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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / June 2006Any suggestions on feeding a maine coon kitty?
I have a 10 mo. old female kitten, recently the friend who owns the parent cats told me the male is a maine coon, the female is a shorthaired domestic cat. Now I know that maine coons are very large cats...this makes sense as the vet said I will have a 30 lb. cat when she was only 6 weeks old. I was feeding her Nutro gourmet dry kitten food for a few months and the vet suggested I try science diet kitten food, but she wouldn't eat it. So I switched her to Royal Canin 34 growth formula, she was already 6 months old and spayed at 5 months old. Since I switched the food and had her spayed I've noticed that she now has a fat, little belly that hangs down a bit. Does anyone suggest I switch her to adult food? Or should I just take her for a check-up? Or should I accept the fact that I have a fat kitty and continue to feed kitten food for 2 more months at the recommended amounts? PS: Besides the fat belly I believe her weight to be ideal for her age and size (I don't have a scale but I estimate 12-14 lbs). Thank you for any advice/suggestions! > I have a 10 mo. old female kitten, recently the friend who owns the > parent cats told me the male is a maine coon, the female is a [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Thank you for any advice/suggestions! I sure would take her in, and I would also start her on good quality canned food. The extra water is good for them. Ask your vet, and you can also Google this group for "wet food/dry food" as we have had lots of debates about the merits of different kinds of food. > > I have a 10 mo. old female kitten, recently the friend who owns the > > parent cats told me the male is a maine coon, the female is a [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php I've made the informed decision of feeding all of my animals (dogs and cat) dry food exclusively. The only exception I've made was when the kitten was 4 weeks and losing her baby teeth, I moistened the food with kitten milk. I have scanned a few different discussions about wet and dry food benefits, and I still feel that dry food is best for us...unless damning scientific evidence supports one over the other. Thank you for that suggestion, I think I will make an appt. for a check-up. >I have a 10 mo. old female kitten, recently the friend who owns the >parent cats told me the male is a maine coon, the female is a [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >Thank you for any advice/suggestions! The officially approved ( by Bubba ) Bubba Chow http://www.sonic.net/~claudel/Bubba/Bubba.html is Royal Canin Maine Coon formula. http://www.feline-nutrition.com/mainecoon.html The kibbles are large enough that they force him to chew them instead of gobbling them whole, which used to cause him to puke regularly. The company has an excellent reputation for quality food and their website is quite informative. Since Bubba refuses to go outside under any circumstance the fact that his output from the Royal Canin Maine Coon kibble is both relatively inoffensive, scent wise, and solid is a bonus. Bubba also has the "I swallowed a baseball" look in the belly region, and at 24 lbs is not exactly a lightweight. There are recommendations for quantity of food at the RC website. I give Bubba approximately 10 grams less than their minimum suggested feeding amount for his weight and age a day in hope of reducing his rate of expansion, but I haven't seen any evidence of positive results. He seems to be in excellent health however, and is alert, active and quite friendly except with other cats, who he seems to absolutely detest/fear. Personally, I'd keep her on the kitten formula and switch to the adult MC formula at the recommended age. It seems like you have a typical Maine Coon. I'm sure that you will be great for each other. Claude Claude, My kitty looks just like Bubba minus the lions mane! I didn't know RC had a maine coon variety. I'll check their website for sure, thanks a bunch...I feel much better now b/c I swear she got bigger since I left for work this morning! Regards, Courtney > >I have a 10 mo. old female kitten, recently the friend who owns the > >parent cats told me the male is a maine coon, the female is a [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > > Claude >Claude, >My kitty looks just like Bubba minus the lions mane! I didn't know RC >had a maine coon variety. I'll check their website for sure, thanks a >bunch...I feel much better now b/c I swear she got bigger since I left >for work this morning! There's been days that I would swear Bubba got bigger while I was out too and he was 2<>4 years old when I got him. I don't think he's fat, though. Everything seems pretty solid when I squeeze him. If your's turns out to be 30Lbs she's gonna be a big girl. I think the current record size cat is 34Lbs, but Guiness gives the record for lenght and not weight... Claude >Regards, >Courtney [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] >> >> Claude The hanging stomach thing is from her surgery. When they cut through the muscles it looses its strength. So that isn't a weight issue. You really should be feeding wet food. Also, no cat should weigh 30 pounds. I have a male Maine Coon who is 4 years old and weighs 11 pounds. I do think he is small boned for a Maine Coon, but 30 pounds is too much. Fat cats are not healthy. You will have health issues later if you allow her to get over weight. > >Claude, > >My kitty looks just like Bubba minus the lions mane! I didn't know RC [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > >> > >> Claude I am not quite sure if she will be 30 lbs when she's done growing. This is what the VET said to me when he saw her at 6 weeks old (before we knew she was maine coon). Now that I think about it everyone who