# How bad are Whiskas and Friskies?



## piestuffable (Jul 29, 2013)

A friend has a cat that he constantly feeds with Whiskas and Friskies. I've been told that these food are not really that good - but how dangerous are they to a cat's health?


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## emilyatl (Sep 9, 2013)

They are pretty bad. That said, my first cat who lived to be 19, and she ate Whiskas! She died almost 20 years ago and we didn't know about cat nutrition back then (not to mention had no money). I think genetics pay such a huge factor. There are some other "better" options if money is an issue.


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## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

Cats are obligate carnivores, meat should be in the 1st ingredient list and cats don't digest corn/wheat/gluten well. But I agree genetics is a huge factor. If money is an issue, especially for those with many mouths to feed, then I suppose whiskas is probably a better option, some bad food is better a cat starving, thats just my personal opinion. I'm not gonna judge someone who can only afford these. I am no expert but take a look at the ingredients of Friskies and Whiskas:

*Friskies* - it has corn, gluten, by-product, colorings
*Ground yellow corn*, *corn gluten meal*, *chicken by-product meal*, meat and bone meal, *soybean meal*, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), *turkey by-product meal*, powdered cellulose, animal liver flavor, *soybean hulls*, malt extract, phosphoric acid, calcium carbonate, salt, choline chloride, potassium chloride, dried cheese powder, parsley flakes, *added color*, taurine, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, *Yellow 6*, manganese sulfate, niacin, *Yellow 5*, *Red 40*, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, Blue 2, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite. *E-6002*

*Whiskas* 
*POULTRY BY-PRODUCT MEAL* (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE & CHONDROITIN SULFATE), *GROUND YELLOW CORN*, *GROUND WHEAT*, *CORN GLUTEN MEAL*, *SOYBEAN MEAL*, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA AND CITRIC ACID), NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, SALMON MEAL, SHRIMP MEAL, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, TAURINE, DL-METHIONINE, VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, BIOTIN, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, FOLIC ACID), MINERALS (ZINC SULFATE, COPPER SULFATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE), YUCCA SCHIDIGERA EXTRACT.


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## snowy (Aug 23, 2012)

Just to add, they won't drop dead eating those, but eh...may just come down with some medical issues down the road, _I meant dry_, or some kitties are just allergic to corn/wheat/gluten and such and may just keep vomitting and getting diarrhea.


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## NOLAKitties (May 30, 2013)

I think if the budget only permits friskies and whiskas get at least the wet food instead of dry. 

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## Jayfeather (Aug 14, 2013)

A few things that Snowy didn't highlight from the Friskies and Whiskas foods are:

Whiskas: 
ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA

Friskies:
meat and bone meal
animal liver flavor

BHA is proven to cause cancer and tumor growth. This preservative is even in some human food along with the dye Yellow 6 which causes tumor growth in the adrenal glands and kidneys. Dyes are pointless in pet food anyway... Its only there for the human's liking. Pets really don't care if their food is red, yellow or green.... actually my chihuahua (yes I know this is a cat forum but this is an example) wouldn't eat the pieces in his food that were colored when he was fed colored food.

Animal liver, animal meal, meat and bone meal, meat by-product, animal fat, protein meal.... All of these words mean it could be anything. Euthanized livestock, decaying livestock, or euthanized dogs and cats. The euthanizing chemical is still present in the food. The cooking process does not alter it.

The only bad thing about "chicken by-product" and other NAMED by-products are that it could also include things like feathers, beaks, and things that cats wouldn't normally eat. By-products also include organs which are good for cats.

Bottom line is its best to shop for a food that has little to no grains (or at least no corn and wheat) and make sure the meats in it are named. If it does not say "chicken or etc" it can come from anything.

I switched my pets to a higher (not the highest, but it has good ingredients) quality food a while back and I'm actually spending about the same amount as I was buying the extreme cheap food. They eat less, poop less and they are healthier.


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