Food supplements?

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Popess Pantiara Evokovitch - 20 Jun 2006 18:22 GMT

I already have a cat here at my moms house, but I'm planning on getting
a cat when I move into my new apartment in a few months. I'm a college
student so I don't have much of a budget, but enough for food and
supplies and vet care for my new cat. I want to get the best cat food
for my budget, but it looks like vitality formula purina cat chow is
the best I can afford because it's the cheapest I can find with real
meat as the first ingredient and not by-products. I'm sure canned food
is better for them than dry food too since it doesn't have a lot of
carbs and ash content. I've been reading lots of cat books and many of
them reccomend egg yolk once or twice a week because it has so many
good vitamins that cats need like vitamin A, B1, B2, E, and high
quality protein, and has no bad effects if you feed them too much. I'm
really going towards yolk as a low cost supplement because there are
many other supplements like liver and high potency vitamins for people
that could destroy other essential vitamins if they get too much of it.
Does a mix of dry food, wet food, and egg yolk sound like a good diet
or are there other things I'm missing that cats vitally need for a
balanced diet?

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kraut - 20 Jun 2006 18:52 GMT

>I already have a cat here at my moms house, but I'm planning on getting
>a cat when I move into my new apartment in a few months. I'm a college
>student so I don't have much of a budget, but enough for food and
>supplies and vet care for my new cat. I want to get the best cat food
>for my budget, but it looks like vitality formula purina cat chow is
>the best I can afford because it's the cheapest

A bit of contradiction here.

First you say you can afford food, supplies and care then you talking
about being able to afford the cheapestest cat food.

You sure you can afford the cat? What if a major illness came along?
Could you afford a big vet bill which can add up quickly.

Maybe you should rethink whether you can really afford a pet of any
kind.

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Kiran - 20 Jun 2006 19:30 GMT

: I already have a cat here at my moms house, but I'm planning on getting
: a cat when I move into my new apartment in a few months. I'm a college
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
: or are there other things I'm missing that cats vitally need for a
: balanced diet?

It is good that you are researching all this in advance. My suggestion
would be to feed canned for at least 1/2 and if possible 3/4 times.
(Assuming 2 daily feedings, a week has 14 meals; I'd make 7-10 of those
canned.) You are already looking at mealt quality, pay attention to
Phosphorous levels (there are links in another thread); also seafood
should not be more than 1-2 meals per week.

It is good to feed some dry so they will eat it when they have to (eg,
when you cannot be there at feeding times and you or someone else must
leave food out for a few hours.)

However, don't fall for "dry is better for teeth" line. Unless you have
discovered that your own teeth are cleaner after chewing pretzels than
after brushing! Frankly, a little direct cleaning with a brush or even
a piece of cloth wrapped around something (including your finger if you
are careful) will clean their teeth a lot better than a whole year of
dry food.

One or two egg yolks a week can do no harm. You can add them to the
food, or serve seprately as treats. Similarly you can give bits of
human quality meat as a treat (obviousy, just pure meat, not sausages
with herbs or spices). Better than "candies" marketed as treats.

There are also supplements sold. (As with people's supplements, the
bottle seems to cost a lot but then lasts for several months.) Of
course, while people take pills, cats would be better served with
powder or gravy that you mix with the food. A friend swears by
Platinum. The site about.com has other suggestions. Maybe others here
can offer their thoughts and experience.

I mention this because you brought up supplements. I am not sure any
are really necessary if you feed good quality canned food. Some people
like them. Your call.

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