saw her said she would be big, her ears are still huge for her little head and her paws are very large. She has no excess fat except for the belly. Do the muscles ever heal? Seriously, she isn't fat...yet. That's why I posted, wasn't sure if it was a sign that she is going to be fat. She's well over 11 lbs already and not a year old, besides that she's a little monster and routinely kicks my dogs a.ses. > The hanging stomach thing is from her surgery. When they cut through > the muscles it looses its strength. So that isn't a weight issue. [quoted text clipped - 76 lines] > > >> > > >> Claude > The hanging stomach thing is from her surgery. When they cut through > the muscles it looses its strength. Not with all cats, if it is indeed true with any. I have a little tabby with a Siamese-style build, delicate and narrow and long, and she has never had any sort of belly though she has been spayed for five years. . > Not with all cats, if it is indeed true with any. I have a little tabby with > a Siamese-style build, delicate and narrow and long, and she has never had > any sort of belly though she has been spayed for five years. Of my 4 queens, Fugazi (RB) was the only one to have any sort of belly and that wasn't much...But she was the heaviest of the four. Isis (her sister also RB) was another Siamese style build tabby and Redunzel and Sarrasine are similar. (Redunzel is tiny) and they all have firm stomachs Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs > . >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Slave of the Fabulous Furballs One of my male cats has had a belly and as far as I know he's not been spayed!! My female cats are a mixed bag--Sophie is a little overweight and has a hanging tummy, the other three are quite svelte. Bonnie I made an appt. to get her weight checked at 3 today, so I'll be able to post an exact weight for her. The tech I spoke with said they might want to do a fecal exam just to make sure that she doesn't have worms. By the way, what does RB stand for? > > . > >> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Bonnie >By the way, what does RB stand for? Dead cat. > >By the way, what does RB stand for? > > Dead cat. Oh. Thanks for the clarification as I thought it was a breed. Lesley, I'm very sorry for your loss. Jean, You have such cute kitties! I'm sure mine would enjoy a little dry mixed with wet food as an occasional treat...but I'd be afraid that she'll start turning down the dry food if she knows that I have something tastier. I'll have to add a cat pics section to my website so I can show my pics too. Courtney >> The hanging stomach thing is from her surgery. When they cut through >> the muscles it looses its strength. > >Not with all cats, if it is indeed true with any. I have a little tabby with >a Siamese-style build, delicate and narrow and long, and she has never had >any sort of belly though she has been spayed for five years. I doubt it is the case with Bubba, the ex-tomcat... > Claude, > My kitty looks just like Bubba minus the lions mane! I didn't know RC [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Regards, > Courtney They have a sneaky habit of growing the minute you blink. My 8-9 month old Rum Tum Tiggle's paws double in size everytime I turn around. He's somewheres around 32 inches long nose to tail and about 15 lbs. If he keeps growing I've figuring he'll be somewheres in the 20-25 lb range. He's very energetic and outmasses my 2 year old kitty Nicky. Nicky doesn't seem to want to play with Rum Tum as much since he got bigger then him, in fact Nicky hissed at Rum Tum last night when he got too close. Rum Tum and Nicky: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/JeanC38/rn.gif Rum Tum Tiggle: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/JeanC38/rum3.gif My kids get dry food all the time with wet food every once in a while for treats. Have to check out and see if I can find the Royal Canin locally and see if I can get a small sample to see if my lot will eat it. Jean C "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has" Margaret Mead http://www.uidaho.edu/~bjcraw/ JeanC's Cat House & Shooting Society http://jeancscathouseandshootingsociety.blogspot.com/ >> Claude, >> My kitty looks just like Bubba minus the lions mane! I didn't know RC [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] >JeanC's Cat House & Shooting Society >http://jeancscathouseandshootingsociety.blogspot.com/ Nice looking cats... There is a difference between a big belly and hanging skin from neutering. I had a female cat that was neutered at 6 months. She was not overweight. After the surgery - immediately after - her stomach muscles/skin just hung down and swayed when she walked. > >> Claude, > >> My kitty looks just like Bubba minus the lions mane! I didn't know RC [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Nice looking cats... > >Rum Tum and Nicky: > >http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/JeanC38/rn.gif > > > >Rum Tum Tiggle: > >http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/JeanC38/rum3.gif > Nice looking cats... Thanks. They are both sweeties in every way. We have a 3rd, KiKi (our eldest), who's seriously miffed with me right now: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/JeanC38/My%20photos/poorkiki.gif If she'd just left the wound along she wouldn't be stuck with an e-collar (she has an owie on her head she kept scratching at and it wouldn't heal up properly). I kinda bounced the idea of getting Rum Tum another playmate off my hubby, tho it would have to be a another maine coon who could handle Rum Tum, tho I'm giving serious consideration to asking the property owner into letting us get a dog, one that Rum Tum can play without any fear of damage to the dog LOL. Hubby actually gave a half serious consideration of the idea of another MC before stating (as usual) "We have more then enough cats