I currently feed my cat pic related, mainly because it's what the previous owner apparently fed it and I just continued on. She likes it, but I'm wondering if maybe I could be doing better (either cheaper or more healthy or even both).
My cat is about 3 years old and is purely an indoor cat.
Science diet is crap. I don't know that much about feline nutrition, but I know the first few ingredients shouldn't be "meat biproducts", or grain.
>>2022479
I use Blue Buffalo for my cats. It's probably the cheapest nice cat food -- no by-products and you can buy it completely grain free too if you like.
The best switch you could do is from a dry to a canned food. Wellness, Weruva, Instinct, and Wild Calling are all great options. Your kitty will thank you by living a longer, healthier life. Check out catinfo.org for more info.
The best diet is what they eat in nature. Rat carcass mainly. Raw chicken supplemented with organs like liver and heart for carnitine. There are powder supplements you can sprinkle on food as well.
>>2023991
>The best diet is what they eat in nature.
this appears to be the fallacy, appeal to nature.
in nature cats live less than half as long as they do in captivity, so if you want to claim their natural behavior is beneficial you're going to need some evidence to counter the fact that it usually kills them quite quickly.
>>2022479
You're doing good but don't feed him exclusively on dry food. Give him plenty of water, and take him to the vet every 6 months and ask for a complete ckeck up. Some food fucks up a cat liver badly and they are good at hiding their pain.
Dry is always better than wet, but it's also unrealistic for a lot of people, so half dry/half wet is acceptable too.
Look for grain free brands like Wellness, Authority, Nutro, et al. My calico is doing great on grain free Nutro. She used to have kitty acne, and it has cleared up since the switch.
Grain = carbs = higher chance of developing feline diabetes
Look for actual meat as the first ingredient, NOT MEAT BYPRODUCTS. But pay attention to the carb filler they use too. Brown rice or peas is better than starchy potatoes, et al.
>>2023991
>nature
>rat carcass and chicken
>sprinkle supplements on top
Seriously...you think thats the natural diet of a wild animal lol?
>>2024004
That should say, "Wet is always better than dry."
>>2023994
>Why would you feed tigers raw meat? You stupid idiots with your appeal to nature. I only feed mine Friskies.
The appeal to nature argument doesn't matter in this context. Especially with cats, who are barely domestic in the first place. Raw diets are expensive, but greatly improve cats' and sometimes dogs health.
>>2024010
>Raw diets are expensive, but greatly improve cats' and sometimes dogs health.
yes, that's essentially what I'm saying.
can you point to ANY evidence at all that this is true?
a single study that concludes feeding cats a raw diet greatly improves health?
because I've never seen one, though I've only been asking to see one for the last 14 years or so.
Try Whole Earth Farms or Canidae Pure. Both great foods. Stay away from blue buffalo. Its overpriced and its known to give animals liver diseases.
Why avoid grains? This goes against how humans are supposed to eat...
>>2024058
>human dietary requirements
>applying to obligate carnivores
>>2024085
I realize cats =/= humans, but I still find it odd.
Thise site has a pdf for a great raw complete diet for animals.
www.rawmeatybones.com
Animals live longer in captivity because of diet? Or the everyday stresses of survival in the wild usualy take it's toll before entire lifespan is reached?
>>2024108
probably both, but that's why you can't just say, "it's natural so it's better."
it might be better or it might be deadly.
in reality diet is usually a problem because parasites and disease. Also simple malnutrition.
Just got a new kitty, what are people's thoughts on wet food and dry food? How often should I give wet? Should I mix with a bit of dry?
>>2024116
What I do is Wet with some dry: twice a day, free feed water and a little amount of dry. Still open to suggestions too. Wonder what was the diet of those 30+ year old cats.
>>2024116
Wet is always preferable due to moisture content; cats evolved as desert-dwelling animals designed to get most of their water intake via eating prey.
Dry isn't bad to feed on a supplemental basis, though, provided it isn't shit-end dry food like (sadly) OP's pic. My own cats eat 50/50 wet/dry with a tablespoon or two of extra water mixed into the canned. Taste of the Wild is grain-free dry and not hugely pricey.
I heard of a corn farmer who has a donkey that catches rodents better than any cat. He still employs his cats because they won't touch his corn. The cats won't touch his CORN. WON'T TOUCH CORN. CATS WON'T CORN.
>>2024119
Interestingly...
>Creme Puff lived with her owner, Jake Perry, in Austin, Texas. Perry also owned Granpa, who was claimed to have been born in Paris in 1964 and died 1998, aged 34 years and 2 months. [...]The co-authors of at least one [Guiness World Records] book have pondered whether the longevity of Perry's cats may have had something to do with an unusual diet of, among other things, bacon and eggs, asparagus, broccoli, and coffee with heavy cream, concluding that Perry "must be doing something right."
>>2024130
If your cat will still eat it, it certainly wouldn't hurt.
Got a Trader Joe's in your area? They sell good quality food for only like 79c/5.5oz can.
>>2024133
>tfw Canada
>>2024015
Yes but you are assuming that all deaths are caused by their diet. I'm sure a large number of domestic cats live longer than wild cats because they are less likely to be killed by other animals, natural disasters, diseases and such. So you to are being fallacious
>>2024334
>Yes but you are assuming that all deaths are caused by their diet
no, I'm assuming that a natural diet is part of the problem until proven otherwise.
Occam's razor.
if you want to say diet doesn't contribute to early death we'll need some evidence.
I already know that evidence doesn't exist. So it's NOT safe to say diet DOESN'T play any role. Yet.
Hills has veterinary nutritionists on staff and they do feeding trials and tests. They also make prescription diets for animals with health problems. That's why so many vets recommend that brand.
4Health is an excellent and affordable food, if you live near a Tractor Supply Co. I feed it to my pets and they're all healthy with good coats.
If you're wealthy you could go with Wysong or Orijen.
>>2024344
>If you're wealthy you could go with Wysong or Orijen
the irony being that wealthy people don't usually waste money on pet food.
you don't get to be wealthy by spending lots of money on things that won't pay you back.
>>2024369
Except it's not a waste, it's an investment in their long-term health. And a good diet can help prevent certain costly medical issues. I work in a pet store in a wealthy part of town, I have very wealthy people come in and spend hundreds of dollars on good food for all their pets.
>>2024498
But mate, if you work at a pet food store you must know Hills diets are garbage - even the prescription ones - right? Just read the ingredient lists.
>>2025663
Right. I was talking to the poster who referenced Wysong and Orijen
