Healthy Diet

[Becki]

Freeze dried can be a good alternative to frozen prepared raw, but most will contain some fruits and veggies a cat doesn't need. I would not feed it without rehydrating as your cat could potentially over eat and it is meant to be served with water added.

I realize everyone has their own opinions on cat food, so this is not meant to argue with anyone. I am a strong raw advocate, I do feed prepared frozen raw from Primal that has 5% veggies, but my cats really like it. I also have rabbit from Hare Today with Alnutrin mixed in that I rotate. They prefer the Primal venison, but will eat it. I do have a bit of kibble out, I have Nature's Variety Instinct as will as Orijen Cat and Kitten. They like the Orijen better, but they really don't eat much of it at all and I could probably just stop that all together. They do get canned in the rotation, Weruva Paw Licken chicken and Peking Duck. My kitten is a string bean despite all he eats, my Nyah is a great weight. They are both active, shiny kitty cats. My vet is a strong raw advocate as well, and she comments on how much healthier her raw fed clients look.

 

[Michaela]

Freeze dried can be a good alternative to frozen prepared raw, but most will contain some fruits and veggies a cat doesn't need. I would not feed it without rehydrating as your cat could potentially over eat and it is meant to be served with water added.

I realize everyone has their own opinions on cat food, so this is not meant to argue with anyone. I am a strong raw advocate, I do feed prepared frozen raw from Primal that has 5% veggies, but my cats really like it. I also have rabbit from Hare Today with Alnutrin mixed in that I rotate. They prefer the Primal venison, but will eat it. I do have a bit of kibble out, I have Nature's Variety Instinct as will as Orijen Cat and Kitten. They like the Orijen better, but they really don't eat much of it at all and I could probably just stop that all together. They do get canned in the rotation, Weruva Paw Licken chicken and Peking Duck. My kitten is a string bean despite all he eats, my Nyah is a great weight. They are both active, shiny kitty cats. My vet is a strong raw advocate as well, and she comments on how much healthier her raw fed clients look.

Thank you all for so much information.
I am more raw advocate now .
More I learn more I don't like commercial cat food with vegetables .
I lost a pretty blue point siamese to Renal failure at 14.5 years age .. Life time dry diet . Now I know better...
Still learning a lot from this site.

 

[Jarnco5]

John,

Nice input... Thank you.

I looked at the dehydrated raw today and have decided to not use it. My cats are healthy and eat the dry wet (canned) mix as the staple in their diet... Like you I want them to eat dry so when I leave they can self feed. Short trips.

You choosing raw works for you and your cat... great.

If my cats had any issues with the diet I have now I would switch however they don't. That's why I worked hard finding out what dry was best as well as what canned. (at least to my cats and I)

As far as my breeder... The Royal Canin Dry the kittens will eat. The Innova EVO they use is a decent food # 2 on my list only reason it's not #1 is the carrageenan in it.

I talk to my cats breeder and will report my final findings... I find they put out nice looking cats and my hats off to them. We live in a world of judgmental people and no one fit of food would please everyone. I think they do the best they can... If you are right and we share the same breeder I ask you give them feedback using some good presentation via email... I am sure positive feedback would be welcome. That does not mean they will agree.

Maybe you have already? Bottom line I love the cats they gave our family.

 

[Michaela]

John,

Nice input... Thank you.

I looked at the dehydrated raw today and have decided to not use it. My cats are healthy and eat the dry wet (canned) mix as the staple in their diet... Like you I want them to eat dry so when I leave they can self feed. Short trips.

You choosing raw works for you and your cat... great.

If my cats had any issues with the diet I have now I would switch however they don't. That's why I worked hard finding out what dry was best as well as what canned. (at least to my cats and I)

As far as my breeder... The Royal Canin Dry the kittens will eat. The Innova EVO they use is a decent food # 2 on my list only reason it's not #1 is the carrageenan in it.

I talk to my cats breeder and will report my final findings... I find they put out nice looking cats and my hats off to them. We live in a world of judgmental people and no one fit of food would please everyone. I think they do the best they can... If you are right and we share the same breeder I ask you give them feedback using some good presentation via email... I am sure positive feedback would be welcome. That does not mean they will agree.

Maybe you have already? Bottom line I love the cats they gave our family.

Love your input
Love my furry cat family
Finally cats get more attention and food information then dogs... On this chat line..

 

[Jarnco5]

Thank you all for so much information.
I am more raw advocate now .
More I learn more I don't like commercial cat food with vegetables .
I lost a pretty blue point siamese to Renal failure at 14.5 years age .. Life time dry diet . Now I know better...
Still learning a lot from this site.

Michaela, Why did you pass over wet (canned food) that would also provide more liquid and be healthful to the cats kidneys?

