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Cat Forum / General Topics / July 2005Questions for cat experts
I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. Please do not consider issues of convenience or expense, I can do that on my own later. 1. How many meals per day? One big meal, two moderate meals, or many small meals? What is best for their health? 2. Best feeding times? For human health, a big breakfast is encouraged and a big dinner usually discouraged. Is similar true for cats as well? 3. Dry/canned? I understand canned is considered superior overall, but some people point to dry for dental health. Being an indecisive "combination plate" type of person in my own dining, is it ok then for the meals to be mostly canned but a small dry snack per day, or a big dry meal once a weak? 4. What to look for in labels? I know to avoid "meals" "by-products" and carbs near the top of the list. What else? 5. One worry about "premium" cans: All of the so called premium (read expensive) cans I have seen appear to contain food that looks like paste. Articles even praise that lack of fiber it would minimze stool. However, that is for owners' convenience; is it really good for the cats' health? Again, for humans we would consider a paste-like diet to be terrible. You want fiber, and stool, for overall health. What is best for cats? Would it not be better for them to have pieces of meat to chew on, rather than paste to lick? 6. Considering all, which commercial brands would you short-list? I may not always be able to afford the best brands or keep to the best schedule, but at least I want to know wha they are. So, short of moving to some mouse-rich area, what's best for cats? :-) > I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to > understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > 1. How many meals per day? One big meal, two moderate meals, > or many small meals? What is best for their health? I would suggest two meals per day fed on a 12-hour schedule (unless you have an overweight cat and want to break that up into smaller meals to keep him/her from getting too hungry and overeating. > 2. Best feeding times? For human health, a big breakfast is > encouraged and a big dinner usually discouraged. Is similar true for > cats as well? Cats are crepusuclar (most active at dawn and dusk) so I would say feed them at dawn and dusk - the same amount both times - that's the schedule they would eat in "the wild". > 3. Dry/canned? I understand canned is considered superior > overall, but some people point to dry for dental health. Being an > indecisive "combination plate" type of person in my own dining, > is it ok then for the meals to be mostly canned but a small dry snack > per day, or a big dry meal once a weak? Canned if they'll eat it, but I feed mine a combination of canned twice a day and a bit of dry "free fed" whenever they want a nosh. I'm just now trying to switch them to canned at the recommendation of my vet (to help my 15-year-old get more fluids). It's taken month, but they're finally starting to eat all the canned food I offer and are easing up on the dry. Just make sure your cat is eating - don't try to "force" a food it won't eat. Cat's can *NOT* go more than a day or two without eating or they will get hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease). So if they won't eat one food, try something else right away. > 4. What to look for in labels? I know to avoid "meals" "by-products" > and carbs near the top of the list. What else? Ideally, the first three ingredients should be meat or broth before it starts listing "meat byproducts". > 5. One worry about "premium" cans: All of the so called premium (read > expensive) cans I have seen appear to contain food that looks like > paste. Articles even praise that lack of fiber it would minimze stool. Any premium food is fine, but my vets have always recommended Hill's Science Diet. > However, that is for owners' convenience; is it really good for > the cats' health? Most premium brands have all the essential nutrients needed for a cat's health. > Again, for humans we would consider a paste-like diet to be terrible. > You want fiber, and stool, for overall health. What is best for cats? > Would it not be better for them to have pieces of meat to chew on, > rather than paste to lick? > > 6. Considering all, which commercial brands would you short-list? Some people here recommend Pet Guard Rabbit or Venison (I haven't been able to find it except online), but as I said, all my vets have always recommended Science Diet. Fancy Feast has recently been bought out by Purina (I think) and the quality of their ingredients has gone way up. That's my cats' favorite and it gets my vet's approval (although she would rather see them eat SD, they don't like the SD canned - they *love* the SD dry though). Some people here recommend Wellness. My view is, again, most premium brands have done sufficient research to have formulated their ingredients to benefit you cat's health. > I may not always be able to afford the best brands or keep to the > best schedule, but at least I want to know wha they are. So, short > of moving to some mouse-rich area, what's best for cats? :-) I've found that, giving my cats premium food, they eat a *LOT* less of it than my son's cat does who gets a grocery store brand, so the costs are almost the same in the long run (and my litter box is a *lot* less stinkier. Hugs, CatNipped > Cats are crepusuclar (most active at dawn and dusk) so I would say feed them ^^^^^^^^^^ Sorry, typo - that should have been crepuscular. Hugs, CatNipped > > Cats are crepusuclar (most active at dawn and dusk) so I would say feed > them [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > CatNipped I knew what you meant lol > they don't like the SD canned Mine dont like it either. What the hell? I just bought 10 cans! Well, they'll have to eat that or starve. I'm not going to go buy Fancy Feast and throw the SD cans out. Wasted money :( > > they don't like the SD canned > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >I'm not going to go buy Fancy Feast and >throw the SD cans out. Wasted money :( Try mixing the SD with the Fancy Feast. I had the same problem with one of my cats not liking SD, and another getting the runs from a whole case of Wellness I bought. Now they get 1/2 a can of each mixed together twice a day. The cat who wouldn't touch SD will chow down on the mix, and the other one doesn't get the squirts from the mixture! eq equalizer wrote the following on 7/13/2005 8:51 PM: > and another getting the runs from a whole case of Wellness I bought. Interesting. One of my cats developed colitis on Wellness, though the other 3 did fine. Now they are all on Felidae. I was gradually able to wean the sick cat off of the vet diet (Eukanuba Low Residue), but I've found that she still needs at least 1 tablespoon of the Low-Res a day or the colitis returns. She also eats some pumpkin every day, but only organic. She won't touch the regular pumpkin. This was a problem when my local store ran out of organic pumpkin in the early spring. I ended up having to pay well over $3 a can with shipping to get enough to last me until fall. When it is available again I'm going to order 60 cans from my local store to get me through the year -- I also need some for my own use. :-) Karen R. > > they don't like the SD canned > >Mine dont like it either. What the hell? >I just bought 10 cans! > >Well, they'll have to eat that or starve. I've got a feeling they'll eat it. Either that or they'll start eating those rabbits (or whatever kind of animal you posted a pic of a while back) >I'm not going to go buy Fancy Feast and >throw the SD cans out. Wasted money :( > > they don't like the SD canned > > Mine