The bottom line is you have to feed not only what your pet does best on but what you can afford. There is always the questions of price versus quality versus quantity. I know you can feed less of a higher quality food thereby it negates some of the higher costs. BUT...it doesnt' always make enough of a difference if your finances are tight. Purina isn't the horrible food some make it out to be. Many animals do well on it. The same as for Iams (hiding behind something preparing for the slings and arrows). We all haver personal preferences and I have seen and participated in many debates on here about pet food.

Basically it is better for any cat or dog to be fed the worst pet food there is than to get nothing or lose their home due to tight income.

Purina is fine. Just watch how his health seems to you on it. One of my cats eats Purina Pro Plan canned food and she has never looked better. When I had them all on Wellness I had a variety of problems. We had six cats on it and 3 of them were having diet related problems. So just because the label looks good doesn't mean it will work for your pet. Two of my other cats have to eat what most would consider not as good as a food because the higher quality and quantity of protein upsets their irritable bowel problems. They throw it all up. Doesn't matter how good the formula is...if they can't keep it in the tummy it doesn't do a darn bit of good.

As far as Ethoxyquin goes there has been extensive research done on it and it has been found to possibly lead to a greater incidence of intestinal cancers in dogs and cats. Most pet food manufacters have eliminated it as a primary source of preservative. But it can still be used as a fat preservative in the meats that are added without being on the label.

But then they did a study years ago and found the water in the city of San Diego can cause cancer... . So take it all with a grain of salt and do what your pocketbook and conscience allows.

Denyce