Cat & Dog food & why it sucks

mimic58 · Jul 18, 2005

Over the last few days Iv been looking at all the top brands, Asuming the better names would contain better ingredients and actual meat content. anyway to cut a long story short its bearly even meat the stuff they are selling you in cans is practicaly water and that is no joke Here are my findings

Felix 4% dirivitives (not even decent meat used for that meer ammount)
Wiskas 4% to 8%
Kitikat 4%
Authurs 4%
Ceasar 4%
Winalot 4%

I am thinking to myself its no wonder my cat eats so dam much of the stuff.
in reality less than 1/20th of the can is meat, its going to have to eat cans and cans of the stuff. A clever ploy on the food companys part but its making me question if i should use the stuff.. i mean 2 pre killed mice works out to the same price as one can and has the meat content of 6 meaning the cat would digest slower an prob only require feeding once a day instead of 5 or more times

Cirith Ungol · Jul 18, 2005

This is really a good question. I alway like to go back to product "origins". Because mostly what companies sell us is a diluted version of the real thing. I've said that about Jeans lately and I say it about cat-food too! That most stuff isn't what it used to be anymore.

What would be the downside of feeding your cat pre-killed mice? Obviously it would be a smelly mess, but what else?

defour · Jul 18, 2005

mimic58 said:
i mean 2 pre killed mice works out to the same price as one can and has the meat content of 6 meaning the cat would digest slower an prob only require feeding once a day instead of 5 or more times

You have to feed your cat 5 or more times a day? I get by with 2.

My feeling is that lab mice wont constitute a more complete diet than quality cat food. Yes, wild cats have diets comprised mostly of small mammals, but they almost certainly include small amounts of other things: invertibrates, minerals, birds and even some plant matter. Yes, pet food companies put some cheap stuff in the mix, and don't directly replicate a natural diet, but a lot of research has gone into determining what works and what doesn't.

Why do you only use canned? I feed my cat for 2 weeks or so on about $9.00 of dry food, and it's not the cheap stuff (I'm not up on the current exchange rate).

Are rodents better? I doubt it, but who knows? The only way to find out is to try it (I would recommend doing a little more research first; there may be someone out there who's already done it). If you do, let us know what happens.

Steve

mimic58 · Jul 18, 2005

Im not just gunner swap all 4 of them to mice , i was just using it as an example to gauge the content in caned food, one full can at 4% meat equates to less meat than one adult mouse. and this a carnivore that would normaly consume almost 98% meat naturaly , Even a small bird would have more meat init than a can of wiska's, It just seems like this is gunner have a big impact on how much the cat has to eat, i cant be the only one here with cats that constantly screem for more food?

T 'n T · Jul 19, 2005

There are a lot of websites with information on the BARF diet for cats and dogs (raw food). More variety than mice, better nutrition.

We use dry food for our kitty, the vet says nutritionally it's the same as canned but it's much better for their teeth. You could be right about them eating more of it though, our kitty is getting downright bunchy.

Joe · Jul 19, 2005

mimic58 said:
Over the last few days Iv been looking at all the top brands, Asuming the better names would contain better ingredients and actual meat content.

Felix 4% dirivitives (not even decent meat used for that meer ammount)
Wiskas 4% to 8%
Kitikat 4%
Authurs 4%
Ceasar 4%
Winalot 4%

None of these are top brands. They're grocery store brands, aka garbage. =D

LPacker79 · Jul 19, 2005

Yeah, what Joe said. I personally feed my kitty Felidae, which is one of the best out there. As far as cat foods, some of the better ones found in the US are:
Eagle Pack
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul
Felidae
Wellness

And for dogs:
Canidae
Innova
Wellness
Nutro

Many of these companies make dog and cat food. The important thing is to read the labels, and know what exactly you are feeding your pet.

Deschain · Jul 19, 2005

Now the interesting question is...just how worthless is the hard dog and cat food most people are feeding their pets?

Take a look at the ingredients on the back of your bag. They're listed by weight contained, from highest to lowest...and if the first two are some type of "grain" meal, you're buying garbage, which sadly almost all brands are.

Here's a link with a few of the major brands of dog food, and what they contain.

http://www.iei.net/~ebreeden/kibble.html

mimic58 · Jul 19, 2005

Ground Brown Rice
Ground Yellow Corn
Ground Whole Wheat
Whole Steamed Potatoes
Oatmeal

perhaps i miss reading this, this cant be right 'Whole Oats' :?
What the 'Millet' Damn millet but thats budgie food they do mean the same stuff right?

