Grain Free Cat Food

[ohmt]

Hi all!

I know there have been a few discussions about what you feed your dogs, but I couldn't find anything about what you all feed your cats. I am switching my 2 yr old cat, Taz, to a grain free diet. After some research on feline nutrition I found that cats are different than dogs in that they are carnivores, while dogs are omnivores (I really had no idea). It bothers me that their foods are formulated nearly the same.

At first I wanted to eliminated any corn products, and then after thinking about it I decided the elimination of all grain is what I'd like to try. Who knew that it would be SO hard to find cat foods without grain! No wonder cats are so obese these days-their bodies just can't metabolize what we give them, especially with the lack of exercise.

Today I took a trip to PetCo and decided to try out Nature's Recipe Chicken and Potato Recipe w/hairball control.

There are no added fillers, meat by-product meals, grains, or preservatives.

Here are some of the ingredients, in order: chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potatoes, peas, fishmeal, poultry fat, cellulose, natural flavor, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, potassium chloride salt, choline chloride, vitamins, niacin supplement, inositol, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, and so on....

It's 40% crude protein, 15% crude fat, 7% crude fiber, 10% moisture

Is there anything that jumps out at you that I should try to steer clear of in the future? Taz is free fed and 5.4 lbs. She has tested positive for feline herpes and calicivirus. For a while we thought she wasn't going to make it, but I think we are in the clear now-it's been about 4 months since she had a relapse. I just want to make sure I keep her as healthy as possible so I can keep her around as long as possible.

Here is my "baby" taking a little snooze with Grandpa

 

[chandab]

I live in the sticks, so don't have access to places like Petco or PetsMart. The best I've found locally that my cats will eat is Purina ONE chicken and rice, and its not grain free. I did order a bag of Newman's Own cat food from Walmart, its grain-free if I remember correctly. The cats rather like it, but I don't know if I can afford to feed it to our three house piggies on a regular basis.

 

[Boss Mare]

My dogs (and cats) are on grain free diets. My cats are on Before Grain (Tuna) by Merrick -- available at Petco. When I was a grooming manager there all Merrick products were 50% off for associates for a trial time. Tried it, was pleased with it and stuck with it.

Natural Balance makes a good line of products (Petco) and Earthborn / not sure it's it's available at Petco, but we sell it at my new place of employment Pet Valu

 

[ohmt]

Yes, the few brands I did find that were grain free were about 3x the price and for smaller bags, but I suppose that's why the fillers are used-to keep prices down. I only have 1 itty bitty kitty so it's ok for now, but I can't imagine what I'd spend with a couple more!

Will check out the Newman's Own, thanks chandab

I just like having more to choose from.

Thank you, Boss Mare! Will look at all of those.

 

[Minimor]

I buy the Performatrin Grain Free cat food. The cats like it, but at $25 for a 3kg bag it is an extra only. Our cats live their Fancy Feast, dry and canned so I keep buying that for them.

 

[Boss Mare]

You're welcome. Your kitty looks like a love.

I've never ever been a cat person.. Then my partner moved in with two. I must say they are pretty cool cats!

 

[Shari]

Evo Inova, blue buffalo are just a couple cat food brands that have grain free products. Have one cat that can't have anything with grain or Veggies in it. Costs $$$$ though.

Tried my cats on a raw food diet, but they wanted nothing to do with it.

There are always new brands coming out but I tend to be leery about them.

http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/

http://www.consumersearch.com/cat-food

 

[Matt73]

Can you get this in the U.S.? http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12149194

Cat's aren't strictly carnivorous, per se; all mine love to nibble on grass throughout the Spring/Summer. It's good for their digestion.

 

[Jill]

Amanda, from the ingredients, it sounds like something you could make from scratch (the recalls over the past few years have rattled H and I!). It sounds like something you could actually make, easily, and even in a large batch figuring to freeze some.

Commenting in case this could help.

I've been cooking our dogs' food (the wet kind) for a long time. We still let them have free access to a packaged dry food (one we feel is good................. but it actually seems like the dog food recalls have been more towards the "better" brands???).

It's really kind of fun to cook for them, and you can cook a larger batch at one time, then freeze it in smaller containers to be served later.

We give our four leggers multi-vitamins, as insurance.

Really, I don't know that we're on the right track, though. But your ingredients are easily homemade I think.

 

[Boss Mare]

Innova and Evo (dog & cat) have had recalls lately.. We were pulling product off our shelves last week and the week before.

Jill, you are correct.. Working for pet stores for the past 8 years I have noticed a lot of the larger, better quailty brands do indeed have recalls.

Diamond is one that has more frequent and is one brand I am sure to stay away from -- this includes Taste Of The Wild.

I still feed mine a grain free, natural food.. Just use my judgement and hope.

 

[ohmt]

I am writing everything down, thank you all!

Jill, I actually thought of you right away when I decided to change her diet because I contemplated going homemade and I know that's your thing. I really want to, but I thought I'd see how this goes first and then move on to that. I think the reason there are more recalls with the "natural" foods is because there aren't the preservatives and "ickies" in it-it's like McDonalds. You can leave a hamburger and fries out for months with no change. Look just like they did the day you bought them.

 

[anoki]

Be careful making your own cat food. Cats need to have Taurine in their diet (which can be found in raw heart & raw liver).

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/cardiovascular/c_ct_taurine_deficiency#.UWBw0L8pvIo

I have found my cats to be far pickier to try to get them on raw than the dogs are....had some raw cat food here, and NONE of the 4 house cats at the time would eat it.

Our cats get a brand made here in Canada called GO! ( http://www.petcurean.com ) and they ALL love it!! Yes a bit more $$ but they don't eat as much (unless the dogs get their bowls!!!), so it evens out.

~kathryn