healthy, active and clear eyed cats, not to mention the past kitties and others, that eat nothing other than Meow Mix and 9-Lives.

[fragrancehound]

Each cat is different with his or special needs. The best thing you can do is read labels and make an educated decision about what will work best for your fur baby.

I can say from personal experience that I really think Science Diet is crap. I don't know why vets push it so hard. When my Panther was alive he was on Science Diet for many many years because that was what my vet said he should be on...Well Panther developed IBS. Upon the recommendation from a new vet I switched him to Eagle Pack Oatmeal and Duck formula and low and behold almost all of the symptoms of IBS disappeared....no vomiting, no loose stools, and even a shinier coat. From that point on I have been a firm believer of holistic/natural foods.

[mrspunkysmom]

This is not really any different than the few smokers/drinkers/junkfood-eaters that live to 90 while the rest of us that try to eat right have problems and such.

WE would all feel better if we ate right, but as long as junk(or easy) food is available, many won't.

I had tow females with diarrhea from brand name kibble and Spunky can't handle it so it is easier to feed well.

I was feeding Eukanuba (least offensive of the so-called premiums and the cats liked it) but sometime this winter, the critters truned their noses up at it, so I switched to VF formula, and Pinnacle. They really like the latter.

Scary part: in the bowl you can't tell the difference between Vf and Pinnacle. I am checking into that.

Anne

[catmandu]

I Remember Reading An Article That Said A Lot Of Vets Are Helped In Thier Schooling Costs By Hills And Thats Why They Recommend Science Diet.
I Think That Like Iams , Science Diet May Well Be Living Off Thier Reputation.
My Cats Love Thier Canned And Michaels Adores The Chicken And Liver Dry. So I Will Buy It Although The Nutro Complete Care Indoor And The Technical Are Now The Bulk Of The Found Cat And Starry Diets.
Along With Whskas Pouches And Friskies Pouches And The Odd Purina Premium.

[Catlady711]

Meow Mix & also Kit-n-Kaboodle (I believe), have lots of dyes (colors) in them. Some animals can develop allergies to the dyes in pet foods. We've seen MANY skin problems in our hospital caused by allergies, most of those pets were being fed foods with dyes/colors in them. After a few weeks of being on a non dye food their skin/allergy problems went away.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

My Leonardo who will turn 17 in August (and all the other 3) take exception to you calling their Meow Mix JUNK!!!

They have eaten it their entire lives and never had problems. They also eat 9 Lives now. Please note that those foods aren't on the recall list!

They tried Science diet: their response was to try and bury it!!!

[Freedom]

Much of it comes down to reading labels, and to understanding what the terms mean. Many of the lower priced foods include animal renderings, including those from former companion animals. I just can't cope with doing that, buying that to feed to my pets. Other folks don't mind it.

Cats in a wild setting will eat a chicken (if they can catch it) but the won't eat the feet, beak and such. Yet some foods will grind up those parts and put them in the food. I won't feed that to my pets as it is not what their bodies have developed to digest. (My grandparents on . . one side (I won't say which) ate that stuff, so they likely wouldn't have an issue feeding it to the pets.)

Both Ebony and Billy came from homes feeding Meow Mix. When they arrived, they had scaly skin, tons of dandruff, itched. Four days on a better quality food and that all cleared up.

Here is just one of many sites which explain the ingredients (I always confuse chicken by-products and chicken meal, as just one example) defintions and such: http://www.doberdogs.com/menu.html

And I think it is Gary who often will refer folks to a book called "Foods Your Pet Dies For," as an excellent reference, as well.

Finally, I agree with this from Mr Spunky's Mom:
This is not really any different than the few smokers/drinkers/junkfood-eaters that live to 90 while the rest of us that try to eat right have problems and such.

We would all feel better if we ate right, but as long as junk (or easy) food is available, many won't.