Cat Food Recommendations??

[BoysNightOut]

I adopted a very sweet 1 y/o spayed female cat last night. She hopefully will be coming home tonight!

I haven't had a cat since 2007, when my beloved cat Charlie passed away from kidney failure at 16.5 years old. He ate Dad's Gourmet Blend almost his whole life, with the last few years being on Science Diet.

I have learned a lot about pet foods since then, and am trying to figure out what food is best. My one dog is on Wellness Core Original, and our other 2 dogs (my boyfriend's dogs) are on Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul Senior Food.

I looked at both of these brands cat food products. Do cat's benefit from grain-free diets like dogs do? Are both of these foods pretty good for cats? Wellness also makes grain-included foods for cats that I was considering.

Any suggestions on a good quality, yet somewhat non-expensive food? Are these 2 brands pretty good in terms of ingredients?

TIA! :)

[babygirl082a]

Wellness is a great option. My guys are on a grain-free because I have one that throws up if he is given "store brand" food (I have tried Iams, Science Diet, Purina...) and if it has grains / preservatives in it he pukes within 30 minutes. I feed the Solid Gold Indigo Moon for my guys. My one cat did well on the Blue Buffalo, but when I got my second cat she got massive indigestion issues so I had to switch. The Solid Gold has worked wonders in my household and my neighbor uses it for her guys (12 total) and everyone from kitten to senior has no problems.

[Petstorejunkie]

What i've found is brands that do a good dog food do a good cat food as well.

[Leather]

Do cat's benefit from grain-free diets like dogs do?

It's probably even better for a cat to be on a grain-free diet than a dog, as cats are obligate carnivores.

Cats are obligate (strict) carnivores and are very different from dogs in their nutritional needs. What does it mean to be an ‘obligate carnivore’? It means that your cat was built by Mother Nature to get her nutritional needs met by the consumption of a large amount of animal-based proteins (meat) and derives much less nutritional support from plant-based proteins (grains). It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins.

I feed my two Wellness Core and really like it. They stay in good weight (don't get fat) and have fantastic coats.

While it might seem expensive per bag, they really don't eat much of it as there aren't any fillers.

[ChocoMare]

Taste of the Wild (http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/) is a great grain-free choice. My Tractor Supply store carries it. I've both both cats and both dogs on it. Happy critters! :yes:

[Simkie]

As Leather said, cats are obligate carnivores and should not be fed any grains at all.

Cats also have a VERY poor thirst instinct and generally do much, much better on wet food only. Feeding dry food only, or even a mix of wet and dry, can easily lead to a chronically dehydrated kitty. Chronic dehydration leads to chronic kidney failure. Chronic dehydration can also cause urinary health issues and peeing outside of the box.

Feeding wet food only can be a pain in the ass and expensive...but I switched my kitties from dry Innova cat to wet California Natural cat not that long ago and I am FLOORED at how much healthier everyone is. The difference is amazing.

[SmartAlex]

I kept my cat's on Purina's Deli Cat for years and years with great results until it became almost impossible to find in my area.

So, I tried The Good Life Recipe. They loved it at first but by the end of the second bag, they weren't eating At. All.

So I asked my vet for a recommendation, and he suggested Evo, which is pretty darn expensive, but they like it and a year later both are still in very good condition.

[CoopsZippo]

My cat eats 95% canned food.

I just switched her to Petco's new line of canned food. Soulistic is is a grain free canned food. She looks a thousand times better since I switched her to canned. She gets dry for more dental reasons than anything. I work for Petco as the dog and cat dept mananger and my cat was the store guinea pig...lol.

I am liking our new line it looks and smells good enough for me to eat. She will even beat the snot out of the dogs if they try to eat her food. For her to take on the Scottie whom she is scared off it must be some good stuff.

[Vindicated]

My cats (and dog) LOVE the Taste of the Wild.

Seems like a great food to me.

Personally, my cats empty their 4 cup water bowl daily so I really don't worry about H20 intake.

[Nanerpus]

As Leather said, cats are obligate carnivores and should not be fed any grains at all.