and don't need anymore!" LOL SIlly hubby :D Jean C >> >Rum Tum and Nicky: >> >http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/JeanC38/rn.gif [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >e-collar (she has an owie on her head she kept scratching at and it >wouldn't heal up properly). :^) Lucky they haven't figured out how to use firearms... Bubba went through the same drama. I think he wanted to remove the chip that the shelter installed by himself. He didn't enjoy his experience with the collar either. When he goes in for his yearly checkup I'm going to have them scan to see if he got it out or not. >I kinda bounced the idea of getting Rum Tum another playmate off my >hubby, tho it would have to be a another maine coon who could handle [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >consideration of the idea of another MC before stating (as usual) "We >have more then enough cats and don't need anymore!" LOL SIlly hubby :D Bubba absolutely detests other cats. It's a good thing that his first inclination is to run and hide instead of be aggressive. He's definately strong enough to do some damage although I do keep his claws trimmed. He also shows a not so friendly interest in the neighbor's chihuahuas. Claude > Lucky they haven't figured out how to use firearms... Oh yeah. Just what I need is a kitty who's a better shot then I am LOL > Bubba absolutely detests other cats. It's a good thing that his first > inclination is to run and hide instead of be aggressive. He's definately > strong enough to do some damage although I do keep his claws trimmed. Rum Tum doesn't have any problems with other kitties. He just doesn't have it in him to think the others wouldn't like him. He still gets puzzled when KiKi hisses and growls at him (she's not sure which she hates more, when the boys pay attention to her or when they ignore her hehehehe) and can't figure out why she doesn't want to play. Is it difficult to trim Bubba's claws? It takes two of us to trim Rum Tum's. If it is just me, I can get one claw clipped and then I have a fight on my hands. When he was much smaller it wasn't a problem, I could cuddle him and trim the claws no problems, but of late blood (mine) is usually involved. I have no problems doing the other two kitties. > He also shows a not so friendly interest in the neighbor's chihuahuas. Probably considers them appetizers LOL Jean C >> Lucky they haven't figured out how to use firearms... > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >hates more, when the boys pay attention to her or when they ignore her >hehehehe) and can't figure out why she doesn't want to play. Last summer a different neighbor than the one with the chihuahuass cat had kittens and this really cute little black one wandered into my house. I can leave the door open because Bubba shows no interest at all in going outside. Anyway, he saw this kitten, which was about a half a pound at best and walked over to it to check it out. The kitten arched and hissed at him and Bubba was behind the couch hiding in a blink. I'm not sure why he is afraid of/hates other cats and why he won't go out. Something that happened to him before his stay in the shelter, I'd guess. >Is it difficult to trim Bubba's claws? It takes two of us to trim Rum >Tum's. If it is just me, I can get one claw clipped and then I have a >fight on my hands. When he was much smaller it wasn't a problem, I >could cuddle him and trim the claws no problems, but of late blood >(mine) is usually involved. I have no problems doing the other two >kitties. I use overpowering force. I flip him on his back and pin him in the corner of the couch with my butt, grab a leg with one hand, trim the claws, then do the other leg. If he wiggles too much, which he usually tries to do I just pin him a bit tighter and scratch his belly and let him know that it's gonna happen whether he likes it or not and the sooner he relaxes the sooner it will be over with. If he tries to bunny kick with his back feet which I should trim but haven't I give him a sharp "no" and hold him till he calms down. He doesn't like it but he gets over it. Fortunately the ordeal only happens once every month or so. He doesn't particularly care for being combed either. I didn't realize that cats could make such awful noises. After the end of winter we had a couple of sessions that wound up with softball sized balls of hair gone from him. He hates it while it is being done but it only takes a few minutes after before he realizes how much better it feels to lose the dead hair. I learned that it is better to trim the claws before the comb job. :^) >> He also shows a not so friendly interest in the neighbor's chihuahuas. > >Probably considers them appetizers LOL At best. It would take a dozen for a meal. Claude Does anyone suggest I switch her to adult food? Or should I just take > her for a check-up? Or should I accept the fact that I have a fat kitty > and continue to feed kitten food for 2 more months at the recommended > amounts? I would highly recommend getting her off all dry food. I would feed a high quality canned food, twice per day. Some good information here: http://www.catinfo.org/ Lauren See my cats: http://mickeymeesha.photosite.com/mm/ > Does anyone suggest I switch her to adult food? Or should I just take > > her for a check-up? Or should I accept the fact that I have a fat kitty [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I would highly recommend getting her off all dry food. I would feed a > high quality canned food, twice per day. He's already made up his mind, said he's made "an informed decision" that dry is "best for us." Knowing what I do about the benefits of canned food for the cat, I imagine "us" must mean him, as in, his convenience. I guess it is just a matter of priorities. But for the record, I sure do agree with you, having seen the improvement in my cats' fur, eyes, energy