what is the best cat food

[Freedom]

You can learn a bit about cats foods by reading ratings like this page offers:
http://www.petfoodratings.net/cattable.html

A 'good' food is going to be close to their natural diet. Cats are obligate carnivores; which means they get their nutrition from protein. So there is not point in feeding them grains which they can't digest, these are just fillers. Even fruits and vegetables offer little to an obligate carnivore. Surprisingly, cats are not very efficient so they need large amounts of protein; and their poops are still high in protein which is part of why dogs find those "tootsie rolls" in the litter box so enticing.

Commercial foods came into being in the 1950's. Prior to that, cats - and dogs - ate what humans ate, and there was less of certain types of illnesses in all 3 species.

Also, if you do some research you will learn that cats in the wild seldom drink water; they get most of the fluids they need from their prey. So feeding only a dry kibble is not the best diet for a cat.

I use a high quality grain free food. A high quality food uses only human grade ingredients, or is processed in a human food facility, or both, uses minimal if any chemicals and preservatives. I used Taste of the Wild for several years and was quite happy with it. Earlier this year there was a shortage, so I have switched to Earthborn Holistics. Both are grain free kibbles.

For canned foods, I use Weruva, Tiki Cat, or Fussie Cats. All are grain free. I select the ones which come in a gel, rather than a gravy. Sparkle is in early kidney disease, and she needs to hold her fluids. The gels seem to help her do this, while the gravy varieties just go right through her.

There has not been as much research done for cats as for dogs, so it is more difficult to find information.

[Freedom]

Maerlyn, using the AAFCO standard is useless, as foods like Science Diet meet that standard. I fed my cats that exclusively, kibble only, for about 11 years because it was recommended by my vet and I didn't know any better. In fact Science Diet is an awful food for dogs and cats.

[katladyd]

My vet recommends both wet and dry. The dry keeps their teeth healthy. NONE of my cats (knock on wood) have ever needed any dental work, and they get their teeth checked at every vet visit. I only feed grain-free because I have a cat who develops FLUTD whenever he is fed ANYTHING but Blue Buffalo Wilderness dry. Canned, I am not so picky about. I either feed Wellness canned or Purina Special Diet canned. None of them do well on anything else. I am considering switching to a completely Raw Food diet. Cats are carnivores and meat is what they eat in their wild state. They don't eat corn, rice, or any other gluten fillers you find in some foods. You love your cats, they deserve the best food available.

[maerlyn]

Maerlyn, using the AAFCO standard is useless, as foods like Science Diet meet that standard. I fed my cats that exclusively, kibble only, for about 11 years because it was recommended by my vet and I didn't know any better. In fact Science Diet is an awful food for dogs and cats.

I don't think the AAFCO standard is "useless." It means that all the necessary nutrients are present, although it doesn't mean it's high quality. As I stated, my two cats years ago lived a long time on food that met those standards. Given the choice (if there were one) between feeding a food without that symbol (I don't think there are any) and a food that has the symbol, I'd certainly choose the one meeting the standards.

Yes, it's probably better to feed a higher quality food, but please be considerate of those of us who cannot afford the premium prices of the premium foods. My outdoor cats get Fancy Feast because I can't afford to feed them expensive foods. If I can't get Dave's canned for my indoor cats, they get Fancy Feast. I do the best I can on a limited income; I feel that's the best any of us can do.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I don't think the AAFCO standard is "useless." It means that all the necessary nutrients are present, although it doesn't mean it's high quality. As I stated, my two cats years ago lived a long time on food that met those standards. Given the choice (if there were one) between feeding a food without that symbol (I don't think there are any) and a food that has the symbol, I'd certainly choose the one meeting the standards.

Yes, it's probably better to feed a higher quality food, but please be considerate of those of us who cannot afford the premium prices of the premium foods. My outdoor cats get Fancy Feast because I can't afford to feed them expensive foods. If I can't get Dave's canned for my indoor cats, they get Fancy Feast. I do the best I can on a limited income; I feel that's the best any of us can do.

I totally agree with you. I've always believed that we should feed our pets the best quality food that we can afford. I used to feed most of my cats Wellness Core dry but I certainly couldn't afford to do this now since I now have 10 cats. Luckily my cats at the time decided that they didn't like this food any more so I changed to a less expensive grain free dry food. I also used to give my cats more canned food every day. Now they only get it 2 times a day instead of 4 times a day with their 4 small meals each day.