Snakecharm · Jul 19, 2005

I feed my cats Diamond Adult Maintenance. Diamond is the company that makes Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul. This stuff is just a bit cheaper, kind of the basic versus the CSftCLS being the premium. According to the research I've done, it's comparable if not better than Science Diet, and I spend about $10 for 20 pounds. My cats always have access to food, and I've found with the Diamond that they maintain a healthier weight as opposed to looking like butterballs. Their coats are silky and they are active and get into everything.

I will say, just as a cautionary, that while they don't necessarily go to the litter box more, sometimes it is a bit on the pungent side relative to before.

defour · Jul 19, 2005

Snakecharm said:
I will say, just as a cautionary, that while they don't necessarily go to the litter box more, sometimes it is a bit on the pungent side relative to before.

You may find this to be an advantage, since Axe deodorant is reputedly infused with kitty poo extract, and it seems to drive hot people wild. I know... I've seen the commercials!

Steve

Joe · Jul 19, 2005

Snakecharm said:
I feed my cats Diamond Adult Maintenance. Diamond is the company that makes Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul. This stuff is just a bit cheaper, kind of the basic versus the CSftCLS being the premium. According to the research I've done, it's comparable if not better than Science Diet.

I'd feed Diamond over Science Diet any day. Science Diet is overpriced junk food. The vet recommendation on the front of every bag means basically nothing.

Snakecharm · Jul 19, 2005

Obscenity said:
I'd feed Diamond over Science Diet any day. Science Diet is overpriced junk food. The vet recommendation on the front of every bag means basically nothing.

*shrug* I use it as an example because it was how it was initially described to me. I've always considered Science Diet to be something of a rip-off. However, for a long time it was the only readily available food that had low enough magnesium levels to support my parents' cat with urinary tract problems. They don't use it anymore because there are better alternatives.

Interesting sidebar, however. Apparently Costco's store brand of food is made for them by Diamond.

Malkavian · Jul 19, 2005

the petstore I used to work at alwasy pushed eukanuba and Iams over the grocery store garbage, are those two brands worth anything at all? I dont have bag handy or i'd check the ingredients myself

Kasha · Jul 19, 2005

I feed my kitties Iams, and while I don't have a bag handy (dogs chewed it up) to check I am almost positive that the first ingred. is poulty. Iams is affordable and has done well for me with my doggies and kitties. And even makes a tasty treat for my millipedes

)

Socrates · Jul 22, 2005

Obscenity said:
Science Diet is overpriced junk food.

:worship: :clap: :worship: :clap:

After having read "Food Pets Die For" I've started cooking for my dogs. Since they are both over 100 lbs, it got to be a bit on the costly side, so I give them some "Solid Gold" with my cooked food.

---
Wendy
---

Gesticulator · Jul 22, 2005

Iams and Eukanuba....
I use both, as they are the same company for my Bichon-Frise and my German Shepherd. Of course they will eat ANYTHING and get a fair amt of table food as well. The Iams and Eukanuba seem to make their poop kinda firm and not so stinky....

Joe · Jul 22, 2005

.

Eukanuba is about as good as Nutro Max, but at roughly twice the price. It's better than the grocery store stuff, but not as good as stuff like Wellness or Solid Gold or Innova (to name a few).

Myztery · Jul 24, 2005

I just have to throw my 2 cents in b/c i work for a vet. In regards to the dry cat food we are actually starting to recommend more & more that cats are kept on wet food and really only suplimented with dry. Why? Well domestic cats by design are desert creatures getting most of their water intake from their natural prey. Most cats drink water sparingly (compared with other domesticated carnivores aka dogs). In fact cats who drink a lot of water may be experiencing health problems such as diabetes. Cats who are kept on a diet of mostly dry food are at a much higher risk of being candidates for diabetes or kidney failure later in life because they do not naturally get they proper water intake for their bodies to process these types of foods. So while the old school system recommended dry food to keep their teeth in good shape, the new school recommends wet food with dental supplements and regular cleanings for a longer healthier life.

Cat & Dog food & why it sucks

mimic58

Arachnobaron

Cirith Ungol

Ministry of Fluffy Bunnies

defour

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mimic58

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T 'n T

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Joe

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LPacker79

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Deschain

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mimic58

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Snakecharm

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defour

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Joe

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Snakecharm

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Malkavian

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Kasha

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Socrates

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Joe

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Myztery

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