dont like it either. What the hell? > I just bought 10 cans! > > Well, they'll have to eat that or starve. A cat would rather starve than eat a food she doesn't like. You can't go toe-to-toe with a cat over food. > I'm not going to go buy Fancy Feast and > throw the SD cans out. Wasted money :( Science Diet has a 100% money back guarantee. If your cats won't eat it, the store will refund all your money. If you decide on Fancy Feast, try the Grilled Chicken Feast in Gravy and/or Grilled Turkey Feast in Gravy, Sliced Beef, or Minced Beef. These diet contain the lowest phosphorus in the Fancy Feast line. : If you decide on Fancy Feast, try the Grilled Chicken Feast in Gravy and/or : Grilled Turkey Feast in Gravy, Sliced Beef, or Minced Beef. These diet : contain the lowest phosphorus in the Fancy Feast line. Phil, Thanks for specific recommendations. When reading labels, what are acceptable/good levels of phosphorus and other baddies? >A cat would rather starve than eat a food she doesn't like. You can't go >toe-to-toe with a cat over food. I've heard that before, and I admit to not being an expert, but I do not believe it. >>A cat would rather starve than eat a food she doesn't like. You can't go >>toe-to-toe with a cat over food. > >I've heard that before, and I admit to not being an expert, but I do >not believe it. I've seen it twice. One was a case of an abused and formerly outdoor dog who was afraid to walk on smooth surfaces such as linoleum or hardwood. She would totally freeze when placed on linoleum. So even with a bowl of food in front her, she could not eat. And she certainly wouldn't walk across the floor to get it. But she would chow if it was placed on the rug. She would have starved if we hadn't moved the food to her. The other case was Jay Jay. He must have beenb trained to stay off furniture. He wouldn't go on the counter. We put him up a couple times, but he would eat fast and jump down. Mostly he just sat there and looked up at the counter, but would not jump. I have to feed him in a different location, and I keep the water bowls on the floor. He won't drink from bowls that are up above.  Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com >> > they don't like the SD canned >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > A cat would rather starve than eat a food she doesn't like. I dont buy that. We are talking about food, not something they cannot eat. Of course they'll eat it rather than starve. They're just spoiled. > >> > they don't like the SD canned > >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > cannot eat. Of course they'll eat it rather than starve. > They're just spoiled. You have a lot to learn about cats, my friend. Cats are not small dogs. Cats will starve rather than eat a food they don't like- and if they don't eat for a long enough time, they will go on to develop a serious liver disease called Hepatic Lipidosis. At this point, most cats that develop HL must be tube fed. > > >> > they don't like the SD canned > > >> [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > disease called Hepatic Lipidosis. At this point, most cats that develop HL > must be tube fed. ----------- Is this true? I believe the part about the HL It kind of looks like you are tying your earlier cliche' type comment to another fact. Cats will starve rather than eat a food they don't like. I find this hard to believe. You have further evidence?. My common sense tells me, this is not possible. I think it would be easier for you to hold your breath until you turn blue and die. Whatcha Think >>>>>> they don't like the SD canned >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Whatcha Think It happens to be true about housecats. Knowing this is why I started force/hand feeding Conan when he skipped a day of eating ANYTHING put before him ... including warmed primer of people grade tuna. > > they don't like the SD canned > > Mine dont like it either. What the hell? > I just bought 10 cans! > > Well, they'll have to eat that or starve. Oh yeah, I am sure that will convince them! My money is on the cats :) >Some people here recommend Pet Guard Rabbit or Venison (I haven't been able >to find it except online), but as I said, all my vets have always >recommended Science Diet. Mine too, but I suspect they may be biased. Are there any independent studies on the web anywhere? >I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to > understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > 1. How many meals per day? One big meal, two moderate meals, > or many small meals? What is best for their health? There are as many opinions on this question as there are cat owners. So I can only give you my own recommendations here, but my experience is that they work very well for my cats. So, how many times a day? My cats have always got dry food in the bowl, so they can eat whenever they feel hungry. They never overeat, they know there is always food available. > 2. Best feeding times? For human health, a big breakfast is > encouraged and a big dinner usually discouraged. Is similar true for > cats as well? See my answer to #1, I often hear them in the middle of the night, waking up, walking into the kitchen to get a little bite. Because of this, they never wake me up at a quarter to too early to demand breakfast. > 3. Dry/canned? I understand canned is considered superior > overall, but some people point to dry for dental health. Being an > indecisive "combination plate" type of person in my own dining, > is it ok then for the meals to be mostly canned but a small dry snack > per day, or a big dry meal once a weak? As you understand, they get dry food as their main source of nutrition. But, as a snack, I give them (two cats) a portion of canned food once a day, or every other day. This portion is about 80 grammes or about 3 oz. which they have to share. > 4. What to look for in labels? I know to avoid "meals" "by-products" > and carbs near the top of the list. What else? The first item on the list should be something of meat or fish, the by-products often include rice, corn or other vegetables, but cats need a lot of proteine, which the get through solid meat or fish > 5. One worry about "premium" cans: All of the so called premium (read > expensive) cans I have seen appear to contain food that looks like [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Would it not be better for them to have pieces of meat to chew on, > rather than paste to lick? To your last question, yes, but cats enjoy snacks like this, and you should give it to them from time to time, as long as you see to that the main food they get is well balanced (repeating IMO dry food) > 6. Considering all, which commercial brands would you short-list? Royal Canin or Hill's are the best brands, as far as I have experienced. > I may not always be able to afford the best brands or keep to the > best schedule, but at least I want to know wha they are. So, short > of moving to some mouse-rich area, what's best for cats? :-) Price is a relative question, you can get cheap food at the supermarket, but they are going to eat much more of it, because the don't get enough of what they need through normal portions with that kind of food. So, IMO, expensive is cheaper, really! Hans (Tinùviel and Teti give their regards) : IMO dry food.. I am new, still learning, but most opinions I have seen recommend wet food. I would appreciate it if you could summarize your reasons for preferring dry. > : IMO dry food.. > > I am new, still learning, but most opinions I have seen recommend wet > food. I would appreciate it if you could summarize your reasons for > preferring dry. If you use wet food, you have to feed the cats at certain times and with limited amounts of food. If not, the food will get spoiled