what is the best cat food

[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.