level, allergies and general health when I switched to all canned twice a day. Actually, I'm female...there isn't a "he". My decision to feed dry food exclusively is backed by my vet and the other cat owners I know feed dry food also. You guys are being lame about this. I have read a lot about both types of food, and I've asked for advice from different veterinary professionals. "Us" pertains to me and my animal family, my dogs only eat dry food and my 8 year old lab is in excellent health. My aunt and uncle had 3 cats who ate canned food, they all died from urinary tract cancer. They were all indoor cats and they ate the same science diet wet food. Shame on you, Cybercat, for being so judgemental and offensive. I want my cat to be able to eat her portions of food when she feels hungry. Unlike the majority of people who decide without researching alternatives I read so much on this particular subject that I have no desire to discuss it. If I had I might have titled the subject differently...this is why the subject isn't "Should I switch my kitty's diet to wet food?". > > Does anyone suggest I switch her to adult food? Or should I just take > > > her for a check-up? Or should I accept the fact that I have a fat kitty [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php >Actually, I'm female...there isn't a "he". My decision to feed dry food >exclusively is backed by my vet and the other cat owners I know feed [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >subject differently...this is why the subject isn't "Should I switch my >kitty's diet to wet food?". Well put. BTW, if you free feed as much as your cat wants you may find that you have a rapidly expanding kitty on your hands. I just weighed Bubba, and he's up to 24.5 Lbs even though he only gets ~90% of the Royal Canin recommended ration of the Maine Coon kibbles. He's happy ( as long as there are no other cats within his senses ) alert, has a shiny coat, regular output of appropriate consistency and apparently is still growing. He has a hanging belly, but it all seems quite firm rather than fat. You also might consider a product called "Petromalt" which is a hairball remedy. Bubba loves it and will lick it off my finger so it is no hassle to give him and he has shown no signs of distress from hairballs since I started giving him a bit every day or so. >> > Does anyone suggest I switch her to adult food? Or should I just take >> > > her for a check-up? Or should I accept the fact that I have a fat kitty [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >> >> Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php Claude, I feed her according to the RC guidelines provided on the bag, only I divide it into 2 servings. I usually end up putting the dinner portion into the bowl while there is still a tbsp or two left in her bowl. That leads me to believe that she knows when she's done and she knows when she's hungry. Rarely do I see her bowl completely empty, and on the occassions that it was empty it's followed by a noticeable growth spurt. From the pics I saw on Bubba's site I don't think he is as big as he looks...I mean look at all that hair, it's no wonder he gets hairballs! Courtney > >Actually, I'm female...there isn't a "he". My decision to feed dry food > >exclusively is backed by my vet and the other cat owners I know feed [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > >> > >> Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php >Claude, >I feed her according to the RC guidelines provided on the bag, only I [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >as he looks...I mean look at all that hair, it's no wonder he gets >hairballs! I split Bubba's daily into three parts. Morning, Evening and before my bedtime. If I don't leave him some food out at night he will lick my eyelids while I'm sleeping for either revenge or a reminder. He's big. By my calculations he's packed on 10% weight in the year since I got him from the shelter. Since I started feeding him the RC kibble, which was right after the bag of Science Diet that came home with him, he seems to have lost a bit of diameter around the belly and firmed up elsewhere. He likes it. I was giving him all he wanted for the first month or so but he ballooned so I started following the instructions, sort of. :^) He doesn't seem to be *too* fat at 24.5Lbs, but I don't want him to pick up much more weight unless he grows some more to accomodate it. His front feet are already bigger than a metal dollar... The guesstimate of his age when I got him was 2<>4 years. He was a stray and nobody really knows his history. Evidently Maine Coons keep growing till they are 4 or 5. With the Petromalt and weekly combing, which he seems to hate but tolerate he doesn't really have any hairball problems, I just want to make sure he doesn't... >Courtney > [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] >> >> >> >> Inviato da X-Privat.Org - Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php : My decision to feed dry food exclusively is backed by my vet and the : other cat owners I know feed dry food also. You guys are being lame : about this. I have read a lot about both types of food, and I've asked : for advice from different veterinary professionals... Welcome to the dark side of humanity. Vets as a group have as much interest in eradicating pet illnesses as police do in eradicating crime or the military in eradicating threats to national security. :-) Their interest is served by "managing" these conditions, with monopoly when possible, and charging you for that. The smart thing to do is to seek advice from nutritionists and researchers who don't have a stake in making sure that a good percentage of cats have some health issue or another. If your cat happens to develop some problem anyway, THEN go to the vet. OK, do this research over, as a smart consumer, factoring in people's conflicts