Cat food

Dtp1979

I’ve just inherited a cat. Roughly 5-7 months old. I’d like to feed her well and not with the trash you buy in supermarkets. I feed my dog Taste of the Wild. Is there anything of similar quality for a cat? Do I feed dry nuts or wet food? Or both?
Pet mania would be my only place to go so ideally a food from there

Graces7

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I’ve just inherited a cat. Roughly 5-7 months old. I’d like to feed her well and not with the trash you buy in supermarkets. I feed my dog Taste of the Wild. Is there anything of similar quality for a cat? Do I feed dry nuts or wet food? Or both?
Pet mania would be my only place to go so ideally a food from there

Supermarket food is not trash. Mine have always thrived on it. I would never feed dry food to a cat.

Mine get one meal of raw chicken, one of tinned cat food. Long lived, healthy, and they love the raw chicken. Just taken in 3 rescues and they thrive on raw.

Dtp1979

Graces7 wrote: »

Supermarket food is not trash. Mine have always thrived on it. I would never feed dry food to a cat.

Mine get one meal of raw chicken, one of tinned cat food. Long lived, healthy, and they love the raw chicken. Just taken in 3 rescues and they thrive on raw.

Sorry I was a bit harsh with trash! I was only comparing supermarket dog food to cat food. Why not dry food?

Graces7

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Sorry I was a bit harsh with trash! I was only comparing supermarket dog food to cat food. Why not dry food?

Came back to say sorry for being abrupt.

I was at Olympia the year dry food came out and the trade stands were beseiged with cat owners who had lost their pets to kidney failure from dry food. Cats are not good at drinking enough, unlike dogs. I lost a couple, then stopped dry food totally.

Probably others here will think differently; that is fine.

The mainstay for my cats has always been raw chicken, bones and all. The second feed is small.

LIDL changed the nature of tinned cat food here. Improved it greatly, and the supermarkets carry a wide range of prepared foods. sachets, tins etc. I am constricted money wise so keep to the basics.

I have five cats now, all healthy and happy. They live well into their teens

Enjoy your cat!

Day Lewin

Some cats do well with dry food, some don't take to it: also, quality varies quite a bit - the cheaper ones are full of cereal.
The better ones, from the vet, are shocking expensive; and some cats still don't like it, or if they do, a few of them won't drink enough plain water to make up the deficit in fluids. [which, rarely, can cause kidney problems]

Consider that in the wild, a cat's natural diet would be fresh meat and quite "wet".

I've had many cats, all superbly healthy and sleek of fur: and they have been mostly fed on a good brand of commercial tinned food (cats would buy it...) with a side order once in a while of a handful of dry food, or beaten egg, and small scraps of fish, meat and chicken trimmings from the kitchen. [both cooked and raw]
The little bit of oils/fats in the latter make them particularly good for that smooth shining fur.

Foweva Awone

I give mine a brand called Meowing Heads, it's dry food. It's expensive but a big bag lasts a very long time. It's full of the good stuff and not filled with grains and cereals like the cheaper brands. Current best practice for indoor cats is to give dry food rather than wet, as it's better for their teeth.

Nody

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I’ve just inherited a cat. Roughly 5-7 months old. I’d like to feed her well and not with the trash you buy in supermarkets. I feed my dog Taste of the Wild. Is there anything of similar quality for a cat? Do I feed dry nuts or wet food? Or both?
Pet mania would be my only place to go so ideally a food from there

Taste of the wild do several various kibble as well and they are all grain & rice free (which is important as cats are carnivores compared to dogs who are omnivores and some companies will claim grain free and stuff it full with rice) but raw / wet would be closer to what they would eat in the wild and if you want to try the raw food / read up on it I'd highly recommend Feline nutrition but that's something which is going for the best of the best approach and you may need time to prepare. Hence if you wish to stay on kibble ToTW works fine as a high quality kibble to get you rolling with your new fur-ball of awesomeness.