and dry and the cats won' eat it. With dry food, you know they have fresh food at all times, even if you are going away for a day and a half. Just be sure that they have got enough water. Another thing with dry food, is that it helps keep the cat's teeth clean. It reduces the development of tartar on their teeth, saves you a lot on cleaning the teeth at a vet. The third advantage is that when you use wet/canned food, you don't really know how much water they've put into the food. This is espescially important for cheap brands. And, most important of all, the cats love it, it tastes good (it seems), and they get chewing exercise, which makes their teeth stay fit. I saw in another thread that you asked what is a good cat treat. I use small cubes of freeze-dried pollock. Only one or two of them each time. When my female has been a good girl, taking her pill without struggling too much, we both go into the kitchen and find a treat like that. But there are many more treats to use. Just ask your local zoo shop. But remember, sweets like chocolate and so on are strictly forbidden. My cats are indoor cats, and they have been living on such a diet since they were old enough to eat by themselves, and they are both healthy, happy cats. They have never seen a vet, except for the regular shots... Hans, Tinùviel and Teti > > : IMO dry food.. > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > limited amounts of food. If not, the food will get spoiled and dry and the > cats won' eat it. With dry food, you know they have fresh food at all times, How do you figure that if the food is left out all day and probably all night? Also, cats drop saliva-moistened pieces of dry food back into the bowl when they crunch. This creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. > even if you are going away for a day and a half. Just be sure that they have > got enough water. Leave a bowl of cereal out for a day and a half then eat it. Let me know how it tastes. > Another thing with dry food, is that it helps keep the cat's teeth clean. It > reduces the development of tartar on their teeth, saves you a lot on > cleaning the teeth at a vet. This is a myth and only applies to dental diets- not regular dry food. For a dry food to provide any benefit to the teeth the nuggets must be large enough for the cat's teeth to sink all the way down to the gumline since that's where gingivitis begins. Also, the nuggets must be hard but not brittle and must not shatter when the cat bites into them. Otherwise, there's no abrasive action. Small pellet-shaped dry food is often swallowed whole and never even touch the teeth. Also, cats don't 'chew' food in the sense of mastication- their jaws are incapable of lateral and rotary motion. Their jaws operate like shears- their upper and lower carnassial teeth slide accross each other like blades of a scissors. > The third advantage is that when you use wet/canned food, you don't really > know how much water they've put into the food. This is espescially important > for cheap brands. False. The moisture content is listed on every can. In fact, cats eating canned food with a moisture content of 75-78% meet their daily requirements almost entirely from their diet and rarely need to drink. Cats fed dry food drink about 6x more water than cats fed canned food but their total water intake is *less* than cats fed dry food. There are actual clinical studies that confirm this fact. > And, most important of all, the cats love it, it tastes good (it seems), and > they get chewing exercise, which makes their teeth stay fit. Many cats like dry food because that's what they were weaned on. Food texture preferences are very strongly infulenced by early feeding experiences. Older cats like dry food because its enrobed (coated) with digest. Digest is simply digesting animal tissues. Digest also contains significant quantities of phosphoric acid, which is added to stop the enzymatic degradation process. The phosphoric acid increases the amount of acid ingested by the cat. Another fact: Dry food is less digestible than an equal quality canned food- which means the cat must eat more food to meet her energy needs. By eating more food, the cat ingests more magnesium and phosphorus. I think you'll find these articles interesting: http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Dry_Food_vs_Canned_Food.__Which_is _reall > They have never seen a vet, except for the regular shots... So you don't believe in preventative healthcare? >>Hans Schr鷣er <han-schr@online.no> wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > even if you are going away for a day and a half. Just be sure that they have > got enough water. So in other words, dry food is more convenient *for you*, because you are lazy and cheap. >>> Hans Schr?er <han-schr@online.no> wrote: >>> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > So in other words, dry food is more convenient *for you*, because you are > lazy and cheap. By the same token, that you seldom leave the house for more than a few hours and are tied down to pets suggests you have small children and/or very little responsibility outside the home. Lighten up. > >>> Hans Schr?er <han-schr@online.no> wrote: > >>> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > and are tied down to pets suggests you have small children and/or very > little responsibility outside the home. Lighten up. You got a nerve You get to leave the compound for one day Then can't nobody do nothing with you for 4 days afterwards, lol Big man of the world Been around the world baby, been around the world! You're killin me smalls [snip] > You got a nerve > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > You're killin me smalls What language was that..? I didn't understand any of it. Ivor > [snip] > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Ivor Hey! I'm not the one that's feeling here. Are you feeling? I think we need to up your dosage. >> got enough water. > > So in other words, dry food is more convenient *for you*, because you are > lazy > and cheap. Please attack iissues, not individuals. >>Hans Schr鷣er wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Please attack iissues, not individuals. You are right, but it irritates me to see someone knowingly spreading misinformation. >> Please attack iissues, not individuals. > > You are right, but it irritates me to see someone > knowingly spreading misinformation. Hmmm, misinformation is, to my knowledge, giving out information you know is wrong and misleading. I am giving out information based on my experiences and on how my cats like the way they are treated. There is no exact answer to the question asked here, some cat owners like to do things one way, other cat owners do the opposite. Who can tell what's right or wrong? I just know that the way I feed my cats, and how I treat them, works very well for both them and me. They are healthy and happy. You are all welcome to see them, and how I treat them :-) If it sounded like I was leaving my cats for several days two, three or four times a month, this is not the truth. I am in a situation that I can spend more time on my cats than most people can do. So please, let's keep this discussion objective and not personal, right? Hans > I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to > understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > best schedule, but at least I want to know wha they are. So, short > of moving to some mouse-rich area, what's best for cats? :-) Hello newbie. Two very informative, good people have answered your post, but they left out something VERY important. Please, please, please DO NOT cross post. Thank you. Signature·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) Laurie ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- ((¸¸ ·.