of interest, and you will see canned food is better. It has nothing to do with texture, even moiture content (which is PITA to ensure in other ways but you can try), but with *carbohydrate* content of dry food. Cat's bodies were never meant for those carb levels, dry food is made without them, and that is why it will slowly wear their health down in the long run. Dogs are different. Their bodies can handle carbs, and they tend to drink a lot of water on their own, so they are ok with dry. Switch over very slowly to canned but keep feeding some dry (maybe 1-2 meals out of 14 a week), so your cat will eat it when there is no other choice. I also trim Potpie's nails every other week, all I have to do is go into the closet with her and sit on the floor. I flip her over and she lets me trim her nails. She doesn't even growl...whenever we pick her up she growls but not inside the closet (it's strange). I also have the scratching posts for her and she uses it all the time, one has catnip in the cardboard so she really uses that one! At our visit to the vet I had her weight checked and she is officially 10.4 lbs (I thought she'd be heavier). The tech told me to go ahead and start switching her to adult food over the course of a few weeks. Went to the store and got the RC Maine Coon formula, which she devoured some as a small treat. The size of the kibbles are a little large, and I was surprised when she had no problem eating them. The tech I saw said she switched her females to adult food after they were spayed and they did have a little sagging in the belly. She assured me that over 6 months if the cat doesn't become overweight the sagging will dissipate. I have a lot of experience in nutrition and I've been on a macrobiotic diet for a long time. I do understand that the carb content of dry food is greater than that of wet food. If the 2nd ingredient in the food was white rice I'd have concern, instead it is brown rice which is a more mineral-rich and easier digested carbohydrate. Brown rice is something I eat at least 3 times a day, and I am far from overweight. I did a ton of research when I first got the cat, read almost everything in print and online about the debate. Still, there is nothing that I can find (that's accredited) which states that wet food is better than dry food. I've seriously considered giving a few mixed meals a week but I'm very concerned that she'll reject the dry food alone afterwards. > : My decision to feed dry food exclusively is backed by my vet and the > : other cat owners I know feed dry food also. You guys are being lame [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > meals out of 14 a week), so your cat will eat it when there is no other > choice. >I also trim Potpie's nails every other week, all I have to do is go >into the closet with her and sit on the floor. I flip her over and she >lets me trim her nails. She doesn't even growl...whenever we pick her >up she growls but not inside the closet (it's strange). I also have the >scratching posts for her and she uses it all the time, one has catnip >in the cardboard so she really uses that one! Catnip helps ease the trauma of the trimming. You can get starter plants at Pet Smart and probably other places and it's really easy to grow. I wound up with 2/3 or so of a gallon ziplock of dry 'nip from one starter cup last year and the patch is starting to grow again without any help from me except water. Also, I generally trim my own nails at the same time and let Bubba see me do it so he doesn't feel singled out. Claude > >I also trim Potpie's nails every other week, all I have to do is go > >into the closet with her and sit on the floor. I flip her over and she [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Claude That's funny that you trim yours when you trim Bubba's, I just do hers and she doesn't really seem to care. I get the dried catnip from the pet store, but how do you dry it out once it's cut? She really likes red wheatgrass, it grows in a week and it's so easy to grow too. >> >I also trim Potpie's nails every other week, all I have to do is go >> >into the closet with her and sit on the floor. I flip her over and she [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >pet store, but how do you dry it out once it's cut? She really likes >red wheatgrass, it grows in a week and it's so easy to grow too. Since I started doing my nails before I do his he seems to put up a bit less of a fight over it. I even use the same nail trimmer that I use on my toes on him. It seems to make a clean trim. I just pick the stems with the leaves on and put them in a brown paper bag until it dries out and then crumble the leaves off the stems. It cost ~$5 for a little pot of starter plants vs $5 for a small bag of dried in my local pet palace. The bad side effect is that the 'nip patch in my yard has turned into the party place for the neighborhood outdoor cats and they get loud and rowdy sometimes and that upsets Bubba. Plus they smash down the plants. As long as they don't kill it off I'll let them have their fun. Not that I can think of any kind way to keep them out anyway... Claude : I have a lot of experience in nutrition and I've been on a macrobiotic : diet for a long time. I do understand that the carb content of dry food : is greater than that of wet food. If the 2nd ingredient in the food was : white rice I'd have concern, instead it is brown rice which is a more : mineral-rich and easier digested carbohydrate. Brown rice is something : I eat at least 3 times a day, and I am far from overweight... Human bodies can digest carbs, so there is no problem unless one overdoes it, but of course overdoing will turn anything into a problem. Cats are different. Their bodies are essentially not menat for carbs. : I did a ton of research when I first got the cat, read almost everything : in print and online about the debate. Still, there is nothing