# What Dry Food is Best?



## Mr. Chopper's Mom (Nov 1, 2013)

I apologize bc i'm sure this question has been asked a million times but if anyone can give some recommendations I would greatly appreciate it. I've been searching the internet all morning and I would just like some proven suggestions.

I've been feeding Chopper (1 year old) and Angel Baby (7 months old) Meow Mix plus one can of soft Friskies prime filets a day. I've tried some of the more expensive foods but they don't seem to love it. Chopper just loves his Meow Mix but i'm at a point that I want to feed them better more nutritional food. Neither of them have ANY issues such as hairballs, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. They are both healthy, so in a way I feel like the Meow Mix is fine but I know from research it's not good for them long term. 

I would really like to try the Blue Wilderness Indoor food or the Purina Indoor food. But before I run to the store I figure a quick discussion with you guys might help guide me. 

Thanks so much in advance for any suggestions.

Jenn aka Chopper & Angel's Momma :cat


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## ~*Regina*~ (Apr 16, 2008)

I like Fromm and Annamaet the best. But with the 2 you had listed I would go with the BB Wilderness . It's a good grain free food IMO


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## KeiraDC (Sep 15, 2014)

I have been feeding Keira, 6-months old, a variety of canned... but the kibble i leave down for her during the day is FROMM Game-Bird. She Looooves It!! She actually prefers the kibble over the canned a lot. :jump


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## Mr. Chopper's Mom (Nov 1, 2013)

Thanks Regina! Would this be correct (see link)? This is an entirely new realm for me. I searched these foods at my local pet store and they don't carry them. I didn't realize in order to get the better quality food I would have to hit the internet. Thanks for the suggestion and I may have to burn thru that Amazon card I was given for xmas Lol! 

Amazon.com : Annamaet Grain Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food - 4 lb : Dry Pet Food : Pet Supplies

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Fromm-Grain-Free-Game-5-Pound/dp/B00CGK59YO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1420038759&sr=8-6&keywords=fromm+cat+food+dry[/ame]


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## Mr. Chopper's Mom (Nov 1, 2013)

Wow second Fromm suggestion! This is great. Thank you. 

I suppose the big chain stores are not too popular when you want quality? That's a shocker to me...I would have never considered going elsewhere. Glad i've been enlighted.


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## KeiraDC (Sep 15, 2014)

I order a Lot from www.chewy.com

They have free shipping after a certain amount.... and I believe their regular shipping cost before that is only $4.95. have literally ordered in the afternoon and had it at my door, the next day. I have also had food that did not work out for my pup and they gave a Full refund and asked me to just donate the food to a shelter. Great customer service!


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## Misterious (Nov 19, 2014)

Skip the wilderness, they are being sued for false labeling. Not sure how its exactly going but there are better options then wilderness


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## Misterious (Nov 19, 2014)

Fromm and Annamaet and noticed that the first five ingredients had peas, pea protein and tapioca. I thought cats dont need vegies in their diet.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I ordered from Chewy.com and it took 30 days to get it delivered. HORRIBLE customer service, no apologies, only bad attitude.


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

I've ordered a few things from Chewy, and it seems their packing and or choice of delivery (ehem, brown), is not the best...I've had things broken upon delivery, or a giant bag of cat litter that had been punctured and was spilling its contents with the rest of the items in the box...yeah, terrible clean up! 

However, each time I've chatted online with their customer service (since it's 24 hour live chat), I've been able to get a free replacement. It's ok, but just irksome to me to get stuff delivered _twice_, and seems like an awful waste of products if they can't get it right the first time! I suspect the long delivery from their warehouses on the east coast do not help, either. It usually takes about a week for me to get it, and if the weather's bad, even longer. Seems to get higher praises from those who live in Eastern or Central time zones. 

Chopper's mom--
The best kibble you can buy will be something high in protein (meat, basically), and very low in carbs, including vegetables, fruits, and grains. The best ones on the market I think are Orijen, Acana, Wellness Core (Original), but to change your cat's diet from Meow Mix is like changing your own diet of choco-candies to kale salad! :shock: So, you may first want to try a slow change over or buy a small bag first to see how it goes, or just start off from grain-free brands and work your way up to the premuim brands I've listed. There may be other top brands, but right now that's all I can think of. Nature's Variety Instinct used to be great, but I think they've changed formulations, too. Regardless, you might just go around testing small bags here and there to see which one your cats take to, afterall, there's no sense spending $$$ if your two doesn't eat it. Best to start changes while they are still young, however, than when they're older and "set" their ways on food.