Cats also have a VERY poor thirst instinct and generally do much, much better on wet food only. Feeding dry food only, or even a mix of wet and dry, can easily lead to a chronically dehydrated kitty. Chronic dehydration leads to chronic kidney failure. Chronic dehydration can also cause urinary health issues and peeing outside of the box.

Feeding wet food only can be a pain in the ass and expensive...but I switched my kitties from dry Innova cat to wet California Natural cat not that long ago and I am FLOORED at how much healthier everyone is. The difference is amazing.

I couldn't agree more with this information! I have a 21 year old Tabby who is on wet food, and has been for a very long time. Much, much healthier.

[CarolinaGirl]

Cats also need higher fat % than dogs. They don't digest fat as well, more fat (most seem to prefer somewhere around 25%) also means it's tastier to them. Like everyone says cats do much better on animal based proteins (of high quality).. try to keep the fiber and grains pretty low (less than 5%). Cat's generally also do better on free choice feeding, it more closely matches their natural eating habits (rarely will a cat eat at "scheduled" times).

[Simkie]

Personally, my cats empty their 4 cup water bowl daily so I really don't worry about H20 intake.

Sorry, but just because they drink does not mean that they drink enough. Kitties on dry food do not drink enough water to stay adequately hydrated.


Cat's generally also do better on free choice feeding, it more closely matches their natural eating habits (rarely will a cat eat at "scheduled" times).

Absolutely disagree. I have a whole houseful of cats that does significantly better on wet twice a day than dry available all the time. It's not like cats can walk up to a food bowl full of mice at any time in the wild. They'll eat once a day, maybe.

[Rodeio]

I used to feed Iams but picked up a bag of Authority from PetSmart on a whim and the cats are bonkers for it. Ingredient list reads better too and it is comparable in price with Iams.

I have one of those cat water fountain things and the cats drink all the time from it. Much more than they ever did with a bowl.

[craz4crtrs]

Taste of the Wild (http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/) is a great grain-free choice. My Tractor Supply store carries it. I've both both cats and both dogs on it. Happy critters! :yes:

Taste of the Wild is great. I mix it with Natural Balance, but Esme gets it plain for treats. I got a pound kitty in June that had been nursing 5 kittens and she was just a kitten herself. Esme was so tiny and only 4#. Last week she weighed in at 8.3# and is gorgeous. She has literally doubled in size. She's a siamese mix.

I have two fat and old outside cats, and they get Natural Balance and love it. Their coats are better and they eat less.

I won't go back to store brands.

[dmalbone]

I haven't read the other posts, but yes cat's do benefit from grain free as well. Quality cat foods off the top of my head are Wellness, Innova, Chicken Soup for..., Taste of the Wild, Back to Basics, Before Grain, Felidae (none of my cats liked), Orijen, California natural, and I'm sure there are more. WELL worth it to feed a quality cat food.

[BoysNightOut]

Thanks for all the advice so far! :)

My cat is coming from a shelter that feeds Science Diet. How should I go about transitioning her to canned food? I think I'm going to go with the Wellness Core since I love the results my dog has started showing on it. Do most cats transition easy from dry to wet food?

I appreciate all the tips! I didn't know much about pet foods when I had my first cat...although, for eating Dad's his whole life, he lived a long, healthy wonderful life. I got lucky.

I want to do right nutritionally by my new cat. :)

[dmalbone]

Good for you!! I've found with my 9+cats that they have very sensitive stomachs (maybe it's just luck of the draw with me who know). 2 can do quicker changed, but with my two youngest when I switched to Wellness adult from wellness kitten I seriously had to do it slowly over 3 weeks or they started getting diarrhea!! I'd say to start incorporating a little bit of the wellness core canned with her regular food right away. Then just gradually increase the wet and decrease the dry. Remember she won't need to eat as much of the core canned as the science diet! I can usually tell with mine if they start to get too soft of stools that I'm switching too fast. i'd say the average is NO less than 7 days for a drastic change. I'm a sissy and always prefer 2 just so I don't have to deal with messy diarrhea litter boxes.

