dry cat food question

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Angie - 22 Mar 2006 01:26 GMT

I have one cat who insists on eating 75% dry food a day. She also has a
problem being constipated and I am convinced it is the rice in the dry food.

Her favorites are Petsmart brand and also Fancy Feast dry (her fave).

Anyone know any specific brands off the top of your head where rice is not
not of the main ingredients? Every other day I have to give the poor thing
Laxatone so she doesn't have to strain. :(

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Ajanta - 22 Mar 2006 06:03 GMT

: I have one cat who insists on eating 75% dry food a day. She also has a
: problem being constipated and I am convinced it is the rice in the dry food.
: ...

Not exactly your problem but similar situation. The cat I feed used to
be fed dry by another family. When I started feeding her, I weaned her
to canned slowly. During our long absence overseas, the apartment
sitter had to leave dry food out most days, so she is back to wanting
dry and I am trying to wean her back.

The strategy I am following is to offer canned first (when she is most
hungry). If she eats much less than optimum meal, then I offer dry
later. Slowly, over 1-2 months, I plan to change the ratio gradually.

Canned is much better for her health. Rather than look for better dry,
your goal should be to switch her to canned slowly, eventaully using
dry only as treat.

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Anna - 22 Mar 2006 19:20 GMT

>I have one cat who insists on eating 75% dry food a day. She also has a
>problem being constipated and I am convinced it is the rice in the dry food.
>Her favorites are Petsmart brand and also Fancy Feast dry (her fave).
>Anyone know any specific brands off the top of your head where rice is not
>not of the main ingredients? Every other day I have to give the poor thing
>Laxatone so she doesn't have to strain. :(

There is no way to know if it is rice in the diet or not that is causing the
problem. After consulting my vet first, then I would try a different food,
maybe the Petsmart and Fancy Feast ones don't have enough fibre in them for
her. As for canned food, the advantage to it is that the cat ingests more
water by eating it; if a cat isn't a good water drinker, then canned is the
way to go. It has never been proven to be "healthier" than dry. I feed both
dry and canned for variety.

Anna

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~*Connie*~ - 22 Mar 2006 23:48 GMT

> >I have one cat who insists on eating 75% dry food a day. She also has a
>>problem being constipated and I am convinced it is the rice in the dry
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Anna

actually, dry food has WAY too many carbs. Carbohydrates are pretty
unnecessary in a cat's diet. Having a diabetic cat, I have looked into
this, and have found lots of research, including the AVMA (avma.org) that
say a high protein low carb diet is the way to go for cats.

The ONLY benefit to feeding dry is to the pet food companies due to the
higher margins (aka make more money) due to corn and soy and wheat being a
cheaper food source than meat, and to us humans who find it easier to feed.
There are no dental benefits at all!!! Big huge urban legend

Once I got my diabetic cat (who has been so for 7 years with high numbers
all along) on a low carb canned food her BG numbers improved dramatically,
and her need for insulin went from 14 units a day to 1.

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Gary Stone - 23 Mar 2006 18:29 GMT

>> >I have one cat who insists on eating 75% dry food a day. She also has a
>>>problem being constipated and I am convinced it is the rice in the dry
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
> all along) on a low carb canned food her BG numbers improved dramatically,
> and her need for insulin went from 14 units a day to 1.

Interesting, My vet told me to feed my one cat dry food only ( I feed them
Flint River Ranch and Meow Mix Hairball formula ). She had been throwing up
the wet food. She will keep down baked chicken (people food) and turkey and
the vet said that is fine. I have to wonder what it is about the wet, brand
name cat food that is making her vomit. Other than the sensitivity to it she
is in fine health they tell me.

Stone
Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

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LDR - 23 Mar 2006 22:12 GMT

>The ONLY benefit to feeding dry is to the pet food companies due to the
>higher margins (aka make more money) due to corn and soy and wheat being a
>cheaper food source than meat, and to us humans who find it easier to feed.
>There are no dental benefits at all!!! Big huge urban legend

There's carbs in canned food too. If the pet food companies wanted to make
more money they'd tell people to feed canned, it's more expensive to buy.
The reason there is more starch in the dry is because you couldn't form it
into a kibble without it.

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Angie - 01 Apr 2006 03:35 GMT

Thank you to those who commented on my inquiry about the best "dry" food for
cats. I went out today and bought a couple bags of Wellness and even my
cats who never liked food, love this. I am so impressed with the great
ingredients in it. I could not find Natural Balance in my neck of the
woods. I'll look for it next time I go so the next big town by me.
Wellness has my thumbs up, and my cats love it too. :)

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