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Looking for new food for my cats

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1.4K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Augustine  
L
#1 ·
Hey all new here, i have a 1 yr old male and almost 2 yr old female long haired cats. I've been feeding them dry food with the occassional wet(which they love). Recently i read more into the food since my vet said first ingredient should be meat and I've been feeding natural balance with the first ingredient being peas. So I'd like to ween them onto something of a better quality. Right now they are healthy and happy, but I want to make sure i can keep it that way. i see on here that people prefer canned food. My problem is i am young and live with my gf, we don't have a ton of money(but enough to pay for vet and decent food don't get me wrong). Some of the foods i've looked at were verrrry expensive. Can someone help me pick out some good food to switch my cats over to that is more affordable? I want to give them the best, but i also can't be spending a ton.

Thanks for reading!
 
#2 ·
I feed Miss M Hound and Gatos beef or chicken pate' and Abound in packets.
I get Hound and Gatos from Chewy.com by the flat. It's limited ingredients. Pretty good stuff.
Abound is sold at Kroger/Fred Meyer for those in the states.
If I'm baking chicken, beef or pork with little or no seasoning she sometimes will eat some.
I use nasty high carb dry food or freeze dried chicken for treats.
The dry food is used sparingly. I'll spare you my dry cat food rant.
I'm sampling pate's to add to the rotation.

She's a fussy Diva.

Obligatory picture of Miss M
Image
tre of the aforementioned Diva
 
#3 ·
I have read some fairly positive things about Fancy Feast. Also comments that even Friskies canned food is better/healthier than dry. It's like with our own food - read the ingredients.

I'm not altogether clear what "meat by-products" really are, but I've seen cats kill and eat things outdoors that include almost every bit of the prey item... fur, feet, bones, all. With mice it seems my cats left the stomach on the front step for us to tread upon on the way to work.... I think it was intentional, they enjoyed seeing us dance around in the grass trying to wipe smashed mouse stomach off our shoes before getting in the car. ;)
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
I looked up "meat-by-products.
It's not pretty. Everything but meat and muscle tissue. The term is "non-rendered parts". Everything from collars to roadkill can be included in meat-by-products.
I think the things feral kitty eats are probably better for him/her than meat-by-products.

Decorum prevents me from going into further detail. Especially at lunchtime.
I avoid feeding anything with meat-by-products to Miss M or Dorky Dog. YMMV.
 
L
#5 ·
Thanks for replies! So i'm looking at the hound and gatos, that would be okay to feed my cats primarily (assuming they like it)? Any other suggestions? I'd prefer to order online and i'd like to buy some good treats for them as well now that i'm thinking about it.

Thanks again, any input would be greatly appreciated.
 
#9 ·
It's a bit pricier, but I feed Nature's Variety Instinct. It's completely grain free and has excellent nutrition. I did a lot of research on food when my guy started vomiting a lot on Purina and after all my research I landed on Nature's Variety as my food of choice. I feed the wet food (specifically the rabbit blend) as my staple because cats need added moisture in their diets. But they also make a dry food, which I keep a bowl of on the ground for him in case he gets hungry while I'm gone or in case I get held up at work late. He doesn't eat it unless he really hungry though. My guy prefers wet food.

If you're on more of a budget, though, I HAVE heard that Fancy Feast is actually pretty nutritionally solid.
 
#10 ·
I have a whole list of good foods + prices.. but it's on my other computer, so I can't swear to the affordability of the following foods.

Still, a few that fit the "meat as the first ingredient" bill are:

  • Blue Buffalo: Wilderness Wild Delights (grain, soy, corn, and gluten-free)
  • Chicken Soup for the Soul
  • Health Extension (grain, soy, and corn-free)
  • PureVita (grain-free)
  • Purina: Beyond, Grain-Free (grain, soy, and corn-free)
  • Hound & Gatos (grain, soy, corn, and gluten-free)
  • Halo: Vigor (gluten-free)
 
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