[RedMare01]

I feed my two cats both Wellness Core dry and the regular canned grain free wet food. They are doing excellently well on it. They each get half a can of wet a day and about 3/4 cup dry. I also throw in raw chicken or eggs a few times a week. I used to feed the regular dry Wellness (not grain-free) and the cats did fine on it, but I can tell a difference in their coats since going completely grain free. The regular Wellness canned is grain free and much cheaper than the Core canned.

Caitlin

[Simkie]

Thanks for all the advice so far! :)

My cat is coming from a shelter that feeds Science Diet. How should I go about transitioning her to canned food? I think I'm going to go with the Wellness Core since I love the results my dog has started showing on it. Do most cats transition easy from dry to wet food?
)

My kitties were SUPER easy to move from dry to wet--even my "not going to eat wet no way no how" kitty that I'd tried (unsuccessfully!) to get on wet before.

I fed a PM meal of wet food for about 2 weeks while still offering dry. Then I picked up the dry and put it away and started feeding a AM meal of wet in addition to the PM meal.

I think one or two kitties *might* have missed one meal, but then they were good to go. Now I aim to feed about 5 oz wet food per kitty per day.

Here is lots of info about kitty food: http://www.catinfo.org/

And they have a good page on "dry food addict" kitties: http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitioning_Dry_Food_Addicts_to_Canned_Food_

I do have to lock up my dry dog food, or the kitties get into it. Sort of like how I like to snack on potato chips. :-/

[cardicorgi]

Now that I have a cat in renal failure, (and the 18 yo in beginning stages) I would never go dry-kibble-only again - it's a crappy lesson to learn.

Our 18 yo cat eats canned Wellness (grain free) and loves it. Her coat has improved and she doesn't itch/scratch as much. We transitioned by mixing the wet with the dry, increasing proportions of wet as time went by. No big deal, because she liked the stuff!

[Buffyblue]

For crunchies, my cats like Wellness or Blue Buffalo. Their favorite canned food is Pet Guard, but I do substitute Friskies or 9 Lives canned when I can't make it to the pet store and have to pick something up from the grocery store. I leave a bowl of crunchies out at all times, and feed a small amount of canned for breakfast and dinner. (2 cans for 6 cats per meal).

[bort84]

Hmm, so all this carbohydrate stuff is interesting. I have one very fat cat who just doesn't lose weight. Part of it is that we are now in a smaller apartment and I can only play with him so much, but even in a larger house, he's always been a tubby kitty. He does not get free choice food (he'd be as big as a house) and now has a younger kitty to play with (he's about 4 and she's about a year).

Any suggestions on light food that goes along with this more meat, wet, non-carb food diets y'all are recommending? I always fed Science Diet because they had a light/hairball controll formula that my vet recommended... I'd like to do a bit of hard and a bit of wet, sooo, what are my best options for a slightly fat cat who's otherwise healthy? The Science Diet light has not helped him lose weight, though he's been on it for quite awhile now, so maybe it has helped keep him from gaining more (or not... wishful thinking?) Or maybe it's just crap food all around despite it's claims? Haha. It certainly looks to have a lot of carbs (especially the light version, sheesh), so perhaps that contributes to why he's a chunk!

I'm suddenly feeling very guilty for not paying more attention the the ingredients in my kitty food, though I'm very careful with my horses and ratties! Oy...

Always learn such interesting things on the CoTH forums!

[RedMare01]

Science Diet is not a good food despite the price (look at the ingredient label...corn does not belong in cat food, especially as the main ingredient). I would say pretty much any of the premium foods listed in this thread would work for you (I only have experience with Wellness Core and EVO). I don't know about light foods specifically...I would just feed less of the regular premium dry food and add in a can or two of wet a day (you could start out with more and then transition to less as he loses weight and gets used to not eating all the carbs). When I say less of the dry...my two cats (one is four, one is 10 months) eat between 1/2 and 3/4 a cup each of dry Core a day. Plus 1/2 a can of wet (1/4 can each twice a day). That's not a lot. They weigh 8# and 10# respectively.

