Musings about Cat Food

If (this is a very big IF) I decide to get another cat it suddenly
occurred to me I have no idea what to feed it!

It sure seems like my sweet Persia required prescription food nearly all
of the 13 years she was with me. Not long after she claimed me she
started having recurring bladder infections. Crystal oxolate
formations, which turned out to be the result of a small (thankfully
benign) bladder tumor. From then on it was prescription food.

That continued for the rest of her life, the R/x food formula being
adjusted based on her health issues and age at the time. She did get
Fancy Feast. For many years, FF was mostly a treat. On Sundays.
She tried to fool me once by getting a can out of the pantry (wiley
little girl that she was!) on a Saturday and scooting it to the middle
of the kitchen. Then she sat down next to it and waited... for me to
walk into the kitchen. I burst out laughing and praised her for her
resourcefulness. Naturally, I let her have the FF a day early. She was
a very smart cat.

Anyway, I really have no idea what to feed a cat that doesn't require
prescription food. Of course I know there are good and bad cat foods
out there. Ingredients are important. But if I was to walk into a
retail store that sells pet food I really wouldn't know what to buy.

Purina seems to be taking a more active interest in foods with no
unnecessary grains. I've heard about Iam's for years. It's sold at
PetSmart which is about 25 miles from my house. Sorry, I'm not going to
drive that far just to buy Iam's cat food.

I guess if the time comes I could stand a the store for an hour reading
labels on cans and bags. Or, I could just ask you fine people for some
recommendations. Please keep in mind I'm in the US. We don't all
have the same brands available.

Thanks! And keep in mind, my adopting another cat is still a big IF.

Jill

On Friday, March 27, 2015 at 10:49:09 AM UTC-7, jmcquown wrote:
If (this is a very big IF) I decide to get another cat it suddenly
occurred to me I have no idea what to feed it!

It sure seems like my sweet Persia required prescription food nearly all
of the 13 years she was with me. Not long after she claimed me she
started having recurring bladder infections. Crystal oxolate
formations, which turned out to be the result of a small (thankfully
benign) bladder tumor. From then on it was prescription food.

That continued for the rest of her life, the R/x food formula being
adjusted based on her health issues and age at the time. She did get
Fancy Feast. For many years, FF was mostly a treat. On Sundays.
She tried to fool me once by getting a can out of the pantry (wiley
little girl that she was!) on a Saturday and scooting it to the middle
of the kitchen. Then she sat down next to it and waited... for me to
walk into the kitchen. I burst out laughing and praised her for her
resourcefulness. Naturally, I let her have the FF a day early. She was
a very smart cat.

Anyway, I really have no idea what to feed a cat that doesn't require
prescription food. Of course I know there are good and bad cat foods
out there. Ingredients are important. But if I was to walk into a
retail store that sells pet food I really wouldn't know what to buy.

Purina seems to be taking a more active interest in foods with no
unnecessary grains. I've heard about Iam's for years. It's sold at
PetSmart which is about 25 miles from my house. Sorry, I'm not going to
drive that far just to buy Iam's cat food.

I guess if the time comes I could stand a the store for an hour reading
labels on cans and bags. Or, I could just ask you fine people for some
recommendations. Please keep in mind I'm in the US. We don't all
have the same brands available.

Thanks! And keep in mind, my adopting another cat is still a big IF.

Jill

I would stay away from all Purina products they are being sued by dog owners.
They also put soy products in all of their cat foods which can cause bladder and kidney problems.

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
If (this is a very big IF) I decide to get another cat it suddenly
occurred to me I have no idea what to feed it!

It sure seems like my sweet Persia required prescription food nearly all
of the 13 years she was with me. Not long after she claimed me she
started having recurring bladder infections. Crystal oxolate formations,
which turned out to be the result of a small (thankfully benign) bladder
tumor. From then on it was prescription food.

That continued for the rest of her life, the R/x food formula being
adjusted based on her health issues and age at the time. She did get
Fancy Feast. For many years, FF was mostly a treat. On Sundays. She
tried to fool me once by getting a can out of the pantry (wiley little
girl that she was!) on a Saturday and scooting it to the middle of the
kitchen. Then she sat down next to it and waited... for me to walk into
the kitchen. I burst out laughing and praised her for her
resourcefulness. Naturally, I let her have the FF a day early. She was a
very smart cat.

Anyway, I really have no idea what to feed a cat that doesn't require
prescription food. Of course I know there are good and bad cat foods out
there. Ingredients are important. But if I was to walk into a retail
store that sells pet food I really wouldn't know what to buy.