For wet food there are multiple options and like with dry food I'd not recommend anything you'd normally find in a supermarket (i.e. Whiskars, Felix etc.) but get something better. The key thing with wet food however is to read the fine print. I'd guesstimate about 50% of them are not complete (i.e. they don't contain all the minerals, vitamins etc. a cat need) and you can spot this by see if the mention the need to serve kibble or not (or they may be called complimentary etc., read description and feeding recommendation to spot it). Don't mean you should not serve them but they can't then be on that wet food alone.

Now I'm a fan of Zooplus and hence my recommendations are based on Zooplus Irish site and you can find these in a well sorted pet food store as well usually.

• Catz finefood
• Feringa (my love Feringa duo over normal Feringa go figure)
• Grau
• Animonda Carny (not to be confused with any of the other Animonda versions!)
• Bozita (our cats refuse the tetra version but love the can version)
• Cosma (these tend to be not complete but works as a great treat in as shredded chicken etc.)
• MAC's
• My Star
• Porta 21 (see Cosma)
• Almo Nature (see Cosma)
• Herrmann's Organic (single meat see Cosma, menu is complete)
• Schesir (can be complete but best reserved as treat to hide pills in)
• Terra Faelis (our cats hated it the spoiled bastards but may be wort buying if on sale to try)

Others not on Zooplus.ie that you may find are:

• Concept for Life
• Felifine
• GranataPet
• O'Canis for Cats

I'd also recommend rotating around a bit to avoid them going tired of always eating the same canned food as well as avoiding the very low risk there's something missing in brand A for what ever reason.

To make cats drink more I'd highly recommend a water fountain as it keeps the water clean and simulates what they prefer to drink as it's moving water (as someone who had cats who'd "clean" the water bowl every time by spilling half of it because it was stale and they needed to remove "a layer of leaf" on top of it) in the Cat Mate Pet Fountain. Easy to maintain, easy to clean and get up and running and it has made a world of difference in how my cats drink (and they changed that behavior after 10 years of bowls only).

aonb

The other issue with feeding cats - in my wide feline experience (I have two cats - rescues in the last 2 years, never had a cat before) - is that they are INCREDIBLY fussy about food. Everyone Ive talked to agrees that their cats can be illogically fussy - eating something 1 day, and not eating it the next - turning their noses up at countless varieties of food - wet & dry . Love my cats, but they are seriously challenging

Nody

aonb wrote: »

The other issue with feeding cats - in my wide feline experience (I have two cats - rescues in the last 2 years, never had a cat before) - is that they are INCREDIBLY fussy about food. Everyone Ive talked to agrees that their cats can be illogically fussy - eating something 1 day, and not eating it the next - turning their noses up at countless varieties of food - wet & dry . Love my cats, but they are seriously challenging

I find this being very weather dependent as well; in the summer one of my cats refused multiple foods which she'll devour now and ask for a second serving because it's cold outside. However this is also why I recommend rotating around; I've found that if I rotate around six to eight cans with a bit of raw in there they will usually be accepted (and I keep back one brand of pouches as my last resort food if all else fails which they never get normally)

aonb

Nody wrote: »

I find this being very weather dependent as well; in the summer one of my cats refused multiple foods which she'll devour now and ask for a second serving because it's cold outside. However this is also why I recommend rotating around; I've found that if I rotate around six to eight cans with a bit of raw in there they will usually be accepted (and I keep back one brand of pouches as my last resort food if all else fails which they never get normally)

Nody I do exactly this too!

Our cats have us very well trained 😊

Graces7

aonb wrote: »

The other issue with feeding cats - in my wide feline experience (I have two cats - rescues in the last 2 years, never had a cat before) - is that they are INCREDIBLY fussy about food. Everyone Ive talked to agrees that their cats can be illogically fussy - eating something 1 day, and not eating it the next - turning their noses up at countless varieties of food - wet & dry . Love my cats, but they are seriously challenging

Never had that issue with any of mine until very recently. As I feed mainly raw chicken and that is never ever refused... and they know I cannot afford to waste food...or to buy costrly brand....if they try fussy they do not eat.... never had a cat starve yet

However.... I am aiming as soon as I can get over to change brand for a week or so, It is the texture....

aonb

Graces7 wrote: »

Never had that issue with any of mine until very recently. As I feed mainly raw chicken and that is never ever refused... and they know I cannot afford to waste food...or to buy costrly brand....if they try fussy they do not eat.... never had a cat starve yet

However.... I am aiming as soon as I can get over to change brand for a week or so, It is the texture....