Caitlin

[bort84]

Science Diet is not a good food despite the price (look at the ingredient label...corn does not belong in cat food, especially as the main ingredient). I would say pretty much any of the premium foods listed in this thread would work for you (I only have experience with Wellness Core and EVO). I don't know about light foods specifically...I would just feed less of the regular premium dry food and add in a can or two of wet a day (you could start out with more and then transition to less as he loses weight and gets used to not eating all the carbs). When I say less of the dry...my two cats (one is four, one is 10 months) eat between 1/2 and 3/4 a cup each of dry Core a day. Plus 1/2 a can of wet (1/4 can each twice a day). That's not a lot. They weigh 8# and 10# respectively.

Caitlin

No, it's not a lot, but that's what my cats get without wet even = ( as per my vet's recommendation... My poor chubby kitty always seems so hungry, makes sense if he's getting a bunch of stuff his body doesn't need. Interesting that vets aren't more up to date on nutrition. After doing even a teensy bit of research, it does seem shocking to me how much content of the food is carbs! That just doesn't make sense for a vet to recommend, right? Cats are clearly carnivores the last time I checked...

Ah well, the more I read, the more I'm beginning to be really annoyed with the whole Science Diet issue. I'm borderline embarrassed for this oversight. I'm usually much better about my animal info. I guess because so many people have cats you would assume (you know what assuming does though, makes an a$$ out of u and me...) that the food companies would do a better job of understanding their diet. Especially the brands that vets recommend!

[BoysNightOut]

Now that I have a cat in renal failure, (and the 18 yo in beginning stages) I would never go dry-kibble-only again - it's a crappy lesson to learn.

I'm so sorry for your cat. :( That's what my first cat passed away from. It was a really hard experience to go through...he was on a dry food diet his whole life, but always got a can of wet food a day in addition to it. He was almost 17 years old though, but still so hard to let him go.

I brought Miss Bella home tonight. I fed her a mix of Wellness Core dry and canned food, which she ate for a few minutes before setting off to explore. She seemed to like it a lot.

I never knew all of this information about cat food. I have to admit, I was a Science Diet snob, but finally put bias's aside, and can't believe how unhealthy it is.

Here's the shelter picture of Bella....right now, she's figuring out our house & 3 dogs, so unable to take pictures at the moment.

Thanks all! :)

Bella...1y/o DMH female:

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs235.snc1/8230_516468880970_90900349_30601019_6471771_n.jpg

[RedMare01]

No, it's not a lot, but that's what my cats get without wet even = ( as per my vet's recommendation... My poor chubby kitty always seems so hungry, makes sense if he's getting a bunch of stuff his body doesn't need. Interesting that vets aren't more up to date on nutrition. After doing even a teensy bit of research, it does seem shocking to me how much content of the food is carbs! That just doesn't make sense for a vet to recommend, right? Cats are clearly carnivores the last time I checked...

Ah well, the more I read, the more I'm beginning to be really annoyed with the whole Science Diet issue. I'm borderline embarrassed for this oversight. I'm usually much better about my animal info. I guess because so many people have cats you would assume (you know what assuming does though, makes an a$$ out of u and me...) that the food companies would do a better job of understanding their diet. Especially the brands that vets recommend!

Don't worry about it! At least you know now! Vets push the SD because they get a cut of the profits. He's probably hungry because there's a lot of filler in the food, and not a lot of real nutrition. I bet he'll be a lot happier (and fuller) with a different food.

Caitlin

[hauntedoblivion]

Not trying to take over the thread or anything, but I have a question. For those who feed wet food, do you only feed one flavor, or do you mix it up? I've never really fed much wet food but I'm going to be switching my cat to strictly wet soon (for health reasons), and I was wondering if I could try different flavors to see if there are a few that he likes, or if I should stick with one..

[RedMare01]

I switch flavors up (not brands). I buy by the case, so I usually do a case of one flavor and then switch to another with the next case. I don't mix them or transition between when I switch. Never had a problem.