Misterious--yes, peas, pea protein, tapioca are all starches in my book too, but kibble does need some form of starch so that it retains its shape. The higher up on the ingredient list, the less I like it, and companies are always re-formulating their products so that they can still retain some profit. This is why I chose to go raw. It's still not absolutely perfect, but at least I know my cats are eating meat.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

IMO the best kibbles on the market from companies that are not under a dark cloud (Blue, EVO) are Orijen, Go Fit & Free, Spring Naturals, Instinct, Wellness Core Original. 

Foods like Fromm (grain free), Taste of the Wild, Earthborn, Now, Halo, and a variety of others are the next tier down because they either contain pea or potato protein or they have a lower protein level in general, making them very carb heavy.

You don't have to hit the internet to get good food. Each of these brands has a store locator on their website. There is probably a small independent pet supply store near your home that you had no idea existed. The people working there will be knowledgeable about foods and will likely have free samples that you can try or small trial size bags for a few bucks. But don't go absorb their knowledge and take their samples and then go buy online because it's cheaper...support your local business (I own an independent store so I have to add this because people do it all the time and it's irritating).


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## Mandy and Ellie (Oct 22, 2013)

Some of my favorite kibbles are Orijen, Acana (owned and made by Orijen), and Merrick. Merrick has been the one I've had the most luck with. Orijen and Acana were too rich for my kitties (which stinks because I LOVE the brand and ingredients). Although Merrick does have things like potato protein/pea in it, it's a really great, grain-free, and decently cheap dry food! My local pet supply chain store (Pet Supplies Plus) usually has a 4lb bag on sale for $10-12.  This is the one I feed by Merrick.

As for wet food... I feed my cats a big variety, which is the majority of their diet. Anything from high-end foods to the grain-free varieties of Fancy Feast.

I agree with Doodlebug... you can find most foods at a local pet supply store. And in my experience, I can often find dry food especially for a much better price in my local stores than online. I never buy food online anymore.


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## Misterious (Nov 19, 2014)

What do you guys think about Natures variety Instinct raw dry food? Seems like its just freeze dried food. 76% protein 24% carbs.

heres a link:
For Cats | Instinct Pet Food for Dogs and Cats


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## 21Rouge (Jul 20, 2013)

What about _*Waggers*_?

Waggers log in page - Static - Waggers Pet Products


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Misterious said:


> What do you guys think about Natures variety Instinct raw dry food? Seems like its just freeze dried food. 76% protein 24% carbs.
> 
> heres a link:
> For Cats | Instinct Pet Food for Dogs and Cats


Since I mentioned Instinct in my list above, yes it's a good food. Not sure which formula you're taking about here...they make a kibble, a kibble with freeze dried nuggets, freeze dried and frozen raw. The 76% protein, 24% carbs product you mention seems off...there should be fat, moisture and ash.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

21Rouge said:


> What about _*Waggers*_?
> 
> Waggers log in page - Static - Waggers Pet Products


Waggers makes a good food, but it's not a dry food, it's semi-moist.


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## Misterious (Nov 19, 2014)

Is a low brand wet food better then a higher quality dry food like Orijen?


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## ~*Regina*~ (Apr 16, 2008)

Mr. Chopper's Mom said:


> Thanks Regina! Would this be correct (see link)? This is an entirely new realm for me. I searched these foods at my local pet store and they don't carry them. I didn't realize in order to get the better quality food I would have to hit the internet. Thanks for the suggestion and I may have to burn thru that Amazon card I was given for xmas Lol!
> 
> Amazon.com : Annamaet Grain Free Chicken & Fish Cat Food - 4 lb : Dry Pet Food : Pet Supplies
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Fromm-Grain-F...1420038759&sr=8-6&keywords=fromm+cat+food+dry



Yup, that's the food 
I buy mine at chewy.com or from the small mom and pop pet stores. Just call around, I'm sure you can find both locally somewhere.