that I can find : (that's accredited) which states that wet food is better than dry food. I don't know what kind of proof you are looking for. It should not take a rocket scientist to see that (1) dry food has more carbs than wet, and (2) so much carb content is not good for cats. : I've seriously considered giving a few mixed meals a week but I'm very : concerned that she'll reject the dry food alone afterwards. If she is used to the taste of dry, she will *probably* continue to accept it. However, many cats instinctively recognize that their bodies need meat, not processed cereals, and having tasted real food will resist going back to cereals. Frankly, if your cat does that, she is smart, not slave to conditioned taste, and knows what is good for her. It is as if you were fed only a diet of pretzels all your life. [They are cheap to buy and convenient to store: they don't spoil because even microbes don't want to eat them. Think about it. Real food spoils. In this world where most creatures are hungry, what kind of food it is that even microbes don't want to eat?] Then, one day you get served real food! You might still enjoy an occasional pretzel but will mostly want real food from then on. Make a very gradual change to mostly canned and some dry. >I did a ton of research when I first got > the cat, read almost everything in print > and online about the debate. Still, there > is nothing that I can find (that's > accredited) which states that wet food is > better than dry food. I feed mainly canned food (Wellness) to my two (one is at least part Maine Coon). They get some dry as treats and they go crazy over it. The biggest advantage of canned food is that it gets lots of water into the cat. This helps to keep the urine dilute and reduce the likelihood of crystals. By feeding only dry food, you run a greater risk of urinary crystals and infections. ---MIKE--- >>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580') I understand that people have strong opinions on this subject, but as of now I will no longer reply to this thread. I have even received emails from an individual who claimed that a "stalker" was keeping her from posting her comments (and her relentless arguement) on this thread. Wish I would've known how people here react to this type of question, and how quick they are to give unsolicited advice on an entirely seperate subject. Thank you to the few people who had helpful information for me and for the ones who were really lame...get over yourselves. Courtney > >I did a ton of research when I first got > > the cat, read almost everything in print [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire > >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580') I understand that people have strong opinions on this subject, but as of now I will no longer reply to this thread. I have even received emails from an individual who claimed that a "stalker" was keeping her from posting her comments (and her relentless arguement) on this thread. Wish I would've known how people here react to this type of question, and how quick they are to give unsolicited advice on an entirely seperate subject. Thank you to the few people who had helpful information for me and for the ones who were really lame...get over yourselves. lol! A stalker, eh? So, you are saying that There Are People Who Support You Who Are Afraid to Post, right? heh Kiran is right, but of course you can do what you want, your cats are your possessions, right? It is easier and cheaper for you to feed them dry so that is what you will do. However, those of us who added canned to our cats diets and/or began feeding an all-canned diet have seen benefits for our cats. That is all I was saying. And since you asked (lol!) you get your panties in a knot way too easy. Grow up and do some more research based upon something besides what your vet is selling at his place and making a profit on, and how convenient it is to open that bag and dump that dry food in the bowl. HTH. HAND. Courtney ---MIKE--- wrote: > >I did a ton of research when I first got > > the cat, read almost everything in print [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire > >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580') > Kiran is right, but of course you can do what you want, your cats > are your possessions, right? It is easier and cheaper for you to feed [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > at his place and making a profit on, and how convenient it is to > open that bag and dump that dry food in the bowl. Feeding a cat dry food is not about convenience or being cheap. Long time, experienced cat owners know that it is best for the cats' teeth. My cats eat only a high quality dry food with none of the canned trash and they have beautiful, thick coats of shiny, silky fur. They also have excellent health, strength and longevity as well as wonderful dispositions. I have had non-cat lovers comment to me about how unique my cats are. Something must be keeping them healthy and playful. The only time I've used wet food was when my 19 year old cat didn't want to eat as much dry food because she couldn't smell it well enough. In that case, I didn't buy the wet junk from the store; I stuck with a top quality prescription food. Ever been around a dog or cat that has had a lifetime of only wet food? They smell horrendous because they have such bad teeth. And nobody wants to consider the litter box effects... mjoann > > Kiran is right, but of course you can do what you want, your cats > > are your possessions, right? It is easier and cheaper for you to feed [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Feeding a cat dry food is not about convenience or being cheap. Long > time, experienced cat owners know that it is best for the cats' teeth. It would be, if cats chewed their food. They don't. It's a fallacy. > "mjoann" <xtcmusicfan@netscape.com> wrote in message >>Feeding a cat dry food is not about convenience or being cheap. Long >>time, experienced cat owners know that it is best for the cats' teeth. > > It would be, if cats chewed their food. They don't. It's a fallacy. Funny, because I hear crunching noises, I see their mouths moving and they leave crumbs on the floor. > > "mjoann" <xtcmusicfan@netscape.