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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2007The best nutrition/cost value in *canned* cat foods?
Most of you probably have an opinion on this issue and I'd be grateful if you'd kindly share it: What is the best nutrition/cost value in *canned* cat foods? (The diner can decide the issue herself) This is for a ~one year old female. She can decide the taste and texture issues herself; we only have to figure out the nutrition/cost ratio. I have read a lot about cat nutrition: more fat & protein, less carb, no wheat gluten, minimum mercury, not too much Ph, not too much beef, not too much seafood, etc. But I am finding it difficult to translate all this into brand decisions. Everything else being equal, I'd prefer 5.5 oz cans. But if a 3oz only company (eg, Fancy Feast) makes most sense, then so be it. With 7 cats and a fixed income, fancy feast is not my preferred choice. But, to each his own. > Most of you probably have an opinion on this issue and I'd be grateful > if you'd kindly share it: [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Everything else being equal, I'd prefer 5.5 oz cans. But if a 3oz only > company (eg, Fancy Feast) makes most sense, then so be it. : With 7 cats and a fixed income, fancy feast is not my preferred choice. But, : to each his own. So, what is your recommendation for the best value? That's what I came here for. I am not a FF fan. That was just a rhetorical statement meaning I know it is outrageous but I will do anything you folks tell me I have to. I didnt mean to sound abrupt or disinterested. I feed my cats Friskies or Nine Lives. They only get one can total a day mixed in with a cup or so of dry food. Then I divvy it among the 7. They eat dry food throughout the day. > : With 7 cats and a fixed income, fancy feast is not my preferred choice. > But, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I am not a FF fan. That was just a rhetorical statement meaning I know > it is outrageous but I will do anything you folks tell me I have to. : I didnt mean to sound abrupt or disinterested. You didn't. I am just eager to learn to learn what I can ASAP, that's all. : I feed my cats Friskies or Nine Lives. They only get one can total a day : mixed in with a cup or so of dry food. Then I divvy it among the 7. They eat : dry food throughout the day. OK, so you mix one 1 cup dry food into 1 can of Friskies, divide it up among 7 cats? I would assume that the portion is more like an appetizer for them. Nice one too. Then they eat dry as much as they want. Friskies is one brand I am interested in because their prices seem very reasonable (<35 c). However, they too have so many varieties. Is one better nutrition than others? I gave a Prime Filets to my cat and she liked it. Actually so far she is not fussy, hope she remains that way. > : I didnt mean to sound abrupt or disinterested. > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > others? I gave a Prime Filets to my cat and she liked it. Actually so > far she is not fussy, hope she remains that way. From reading the ingredients on the sides of the cans of cat food I buy, I would say that they are all the same.....I would be willing to bet that they all come from the same plant, but just have different labels on the cans. I buy whatever Winco has on sale......Hopefully it's less than 30 cents a 6 oz. can......... My cats prefer the filets or something with gravy. The "solid" one they arent too crazy about. >> : I didnt mean to sound abrupt or disinterested. >> [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > cans. I buy whatever Winco has on sale......Hopefully it's less than 30 > cents a 6 oz. can......... > I have read a lot about cat nutrition: more fat & protein, less carb, > no wheat gluten, minimum mercury, not too much Ph, not too much beef, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Everything else being equal, I'd prefer 5.5 oz cans. But if a 3oz only > company (eg, Fancy Feast) makes most sense, then so be it. You're going to find several opinions on this group. I fed the canned, grain-free varieties of Wellness and felt the quality for the money was excellent. The price can vary so *call around* and ask. Some stores give discounts by the case, others have a punch card for % off a future sale, but you won't know unless you ask. You can find a store locator on their site: http://www.omhpet.com Their food is made with human-grade ingredients, but make sure to buy the *grain free* varieties (it says so on the label). There are lots of other high-quality foods out there; this is only one example. My general opinion is that price should not be a large factor. You might spend a little more on food but less on vet bills in the long run. The most important thing is to feed a high-quality NOT dry diet. Rene > > I have read a lot about cat nutrition: more fat & protein, less carb, > > no wheat gluten, minimum mercury, not too much Ph, not too much beef, [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Rene chicken drumsticks or thighs chopped up with a sharp knife; occasional chicken hearts. : chicken drumsticks or thighs chopped up with a sharp knife; occasional : chicken hearts. Yes I have thought about it, but feel afraid this won't be a complete meal. I wish there was an inexpensive gravy to convert simple meat into complete cat food but I am not ware of any. > In article <1192630402.669279.133...@k35g2000prh.googlegroups.com>, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > meal. I wish there was an inexpensive gravy to convert simple meat into > complete cat food but I am not ware of any. There is some great (and detailed) information here on making your own raw food: http://www.catinfo.org/makingcatfood.htm > > In article <1192630402.669279.133...