Caitlin

[KateKat]

A second (or third? or fourth?) vote for canned Wellness. I've been feeding my kitties this for almost a year and all are at healthy weights and very happy. I buy all the non-fish flavors, since apparently the fish flavors can aggravate bladder issues. They eat 2 cans per day (3 kitties, between 8-13 lbs). No issues with switching flavors, I actually think the kitties appreciate the change.

Please do try a canned food for weight issues. Just like a lot of people, too many high sugar carbs can lead to diabetes and obesity. So when feeding foods like Science Diet, Purina, etc that have corn/corn meal as their main filler having an overweight cat is not suprising. Also, I agree that some vets know surprisingly little about nutrition. All they really know is what was hawked to them in vet school, which is usually the "specially formulated" science diet brands.

And one more thing before I get off my soapbox...please don't feed dry because the dry food brands say it helps dental health. As far as I know (and I've researched this a lot) there are no studies proving that dry kibble cleans teeth at all. After all, if you eat something crunchy and hard do you find your teeth any cleaner or stronger? They only thing that will really improve dental health is brushing your pets teeth. Feeding wet has so many benefits, in addition to helping avoid UTI's and kidney problems. I learned this the hard way, and will never feed my kitties anything else ever again!

And...done. Good luck finding something that works for your kitty!

[Simkie]

Not trying to take over the thread or anything, but I have a question. For those who feed wet food, do you only feed one flavor, or do you mix it up? I've never really fed much wet food but I'm going to be switching my cat to strictly wet soon (for health reasons), and I was wondering if I could try different flavors to see if there are a few that he likes, or if I should stick with one..

I feed one--have to because I have a cat with some weird allergies. While it's not something I would have chosen otherwise, I'm really glad it worked out this way. By only feeding one flavor, I NEVER have to deal with a cat not eating because it's not their current favorite. I don't have to worry about it at all. They've never known any other wet food, so they just EAT...which is really nice. It's one less thing for me to worry about.

And one more thing before I get off my soapbox...please don't feed dry because the dry food brands say it helps dental health. As far as I know (and I've researched this a lot) there are no studies proving that dry kibble cleans teeth at all. After all, if you eat something crunchy and hard do you find your teeth any cleaner or stronger? They only thing that will really improve dental health is brushing your pets teeth. Feeding wet has so many benefits, in addition to helping avoid UTI's and kidney problems. I learned this the hard way, and will never feed my kitties anything else ever again!

Absolutely agree! And I'll take it one step farther: feed your pets quality food that's appropriate for their species and you will have LESS DENTAL ISSUES. I fully believe the carbs in most food cause/contribute to plaque and tartar build up.

I have 10 critters that have been on Innova or California Natural their entire lives and not a single one has never needed a dental. The oldest dog is nearly 10 and the oldest cat is nearly 13. All teeth are awesome.

[Due's Mom]

I feed the Natura line and mix up which bag of dry I feed. I switch back and forth between Innova, California Natural Chicken and Evo. I tried TOTW with them and they looked at me as if to say, "You have GOT to be kidding"

I also give them Orijen 6 fish as a treat.
For canned I switch it up between Merrick canned and Evo.

[dmalbone]

For canned I switch it up between Merrick canned and Evo.

Most of mine LOVED all of the Merrick. There was one weird super oily one though that was too disgusting to feed.

[Due's Mom]

Most of mine LOVED all of the Merrick. There was one weird super oily one though that was too disgusting to feed.

Mine seem to really like Southern Delight (mmmm, catfish and crayfish) and Grammy's Potpie. The won't have anything to do with Surf & Turf though.

If you want to see disgusting try Evangers Mackerel.....you open it up and there is a big ole chunk of mackerel packed in water.

[Romany]

Costco's own, Kirland Signature dry cat food, free choice.

Plus a variety of cans of whatever's cheap but no-grain at Costco or the local grocer, whenever I'm asked. :rolleyes:

Alltime favourite is canned sardines, though.

[dmalbone]

Mine seem to really like Southern Delight (mmmm, catfish and crayfish) and Grammy's Potpie. The won't have anything to do with Surf & Turf though.

