When I had cats growing up in the 70s and 80s, we fed them what was available, which was cheap-o Purina dry food. But they were farm cats and they supplemented that with plenty of mice and birds and lizards and crickets. They also got plenty of exercise and were always trim and healthy. Fudge lived to be 21, Khin-lin was 18, Marblehead was 20, and Vronsky was 15.

But if you have indoor cats, you have to feed them high-quality food. A raw diet is very much preferred for healthy, happy, and appropriate-weight cats, but not everyone is inclined to do that. So get the best food you can and give them plenty of opportunities for exercise (climbing towers and feather toys and that awesome ball-racetrack that BleekerSt Girl has for her munchkin).