[scottd]

We all know that Purina Cat Chow is terrible but I really didn't think they were this misleading...

https://www.catchow.com/Products/Naturals

Calling it Naturals is going to make people think it's natural and what a cat would eat in the wild.

A cat's natural diet includes high levels of protein—and that's what inspired this formula. We use whole grains, real chicken and other high-quality protein sources. We also include fiber to help control hairballs, vitamins and minerals, and a touch of leafy greens. What didn’t we add? Artificial flavors or preservatives.
No added artificial flavors or preservatives
High in protein like a cat’s natural diet
Natural fiber blend helps control hairballs

Chicken meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn meal, chicken, salmon, powdered cellulose, ground whole wheat, natural flavor, soybean hulls, malt extract, phosphoric acid, salt, dried spinach, choline chloride, taurine, calcium carbonate, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, potassium chloride, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

There is NOTHING natural about that food and to think I fed my cat the regular cat chow which is even WORSE. I want to know why it isn't illegal to mislead in advertising like this.

 

[carbonxxkidd]

I'm with you, the first foods Callisto ever ate were Purina Kitten and Purina One. Then came Fancy Feast.

Oh if I knew then what I knew now...

I agree it should be illegal. It always makes me sad to see people buying stuff like this. Yeah, a cat can live on it. Yeah, it's cheap, but there are just so many better things to feed out there!

My cats must be really glad I love them enough to make drastic changes in their diets now while they are young, to preserve their life for as long as I possibly can!

 

[scottd]

It's not cheap if you do the math. The recommended amount of cat chow for my cat is 1 cup per day. She ate at least 1.5 cups if not more. I give her 5/8 cup of Petcurean Go! Fit + Free each day and there is always 1/8 cup left.

Go! costs nearly 46 cents per day and that's not including the coupons that I use. If she ate 1.5 cups of Cat Chow per day, that's 63 cents per day based on the price at a dollar store.

 

[doodlebug]

Since there's no legal definition of "natural" when it comes to pet foods, they can say anything they want. I usually tell people that arsenic is all natural, but that doesn't mean it's good for you.

 

[Penguin_Dreams]

"Natural" is also allowed on people food and doodlebug makes an excellent point.

I'd like to think most people are wise to this tactic by now, but sadly, a lot probably aren't. What I find even more infuriating is that cat foods that deliberately position themselves as high quality and (presumably) not being sold on price, still include cheap fillers. I would pay a very high premium for something like that but it doesn't seem to exist.

 

[snowy]

I have been thinking about the ingredients of most renowned pet foods too. I think we should be glad that food like friskies, fancy feast etc actually indicated their food ingredients correctly, ie. by-products, corn, wheat etc. It is for us to look closely. I'm sure even if they don't list those harmful ingredients, there are no authority to check on them and send kibbles/wet food to be tested. Those that claimed high quality food with meat in the 1st five ingredients, are they really true? It may be 10% of each type of meat, total 50% meat, then the rest are craps? The percentage of meat are usually not indicated, only total protein which may be derived from vegetable source etc. Just my 2 cents.