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The only way to avoid chemicals is to make it yourself and some raw brands.
When feeding commercial foods, feed wet foods only. Read the labels and learn what ingredients are. Avoid ingredients such as corn, wheat, rice, gluten, xanthan gum, carrageenan, agar-agar, menadione sodium bisulfate, nitrates and nitrites. Peas aren't great either.
Think of it this way. Cats are strict obligate carnivores. Not only do they need a high moisture diet (canned only) they need meat and the products of meat. They don't have the enzymes to digest grains or fruits and vegetables.
So the label, ideally, should have identified meat proteins, and the added vitamins and minerals. Feed a variety of brands and proteins to prevent boredom, to prevent addiction, and for safety.
By safety I mean..if one food should be recalled for any reason, this won't be the only food your cat is eating, so there is less likely to be a problem with your cat. And if the food is discontinued (happens sometimes) or the formula is changed (happens even more often) you won't be desperately looking for something else your cat will eat.
I look for cat foods that have meat in the first 5 ingredients, though as long as it's not the super cheap, corn filled kibble from the box store you'll likely be alright.
I was feeding the "pure balance" brand from wal-mart for awhile and the cat seemed to really enjoy it even though it's definitely not top of the line as far as dry foods go. If you want top of the line here's a good review site...
They don't need to have wet food and people have the misconception that anything "natural" is good and "artificial" is bad however there are plenty of natural things in nature that can kill you. Most "artificial" ingredients amount to synthetic antioxidants that prevent spoilage.. and it's much better to consume trace amounts of them than to consume oxidized fats or denatured proteins.
Taste of the Wild seems to be one of the better ones on most review sites.
I look for cat foods that have meat in the first 5 ingredients, though as long as it's not the super cheap, corn filled kibble from the box store you'll likely be alright.
I was feeding the "pure balance" brand from wal-mart for awhile and the cat seemed to really enjoy it even though it's definitely not top of the line as far as dry foods go. If you want top of the line here's a good review site...
They don't need to have wet food and people have the misconception that anything "natural" is good and "artificial" is bad however there are plenty of natural things in nature that can kill you. Most "artificial" ingredients amount to synthetic antioxidants that prevent spoilage.. and it's much better to consume trace amounts of them than to consume oxidized fats or denatured proteins.
Taste of the Wild seems to be one of the better ones on most review sites.
Cats do, indeed, "need to have wet food". Cats are strict obligate carnivores, designed to get their moisture from their diet. In addition they come with a low thirst drive. A dry fed cat lives in chronic dehydration. A cat cannot drink enough water to make up for a dry diet.
People who use the argument that "my cat drinks plenty of water he is always at the water bowl" are only describing a dehydrated cat desperate to increase his moisture intake. They do not understand that a cat who drinks a lot is not a healthy cat.
It is not normal for a cat to "drink a lot". It means the cat is dehydrated.
Go to a local pet food store and ask for canned and dry Grain-Free cat food.
You will spend a bit more, but what you will find is the cat eats less, is satisfied sooner, poops are less frequently and less stinkier. Most importantly you will have a more satisfied pet, plus lower health risks than feeding the usual kitty-crack (Fancy feast, Friskies) which are brands to avoid.
Wellness, Weruva, Tikicat are my go-to's.
Even Target has a brand called Crave which isn't terribly expensive, and is grain free.
Wet food only. Cats should not have a dry diet. As for Fancy Feast, the classic line of pates (other than seafood) are a reasonably well balanced budget option. There are better foods, but that's up to your budget.
Wet food only. Cats should not have a dry diet. As for Fancy Feast, the classic line of pates (other than seafood) are a reasonably well balanced budget option. There are better foods, but that's up to your budget.
What are the better foods that you would suggest ?
What are the better foods that you would suggest ?
I don't really suggest any, but I know my cat likes Instinct and they have proteins that are less common, like venison and duck. Variety of proteins is very good for cats. When I adopted her, the shelter was pushing hard for Merrick and something else I can't remember and I got one look at the price way back then and realized I had to find something else.
Petsmart Authority canned for cats. They come in flaked, pates or shredded texture. My cats love the shredded ones. They also come in different flavors from chicken to catfish. In my area, they are sold for $0.89 per 6 oz can. I think that is pretty good deal especially if you have more than 1 cat to feed.
I also add 1 teaspoon of grain free cat kibble per day. I think the brand was Instinct, I cannot remember. The kibble is mixed in with the wet food plus little bit of water. Everything is gobbled up. If your cat picks at his food, I don't recommend wetting the kibble and just don't give it to him.
They get 3 teaspoons of Freshpet cat food. It is refrigerated cooked cat food available at Wal-Mart for $4.67 or so. My cats get this as their last small meal of the day.
My cats also get raw organ and meats as treats.
If you have the budget, Wellness Core canned is great. I also liked Merrick.
I did not like Natural Balance or Friskies. My cats won't touch them and my foster kittens get diarrhea from them. Fancy Feast is good, I used to feed my cats that all the time. I switched because they are getting bored with their formula.
Dry kibble is cat crack, they need wet food.
I admit if I had to leave my cat overnight I would put some kibble down so she had something to eat but never as their only diet.
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