· *~*LiveLoveLaugh*~* Aloha!!!!! "There is no remedy for love but to love more"... ~~Henry David Thoreau >>I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to >>understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > > Thank you. odd, I was going to suggest he drop a couple of the non-starters and crosspost to a.vet.medicine : Hello newbie. Two very informative, good people have answered your post, : but they left out something VERY important. Please, please, please DO NOT : cross post. I am not OP but this caught my eye. I thought cross-posting was *encouraged* because it saves bandwidth? Why else would such a feature even exist? >> I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to >> understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > > Thank you. Cross posting is OK if the subject is on topic for all newsgroups. I have seen weird cross posting such as space shuttle questions in a hockey group and someone trying to start a flame ware by cross posting to alt.atheism, alt.islam, and alt.catholic. If you only respond in one newsgroup, will the person you're talking to see your response? I normally just cross post to 2 or 3 groups. > I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to > understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. > Please do not consider issues of convenience or expense, I can do > that on my own later. 1,2,3. get up in the morning: put fresh water in the water bowl, top up dry stuff in the dry stuff bowl, chunk half a can of wet stuff into the wet stuff bowl, remove dead mice leftovers from floor. Come home in the evening, top up dry stuff, chunk the rest of the can of wet stuff into the wet stuff bowl and test for a spilled water bowl by walking around in your socks. 5. The thing with half-decent and premium canned is not that it doesn't contain fibre but that it doesn't contain ash. Something's niggling the back of my mind that the gelatin is produced by cooking bone marrow but I might be thinking of horses hooves :/ Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. pat : test for a spilled water bowl by walking around in your socks. I must be missing something, but is there a reason to investigate the water situation (besides if any is left)? > : test for a spilled water bowl by walking around in your socks. > > I must be missing something, but is there a reason to investigate > the water situation (besides if any is left)? That and to check what the cat may have dumped in there - toy mice... kitty litter...your socks...anything out of the trashcan... If the bowl is empty this is a prime time to take it and wash it. Water bowls do tend to get scummy if this isn't done regularly. Dirty food dishes can lead to acne. W >> I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to >> understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. Please [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > pat Great directions!!! MLB >> Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. This, of course, explains why cats eat so much grass. And are such connoisseurs of type and condition of the grass. Or house plants if they can't get grass. SignatureT.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu) >>> Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. > >This, of course, explains why cats eat so much grass. And are such >connoisseurs of type and condition of the grass. Or house plants if >they can't get grass. And don't forget the many cats who love vegetables. Maynard's favorites were peas and mushrooms, but he also loved corn, lima beans, carrots, snow peas (complete pod and all), lettuce, and more. He also loved cantalope. He used to drag the rinds all over the house and slash them to death. Kira's favorite is corn, but she also eats peas and carrots. I haven't tried the others with her. Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com > Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. a cat's natural diet is small rodents. before commercial food they would eat mice (or what ever the local rodent population was) rodents eat vegetable fiber. Thus it would only seem natural that if you only feed meat protein, that you would include some veggies. I haven't seen a raw diet recipe that hasn't included some veggies in it. Not to say they can eat them (veggies) exclusively, but their diet should resemble rodent as close as possible (in bone / meat / organ / veggie ratios) Im also of the school of thought that even if they are in top health that free feeding isn't a good idea. A lot of people recommend it for a variety of reasons, but it does make it very difficult if you have to go to scheduled feedings for health reasons (my eldest is diabetic and I need to monitor her intake) Wet, dry, what ever your cat prefers. Wet is a bit more like mouse, but dry is like dehydrated mouse.. just make sure they have access to fresh water. Dry MAY have some dental benefits, but Ive seen cats only ever eat dry and have bad teeth. Invest in a toothbrush and brush 'em. Keeps their breath fresh and wards off problems. I personally like Felidae. Ive looked into some other 'premium' foods and quite a few have garlic, which can be toxic to cats. They add it to make it more flavorful, but why risk it in my opinion. Ive never been a fan of Hills. (Nor Iams) A cat food company that can't make a kitten food that a kitten or a starving mother cat will eat is a cat food company I don't want any part of. Another one I like is Nutro. I buy it for the shelter for the foster kitten program, cause its the only large size kitten food I can find (besides felidae which isn't specifically made for kittens but is good for them) some of the best diets out there for cats are "raw" diets. You prepare them yourself. Freshest possible ingredients, highest quality food, but time consuming and a bit gross if you ask me. Id rather pay the companies out there to grind bone and organ meat. What I really want to know is why isn't there a mouse flavored cat food? The above opinions are mine, formed with some research and discussions with a holistic vet (who knows acupuncture and herbs and is one of the few in the country who can do what she does) > > Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. > [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > a holistic vet (who knows acupuncture and herbs and is one of the few in the > country who can do what she does) no more than there is, cow flavored human food. what flavor is fur and blood? You soo silly. Mouse flavored, you crack me up! I almost fell for that one. > protein, that you would include some veggies. I haven't seen a raw diet > recipe that hasn't included some veggies in it. Not to say they can eat http://www.catfood.catnutrition.org/CatFoodRecipe.pdf SignatureVictor M. Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com <posted to a.c. only (where most people hang out and I don't get a.p.c.