Aisha
I need some education on what make a cat food good or bad? what to stay away from? Dry vs. Wet? recommended brand? I am opened to be educated on both Dry and Wet... One thing I am sure is I will not get Iams....My newly adopted cat is on Medi-cal Preventative... any thoughts? I live in Toronto, Canada. It is difficult of find Wellness here, if at all...thanks :)
Alene
I live in Cambridge, Ontario and all Pet Valus carry Wellness. I like a combination of wet and dry. Wet is important for water intake and it is closer to the cats natural raw meat diet. Dry is handy for leaving out during the day for kitty to graze on, and lots of good brands are available. Medical Preventative is a perscription diet available only through vets, and there is a specific reason why cats are on this food. Check with your vet and find out if you need to continue on this food, or if the cat is beyond the recuperative stages of crystal formations in the urinary tract. Read your labels. Know your ingredients. Remember that cats are carnivores and require a high meat low carb intake. Avoid lots of corn, wheat, grains etc. Avoid BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin as preservatives. Look for whole foods as opposed to by-products and artificial additives. Our cats do wonderfully on Performatrin Ultra Chicken and Rice Premium cat food. We sometimes alternate with Nutram or Royal Canin. They prefer Merricks wet foods, but will take Natural Balance too. Remember to make all intros slow and gradual. Never remove the current food youre feeding, just add a bit of new to see if the cat accepts it. Go directly to pet food company websites to get information. Remember that Iams is owned by Proctor and Gamble (animal testing)Science Diet is owned by Colgate Palmolive (animal testing)Grocery store foods are generally lower quality. Better foods are found in animal specific stores like Ryans Global, Pet Valu, or other small owner-run facilities. Petsmart is not food knowledgeable, so you need to be informed, dont rely on their staff. PetCetera is also not food knowledgeable. I hope this helps you somewhat :)
Carrie
I feed my cats raw ground turkey with organic brown rice and kidney beans, along with added supplements and they are healthier that ever and their personalities have changed for the better. You can find good recipes online. Be careful of commercial food due to potentially toxic additives.
Eloy
Since the same brands we have in the US might not be available to you in Canada I suggest you go to: http://www. littlebigcat. com and read Dr. Jean Hovfes article, titled "Selecting a Good Commercial Pet Food". That will guide you in what to look for when reading ingredient labels. There are many excellent articles on cat nutrition in Dr. Hovfes library. I do a home-made diet of organic turkey and organic chicken and also used canned food for my cats. I believe firmly that a meat diet is the best one for cats (as long as its quality meat).
Coy
Stay away from corn and by products. But, dry food is better because it cleans the cats teeth and its better for the stool (not as smelly).
Candyce
Canned is better. Or I should say wet is better. Dry food doesnt clean the teeth. I dont believe it should be more than 50% of the total diet, if its fed at all. I personally use it to flavor the chicken necks I give for dental health, and as the occasional treat. From my blog:GOOD CAT FOOD/BAD INGREDIENTS How to identify good cat food and what ingredients should be avoided? Avoid:The preservatives BHA, BHT and Ethoxyquin. BHA and BHT are carcinogens. Ethoxyquin is a rubber preservative and pesticide. Foods that contain Rosemary (may be used as a preservative) shouldnt be served more than 2-3 times per week. Carrageenan. This is a food thickener that can cause ulcerative colitis and other stomach problems. However, this ingredient is used in the new EVO canned products (95% meat) (among other products), and the advice Ive received is that you have to weigh the overall benefits of the great food against a small amount of this ingredient which might cause digestive upsets. If youre faced with the choice of carageenan or an inferior quality food, go with the carrageenan. The same is true for GARLIC which is (still) present in Wellness. Mannitol, Xylitol and Sorbitol: Can cause severe digestive upset and possibly kidney problems. Potassium Sorbate: Can irritate skin and eyes. Propylene Glycol: Can cause heinz body anemia, a type of damage to red blood cells. Sodium Benzoate: Can adversely affect the central nervous system and cause allergic reactions as well as stomach irritations. Propyl Gallate Artificial colors. Cats dont care what color their food is! There is no feline Iron Chef who will turn up her nose due to bad presentation! Byproducts and meal. Byproducts arent bad per se, but it would be NICE to know which ones. They can be anything from liver (good) to beaks and feet. If theyre not named, dont feed them. Any form of corn, wheat or soy. Corn is the worst of these and may ultimately lead to diabetes. Avoid special labels such as "indoor" "senior" or "light". These foods may contain acidifying agents, excessive fiber, and inadequate fats that will result in skin and coat problems. Dont buy your food at the grocery store - go to an independently owned pet store or a chain store if they carry good brands. Get:Products containing MEAT, and its best if its listed first. Products that are AAFCO certified. This doesnt mean the food is good, it just means its balanced. Foods that dont have this or that arent balanced arent bad necessarily, but then they should perhaps only be used for supplemental feeding. As you can see, its more about avoiding things than looking for things. Yes, look for meat as the first ingredient, and it should be balanced for daily feeding (unless you plan to supplement). But its mostly about what you should NOT see on the label!
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