If you want to see disgusting try Evangers Mackerel.....you open it up and there is a big ole chunk of mackerel packed in water.
O.M.G. I was traumatized. I got that ONE time and almost vomited when I opened it. Come to remember I think I might have thrown up in my mouth a little. You're talking to a vegetarian here who has to breathe through her mouth when she feeds the cats and wash her hands the second she's done! :lol: I was absolutely not prepared for a whole fish to be staring back at me.

[Due's Mom]

O.M.G. I was traumatized. I got that ONE time and almost vomited when I opened it. Come to remember I think I might have thrown up in my mouth a little. You're talking to a vegetarian here who has to breathe through her mouth when she feeds the cats and wash her hands the second she's done! :lol: I was absolutely not prepared for a whole fish to be staring back at me.


I wasn't prepared for the smell of it and promptly threw it out in a ziploc bag. I didn't even give it to the dogs.

[RougeEmpire]

I fed my cats Wysong Vatality for the last two years, had great results with it. My OBESE cat (26lbs) lost 8lbs on the high protein diet. We have been very strict with out cats diet and what they get to eat. The SO had a very bad habit if feeding him things like beacon and french fries! A few months ago I moved to CT and has trouble finding a supplier. I switched to Wellness CORE (50% protein!) and they have done great on it. The 'Fattie' is now lean and muscled, though he still has LOOSE sagging skin from the weight loss, he was THAT fat! Kitty needs a tummy tuck :lol:

[Huntertwo]

I love the Wellness brand. Only food I use for my cats -dry and wet.

The Science diet? eh, I don't like to use foods with preservatives in them. Vets push them, because that is what they sell.

I too have a cat who has been in the beginning stages of kidney failure for several years now...;) Since I started the Wellness, her kidney values remained unchanged from last year, which of course I was extremely happy about.

All my cats have great shiny coats and generally overall are healthy.

And to the OP: Kudos for adopting a shelter cat.... :)

[evenstar]

Huntertwo,

Which Wellness varieties are you feeding?

I've been looking into making a change for my 10 year old kitty. I've been doing some research into different brands, wet vs dry and so on, and I've been thinking of going with Wellness once my current bag of dry gets down to where I can start a changeover. My plan would be to switch the dry food (which he is now on 100%) and then, with that done, start to introduce wet food and feed a combination.

I've been pretty happy with his condition even on his current diet but, having read the list of ingredients, I'm thinking that feeding my cat cellulose is not what anyone would think of as a "good thing". :eek:

[BoysNightOut]

So far, she's really loving the Wellness food. I've been giving her a mix of Wellness Core canned food with Wellness Core dry food, and she gobbles it all up.

The shelter told me she was very quiet, and timid. They said it would take awhile for her to adjust to our dogs. But since we brought her home, she could care less about the dogs, and just has to sit on our laps while watching tv, being on the computer....she also has taken to sleeping in between us on the bed in the middle of the night.

I can't believe what a great cat she is! I'm very happy I adopted her. :)

[SOTB]

I got really into dog/cat food because our dog has terrible allergies! Grain free is the way to go! I feed our cats Evo wet food twice a day and 1/3 cup Wellness Core dry food. I used to have them on more dry food, but they are huge cats and they lost several pounds after the vet suggested feeding more wet and less dry.

I tried Evo dry food at one point but it was too high in protein and made one of my cats sick to her stomach.

[Kato]

I too am a recent convert from Science Diet (and I have a cat in renal failure :( ) I love Taste of the Wild dry (or, more accurately, the cats do, LOL). For canned, try Weruva. They think it is the.best.stuff.EVER. There are about 16 different kinds, if they don't like one flavor they will surely like another. Mine all seem to prefer the fishy flavors to the beef or chicken flavors. They wouldn't even touch the canned Evo, they wanted to know what that stuff was and where was dinner? The best part of feeding high protein diet? Less poop in the litter box. Not sure how that could be, but i swear it's true. Anyone else experience this?

[Simkie]

The best part of feeding high protein diet? Less poop in the litter box. Not sure how that could be, but i swear it's true. Anyone else experience this?

More an effect of feeding higher-quality food with more stuff they can actually USE versus a lower quality food that is mostly filler than strictly a protein issue.