> >>Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. > a cat's natural diet is small rodents. before commercial food they would > eat mice (or what ever the local rodent population was) rodents eat [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > them (veggies) exclusively, but their diet should resemble rodent as close > as possible (in bone / meat / organ / veggie ratios) or bird. or baby bunny. or squirrel. or...... good point with the "contents of stomach" thing. Shoulda said that cats require meat. > Im also of the school of thought that even if they are in top health that > free feeding isn't a good idea. A lot of people recommend it for a variety > of reasons, but it does make it very difficult if you have to go to > scheduled feedings for health reasons (my eldest is diabetic and I need to > monitor her intake) my posting was of a scheduled feeding. Trick with dry stuff is finding stuff they'll eat when hungry but not eat just when bored. > What I really want to know is why isn't there a mouse flavored cat food? Let's start a company... you do the taste testing. pat > The above opinions are mine, formed with some research and discussions with > a holistic vet (who knows acupuncture and herbs and is one of the few in the > country who can do what she does) no experience, no training, no opinion > What I really want to know is why isn't there a mouse flavored cat food? Probably because mouse is expensive compared to other meats. Signaturehttp://www.ollieclark.com/acronyms.html : > Cats are obligatory carnivores; they don't need vegetable-fiber. : any part of. Another one I like is Nutro. I buy it for the shelter for the I'm not so fond of the Nutro. The cats like it though. Forgot one question (thanks for all answers so far). I come across suggestions that cats should be given "treat" once in a while. In human terms I can understand that salad is food, banana split a treat. What is a treat for cats, as opposed to food? How often? treats for cats should be generally the same as treats for humans. A rare thing. They aren't necessary, but are a nice bonding moment between you and your kitty. or as a thank you for doing something cute. Good for clicker training as well.. which is another good bonding thing with your cat. http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/fr/clickerreview.htm I use commercial treats, bits of "table scraps" or even some extra dry food. > Forgot one question (thanks for all answers so far). I come across > suggestions that cats should be given "treat" once in a while. In human > terms I can understand that salad is food, banana split a treat. What > is a treat for cats, as opposed to food? How often? Treats I have given are a small piece of cheese or ham. chas : Forgot one question (thanks for all answers so far). I come across : suggestions that cats should be given "treat" once in a while. In human : terms I can understand that salad is food, banana split a treat. What : is a treat for cats, as opposed to food? How often? Beware of sugar in the treats from the petshop!! Mine get a treat of catnip drops every now and again a) because they love it, b) because they would eat a full bowl of the stuff, but that can't be good for them, c) because I can only shake the container and they show up immediately (this helps when I need to catch a cat!). Carola >Forgot one question (thanks for all answers so far). I come across >suggestions that cats should be given "treat" once in a while. In human >terms I can understand that salad is food, banana split a treat. What >is a treat for cats, as opposed to food? How often? I have what I believe is the best way to handle treats and you never have to worry about giving to much. My kitten is on kitten chow which is very small round pieces, I bought a bag of I think Friskies adult cat food on the picture it shows different shapes in different colors and its a much larger piece than the kitten chow. Ask your pharmacist for one of their largest pill bottles its a tall narrow bottle and you can keep them at two or three places around the house. This you can even shake as someone mentioned and they come running. I might give them one piece I might give them ten. Absolutely perfect for training because any other treat in excess is not good for the cat right now my kitten is almost six months old and he comes every single time I call her without shaking the bottle anymore and he runs and leaps into my lap. I have a few sparkly balls and set a new record tonite he fetched that ball thrown across the room seven times and got a treat about three times. This cat is smart but I can give it lots of rewards without worrying about it. When I am going to brush him I call him and put a few pieces of food on the table where he can see it and then take out the brush and let him smell it and start him off with a treat I am still brushing fast because he is still learning to accept itand about every minute or so or when he starts acting up I give him another treat and he settles down for a bit and lets me brush him. Make sure after he gets it that he doesnt get the treat every time I am starting to cut back already, I never give him any table scraps because I am unsure what is good or bad but I tell you he goes nuts for this adult food probably because its bigger and colorful and crunches in him mouth. I did break down and get him a a bottle of treats but he likes the adult food every bit as much and talk about cost the adult food is so cheap compared to the prices they charge for treats labled as treats. Brad Lifes journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting......." HOLY @#$%... WHAT A RIDE!" > I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to > understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > 1. How many meals per day? One big meal, two moderate meals, > or many small meals? Two scheduled meals 12 hours apart. This allows sufficient time to elapse for normal acidity to return and dissolve any struvite that may have formed. What is best for their health? best for cats? :-) A good quality canned food. Here's why: http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Dry_Food_vs_Canned_Food.__Which_is _reall > 1. How many meals per day? Free choice (put it out and let the cat regulate itself) is best but, it may depend on the cat. I have 2 cats that will regulate themselves very well, but I have 1 cat that will eat everything in sight as soon as he sees it and then puke it up later. Depends on your schedule too. The amount is more important whether the cat regulates himself or needs 5 pieces at a time a 100 times a day (like my cat). > 2. Best feeding times? 1 big meal is not ideal. I prefer to have you start out putting out 1/2 her/his food in the a.m. and see how well he regulates himself, then the other 1/2 in the late afternoon/early eve. > 3. Dry/canned? Dry is better for teeth, true. Canned is not superior, it depends on the kinds of proteins in the meal, not whether or not the meal has been watered down (which is what canned is). Dry makes for less smelly feces in the litter box too. I use only dry and give canned as a treat or when I need to give medications that I can crush up in the food. Dry foods have a higher calorie density (more cals/oz) although canned is more palatable (generally tastes better). > 4. What to look for in labels?/6. short list of premium brands Awesome question!! Generally cheaper pet foods have more undigestable proteins so even though the label may look comparable (calories, proteins etc.) check to see how much of the food the cat needs to satisfy their daily requirements. Hills, Iams, (the more expensive ones) Purina (reasonably priced) are all awesome foods. I stay away from any brand you don't recognize, just because if you check the label the cat probably needs a lot more of that food (because of the undigestable proteins) than the one that costs a little more. Also if you add it up...