Wet food for kitties

[Veronica]

After doing some research we switched our kitty food on Saturday. Our kitties have never eaten as much food as the manufacturer says they should. That's part of why I couldn't understand why Tucker would be so fat at such a young age.

Sometimes they seem enthusiastic about the new food. Other times I get the "look".

It could be coincidence, but Tucker seems to already have more energy. He hasn't been into playing with "bug on stick"

in months, but yesterday and this morning, he was all over it. But he is a cat and it could just be a mood.

We're considering making their food. The canned food is about 4 times as expensive at $4.50 a day if they eat the recommended amount as their dry food. Still that is less than what Thom spends on his lunch. We're a little put off though by having to grind the bones into the food though. Grinding bones... just sounds monstrous.

Veronica

[Becky]

Great pic!

Both of my cats are on a mostly-wet diet. Auric gets Prescription Diet CD, which costs a small fortune, but keeps me from having to mop up cat pee due to his chronic UT issues. Flaser gets Nutro Naturals, which I'm not convinced is the best food, but is a reasonably affordable premium brand. I don't know if either of them have lost weight (and they both need to!) since the dry --> wet switch, but they do seem happier.

I'm intrigued by the idea of making my own, but I have no idea where to start, or how much it would cost compared to canned. As an aside, I wish that I could find bigger cans of wet cat food. It seems so wasteful to use those little "hockey puck" cans.

[Biciclista]

chicken bones are just not that hard. Especially if you have the right kind of grinder. I figure I've made money by now on my grinder, it's a Maverick, cost $99.00.
I buy chicken backs and necks, chicken livers, chicken hearts, even chicken gizzards. I make sure that there is at least a pound of liver and heart in each 5 pounds of mix. Sometimes whole chickens are on sale so I take MY favorite parts for us people (thighs and drumsticks) and depending on the day, sometimes the entire rest of the chicken goes to the cats. Yes, they eat chicken breast, at 99 cents a pound. Compare that to commercial catfood!

If you don't like messing with meat, it's not going to work. I don't mind and my cats sure love it.

ps great kitty picture and it's good that you've figured out BEFORE your cat gets obese that dry diet
isn't going to work for him in the long term.

[wackyjacky1]

This link has great info on feeding your cats: http://catinfo.org/

I switched my male cat to canned food (PetGuard) about a year ago. He had UT problems, as well, and the vet had prescribed C/D for him. Since I made the switch, he's had zero problems. I've been amazed by the changes I've seen in him -- more energy, no dandruff, slightly less cranky (he's a feral cat with a mean disposition ). The little one, Erin, has been on PetGuard ever since she started eating solid food.

Yes, it's more expensive (PetGuard is about $2.39 for a 14 oz. can) and you lose the convenience of dry food, but it's worth it to see happy, healthy cats.

I've thought about grinding my own, but they seem to be thriving on their current diet, so I think I'll stick with it for now.

eta: Didn't see Mimi's post. I love the idea of buying a chicken, eating the parts you want, and grinding the rest for the kitties. I may have to give the idea more serious consideration.

[Veronica]

That's good to know Mimi. We don't mind messing with the meat. Some recipes have talked about partially cooking it. Cans are convenient, but expensive. Our pet store does carry the larger cans, so at least that's a plus.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

This link has great info on feeding your cats: http://catinfo.org/

I've thought about grinding my own, but they seem to be thriving on their current diet, so I think I'll stick with it for now.

eta: Didn't see Mimi's post. I love the idea of buying a chicken, eating the parts you want, and grinding the rest for the kitties. I may have to give the idea more serious consideration.

that's a great website you sent us to, thanks!

[GLC1968]

That's an awesome pic!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I don't think Nature intended cats to eat dry pellet food. When that's all they get, I suspect it starts causing urinary/kidney problems because they are not getting enough water in their diet.

[ccnyc]

Lots of easy raw recipes for cats @ http://holisticat.com/well-fed/

[Veronica]

That's an awesome pic!

Thanks! It's from about 6 months ago. He's put on weight since then, maybe a pound. He's definitely got a belly and his back is getting pudgy now.

The vet suggested a month on weight reduction dry and if that didn't work, going to wet food. He's been two weeks on weight reduction and his weight hadn't really changed. What really convinced me is that he is NOT a big eater. He should not be fat on what he eats.

Veronica

[jesvetmed]

Veronica: I like to use a mixture of dry and canned (for the cost). That way I can spend a little less, and still get high quality diet. I just add water to the mixture, and they drink it up. They'd never drink that much water by itself. Throw in some canned food and they are THRILLED.

With Urinary Crystals, the more water the better. That is a HUGE benefit. The more water flowing through the system, the less likely crystals will form and make chunks.

One piece of advice -- if your kitty had crystals before in his urine, always get routine checks on the PH of the urine -- have your vet test his urine in about 1-2 months after the new diet. If the PH is too high or low, crystals can form, and can block his urethra. Then you and he are in big trouble.

BTW: Your kitty looks EXACTLY like mine! Especially in the body markings.

[Veronica]

Tucker hasn't had any health issues yet. He's only 18 moths old. When he went in for his yearly check up, the vet expressed some concern about his weight. We knew he had been porking out and had been monitoring how much he ate for a month or so before appointment.

I just want to keep him healthy. Sometimes I wonder if boy kitties just have more issues. Tilda was a very healthy kitty right up until the week she died. She was 18 years old and ate Fancy Feast and whipped cream.

Bozo was only 13 and his last six weeks were traumatic for everyone. He had kidney and liver problems. He was getting subcutaneous fluid from us and all sorts of medicines. Getting his blood checked every week. Poor guy. I want to do whatever I can to keep that from happening to Tucker.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

no, although boy kitties have more urinary problems, they do not have more problems with diet and obesity. We lost Grizz, a wonderful female cat from complications from a dry cat food diet. If i knew then what i knew now, she might have lived a lot longer. She /we struggled with her weight all of her life and then her kidneys gave out.

[tantrumbean]

Mine is on dry Iams and has been for most of his life (although he has had some other premium brands at various points), he is absolutely fine on it, but I keep an eye on him to make sure he drinks enough. Never had any problems and his teeth (even according to the vet) are a lot better than they would be if he was on wet food - he is 8 now, well, he will be on Wednesday . Fortunately he actually prefers dry and it is a lot more pleasant in warm weather...


Here is Eric guarding my good old mountain bike aka the commuter :

[short cut sally]

My cat is too fussy. He is a dry cat food only, he gets urinary blend from the vet. I've tried giving him canned food, of all brands, flavors, but not to his likeing. He tries to bury them like the contents in his litter pan. It's really kinda funny, he tries taking the throw rug, papers on the floor, or anything and pushing it over the food dish. He was originally a stray kitty, wouldn't think he would have such high tastes and standards, but apparently he does.
By the way V, beautiful cat....mines a tux kitty too.