I tried my cats on raw chicken, thinking it's a perfect natural choice for a cat... The look on their faces when I presented the bowl. Basically it was a NO!

Alun

aonb wrote: »

The other issue with feeding cats - in my wide feline experience (I have two cats - rescues in the last 2 years, never had a cat before) - is that they are INCREDIBLY fussy about food. Everyone Ive talked to agrees that their cats can be illogically fussy - eating something 1 day, and not eating it the next - turning their noses up at countless varieties of food - wet & dry . Love my cats, but they are seriously challenging

aonb wrote: »

I tried my cats on raw chicken, thinking it's a perfect natural choice for a cat... The look on their faces when I presented the bowl. Basically it was a NO!

Same with our cat, with the added complication that she's on 2 kinds of medication and two supplements, all of which have to be given in her food, more for our own safety than anything



Food that's gulped down one week with the bowl literally licked clean, is treated with total disdain the next, and stuff she wouldn't look twice at in the past, is suddenly the flavour of the year!


There's also a direct relationship between how expensive, and "good for her" the food is, i.e. the more natural, organic and wholesome it is the bigger chance she won't touch it. And any attempt to tempt her with simple cooked chicken or fish is met with the same stoic pose of her sitting next to her food bowl staring into middle space waiting for something else.


Like you say, very challenging, but even more so with the complication of adding medicines to her food.

Nody

aonb wrote: »

I tried my cats on raw chicken, thinking it's a perfect natural choice for a cat... The look on their faces when I presented the bowl. Basically it was a NO!

Alun wrote: »

And any attempt to tempt her with simple cooked chicken or fish is met with the same stoic pose of her sitting next to her food bowl staring into middle space waiting for something else.

Highly recommend this article; it goes through the why and how to move towards raw feeding and why it can be so difficult.

Joshua J

I've had my 2 since they were 3-4 months old and the only food that both will happily eat is Applaws Chicken with extra Duck dry food. I've tried Bozita(tetra+tins), Animonda Carny, Wild Freedom, Taste of the Wild, Ferengi duo, LiDL own brand, Tesco own brand, Felix, Whiskas wet food and many more I cant think of and either both of them turn their noses up or one of them does. And cats dont just turn it down they look at you like "what the hell is this you're trying to feed me?. Where the good stuff at?."

They are both doing fine tbh and it saves me a fortune on Zooplus so if they want boring dry all day ery day so be it.

Alun

Joshua J wrote: »

And cats dont just turn it down they look at you like "what the hell is this you're trying to feed me?. Where the good stuff at?."

Quoted for the truth ... that withering look is enough to make your heart sink when you finally think you've found something they like and bought a stock of it.

Luckily I know someone who works at a shelter who is more than glad to take our cat's "castoffs"

aonb

So basically these cats of ours are just fussy, finniky, psycho, power-mad, control freaks?!?!

Im a new-ish cat owner - been taken on by ex-ferals - some thoughts:

It breaks my heart when they do that middle distance look waiting for the right food to appear in the bowl. Like what the heck - I cant read their minds :cool:

What tasted good one day is poison the day after I spend €34 stocking it

I give super-fussy cat FOUR bowls of different food at night when she goes to bed - little portions in each. She might lick the 4 bowls clean, or not touch any of em!

My newest cat, arrived as a skeletal injured broken wreck. Shes now obese. Used to eat literally anything but is suddenly turning her nose up at a lot of things

Meanwhile the simplicity of feeding dogs, hens and horse help to keep me from tearing out my hair :):)
(love those nutty cats though!)

em_cat

aonb wrote: »

Meanwhile the simplicity of feeding dogs, hens and horse help to keep me from tearing out my hair :):)
(love those nutty cats though!)

This made me laugh, not in a bad way tho, I’m the opposite our cats where all easy pleasers and trying to navigate the dog food between barf, raw or whatever is the current buzzword my head explodes!

Graces7

[QUO TE=aonb;108661732]I tried my cats on raw chicken, thinking it's a perfect natural choice for a cat... The look on their faces when I presented the bowl. Basically it was a NO![/QUOTE]

funny! I lived near a chicken factory for years and as I was rescuing they let me buy chicken necks at E3 for 10 k. There was never a problem. Dogs and cats devoured them. Now the oldest cat likes white meat and cooked, but will devour raw chicken and the three new rescues I have just taken in pounce on it. Never seen it before they arrived. Now my problem is cutting it up as two small cats leap up and try to steal it..

I did but different tins and a few small pots y'day as a bit of variety but the main dish is raw chicken.

Maybe it is the large sign on the door.. NO FUSSY CATS HERE!

But I am one to leave it down and let them get hungry!

Graces7

aonb wrote: »

!?!

Im a new-ish cat owner - been taken on by ex-ferals - some thoughts:

It breaks my heart when they do that middle distance look waiting for the right food to appear in the bowl. Like what the heck - I cant read their minds :cool:

What tasted good one day is poison the day after I spend €34 stocking it

I give super-fussy cat FOUR bowls of different food at night when she goes to bed - little portions in each. She might lick the 4 bowls clean, or not touch any of em!

My newest cat, arrived as a skeletal injured broken wreck. Shes now obese. Used to eat literally anything but is suddenly turning her nose up at a lot of things

Meanwhile the simplicity of feeding dogs, hens and horse help to keep me from tearing out my hair :):)
(love those nutty cats though!)

They have you tagged as a great, loving lovable softie!

Mine know money is scarce here.... they are such good friends..

One caveat; the two small cats are clearly inbred. One was almost skeletal and would not touch the cat food they had there. The lady had nine strays in and it it is easy not to notice one is not eating. She loves raw chicken and I bought different for her and she is filling out nicely.

RockDesk

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I’ve just inherited a cat. Roughly 5-7 months old. I’d like to feed her well and not with the trash you buy in supermarkets. I feed my dog Taste of the Wild. Is there anything of similar quality for a cat? Do I feed dry nuts or wet food? Or both?
Pet mania would be my only place to go so ideally a food from there

I feed my cat both.

She loves Royal Canin Exigent Fussy Cats - Savour Sensation. The 'Fussy' part couldn't be more accurate

Someone else mentioned Zooplus - I use them all the time. They do a large variety of grain-free dry food, and you can get 400g bags to test them. They're usually around €4 - €6 for that size, but it will give you an idea of what the cat likes without spending and wasting loads.

I'm about to try out one called Wild Freedom - the name is similar so it maybe similar to Taste of the Wild?!! (I'm joking, BTW!)

irish_goat

We have a quite fussy male cat and feed him Royal Canin Feline Urinary SO. He loves the stuff and I believe it's slightly salty to encourage him to drink more water (which he does do). He's 5 years old and no health or weight issues with him yet.

SillyMangoX

I have mine on the hills version of this, c/d, as one of them had bad cystitis this year and it’s easier to feed all 3 the same food. I’m trying to change over to ProPlan opti-renal now as it is cheaper, and they prefer it, just praying it doesn’t cause a cystitis flare up!!

Graces7

My new three rescues... I was too unwell the other morning to cut up the "back" of a large raw chicken as I usually would, and the youngsters were fussing.

Tray; chicken carcase...

A few hours later all that was left was a few scraps; they love it as do my 2 older ones .

A small evening feed usually of supervalu or lidl.

Pythagorean

Graces7 wrote: »

My new three rescues... I was too unwell the other morning to cut up the "back" of a large raw chicken as I usually would, and the youngsters were fussing.

Tray; chicken carcase...

A few hours later all that was left was a few scraps; they love it as do my 2 older ones .

A small evening feed usually of supervalu or lidl.

I had a defrosting chicken breast left on the kitchen worktop, in a heavy glass bowl, while my back was turned, the neighbours cat crept in, and I found him guzzling the raw chicken, he had knocked the heavy bowl and the chicken on to the floor.!! I had a hell of a job to get the chicken off him. I cut the half eaten bit off, and cooked and ate the rest. No ill effects for either of us !!

Graces7

Pythagorean wrote: »

I had a defrosting chicken breast left on the kitchen worktop, in a heavy glass bowl, while my back was turned, the neighbours cat crept in, and I found him guzzling the raw chicken, he had knocked the heavy bowl and the chicken on to the floor.!! I had a hell of a job to get the chicken off him. I cut the half eaten bit off, and cooked and ate the rest. No ill effects for either of us !!

lol! Is the glass bowl OK!

I carelessly left a pan of cheese sauce out last night... a big hole at one side now !
Should know better, both of us!

Graces7

One of my new trio of rescues is fussy. never ever in all my cat-decades had a fussy cat before. She was also almost skeletally thin so this was serious. Raw chicken? YEAH! Tuna YEAH!

Then after several weeks she has consented to join the others in their evening repast of supervalu finest and has filled out nicely.. She is tiny and small boned... deli-cat!

Graces7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NcP-KZr7g4

Pythagorean

Graces7 wrote: »

lol! Is the glass bowl OK!

I carelessly left a pan of cheese sauce out last night... a big hole at one side now !
Should know better, both of us!

The glass bowl was Pyrex and virtually indestructible, unlike the chicken !! :pac:

acequion

Why is there so much controversy about supermarket brands? While I get that some people don't seem to rate it much and prefer prescription brands like Zooplus etc, there is no doubt that supermarket brands like Whiskas and Felix have the market and there's also no doubt that cats,like humans,are living longer and not just the ones on the Zooplus diets.

I have heard the supermarket brands called the junk food of the feline world but is that not OTT? Is that not another example of the general pernickitiness about everything that typifies the modern world?

I've owned several cats, all fed on supermarket food and all have lived into their teens. My present cat is 7 and as fit as a fiddle. I feed her mainly Felix and Whiskas dry food. I love my cat to bits and want to give her the best but I'm always extremely busy so shopping for her while shopping for myself at the supermarket is convenient.

But I would change in a heart beat if I thought I was endangering her health. But if I am then so are the majority of the cat owning population! Yet the cats are still thriving!

Graces7

acequion wrote: »

Why is there so much controversy about supermarket brands? While I get that some people don't seem to rate it much and prefer prescription brands like Zooplus etc, there is no doubt that supermarket brands like Whiskas and Felix have the market and there's also no doubt that cats,like humans,are living longer and not just the ones on the Zooplus diets.

I have heard the supermarket brands called the junk food of the feline world but is that not OTT? Is that not another example of the general pernickitiness about everything that typifies the modern world?

I've owned several cats, all fed on supermarket food and all have lived into their teens. My present cat is 7 and as fit as a fiddle. I feed her mainly Felix and Whiskas dry food. I love my cat to bits and want to give her the best but I'm always extremely busy so shopping for her while shopping for myself at the supermarket is convenient.

But I would change in a heart beat if I thought I was endangering her health. But if I am then so are the majority of the cat owning population! Yet the cats are still thriving!

Thanks for this. Mine get raw chicken and supermarket own brand,, I think there were concerns way back before LIDL arrived. The German makers have more rules and a better product than others and raised the standards. I have no issues with the cheaper brands, for the cats and for myself

I remember a poster years back being shocked that her vet had recommended LIDL ..

Myself i do not feed dried food, but many do and that is their choice and great.

And cost is an issue.