[comiskey]

I'm looking for a good dry food for my cat and, after mining the web, this Science Diet looks to be about the best. What do you think? He's now 4 years old, male, and very active (especially at night -Tee-Hee!) Anyway, I'm currently giving him
canned Friskies Fancy Feast (3 flavors) and Purina One Salmon & Tuna flavor. I'd like to give him some variety. Is beef good or is chicken and liver, better? And, what about these "natural" and "holistic" products that I've been reading so much about, lately? Are they better for your cat? I've read where, for males, you want to keep the Mg levels at or below 0.09%. Is this true? He eats his food with no complaints, at least, I don't think he's unsatisfied with his fare but I'm not sure. I'm still learning to speak, "meowish." He'll eat just about anything, even tacos! -kwazy cat. Also, it worries me that he doesn't seem to drink very much water. Is this a problem I should be concerned about? And, oh, yes, I crush liver-flavored vitamins and add it to the dry food which he takes with no problems. Any thoughts? Your suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you and...
Meow,
Commie

 

[Rayona]

I think you will find the people here pretty anti-Science Diet. For what you pay, the quality just isn't there. I mean, the first ingredient is Poultry By-Product Meal. Comparably priced brands are usually by-product free.

I can't comment on the Mg levels, as my babies are girls. Personally, I don't feed my cats anything with by-products (I don't eat them myself, why should they?) but I don't spring for the organic corn-free stuff either. You just have to figure out your personal comfort level. I try to feed my pets the same quality I feed myself.

I think you might find out that he is drinking more than you might imagine. My babies have discovered the toilet and tub, and even though they always have fresh water, they seem to like the stuff in the bathroom better. :roll: Who knows why?

I'm sure whatever you feed your big boy he will be fine with someone who obviously cares so much about him.

 

[Aonir]

Felidae and Wellness is good for kitties..! But they are pretty hard to find

And don't worry about variety and different tastes. Animals prefer the same thing instead of different. Changing them to suddenly to a new food can cause upset stomach, vomitting and diahrea..

 

[queen of the nile]

I also agree that Science Diet, while not being the worst food for your cat, is certainly not the best for nutrition or for price. From reading this forum, I've heard that Nutro Natural is a good, reasonably-priced food. It is true that Mg levels should be below 0.1%. All foods I have looked at that list Mg levels have all been below this mark, so you shouldn't have to worry too much. Cans that don't list the ingredients, you should stay away from anyway. There has got to be something pretty horrible in there if the company isn't willing to list it! :twisted:

 

[Maleke]

My kitten gets Natural Balance which he loves. He also gets Nutro Natural sometimes..and sometimes Royal Canin! HA HA! I started him out on Science Diet.....but since I joined this forum I learned A LOT about foods and what is good and what is bad, and I have since switched him to high quality food. His coat has improved, his eyes are shinier and he has more energy!

 

[Sol]

I don't know anything about SD but if you have a male you should make sure that the Mg level isn't above 0.09%. You should also check the Ph value of the food. The Ph value shouldn't be above 6.5. If the male is neutered you don't wanna feed him too much fat either.

 

[tiggs]

I switched my kitty from Purina One to Nutro Natural and she loves it. It doesn't have any icky meat by-products or ground corn, the the price is pretty reasonable, especially considering that the same size bag lasts me a lot longer than the Purina! Plus its pretty easy to find, both Petsmart and Petco carry it. Good luck, you will get a lot of good advice on this topic!

 

[tanyuh]

Same here Maleke, Psi and Samhain love Natural Balance. Their coats look great (Samhain is still a little bald but I think once I get her a pet fountain for my birthday it will get better - she is obsessed with running water) and their eyes are bright and they both have TONS of energy. I am very happy with Natual Balance and I'm glad I switched from Iams. You can buy a monster 16.5 lb bag from Petco for like $24.

 

[comiskey]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm watching the Dry Food Poll and after the results are in I guess I'll go with the winner. Should I just switch right over, or should I mix the new food with what I'm currently dispensing? If so, what percentage should I start adding at first? 75 old/25 new, 50-50? What do you guys think?
Thanks,
Commie

 

[Lori]

Also, it worries me that he doesn't seem to drink very much water. Is this a problem I should be concerned about?

I just noticed this question. I have always heard that if you keep your cat provided with fresh water at all times, you should be ok. My cat happens to be a very fussy water drinker. She has never wanted to drink standing water no matter how fresh. We got her a pet fountain and she loves it. Hopefully your cat isn't as fussy as mine!! :wink:

 

[comiskey]

I'll bet that was expensive. I love Pete Fountain. He's a great jazz musician. Your cat has excellent taste! j/k. Seriously, I never see mine take a drop of water. At the end of the day the water in his bowl has gone down but I think it's due to evaporation. I've caught him coming out of the bathroom. Maybe, he's drinking out of the tub or something. I don't know. I'll get him a pete fountain and see what happens. Thanks for the tip.
Sincerely,
Silly Comiskey