what is the best cat food

[krazyaboutkatz]

In my opinion, cats should be fed both dry and canned food every day. Many cats don't drink enough water so the canned will help give them the added moisture that they need. I also believe in feeding cats grain free food. There are many different brands and price ranges now. I currectly feed my cats Merrick's Before Grain Chicken dry and Wellness grain free chicken & turkey canned food. Good luck with your search.

[AvaJoy]

I feed primarily wet food and I should give up giving them dry. Go to this vet's website for why cats should not be fed dry food. Even the cheapest canned is better than the most expensive dry food. www.catinfo.org This is my bible for cat care!

[CrazyCat]

Cat's definitely should have a balance of wet and dry. Wet food, in my understanding is better for them than dry.

As for types though, honestly, the whole thing just gets me confused. I feel like there are strong opinions out there about certain ingredients and such, but no proof. I will be getting cats soon and I have no idea what kind of food I will end up feeding them. My old cat lived to 19 years old on no particular cat food - Just whatever was on sale. She was very healthy her entire life. So a part of me is sceptical about what some people say about cat food ingredients.

It's hard because people will say their cat developed a problem from their food, which could very well be true, but it doesn't mean all cats will get sick from the cheaper foods out there. Every cat is different, just like humans. Not all humans can eat the same foods due to allergies or intolerances. Cats, I think are much the same.

[Taz_Zoee]

My cats are on Purina One dry (which is what we feed at the shelter where I volunteer) and Friskies wet (1/8 of a can each day). I'm sure there is better food out there for them, but they are happy, healthy and are maintaining good weight. I will not change it unless I have to.

[catmandu]

My Cats are on Purina One Dry, and Canned.
Scrappy Two insists on Whiskas Pouches, and they love the Science Diet, especially Jo Jo the Wonder Kitten

[Jessika]

This is a question that there is no one simple answer to. The best I can recommend is do research on not only cat nutrition but how to properly read cat food labels. Then you can make a choice that is right for you and your cat.

It's hard because people will say their cat developed a problem from their food, which could very well be true, but it doesn't mean all cats will get sick from the cheaper foods out there. Every cat is different, just like humans. Not all humans can eat the same foods due to allergies or intolerances. Cats, I think are much the same.

This is absolutely true. Just because one diet works for one cat DOES NOT mean it will yield the same results for another. Every cat is different!

[maerlyn]

I think that's like asking what is the best food for humans - there's no one right answer. As has been pointed out, cats are as individual as humans; what works for one might not work for another. Years ago, I had two cats, both adopted as kittens only a year apart; both had the same access to the same food - grocery-store food was all that was available back then. Cassandra lived to nearly 17, and Kalli made it almost to 20. That proves to me that someone who posted on another site that "grocery store food will kill your cat" wasn't really right.

A few years ago, I did change my current cats' food to grain-free (Taste of the Wild), and I have noticed that Mordred is a bit more active; however, he did NOT lose weight on it, which some people claim will happen. I also feed him some Dave's canned cat food (half a small can) in the evening; Althea gets a quarter of a tuna-sized can of Merrick's, and the outdoor cats (Smokey and Shadow) split a can of Fancy Feast.

My advice is to just do the best you can. Any food that has the AAFCO label has all the nutrients a cat needs; the difference in price reflects that fact that the higher-priced food has higher quality ingredients.