(# cups needed and price per cup) they usually come out even or really close to it. Never put your cat on a vegetarian diet unless you know the exact nutrient requirements and can fufill them daily. Vege diets while fine for people can kill a cat. Also don't put your cat on an all tuna diet, that also leads to big trouble due to the lack of necessary nutrients. > 5. One worry about "premium" cans: All of the so called premium (read > expensive) cans I have seen appear to contain food that looks like > paste. Cats are that particular about what the food looks like as long as it fits in their mouth and they can chew and swallow it. The more the food stinks (to you) the more they seem to like it. Your cat may turn out to be finicky, so you may have to try a few diets. Generally once you find a diet stick to it, because they do have the tendency to have pancreatitis (vomiting, diarrhea, won't eat) when their food is changed often. Oh and FYI, cats vomit. It happens, a lot. If your cat vomits without a hairball for a couple days in a row though, talk to your vet. Good luck >> 1. How many meals per day? > Free choice (put it out and let the cat regulate itself) is best but, it [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > > Good luck Thanks for your informative post, Carla. It is nice to see a vet posting in these groups. >>> 1. How many meals per day? >> Free choice (put it out and let the cat regulate itself) is best but, it [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > Thanks for your informative post, Carla. It is nice to see a vet posting > in these groups. Wonder how long it will be until you find cause to rip her to shreads. Couple of weeks, tops? > > > 3. Dry/canned? > Dry makes for less smelly feces in the > litter box too. I have never found this to be true. In fact, I have found that the feces from dry food are more voluninous as well as smelly. As to dry verus canned, I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as well as this post I made yesterday regarding some studies done: http://tinyurl.com/7syh7 Here is Dr. Zoran's article: http://www.catinfo.org/zorans_article.pdf I think overall a canned diet is healthier for cats. LAUREN See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe > I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. > Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as > well as this post I made yesterday regarding some studies done: > http://tinyurl.com/7syh7 Remember Zoran's work is HYPOTHESIS, there are no clinical trials or studies supporting the current carbophobic fad. >> I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. >> Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Remember Zoran's work is HYPOTHESIS, there are no clinical trials or > studies supporting the current carbophobic fad. How much of that do you think is related to the current *human* carbophobic fad? ie, carbs are 'bad' for me, they must be bad for my cat, too! b > >> I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. > >> Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > b I never listen to the current "good for you/bad for you medical advice" - for one thing they always end up changing their minds (first egss are good for you, then they're bad for you, then they're good for you again!). I think my grandmother had the best advice of all... "Eat and drink whatever you like, just do everything in moderation." She lived to be 104! Hugs, CatNipped I agree,Catnipped! My maternal grandparents lived to their 90's and they cooked with lard! >> >> I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. >> >> Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > CatNipped > >> I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. > >> Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > b Cats and humans have completely different nutritional needs. Cats are obligate carnivores. > > I have found this article by Dr. Zoran quite interesting. > > Also, you might want to read some of Phil P's posts on the issue, as [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Remember Zoran's work is HYPOTHESIS, there are no clinical trials or > studies supporting the current carbophobic fad. Tell that to the people on the Feline Diabetes list who *cured* their diabetic cats of their need for exogenous insulin by feeding their cats low-carbohydrate canned diets, and the people on the feline obesity groups whose cats lost weight on low carbohydrate canned diets. Even your company came out with a low carbohydrate diet! Took 'em long enough! LOL! > Tell that to the people on the Feline Diabetes list who *cured* their > diabetic cats of their need for exogenous insulin by feeding their cats [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Even your company came out with a low carbohydrate diet! Took 'em long > enough! LOL! Phil - I never questioned the value of a specific diet for a specific purpose. What I question is the wholesale application of ANY diet designed to treat the symptoms of any disease to normal healthy cats as a "preventative" for that same disease. Renal failure is good case in point, since renal failure diets greatly reduce the speed of the disease progression - then by that same logic all cats should be eating a renal failure diet. As for taking us a long while - you must be forgetting that the original work done by Greco was a Hill's food. > > Tell that to the people on the Feline Diabetes list who *cured* their > > diabetic cats of their need for exogenous insulin by feeding their cats [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > designed to treat the symptoms of any disease to normal healthy cats as > a "preventative" for that same disease. IOW, you're questioning feeding a normal, healthy cat a diet that's very close her *natural diet*! LOL! Renal failure is good case in > point, since renal failure diets greatly reduce the speed of the > disease progression - then by that same logic all cats should be eating > a renal failure diet. I could have sworn you also recommend low phosphorus diets. As for taking us a long while - you must be > forgetting that the original work done by Greco was a Hill's food. Yeah, she used commercial SD Feline Growth kitten food because its high-protein, low-carbohydrate- just like the cat's *natural diet*. The food was developed by Hill's *for kittens* long before there was any talk about low carb diets for diabetic cats. Hill's was still pushing high-fiber r/d and w/d prescription diets for treating diabetes. Purina beat you to the punch with DM. > > 1. How many meals per day? > Free choice (put it out and let the cat regulate itself) is best but, it may [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > 3. Dry/canned? > Dry is better for teeth, true. That's not entirely accurate. Only dry dental diets that have large nuggets that the teeth can sink into without shattering have any dental benefit. Regular dry foods- especially pellet-shaped foods are mostly swallowed whole and provide no or very little dental benefit. Canned is not superior, it depends on the > kinds of proteins in the meal, not whether or not the meal has been watered > down (which is what canned is). That's not entirely accurate, either. Canned foods are not 'watered down'. They're designed to approximate the water content of the cat's natural diet. Cats evolved to obtain nearly all their water needs from their food- a trait they inherited from their desert-dwelling ancestors. The dry matter content of canned food contains more kcals and protein than an equal quality dry food. For example, on a dry matter basis, Nutro Adult dry contains 4.23 kcal/gram whereas Nutro Adult Chicken & Lamb canned contains 4.92 kcal/gram. The canned also contains more protein; canned: 96.82 grams per 1000 kcals whereas the dry only contains 87.16 grams per 1000 kcals. Remember, all the nutrients- including 18.49 grams of protein- in the canned food are contained in only 1.21 oz of dry matter as opposed to 1/2 cup of dry food! Canned food is actually concentrated nutrition- that's why cats need to eat *less* dry matter volume of canned food than dry to derive *more* nutrition. Canned foods are also generally more digestible than an equal quality dry food. Only dry, powered ingredients can be used in dry food whereas fresh whole meats and fats are used in canned foods. Dry makes for less smelly feces in the > litter box too. That's not entirely accurate, either. Since dry food is generally less digestible than an equal-quality canned food, the feces tend to be more smelly and voluminous. The less digestible a food the greater the quantity of feces produced. I use only dry and give canned as a treat or when I need to > give medications that I can crush up in the food. Dry foods have a higher > calorie density (more cals/oz) That's also not accurate. Canned food contains more protein and fat and kcals on a dry matter basis than dry foods. That's why cats need to eat less quantity of canned food than dry. See above. although canned is more palatable (generally > tastes better). Correct. The only way pet food mfgers could get cats to eat dry food is to coat (enrobe) the kibble with animal digest- which contains a significant amount of phosphoric acid. > > 4. What to look for in labels?