Can someome help me pick out catfood?
- Thread starter Paige
- Start date
I feed my cat a rotation of grain free soft foods. Right now she is on Weruva (http://www.weruva.com/cat-cuisine-chicken-beef.php). She really loves it. She also gets canned Before Grain (http://www.beforegrain.com/pdfs/BG-Cat-Dry.pdf).
The main thing I look for is that any food I give her is grain free and high quality.
My 7 lbs kitty is okay eating about a 5.5 oz can a day split up into two meals.
The main thing I look for is that any food I give her is grain free and high quality.
My 7 lbs kitty is okay eating about a 5.5 oz can a day split up into two meals.
I feed my cats wet food...Weruva, Earthborn, Wellness (regular grain free varieties and core), Nature's Variety Instinct, Go!, and Before Grain. They each get one 5.5 ounce can a day (split between two meals). My cats are 9 and 11 pounds, one is a perfect weight, one is a little chunky.
Even if you can't or don't want to feed ALL wet food do try to feed as much as you can, the more the better. Cats are widely affected by dietary problems...obesity, diabetes, UTIs, crystals, stones, kidney disease, etc. many of which could be prevented by feeding lower carb, higher moisture foods. They are not omnivores, so the less veggies, grains, and fruits, the better for their system. Their normal diets would only be like 3% carbohydrate and dry foods are around 30%, even the "good" dry foods. Cats also don't have a strong thirst drive...they don't tend to drink when they're hot or have been playing like people or dogs would. They have to be rather dehydrated to feel the urge to drink (although some are stimulated to drink by running water). So their urine is concentrated which damages the urinary system and the dehydration takes it's toll on their body over time.
When I fed dry food only they each ate about 1/2 cup a day if I remember correctly.
Even if you can't or don't want to feed ALL wet food do try to feed as much as you can, the more the better. Cats are widely affected by dietary problems...obesity, diabetes, UTIs, crystals, stones, kidney disease, etc. many of which could be prevented by feeding lower carb, higher moisture foods. They are not omnivores, so the less veggies, grains, and fruits, the better for their system. Their normal diets would only be like 3% carbohydrate and dry foods are around 30%, even the "good" dry foods. Cats also don't have a strong thirst drive...they don't tend to drink when they're hot or have been playing like people or dogs would. They have to be rather dehydrated to feel the urge to drink (although some are stimulated to drink by running water). So their urine is concentrated which damages the urinary system and the dehydration takes it's toll on their body over time.
When I fed dry food only they each ate about 1/2 cup a day if I remember correctly.
Soaking will add needed moisture but it is important that the cats eat it quickly. You'll see it not recommended a lot because wetting kibble allows bacteria to grow on it but that's only a problem if the food is allowed to sit. If they scarf it right down it isn't a problem. And wet food is pricey for sure, it's really unfortunate. Raw (homemade) was much cheaper. Some people say the cheapest wet food is better than the highest quality dry food, I don't know if I agree with that though...there are some scary things in some of the low quality foods. I've heard the Trader Joe brand wet cat food is pretty decent for the price. The cheapest good food that I remember was Felidae, but I don't know if the price has gone up since I last fed it, I think it was 99 cents for a 5.5 ounce can.
Maxy is definitely the one you want to talk to about cats. 
As for me, I feed Innova wet food mixed with TOTW kibble. I keep the kibble in there because Whitacre adores his crunchies, and also so if I have to be gone for a night/weekend they will let my husband feed them just kibble. (He can't stand the smell of the canned food. Literally makes him sick.)
For proportions, they are fed two meals a day, and each meal consists of a little more than 1oz of wet food plus 1/8 cup of kibble. I adjust the amount of kibble based on daily activity (usually in the lesser direction, rather than adding more).
I realize it's not the BEST system for cats, but it's what's working for us right now. They used to be fed EVO dry food but after one shopping trip ALL the animals eating EVO (cats and dog) got massively sick. I would love to switch away from the Innova, too, but for the time being haven't been able to find a suitable replacement.
As for me, I feed Innova wet food mixed with TOTW kibble. I keep the kibble in there because Whitacre adores his crunchies, and also so if I have to be gone for a night/weekend they will let my husband feed them just kibble. (He can't stand the smell of the canned food. Literally makes him sick.)
For proportions, they are fed two meals a day, and each meal consists of a little more than 1oz of wet food plus 1/8 cup of kibble. I adjust the amount of kibble based on daily activity (usually in the lesser direction, rather than adding more).
I realize it's not the BEST system for cats, but it's what's working for us right now. They used to be fed EVO dry food but after one shopping trip ALL the animals eating EVO (cats and dog) got massively sick. I would love to switch away from the Innova, too, but for the time being haven't been able to find a suitable replacement.
My cat is on raw. He is free fed so I have no clue how much he eats lol. But I am trying to put weight on him so I am more than happy to let him eat however much he wants.
I could never afford to feed exclusively canned. It would cost like, $100 a month to feed him! We just started raw a couple weeks ago so I don't know what the monthly average will be, but it's definitely a lot cheaper than that lol. We get ground mixes and our first purchase was 11lbs of meat (few different proteins), and it was a grand total of about $40 - and in the few weeks he's been on it, he's hardly put a dent in the supply, so that'll last a while.
He was never really on a good brand of kibble. Best he got was California Natural but he was only on that for 2 years. Otherwise most of his life has been spent on either Iams or prescription diets. When I would supplement with wet food, we would do a variety - Weruva, BFF, Before Grain, Natures Variety Instinct, Taste of the Wild, basically any somewhat-reasonably-priced grain free foods. And he's always been free fed... lol so I don't even know what a "normal" amount is
I could never afford to feed exclusively canned. It would cost like, $100 a month to feed him!
We just started raw a couple weeks ago so I don't know what the monthly average will be, but it's definitely a lot cheaper than that lol. We get ground mixes and our first purchase was 11lbs of meat (few different proteins), and it was a grand total of about $40 - and in the few weeks he's been on it, he's hardly put a dent in the supply, so that'll last a while. He was never really on a good brand of kibble. Best he got was California Natural but he was only on that for 2 years. Otherwise most of his life has been spent on either Iams or prescription diets. When I would supplement with wet food, we would do a variety - Weruva, BFF, Before Grain, Natures Variety Instinct, Taste of the Wild, basically any somewhat-reasonably-priced grain free foods. And he's always been free fed... lol so I don't even know what a "normal" amount is
June Bug eats Go! Trout formula for her dry. She gets a small amount in the morning, about a quarter cup (she loves her morning crunchies, haha) and a vast array of wet foods as her dinner. She gets approx. 3oz for dinner... so a full tiny can, or half of a medium can.
She has a chicken allergy/intolerance/no-no, so I go for a lot of fishy stuff. Almo Nature, Tiki Cat, BFF, Instinct, Wellness, Go, Weruva/Weruva CITK, EVO... on food stock-up day I literally scour our shelves and grab one or two of each flavour and variety of foods she likes and can eat, and that -I- like. And I have the least picky cat in existence, that helps. :rofl1:
She has a chicken allergy/intolerance/no-no, so I go for a lot of fishy stuff. Almo Nature, Tiki Cat, BFF, Instinct, Wellness, Go, Weruva/Weruva CITK, EVO... on food stock-up day I literally scour our shelves and grab one or two of each flavour and variety of foods she likes and can eat, and that -I- like. And I have the least picky cat in existence, that helps. :rofl1: