Wet or Dry???

[Donna]

Just read this article. What does everybody think???

http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitioning_Dry_Food_Addicts_to_Canned_Food_

[Fran]

I have always been dubious about feeding an all dry diet. My cats have access to both dry and canned...

[Moli]

Mine have dry and pouches....sometimes chicken....

[Donna]

This article has made me think twice about giving them dry food. They normally have both, but thinking about it, they are meat eaters. So they should have meat shouldnt they?

[Fran]

Some of mine eat raw too.......My dogs are raw fed

[Mags]

Cassie has canned with a small sprinkling of dry on top.....

[EmmaG]

I only feed my cats on wet food, they have a tiny amount of dried food as a treat now and again.

I did this as previously they had wet food in the evening and dried food during the day, I have been trying to keep Arthur in a bit more and he didn't like using his litter tray indoors, one evening I counted he went into his litter tray over 10 times and produced very little, this was at the same time as I had been reading about feeding mainly wet, so I transferred them both over to wet food and I haven't had a problem with him at all. Also Bronwyn is sick less on mainly wet food as she would previously eats loads of nuts until she couldn't eat any more then they would swell in her belly and she would sick them all up, usually within 5 mins of eating them.

[Donna]

Some of mine eat raw too.......My dogs are raw fed

That is obviously the best you can feed an animal as that is what they would have in the wild and their bodies are made to get the best out of what is available. Understand raw feeding is not ideal for everyone (i wouldnt know where to begin) but feeding meat either in pouches or fresh is far better than cereal which they are not designed to eat at all?

I think I am going to stop putting biscuits down for my cats to much during the day and just see how they get on with meat.

Water is very important and they get most of their water from their food and if they eat biscuits they are getting none.

[EmmaG]

I have also read so many bad things about dried food, a lot of cat food is a load of rubbish if you read the ingrediants.

I think Fran is feeding her animials in the best way, raw food :)

I do buy highlife food, mainly the poultry and meat varieties as it contains 60% meat, I think Felix "looks as good as it taste" has only got 4% meat !!!

[Fran]

Biscuits do make them more thirsty though Donna and they do tend to drink more when eating a majority biscuit diet.....

[Donna]

I do buy highlife food, mainly the poultry and meat varieties as it contains 60% meat, I think Felix "looks as good as it taste" has only got 4% meat !!!

Is that all???????????? What else is in there then???????????

[EmmaG]

I know in America there are companies that provide raw food (frozen I think it is) not sure if there is anybody in the UK providing this service. I also believe with a raw diet that the pet should be fed nearly all of the raw source not just select bits, as there is a certain enzyme that cats need (not sure which bits are necessary I think it is in the offal somewhere)

Perhaps Fran can tell us a bit more??

[Donna]

I am not saying we should all raw feed, as that is not practical to most people, but wet food yes.

Didnt realise biscuits were so bad for them - Chloe was eating more and more of the biscuits and less and less of the meat.

Now I dont put biscuits down she is eating meat again. So am happy with that.

[EmmaG]

Donna actually it might have a bit more than that (that 4% was just the tuna), here is what the ingredients state

Meat and animal derivatives, vegetable protein extract, fish and fish derivatives (of which tuna 4%) various sugars (??????) minerals, contains EC permitted colourant.

[Donna]

So even feeding "normal" meat products isnt really doing them a great favour either????????????

[Fran]

I know in America there are companies that provide raw food (frozen I think it is) not sure if there is anybody in the UK providing this service. I also believe with a raw diet that the pet should be fed nearly all of the raw source not just select bits, as there is a certain enzyme that cats need (not sure which bits are necessary I think it is in the offal somewhere)

Perhaps Fran can tell us a bit more??

I feed my dogs on a raw meaty bone diet...they have offal and veggies too. I think feeding raw to cats is somewhat more complicated. I think cats have to have meat in their diet where as dogs do not :? I only feed my cats raw as a treat and then only four of them will actually eat it. I don't think I would feel confident enough to feed the cats totally raw???

[dinahsmum]

Very interesting.

I've been thinking of feeding the new boys on barf or whatever you'd like to call it, and I've sen the recipe in that article before (Think it was Nat who pointed me to it.) Anyone know how much the grinders cost? (or will a top of the range Magimix chop rabbit and chicken bones - shouldn't think so, or rather it will chop and leave nasty sharp bits rather than grind.)

Our first cat (Sissons) a neutered male was fed on wet and dry but suffered several bad bouts of urine retention caused by stones, probably aggravated by dry food. But that was 30 years ago, when it was first developed. I think it has improved greatly since then.

My current two are hopeless on wet cat food and just puke it (not all the time, but often enough to really put me off). So, they have tinned tuna in springwater for breakfast and dry all the rest of the time. Occasionally pilchards or sardines in tomato sauce, which they love but it's hardly ideal cat food.

My girls are approaching 16 ad 18 and fit as fleas on the above. Dry food does not seem to have harmed them.

Wet food does not help with their teeth, which get worse and worse as they live longer than nature ever designed them for.

It's nice to think 'romantic' thoughts about our cats living 'naturally'.......but they don't. If they did they'd be out in the open not in front of our fires and they would be living on mice and birds. Being natural would mean not neutering, so toms would be prone to fight abcesses and females would be exhausted from raising litters. They would be fortunate to reach their teens, let alone approach twenty.Don't think we should beat ourselves up over the way we feed them.

Mmm - random ramblings - sorry! But I am attracted by raw feeding and may well do it. Brought my kids up on 'real' food not jars, tins or packets, so maybe I can do it for my new fur-kids?

[EmmaG]

I think if your cat is likely to have bladder problems or problems with crystals a wet diets is definitely better than dried. I tend to buy my cats highlife and normal felix food. Sometimes they might have whiskers, occasionally they will have some dried food and that is Sainsburys paws.

[dinahsmum]

You woudn't want to know what some 'animal derivatives' are :?

[Donna]

Very interesting.

I've been thinking of feeding the new boys on barf or whatever you'd like to call it, and I've sen the recipe in that article before (Think it was Nat who pointed me to it.) Anyone know how much the grinders cost? (or will a top of the range Magimix chop rabbit and chicken bones - shouldn't think so, or rather it will chop and leave nasty sharp bits rather than grind.)

Our first cat (Sissons) a neutered male was fed on wet and dry but suffered several bad bouts of urine retention caused by stones, probably aggravated by dry food. But that was 30 years ago, when it was first developed. I think it has improved greatly since then.

My current two are hopeless on wet cat food and just puke it (not all the time, but often enough to really put me off). So, they have tinned tuna in springwater for breakfast and dry all the rest of the time. Occasionally pilchards or sardines in tomato sauce, which they love but it's hardly ideal cat food.

My girls are approaching 16 ad 18 and fit as fleas on the above. Dry food does not seem to have harmed them.

Wet food does not help with their teeth, which get worse and worse as they live longer than nature ever designed them for.

It's nice to think 'romantic' thoughts about our cats living 'naturally'.......but they don't. If they did they'd be out in the open not in front of our fires and they would be living on mice and birds. Being natural would mean not neutering, so toms would be prone to fight abcesses and females would be exhausted from raising litters. They would be fortunate to reach their teens, let alone approach twenty.Don't think we should beat ourselves up over the way we feed them.

Mmm - random ramblings - sorry! But I am attracted by raw feeding and may well do it. Brought my kids up on 'real' food not jars, tins or packets, so maybe I can do it for my new fur-kids?

Interesting comments there DM. Yes the teeth would suffer without the odd biscuit to crunch on, and yes they have adapted to our world so their food should adapt too?? But again, each cat is different, each owner is different, each of our lives are different, so we all have different points of views on what is good and what is not.

I think I will cut the munchings during the day and just give them two meals a day with a small sprinkle of biscuits on top so their teeth stay healthy.

[dinahsmum]

Really interesting discussion though!
.....................and hey we're not fighting. Would be different on DogWeb!

[Fran]

There are indeed companies in the UK who specialise in raw meat products. You can also get the bones pre ground ie whole chicken carcass minced, which is what my cats mainly have. They also have the odd chicken wing ;)

Here is the company that I use

http://landywoods.co.uk/

[Donna]

Just one other thought -

my sister who is NOT an animal lover and has had a cat for ten years or so and doesnt let it in the house much has only ever fed her the cheapest supermarket biscuit food as she can. Think she spends less than 40p a week feeding the poor thing.

This poor cat has never been ill in its life.

[EmmaG]

Donna although your sister feeds her cat on cheap supermarket food as you say the cat is outside, do you think it has been having it's feed on wildlife as well????

I am sure a lot of cats cope very well on a dry/mixed food. My parents cats lived until they were both 16 on a mixed/dry/wet food. They were fit as fiddles ;)

[Donna]

Yes I suppose she has the whole day and night to scavange food and catch the odd bird or mouse. Good point Emma.

Feel sorry for this poor cat and whenever I go round there I sneak a pouch of wet food for her!!

[EmmaG]

awww Donna I bet she loves you!!! :)

[Donna]

Nah!! You know what cats are like = she grabs the food and then forgets about me and sods off out again!!!

[EmmaG]

lol typical cat!!!!

This is quite interesting, how to make your own food

http://www.catnutrition.org/pictorial.html

Both of my cats I think would love a raw diet, they go mad when I am chopping up chicken!!! lol

[dinahsmum]

lol typical cat!!!!

This is quite interesting, how to make your own food

http://www.catnutrition.org/pictorial.html

Both of my cats I think would love a raw diet, they go mad when I am chopping up chicken!!! lol
I find that quite attractive.
Where do you think you would get a grinder? and how much?

[Mags]

I find that quite attractive.
Where do you think you would get a grinder? and how much?
DM, there are some reasonable mincer/grinders on here....
http://www.headcook.co.uk/index.php?cPath=4_139

[dinahsmum]

Thanks!..........

[EmmaG]

Also from what I have read about people feeding their animals a raw diet they tend to eat less food after a while.

[Donna]

Dont think I could do the raw feeding, myself!!

[Fran]

Also from what I have read about people feeding their animals a raw diet they tend to eat less food after a while.

Wish someone would tell my labs that Emma !!! :lol:

[Fran]

DM, there are some reasonable mincer/grinders on here....
http://www.headcook.co.uk/index.php?cPath=4_139

I don't grind my own. Any I want ground I buy already done from Landywoods ;)

[random]

All my animals are fed dry with occasionally raw food (and bones for the dogs), fresh fruit and veg, and cooked chicken meat. Tabs will ONLY eat dry, she is very fussy with her food, but she is very healthy for her age too :D

[Booktigger]

I wanted to feed mine raw, but between not being able to stand dealing with raw meat, and not being confident enough to get the right balance, I opted for HiLife, as it has the highest meat content, and the other ingredients aren't so bad either. I do have to feed PEbbles quite a bit of dry food though, she only ate dry food when she came to me 13 months ago, it took months just to get her to eat a small amount of wet, and I had her on gourmet food thinking it was the best - but then I checked the ingredients. If your lucky you will get 8% meat content, but cereal comes above that, so it could be 9% or it could be 80%. And after reading an article on what animal derivatives can be, I don't want to go with those (although I do have to for the fosters). Although I do feed biscuits, again I go for the ones with a high meat content, and where meat is the highest ingredient, so nothing can be higher. I would only feed James Wellbeloved, but Pebbles isn't that keen, so she has HiLife biscuits (both have a 26% meat content). I have read articles that dry food doesn't help to keep their teeth clean, it is the equivalent of us eating crackers - i.e. they splinter and dont' have any effect. I am also unsure if I like the fact that it makes them drink more, as that to me is unnatural - cats don't tend to have a high thirst drive. And also, since putting my foster on wet food only, he has lost a kilo and not had a recurrence of cystitis - he was on dry c/d for it and still got another bout of cystitis.

[Ruthlynn]

Lily has the Nature diet for cats and Burns dry - she was raised on felix but having fed Murph and all raw diet for all his life I wanted Lily to have the best I could give her. i'm not sure about raw feeding for cats - any info would be welcome!!:D

[samwise]

This is really interesting!
My 2 are fed a mixture of dry and pouches. And in Sammys case wildlife ++! Frankie only tends to eat the jelly or gravy off the sachets! All types have been tried. Sammy tends to eat mainly dry. They are both below 5 yrs and have no health problems so far!

[PaulaB]

Mine get biscuits and meat, but I might increase meat and reduce biscuits now. Mind you according to them they don't get fed at all!!!!!!!

[Jeanette]

Well I've been out looking on wet food... They all consist of 82% water or more:shock: :shock:

Luna is fed raw and I would love to feed Oliver raw aswell.. But he's very stubborn. I've seen that recipe on www.catnutrition (http://www.catnutrition) etc.. and I want to try it out.. But I'm not sure he'll eat it though...

He actually ate the tip of a chicken wing the other day:D Great timing, now that I've found out Luna doesnt do well with chicken:roll:

[CJK]

i have only just caught up with this thread.
i noticed the pooe meat content in cat foods.
mine are fed wet and dry, a tin of wet at night and a measuring cup each of dry in the morning. I got the cup from the iams web site, so that I know what I am giving them.
I did used to feed them go-kat dry, but they were both getting fat so i now give them hi-life or james well beloved. Apart from MR Darcy who has royal canin persian.

[Booktigger]

Jeannette - a high water/moisture content in wet food is good - think of what they would eat in the wild, I'm sure that most meat has a high water content. And because they would normally eat food with a high water content, they don't have as much of a thirst drive, so wet food provides them with what they need.

[Jeanette]

Ah hadn't thought of that:-)

I was thinking of feeding Oliver wet food, cos I could "disguise" some veggies in it, to give him a sort of fullness feeling, while he needs to loose weight

[Booktigger]

:-)

I think the wet food alone will help in his weight loss - Tom has been seen by 2 vets and a vet nurse while he has been on a diet, and none has recommended veggies to help him, so I don't know how much good it would do - I am fairly sure there are some veggies that are really not very good for cats, although I know james Wellbeloved contains potato, tomato and carrots, so would assume they are fine.

[Jeanette]

Oliver loves peas:-)

And the seeds from the tomatoes.. Oh and cabbage and potatopeals:roll: :lol:

The veggies sole purpose would be to act like fillers...

[dinahsmum]

Here's another barf article.
http://ukbarfclub.co.uk/nm/anmviewer.asp?a=31&z=16
However, I don't think we should beat ourselves up over not feeding 'raw' or 'natural'.
They're all fed a darn sight better than they were when I was little (bread and milk, table scraps, Kit-e-Kat tins occasionally)...............oh, sometimes I feel very old!

[Jeanette]

Oh but of course not H. We do what we feel is best for our dogs or cats:)

And what is good for my cat isnt necessary good for your cat.

[Booktigger]

I can understand using veggies as a filler, but I would be very careful as to what veggies to use - will see if I still have the list of foods not to feed your cat when I get to work tomorrow.

[Jeanette]

That would be great:D

[Booktigger]

HEre is just the bit about veggies - will post the full list of both good and bad foods in a separate thread. HAve to say I have had a female who loved any kind of potato, and a cat that tried to pinch one of my onion rings (he didn't get much though, I wouldn't let him!!)

Potatoes, Peas, Cabbage or Corn (Vegetables in general) - allergen or dangerous, lack of digestible nutrients.

Carrots - the vitamin A isn't going to help your cat any because he can't convert it properly.

Onions - dangerous because it can cause Heinz-body hemolytic anemia. Onion is also found in baby food and it is often added to enhance the flavor of many foods, so be sure to read the label.

[tillytails]

When I first got my cats 9 years ago, I bought a book called 'The New Natural Cat - A complete guide for caring owners' by Anitra Frazier. She was dead-against dry food, preferred raw but gave advice on choosing the best commercial tinned brands.

My two never fussed about raw done Anitra Frazier's way, but would eat a good quality tinned food (Denes), well until they changed the formula. They adore dry but it always gave them cystitis. I'm currently rethinking their diet and will look around the pet shops to see what high-quality tinned food they have around at the moment.

But I'd like to try the raw route again - there's loads more info on it today and companies that supply raw, so maybe I can find a recipe they'll actually eat :lol: . Thanks for the links everyone.