/6. short list of premium brands > Awesome question!! Generally cheaper pet foods have more undigestable [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Cats are that particular about what the food looks like as long as it fits > in their mouth and they can chew and swallow it. Adult cats' food preferences are very strongly influenced by early feeding experiences. Most shelters wean kittens on dry food due to economy and convenience. That's why most cats are dry food junkies. If a kitten was weaned on canned food, she will prefer canned food as an adult since canned food more closely resembles a cat's natural diet. > 1. How many meals per day? Free choice (put it out and let the cat regulate itself) is best but, it may depend on the cat. I have 2 cats that will regulate themselves very well, but I have 1 cat that will eat everything in sight as soon as he sees it and then puke it up later. Depends on your schedule too. The amount is more important whether the cat regulates himself or needs 5 pieces at a time a 100 times a day (like my cat). > 2. Best feeding times? 1 big meal is not ideal. I prefer to have you start out putting out 1/2 her/his food in the a.m. and see how well he regulates himself, then the other 1/2 in the late afternoon/early eve. > 3. Dry/canned? Dry is better for teeth, true. Canned is not superior, it depends on the kinds of proteins in the meal, not whether or not the meal has been watered down (which is what canned is). Dry makes for less smelly feces in the litter box too. I use only dry and give canned as a treat or when I need to give medications that I can crush up in the food. Dry foods have a higher calorie density (more cals/oz) although canned is more palatable (generally tastes better). > 4. What to look for in labels?/6. short list of premium brands Awesome question!! Generally cheaper pet foods have more indigestible proteins so even though the label may look comparable (calories, proteins etc.) check to see how much of the food the cat needs to satisfy their daily requirements. Hills, Iams, (the more expensive ones) Purina (reasonably priced) are all awesome foods. I stay away from any brand you don't recognize, just because if you check the label the cat probably needs a lot more of that food (because of the indigestible proteins) than the one that costs a little more. Also if you add it up...(# cups needed and price per cup) they usually come out even or really close to it. Never put your cat on a vegetarian diet unless you know the exact nutrient requirements and can fulfill them daily. Vege diets while fine for people can kill a cat. Also don't put your cat on an all tuna diet, that also leads to big trouble due to the lack of necessary nutrients. > 5. One worry about "premium" cans: All of the so called premium (read > expensive) cans I have seen appear to contain food that looks like > paste. Cats are that particular about what the food looks like as long as it fits in their mouth and they can chew and swallow it. The more the food stinks (to you) the more they seem to like it. Your cat may turn out to be finicky, so you may have to try a few diets. Generally once you find a diet stick to it, because they do have the tendency to have pancreatitis (vomiting, diarrhea, won't eat) when their food is changed often. Oh and FYI, cats vomit. It happens, a lot. If your cat vomits without a hairball for a couple days in a row though, talk to your vet. Good luck > > 1. How many meals per day? > Free choice (put it out and let the cat regulate itself) is best but, it may > depend on the cat. Can you please tell us why "free feeding" a cat is best, including any studies that show it's beneficial to cats and how an obligate carnivore would especially benefit from eating free fed kibble? >>>1. How many meals per day? >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > studies that show it's beneficial to cats and how an obligate carnivore > would especially benefit from eating free fed kibble? kibble does include animal products; it isn't really analgous to human "breakfast cereal". YMMV depending on the brand/product. As I've posted, the "kibble" part of their diet should be a brand that they'll eat when hungry but not when bored (sortof like leaving celery sticks out for the kids as opposed to chocolate chip cookies). pat > >>>1. How many meals per day? > >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > kibble does include animal products; it isn't really analgous to human > "breakfast cereal". YMMV depending on the brand/product. Cats are carnivores. Humans are omnivores. So, yes, you're right, it is not equivalent to human breakfast cereal in that the latter actually meets some of our nutrition needs, whereas the corn meal and other starchy fillers in dry food meet none of the cat's needs. > As I've posted, the "kibble" part of their diet should be a brand that > they'll eat when hungry but not when bored (sortof like leaving celery > sticks out for the kids as opposed to chocolate chip cookies). This works well for one of my cats, as she stays skinny and is allergic to many foods--but not the one brand of dry I use and the one brand of canned. However, recommending free-feeding of dry to every cat is not a good idea. First, they may learn to eat when bored; and second, canned food is just much better for them due to the water content and the nutrients. Convenience is the only reason many people feed dry food, and it may be the best reason. And not a very good one at that. (...) > Cats are carnivores. Humans are omnivores. So, yes, you're right, > it is not equivalent to human breakfast cereal in that the latter > actually meets some of our nutrition needs, whereas the corn meal > and other starchy fillers in dry food meet none of the cat's needs. Well, that's an overstatement: Carbs can be digested by cats and as such they can - and do - meet (some of / most of) the cat's needs. However, they do not do so as well as animal products, and there are some problems that may be associated with feeding carbs, though some of these are confounded with the feeding of dry diets that are necessarily high carb. (...) > Convenience is the only reason many people feed dry food, and it > may be the best reason. And not a very good one at that. Tooth care is the reason I feed (some) dry food, plus I can throw chunks of kibble across the room for my cats to chase. Every mealtime is like a holiday, as the song goes. S. > Convenience is the only reason many people feed dry food, and it > may be the best reason. And not a very good one at that. Works for me; mind you "convenience" includes: - not having to immediately feed the cat that's just come back from an unsuccessful "hunting expedition" of a few days (and of course the other cats have polished off what's in the bowl), or was sleeping/outside when I last fed them. - not feeling particularly guilty if I come home past the usual "slop in trough" time - making sure that I'm not accidentally