Purina seems to be taking a more active interest in foods with no
unnecessary grains. I've heard about Iam's for years. It's sold at
PetSmart which is about 25 miles from my house. Sorry, I'm not going to
drive that far just to buy Iam's cat food.

I guess if the time comes I could stand a the store for an hour reading
labels on cans and bags. Or, I could just ask you fine people for some
recommendations. Please keep in mind I'm in the US. We don't all have
the same brands available.

Thanks! And keep in mind, my adopting another cat is still a big IF.

Jill

Well, I can only say that my vet recommends a medium quality food. So you
still have the premium stuff in hand when they are ill. Boyfie has Whiskas
pouches (Senior) usually. But I am not above putting him on Kit-E-Kat if
it's a good price. It's equally good, made by the same manufacturers, no
sugar (!) but the squares of meat are larger. Boyfie prefers to eat small
pieces - it's not so much trouble ;-) and there is nothing wrong with his
teeth. He gets them checked every year and they are still perfect.
I have no idea what cat food brands are available in the USA: just do
medium.
I hope you adopt another cat.

Tweed

On Friday, March 27, 2015 at 1:49:09 PM UTC-4, jmcquown wrote:
If (this is a very big IF) I decide to get another cat it suddenly
occurred to me I have no idea what to feed it!

It sure seems like my sweet Persia required prescription food nearly all
of the 13 years she was with me. Not long after she claimed me she
started having recurring bladder infections. Crystal oxolate
formations, which turned out to be the result of a small (thankfully
benign) bladder tumor. From then on it was prescription food.

That continued for the rest of her life, the R/x food formula being
adjusted based on her health issues and age at the time. She did get
Fancy Feast. For many years, FF was mostly a treat. On Sundays.
She tried to fool me once by getting a can out of the pantry (wiley
little girl that she was!) on a Saturday and scooting it to the middle
of the kitchen. Then she sat down next to it and waited... for me to
walk into the kitchen. I burst out laughing and praised her for her
resourcefulness. Naturally, I let her have the FF a day early. She was
a very smart cat.

Anyway, I really have no idea what to feed a cat that doesn't require
prescription food. Of course I know there are good and bad cat foods
out there. Ingredients are important. But if I was to walk into a
retail store that sells pet food I really wouldn't know what to buy.

Purina seems to be taking a more active interest in foods with no
unnecessary grains. I've heard about Iam's for years. It's sold at
PetSmart which is about 25 miles from my house. Sorry, I'm not going to
drive that far just to buy Iam's cat food.

I guess if the time comes I could stand a the store for an hour reading
labels on cans and bags. Or, I could just ask you fine people for some
recommendations. Please keep in mind I'm in the US. We don't all
have the same brands available.

Thanks! And keep in mind, my adopting another cat is still a big IF.

Jill

Rusty was also on various prescription food for most of his life.
I remember thinking what I should feed him when he could get off prescription
food (of course he never did).
I was looking into the brand FROMM. Heard a lot of good about it at the time.

Just found this site with reviews on different brands of cat food.

http://www.petfoodratings.org/cat-fo...tings-reviews/

Before Rusty was put on prescription food for life for his various health
problems. I was feeding him IAM ocean fish when he had first urinary blockage.
I remember at the time.various posters on this site said they were not impressed with IAM.

When I first adopted Rusty, his vet recommended an OTC brand the name of which I
can't remember. But Rusty started pooping outside his box. I went back to
the food he was on at Humane where I got him and then he was fine.
Again I cannot remember that brand (Sigh!) except it cost more than the brand
the vet recommended.

Rusty was very good. He ate all the different brands of prescription food
the vet put him on, except when he lost his appetite while on medication.
In the end, he was eating prescription food made from duck meat! It sure
smelled good.

Winnie

On 3/27/2015 12:49 PM, jmcquown wrote:
If (this is a very big IF) I decide to get another cat it suddenly
occurred to me I have no idea what to feed it!
snip
Anyway, I really have no idea what to feed a cat that doesn't require
prescription food.
snip
Thanks! And keep in mind, my adopting another cat is still a big IF.

Jill

I still use Wellness canned cat food (grains-free). It's expensive, but
not as costly as it first appears because they do not need as much of it
as they would need of some of the less expensive brands. My cats have
really thrived on that diet--glossy coats, excellent health, etc.

Wellness is not available in this area, so I order it from amazon.com
and chewy.com.

MaryL