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Funny, because I hear crunching noises, I see their mouths moving and > they leave crumbs on the floor. The only benefit of feeding dry food is the marginal dental benefit. However, as is typical of carnivores, the teeth of the cat are appropriately modified for grasping, puncturing, and tearing (cutting), rather than for true mastication. With the exception of "crunching" dry food, cats do little, if any, actual chewing. The hinging of the lower jaw can only be moved up and down and possesses no ability for a lateral chewing motion. The cat has no first premolars and no lower (inferior) first or second premolars; the molars consist of a single upper and lower tooth on each side. When the mouth is closed, the upper sectorial tooth slides across the vestibular surface of the lower sectorial tooth, producing an effective scissor-like cutting action, rather than a chewing action. Thus the dental benefits of feeding dry food are grossly overrated. It has long been felt that feeding a cat or a dog a dry kibble diet is better for the teeth than feeding them a canned diet. The logic goes that dry food leaves less residue in the mouth for oral bacteria to feed on and so plaque would accumulate at a slower rate. Despite that, many animals fed on commercial dry diets still have heavy plaque and calculus accumulations and periodontal disease. This is because most dry pet foods are hard but brittle so that the kibble shatters without much resistance and so there is little or no abrasive effect from chewing. A small portion of dry food (no more than 25%) or so-called "tarter reducing" treats (no more than 10% of the cat's total daily caloric requirement) probably have the same slight dental benefit as an all-dry diet without the accompanying risks and adverse effects. > > "mjoann" <xtcmusicfan@netscape.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Funny, because I hear crunching noises, I see their mouths moving and > they leave crumbs on the floor. Here is the link the quote I sent is from, I forgot it in the last post. http://tinyurl.com/5b2e4 >Funny, because I hear crunching noises, I see their mouths moving and >they leave crumbs on the floor. They bite it, but they don't chew it. The way a cat's mouth and teeth are made they can't chew as you and I chew. > > "mjoann" <xtcmusicfan@netscape.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Funny, because I hear crunching noises, I see their mouths moving and > they leave crumbs on the floor. I suggest you read this article by Dr. Jean Hofve, a well-respected vet. Hopefully you'll learn something: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=doesdryfoodcl eantheteeth > > > "mjoann" <xtcmusicfan@netscape.com> wrote in message > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > I suggest you read this article by Dr. Jean Hofve, a well-respected > vet. Hopefully you'll learn something: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=doesdryfoodcl eantheteeth She seems to have flown the coop. :) > > > > "mjoann" <xtcmusicfan@netscape.com> wrote in message > > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > She seems to have flown the coop. :) LOL, why am I not surprised. Seems these "experts" always fly the coop when faced with the facts :) Lauren > > > I suggest you read this article by Dr. Jean Hofve, a well-respected > > > vet. Hopefully you'll learn something: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=doesdryfoodcl eantheteeth > > She seems to have flown the coop. :) > > LOL, why am I not surprised. Seems these "experts" always fly the coop > when faced with the facts :) That's what I was thinking too. I just hope she will give up the dry food, but I bet she won't. When you have convenience and the vet on your side, you can't lose, right? Only your cat can. I just cannot believe the difference in my cats since switching them to canned! >>She seems to have flown the coop. :) > > LOL, why am I not surprised. Seems these "experts" always fly the coop > when faced with the facts :) > > Lauren Or sometimes, people have lives and don't have time to read every message everyday and reply to every post. I've raised dozens of cats and spent tens of thousands of dollars on rescuing for thirty years. I don't need patronizing from silly people I don't know. I'm planning on reading said article, but as of now, I am not planning on throwing years of experience down the drain for some child on the internet. : Feeding a cat dry food is not about convenience or being cheap. Long : time, experienced cat owners know that it is best for the cats' teeth. : : Ever been around a dog or cat that has had a lifetime of only wet food? : They smell horrendous because they have such bad teeth... That was the line I got too, but having a brain that does work once in a while, :-) I was forced to face the following question: Do I chew nuts or do I use a brush to clean my teeth? So I got a little toothbrush for my cat and learned to brush her teeth. It works a lot better than any dry food. And it freed me to select her food based on nutritional considerations alone. By the way, nutrional considerations are difficult enough to satisy in commercial food. Good protein source, not seafood too often, low carbs, no wheat gluten, low Phosphorous, etc., and then she has to accept it! I am still looking for a canned variety that would be acceptable on all fronts. But I am glad at least I don't have to worry about the food also functioning as a toothbrush! > Feeding a cat dry food is not about convenience or being cheap. Long > time, experienced cat owners know that it is best for the cats' teeth. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > dispositions. I have had non-cat lovers comment to me about how unique > my cats are. Something must be keeping them healthy and playful. Actually, dry food doesn't do much to clean teeth unless the kibbles are sufficiently large enough to force the cat to chew. My 12 year old cat has had mostly dry food all her life. They would split a can of canned food at night and have kibble avaible 24/7. She will be getting her teeth cleaned next month because they are horrible. She may even need to have some removed. The only reason the teeth haven't been cleaned yet is because she has an infection right now and has to wait for it to clear before the vet can put her under to do her teeth. I have increased her canned food to two cans being offered each day so that she keeps her weight up. She does still eat some dry, but not as much. Personally, I feel a mix of dry and wet works the best. There are some good features to both. But I don't consider teeth cleaning to be one of them. On the other side of the issue, my dog has pretty good teeth, and she gets a wet mixture every day since she gets green beans as a filler for weight control. Her teeth are better than the cat who eats dry food. I do have one cat who only eats dry food. I have tried several different flavors, and he just won't eat it. He also won't eat tuna, chicken, etc. The only non-dry foods that he will eat are one or two bites/licks of dairy products, and the occasional piece of bacon or beef jerky. He simply won't touch the canned food, and looks insulted if I offer it to him. He is also picky about the dry food. He loves the Royal Canin Maine Coon food and will sometimes get into Kira's mature food. But he doesn't eat the other dry foods. You can pour the maine coon stuff in, and he will pick out those pieces and leave the rest. It keeps his poop firm and non-stinky, and he is doing great on it. He is also a heavy water drinker, so I am okay with him eating only dry food. The other cats don't drink very much, so I would be worried if they didn't get some canned food in their diet. >> Feeding a cat dry food is not about convenience or being cheap. Long >> time, experienced cat owners know that it is best for the cats' teeth. [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > The other cats don't drink very much, so I would be worried if they > didn't get some canned food in their diet. My cats' main diet is canned (Fancy Feast pate' since they all have real meat listed as the first ingredient) fed 12 hours apart. My vet, who treats *only* cats, told me canned was the best diet for their health - teeth should be taken care of by brushing and teeth cleaning. I do put down some Science Diet Senior Advanced Formula dry for them to snack on between meals (for a bit of a nosh in case they get peckish) - but they eat less than a quarter cup of this among the four of them.  SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ > I have a lot of experience in nutrition and I've been on a macrobiotic > diet for a long time. That's great you're on a macrobiotic diet. But, cats are obligate carnivores and were not meant to eat a carb rich dry food diet. Here's an article by a vet that actually is knowledgable about feline nutrition. I would recommend you read it. You might learn something. If you're concerned with dental health, you could try giving your cat some chicken gizzards and if you don't want to feed them raw, you can lightly braise them in some butter. Cats teeth are made for ripping and tearing and then don't chew the way people do. Go this site and then click on "The Carnivore Connection to Nutrition" by Dr. Zoran. Hopefully it can help shed some light for you on the needs of a feline. http://www.catinfo.org/ : *carbohydrate* content of dry food. Cat's bodies were never meant : for those carb levels, dry food is made without them, ^^^^^ Oops, I meant with them. : and that is why it will slowly wear their health down in the long run. : ... > Actually, I'm female...there isn't a "he". My decision to feed dry food > exclusively is backed by my vet and the other cat owners I know feed > dry food also. You guys are being lame about this. I have read a lot > about both types of food, and I've asked for advice from different > veterinary professionals. I see. Did you even bother reading the articles in the link I posted? Cats are carnivores, but yet you want your cats to subsist on cereal. That is not food fit for a carnivore. However, I can understand why you would want to feed dry food. It is VERY convenient. Just open up a bag and put some in a bowl. Couldn't be simpler. Unfortunately, it could be detrimental to your cat's health and well-being. But don't listen to me or many other people in this group who have years of experience. "Us" pertains to me and my animal family, my > dogs only eat dry food and my 8 year old lab is in excellent health. My > aunt and uncle had 3 cats who ate canned food, they all died from > urinary tract cancer. They were all indoor cats and they ate the same > science diet wet food. Science Diet you say? (not saying a word........) Shame on you, Cybercat, for being so judgemental > and offensive. I want my cat to be able to eat her portions of food > when she feels hungry. Unlike the majority of people who decide without > researching alternatives I read so much on this particular subject that > I have no desire to discuss it. If I had I might have titled the > subject differently...this is why the subject isn't "Should I switch my > kitty's diet to wet food?". Because she doesn't agree with you? Cybercat switched her cats to a more species appropriate diet and says so. I don't find that judgmental or offensive. |
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