starving them. pat dammit I can *hear* the mouse squeaking... and all the "great hunters" are like "what mouse? I don't hear a mouse" and go back to licking themselves Hi, I am a new kid on the block here...Wanted to ask a dumb question. I have 5 cats 1 kitten. How do you know if they are getting the right amount of nourishment per day? The males are always up first gobbling down, while the females stand aside until after the "vultures" are finished. Thanks! > Hi, > I am a new kid on the block here...Wanted to ask a dumb question. I have 5 > cats 1 kitten. How do you know if they are getting the right amount of > nourishment per day? The males are always up first gobbling down, while the > females stand aside until after the "vultures" are finished. > Thanks! What do you feed? If it is canned, (and it really is better for your cats, I saw a difference in the coat and eyes and behavior of mine in just two weeks when I began feeding half canned/half dry) then it might be hard because they do tend to gobble and the dominant cats will get more. Do you have the time and the dedication to feed them in separate rooms? Maybe just in two rooms, the bossy males together then the females and kitten? You could do that with the canned food then leave dry down all the time to make sure everyone gets enough. (Of course if you have any fat cats this will not work.) More detail! :) I feed them half can/half dry. I hear dry is better on teeth plus, with 6 cats and a limited budget, its safer on the pocketbook,too. I tried separating them, it didnt work. I know I try to keep the kitten well fed. My cats weight ranges run from 8 1/2 lbs to 14 lbs. >> Hi, >> I am a new kid on the block here...Wanted to ask a dumb question. I have [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > More detail! :) : I saw a difference in the coat and eyes and behavior of mine in just : two weeks when I began feeding half canned/half dry Do you give half canned half dry each time, or is it one meal dry and one meal canned? > : I saw a difference in the coat and eyes and behavior of mine in just > : two weeks when I began feeding half canned/half dry > > Do you give half canned half dry each time, or is it one meal dry and > one meal canned? My skinny cat gets free fed dry in a bowl up on a table my fat cat cannot jump up on. :) At noon she gets half a can of wet food, then at about midnight another half. (The amount is going to vary depending on your cat.) My fat cat (who got fat on "diet dry" free feeding) gets canned only. She gets one can at about noon and one at midnight. The times vary as my schedule varies--but I feed 12 hours apart. I was feeding three times a day but when I go out of town that is not a schedule my husband can keep. All that said, if you can get your cat on canned only I think you will see the best results. I give my cats once a day only 1 wet/dry then they can eat dry as needed. My little 12 wk old has gotten spoiled on the pouch food, so he wouldnt touch the canned today. Luckily its grocery day, so will get him some more. Feeding 6 cats is just like having 6 human mouths to feed! :-) >> : I saw a difference in the coat and eyes and behavior of mine in just >> : two weeks when I began feeding half canned/half dry [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > All that said, if you can get your cat on canned only I think you > will see the best results. > I give my cats once a day only 1 wet/dry then they can eat dry as needed. My > little 12 wk old has gotten spoiled on the pouch food, so he wouldnt touch > the canned today. Luckily its grocery day, so will get him some more. > Feeding 6 cats is just like having 6 human mouths to feed! :-) Wow, you have six cats!! Got any pics? We love pics! :) > >> : I saw a difference in the coat and eyes and behavior of mine in just > >> : two weeks when I began feeding half canned/half dry [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > All that said, if you can get your cat on canned only I think you > > will see the best results. I dont of the latest one,,I think I have a CD of the others. Will let my hubby send them thru sometime soon. >> I give my cats once a day only 1 wet/dry then they can eat dry as needed. > My [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> > All that said, if you can get your cat on canned only I think you >> > will see the best results. > I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to > understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > 1. How many meals per day? One big meal, two moderate meals, > or many small meals? What is best for their health? My cat seems to be doing well with a steady supply of dry cat food so she can eat whenever she gets hungry. Two or three times a week, I treat her to a small can of some sort of sliced meat cat food. Not all cats would do well under that feeding method, but mine has managed to get to age 16 on it with only a minor thyroid problem. > 2. Best feeding times? For human health, a big breakfast is > encouraged and a big dinner usually discouraged. Is similar true for > cats as well? Just leave a supply of dry cat food in a bowl and let your cat determine its own feeding time. > 3. Dry/canned? I understand canned is considered superior > overall, but some people point to dry for dental health. Being an > indecisive "combination plate" type of person in my own dining, > is it ok then for the meals to be mostly canned but a small dry snack > per day, or a big dry meal once a weak? This depends on your cat. Some cats insist on only eating dry foods, some only canned, and others will eat both. You need to get to know your cat to determine what feeding method works well. > 4. What to look for in labels? I know to avoid "meals" "by-products" > and carbs near the top of the list. What else? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > However, that is for owners' convenience; is it really good for > the cats' health? Beats me. When I first got my cat 16 years or so ago when it was a tiny kitten, I experimented with small amounts of dry and cat food from various brands. For my cat, she will eat everything and anything, but she obviously prefers some brands of cat food over others. I can tell by how fast her bowl of cat food is emptied and how fast she arrives at her cat food bowl when I put out fresh food for her. > Again, for humans we would consider a paste-like diet to be terrible. > You want fiber, and stool, for overall health. What is best for cats? > Would it not be better for them to have pieces of meat to chew on, > rather than paste to lick? > > 6. Considering all, which commercial brands would you short-list? Honestly, for me, its whatever is on sale. My cat has a strong preference for Whiskas (either wet or dry) so I buy Whiskas if there are no sales, but she eats whatever I give her. If I have a coupon for some other brand of cat food, that's what I buy. So far, I have never heard a complaint or found an empty bowl of cat food, although my cat does seem to ignore canned salmon cat food, but its one of the few things she won't eat. Hell, if I would let her, my cat would eat my food and I have even seen her lap up beer. Rarely does my cat get table food (or drink) and she's good about staying off the table when I eat. The only food my cats will not eat is the cheap brand. I will have to moisten it with water or else they try to cover it up. >> I have a few questions about feeding cats. I am only trying to >> understand what would be optimal for their health and well-being. [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > even seen her lap up beer. Rarely does my cat get table food (or drink) > and she's good about staying off the table when I eat. |
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