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## mekg4435 (Dec 13, 2014)

I think that any good quality food you can find that's locally available is going to be better than Meow Mix, which is the nutritional equivalent of you eating McDonalds every day. Tastes good, but... That said, my cats are all on Royal Canin Urinary SO, a prescription diet for urinary problems because I have 5 male cats--2 of whom have had blockage issues. And yes, it has corn gluten in it. While you should avoid foods that contain corn or wheat in general, I've never had any problems with food that contain corn gluten or rice as long as they first list a good single-source non-byproduct named animal protein (i.e. chicken or chicken meal). If you want to go to the trouble and expense of 'cooking' raw or ordering on-line, that's great. But please don't feel guilty if you don't. Although obligate carnivores, cats are designed to handle some grain in their diet, as they must digest the bird or mouse's stomach contents. Definitely do introduce the food slowly, according to the directions on the bag, and try small bags or better yet sample bags first. Fortunately all reputable companies will offer a refund if your cats don't like the flavor--just check the policy so you get the receipt to the right place! It's hard to make named recommendations because there are so many foods, and not every area will have the same mix of options.


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## mekg4435 (Dec 13, 2014)

Addendum: I totally agree with Doodlebug!


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## Mandy and Ellie (Oct 22, 2013)

Misterious said:


> Is a low brand wet food better then a higher quality dry food like Orijen?


Yes. Wet food is always the best option for cats. Or, if a strictly wet food diet cannot be fed, a mixture of wet and dry is better than only dry. A really good resource about the topic is catinfo.org... she's an incredible vet who has a wealth of knowledge about feline nutrition. And in it she states multiple times that low quality wet foods like Friskies, Fancy Feast, etc. are all much better for a cat than _any _dry food. 

Here's a quote from her website (which is a great read, by the way)


"Before you get too confused and frustrated when reading this section, I will say at the outset: I would much rather see a cat eat any canned food versus any dry food - regardless of quality level of the canned or dry food. This includes Friskies, 9-Lives, Fancy Feast, etc., canned options. 

I am so tired of seeing cats suffering tremendously from blocked urethras and other urinary tract diseases because of Man's love affair with dry food.

Try not to drive yourself nuts when picking out a canned cat food. The fact that you are feeding canned food and not dry food is 90% of the battle so just do the best that you can" (from the beginning of the "Learn How To Read a Pet Food Ingredient Label" section)


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## OWLYN (Jan 3, 2015)

Misterious said:


> What do you guys think about Natures variety Instinct raw dry food? Seems like its just freeze dried food. 76% protein 24% carbs.
> 
> heres a link:
> For Cats | Instinct Pet Food for Dogs and Cats


I've been feeding the Turkey/Duck flavor for about a year. Both cats love it. They usually pick out the freeze-dried raw pieces first. The vet is impressed. I order from Chewy.com, and have had excellent service. I get the large bag auto-delivered every 5 weeks.

One warning: do not use the rabbit flavor. It is the only one sourced from China.


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## 21Rouge (Jul 20, 2013)

doodlebug said:


> Waggers makes a good food, but it's not a dry food, it's semi-moist.


I lump it with the dry foods as it _looks_ like kibble, provides the convenience of kibble and it doesn't require refrigeration when opened.


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## Misterious (Nov 19, 2014)

Okay thanks guys. I think ima switch Oreo to salmon instinct raw and buy some can food and mix them.


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

Be careful getting an all fish formula. They can develop a preference and start to turn up their nose at other kinds of foods, besides a constant fish first isn't a natural protein source for them in the wild, I use go trout and fish for my cats and swap between that and their chicken formula, grain free only. My cats also get a canned meal in the evening


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

OWLYN said:


> One warning: do not use the rabbit flavor. It is the only one sourced from China.


Ok, maybe I'm getting old and not remembering clearly, but I thought NVI rabbit kibble sourcing was France, not China? And maybe their canned food too? I can't find that particular thread either, to confirm this. Felt it was rather recent, as in the last 4 months, though.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

There are usually small "boutique" pet food stores in every major town. These will carry the better quality brands. Also Dr. Michael Fox will carry many of them discussed here. 

I like Pure Vita Chicken because it is grain free and suitable for all life stages. All my cats, including fosters like it. The kibble is tiny enough for even the tiniest kittens to eat (I have 4 five week old kittens here now). As to Chewy and Wag.com I've used both and found the customer service acceptable, but many of the items damaged upon shipment which means I have to call, explain and wait for replacements. Kind of a PITA when I can just go to a local boutique shop and buy what I need.


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