@k35g2000prh.googlegroups.com>, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > There is some great (and detailed) information here on making your own > raw food:http://www.catinfo.org/makingcatfood.htm The reason Ive been feeding Beebe a raw diet is because he really doesnt like canned cat food. I always have to throw part of it out every morning. Of course, he loves and adores dry cat food. It must taste like a big Mac and french fries to him but it is really not good for his peepee. He loves chicken, chicken hearts and beef if its cut into tiny cubes. Trader Joes has frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs which are the easiest thing in the world to cut up. When I buy the drumsticks i hack off a bit of the knuckle ending and include it much to his satisfaction. A farmers market sells chicken hearts for $1 a pound. He used to be a feral cat but now he is sleek and shiny and seems to be thriving on a raw diet. I dont know if it would work for all cats.. > The reason Ive been feeding Beebe a raw diet is because he really > doesnt like canned cat food. I always have to throw part of it out > every morning. Of course, he loves and adores dry cat food. It must > taste like a big Mac and french fries to him but it is really not good > for his peepee. lol : The reason Ive been feeding Beebe a raw diet is because he really : doesnt like canned cat food. I always have to throw part of it out [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] : and seems to be thriving on a raw diet. I dont know if it would work : for all cats.. I would be most concerned. I don't know cat food brands, but I have reasonable scientific grounding. In nature they eat most of the prey, and of course various preys. Which is different from just one part like leg muscle of one animal. Is he getting all his nutrients? Taurine etc? You don't want to find out when it is too late. If I ate nothing but drumsticks I might also get malnourished. I would certainly consider a few supplements. Just by googling a little, I found this article on preparing raw based cat food at home. She does mention supplements: <http://www.catinfo.org/index.htm#Home-Prepared_Diets> >> > In article <1192630402.669279.133...@k35g2000prh.googlegroups.com>, >> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > and seems to be thriving on a raw diet. I dont know if it would work > for all cats.. My feral cat loves roasted chicken, and in truth, if we shop the sales, we can get it cheaper than most of the canned food we buy. It may not be the best thing nutritionally, but fortunately, he is getting used to canned and dry food now, and he cleans up the other cat's bowls at night, so we never have to throw any cat food away. We do have one cat that eats dry food exclusively, but I think that he will eventually come around and learn to eat other food too........He spent his first year in a Burger King parking lot, and so he hates human food.(I guess he had to eat a lot of French fries and onion rings during that first year) > Most of you probably have an opinion on this issue and I'd be grateful > if you'd kindly share it: [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Everything else being equal, I'd prefer 5.5 oz cans. But if a 3oz only > company (eg, Fancy Feast) makes most sense, then so be it. In the case of my cats, no matter what brand I buy, the cats are going to get tired of it pretty soon. So, I "mix it up", and buy different brands in different stores every week or two, just so the cats will stay interested.....I probably don't get the best nutrition/cost ratio by doing this, but my cats aren't starving, and they do like to eat...... : In the case of my cats, no matter what brand I buy, the cats are going to : get tired of it pretty soon. So, I "mix it up", and buy different brands in : different stores every week or two, just so the cats will stay : interested.....I probably don't get the best nutrition/cost ratio by doing : this, but my cats aren't starving, and they do like to eat...... This approach would work great, I can even imagine buying whatever is on sale. :-) However, I have heard this leads to "personality issues" or throwing. I wonder if anyone else has experience with this approach, just "mixing up" the food. Do you feed the same kind for 1-2 weeks however? Thanks. > : In the case of my cats, no matter what brand I buy, the cats are going > to [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thanks. No. I go for the sales.....Trying to beat the 30 cents a can barrier. I do feed them a variety of dry food and roasted chicken too.....Sometimes the roasted chicken is cheaper than the canned food, if I can get it for under a dollar a pound.......I have four cats, and they tend to clean up whatever the others leave. They are gradually learning to eat what the others like to eat, even though they all came from different backgrounds..... > Most of you probably have an opinion on this issue and I'd be grateful > if you'd kindly share it: [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Everything else being equal, I'd prefer 5.5 oz cans. But if a 3oz only > company (eg, Fancy Feast) makes most sense, then so be it. My five get canned Fancy Feast "pate" varieties for their two meals a day and can free feed on Science Diet Advanced Formula (Mature Adult for the adult cats and Kitten Formula for the kittens) dry left out all the time (but the bowls are washed and they're given fresh once a day) in case they get the munchies. One thing to remember about giving them a quality food is that they'll eat *less* of it because it meets their nutritional needs better (this also translates into less deposited in the litter boxes - and added benefit for the cat's slave). My neighbor, who feeds her cat "Meow Mix" uses three times the amount I use - so the end costs are about the same. Hugs, CatNipped : My five get canned Fancy Feast "pate" varieties for their two meals a day : and can free feed on Science Diet Advanced Formula (Mature Adult for the : adult cats and Kitten Formula for the kittens) dry left out all the time... Is FF based on their taste preference or you chose it for nutrition? Did you compare it with Iams, Nutro, Pro Plan, Science Diet canned, etc., and also cheaper brands like Friskies and Whiskas? As I wrote earlier, I would feed them FF if it is the best, but if all else was equal I would prefer something that came in 5-6 oz cans. > : My five get canned Fancy Feast "pate" varieties for their two meals a > day [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > As I wrote earlier, I would feed them FF if it is the best, but if all > else was equal I would prefer something that came in 5-6 oz cans. Both! Here are the nutritional values of FF if you want to take a look... http://www.possibleplaces.com/fancy_feast_values/ Hugs, CatNipped Thanks for all the thoughts on what are best nutrition/cost values in *canned* cat foods. I have one tentative candidate: Whole Foods house brand ("365"). I saw three flavors. A 5.5 oz can was 49 c. The label (ingredient list) seemed pretty good. By comparison, at the next door Petsmart, Friskies was 31c but the label is less good. Better brands begin around 1.00; Pro Plan is 1.29. Many brands offer 3 oz cans starting around 50c or more. This is impression, not careful analysis. In particular, labels don't show many things particularly Ph levels. Also real protein/fat calories instead of mere bulk. That "guaranteed analysis" leaves me more confused than informed. :) As I said, it's tentative.
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