What do you feed your cats?

[jamie]

I don't have cats, but since I started a thread about dog food, I thought it might be a good idea to have one about cat food also

 

[Hay Kay]

I don't have cats but if i did. i would feed raw or a very high quality grain free food like Orijens (don't think they make cat food) or EVO. Something of the likes

 

[birdlady]

I fed Kitty california naturals...she lived until she was 19 years old....stomach cancer is what took her away from me.

 

[Shadera]

We feed Vincent Wellness Indoor formula, with a 3oz can a couple times a week of their canned food.

 

[Archiesmom]

Blue Longevity for Amelia. She has FLUTD, so she needs low ash, low grain, and something that has cranberries in it to help with her urinary tract. She's been absolutely great since she has been on it, no outbreaks!

 

[Hypancistrus]

My first cat is nearly 3 and was on Purina ONE Urinary Tract Health. When I got my kitten she kept getting the runs from that food, so I changed them over to Blue for Indoor cats. They liked it and the runs stopped, but then Sterling, the 3 year old, got a massive UTI, and was peeing blood. I had to change them back to Purina, but luckily there's been no issues with Evie's digestive system, nor any further UT issues.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I feed my cat Wellness Chicken Canned. He gets urinary crystals easily and is also prone to diarhea/vomitting. On this food he has absolutely none of those problems, plus his coat is AWESOME. Would love to do raw for him but we've tried it and his stomach has never been able to handle it - though for treats he does get the odd F/T pinky, silverside, krill, etc. He also loves superworms, go figure. Haha.

 

[Hypancistrus]

I feed my cat Wellness Chicken Canned. He gets urinary crystals easily and is also prone to diarhea/vomitting.

My cat has these issues too! I will check this out!

 

[GG.]

glad you started this thread Jamie

we now have a yard kitty that has adopted us - I have been feeding him/her PurinaOne for adult cats and supplementing with a little boiled chicken or tuna in water

hoping to learn a little more about what is best for them

 

[RandomWiktor]

I would definitely look into it, Lauren. It has lower magnesium and ash than even the perscription diet he was on for the crystals, plus it's just a very high quality food ingredients-wise. And the hydrating effect of canned is EXTREMELY important to cats with that problem. If your cat is really bad, you can even mix in some warm water; we do this at his mid-day snack to be on the safe side, though he's been on the food for a couple years now with no incident.

 

[Babybreau]

Oliver gets Purina Cat Chow or Purina One and he gets fed about 3/4 cup once a day.
He also likes to snack on Foxxy's Purina Beneful dog food...lol

 

[liltweets]

I really like Wellness canned but my cat is allergic to chicken and they don't make any that doesn't have it.

I feed Brandon Farms canned.

Wish I had started her on raw when she was a kitten. She's going on 13 and has diabetes.

 

[Sharpie]

Cats are obligate carnivores- everything about them, from their teeth to their need to get taurine in their diet, is designed to eat other small animals. Not grains or fruits or veggies or pizza. They're also descended from desert creatures and feral cats get most of their water from their food.

With that background, I think cats should be fed wet foods, and foods that are grain free. My cat was fed raw for two years and did wonderfully, but then Natura started giving me free cat food, so he eats 1/2c of EVO kibble mixed with 1/2c of water daily.

The number 1 recommendation for cats that get blocked up and have urinary crystals or stones, according to the vet experts is now to Get More Water into them! Feed wet food, add water to their kibble, get those little fountains to get them to drink more. Then, if that doesn't work, start looking at changing to a food that messes with the pH of their urine like the SO and CD diets that are out there for cats (that shouldn't even be MADE in dry kibble form IMO).

 

[GG.]

what are SO and CD diets? I am so new to taking care of a cat, I feel like I am in another world

 

[Sharpie]

what are SO and CD diets? I am so new to taking care of a cat, I feel like I am in another world

That's giant pet food company parlance. The royal canin brand of pet food calls their diets for cats with crystals a "SO" diet because the two most common types of crystals are Struvite and Oxalate. Science diet calls it their "CD" diet which is just Crystal Diet. (There are many others, LD=Liver diet, JD=Joint diet, DM= diabetes mellitus, EN=enteric, etc) It's just their way to identify what medical condition the diet is supposed to be used for in a way that people (vets and vet techs primarily) will remember it.

ZD is zd because it's an allergy diet... Z because it's not really real protein anymore and it's an odd or novel letter so far as I can tell and you want 'novel' proteins for allergy animals.

 

[GG.]

thanks!

 

[Shade]

I actually give her a mix of two brands.
I mix Wellness and Fromm dry food. Both are apparently grain free.
Where wet food is concerned, and she does get a portion of it daily, she gets the Fromm stuff. She loves it. I used to give her the Wellness wet food too but she won't touch it anymore now that she's had the Fromm (<- meant to be rolling the eyes, but this smiley looks rather more upset than the tone I tried to convey with it...)

 

[Jadie]

I have a 7yr old male cat who is very sensitive and has allergies to grain(I thought it was to chicken but doesn't seem to be a problem anymore). I feed both my cats and love the brand Orijen (grain free, comes in chicken or 3 fish). I also feed my male canned/wet Natural Balance allergy formula (venison,duck or chicken flavours), it is grain free and has limited ingredients for sensitive cats! Both my kitties are doing very well on orijen, they are muscular and poop is firm and doesn't have much of a smell. It's like feeding them raw but in pelleted form(I tried raw but they didn't take to it). I would recommend this brand to anyone (or course it doesn't work with EVERY cat nut it's worth a try). It's a Canadian company it's a little pricey but it's worth it and It is still cheaper than buying the vet diets for sensitive cats. My kitty has finally gained weight and his coat is shiny and no more throw up woot! The Orijen dog food is great too! Of course with it's very high protein content, it's not recommended for very old dogs or under active dogs or pets with liver problems.
I worked at a holistic pet boutique for awhile got to hear reviews and try different pet products! I also like the brands Evo, wellness is pretty good too...can't think of others right now lol.

 

[rockoko]

Jazell has food allergy related asthma so I feed Dry- Natural Balance limited ingredient Green Pea and Duck Formula, Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken, Blue Wilderness.

Wet Canned food she loves Newman's Own Organic Chicken or Turkey, and Blue Buffalo Wilderness chicken or turkey. They are the only brands she'll even eat the leftovers from the refrigerator.

Treats she LOVES I mean LOVES Halo Liv-A-Littles 100% White Meat Chicken Protein Treats.

 

[CKJ]

I have six cats ranging from 13 years old to one who will be 19 years old in another month. I feed them Science Diet & they get Friskies / Fancy Feast cans split between them in the evening. And, of course, they get treats once or twice a week.