Diet needs to be balanced even raw and I think initially you were heading in the correct direction looking for the best brand of raw food. Hope you find it and report that to everyone. I think a dry diet can be healthy if high quality and you find ways to ensure the cat on it gets enough water. My cats are on a combo and not just dried. I can also add more water to the mix when I feed the combo of wet\dry and mix it together it's the equivalent of adding water to dehydrated raw food is it not?

My goal is to help those who want an easy yet healthy way to feed cats... I have found my "quality" dry and "quality" wet... mixed with some complimentary natural not raw food works.

You have given attention to raw dehydrated food and a better choice in my opinion than "frozen raw" because germs are usually killed in the way they dehydrate the meats in dehydrated raw.

Some vegetables are natural even in a wild cats diet from eating the vegetables in the stomach of the prey they eat and when sick cats will eat some types of vegetation. Lots of Raw commercially available cat food contains vegetables.

 

[SV Dad]

Jarnco. I also have the same breeder. My cats are on a Fancy Feast Grilled and Royal Canin wet diet, with on demand Blue Wilderness dry. I did have some loose stool challenges when they were kittens, and every now and then. But the cats are active and healthy. There are many successful diet choices out there.

 

[Michaela]

Michaela, Why did you pass over wet (canned food) that would also provide more liquid and be healthful to the cats kidneys?

Diet needs to be balanced even raw and I think initially you were heading in the correct direction looking for the best brand of raw food. Hope you find it and report that to everyone. I think a dry diet can be healthy if high quality and you find ways to ensure the cat on it gets enough water. My cats are on a combo and not just dried. I can also add more water to the mix when I feed the combo of wet\dry and mix it together it's the equivalent of adding water to dehydrated raw food is it not?

My goal is to help those who want an easy yet healthy way to feed cats... I have found my "quality" dry and "quality" wet... mixed with some complimentary natural not raw food works.

You have given attention to raw dehydrated food and a better choice in my opinion than "frozen raw" because germs are usually killed in the way they dehydrate the meats in dehydrated raw.

Some vegetables are natural even in a wild cats diet from eating the vegetables in the stomach of the prey they eat and when sick cats will eat some types of vegetation. Lots of Raw commercially available cat food contains vegetables.

Thank you for the input
Both cats I got (separate breeders) came on raw breeder diet with supplement snack of dry
They mixed fancy feast to spike the raw
Now I took the dry away when the SV had diarrhea for a month and pooped all over the house and the vet found no medical condition
The raw home made breeder food mixed with Rad Cat ....solved the diarrhea in 2 days
Now I want something easier and less work especially when I go out for days
My dad comes twice a day to feed raw when I am away.

Love the input and will use it to reach an easier diet for my cats furry family .

 

[Jarnco5]

Freeze dried can be a good alternative to frozen prepared raw, but most will contain some fruits and veggies a cat doesn't need. I would not feed it without rehydrating as your cat could potentially over eat and it is meant to be served with water added.

I realize everyone has their own opinions on cat food, so this is not meant to argue with anyone. I am a strong raw advocate, I do feed prepared frozen raw from Primal that has 5% veggies, but my cats really like it. I also have rabbit from Hare Today with Alnutrin mixed in that I rotate. They prefer the Primal venison, but will eat it. I do have a bit of kibble out, I have Nature's Variety Instinct as will as Orijen Cat and Kitten. They like the Orijen better, but they really don't eat much of it at all and I could probably just stop that all together. They do get canned in the rotation, Weruva Paw Licken chicken and Peking Duck. My kitten is a string bean despite all he eats, my Nyah is a great weight. They are both active, shiny kitty cats. My vet is a strong raw advocate as well, and she comments on how much healthier her raw fed clients look.

Becki, As far as dry Nature's Variety scored #3 Orijen #2 and Innova EVO #1 to my cats taste... I am interested have you even tried it next to Orijen?

I looked at a dehydrated Primal bag today decided against it. Based on your post I may give it a try down the road.

You were objective in your post... thanks for adding this information.

 

[Jarnco5]

John,

My cat was very stressed from the flight here to our area... that was potentially some of his problem other than Royal Canin not being the best quality. (in my opinion)

I know my breeders feed it (royal canin) because most cats will at least eat it... they have to serve a diverse customer base.

I am not advocating for this breeder or against. Just trying to be fair. They do worm and shot the cats well. That said my kitty had a parasite. Again I don't blame them many cats do and one vet I use missed the parasite. A second found it and we treated it.

I let my breeder know and I am sure they are glad I did.

 

[admin]

Ok, so as I breeder, I need to make sure my kittens will eat canned as well as raw and that is what they get fed as soon as they ar eold enough to begin eating...and I add some high quality dry as well...in the past, I have used RC kitten dry food, mixed in with raw and a bit of can. This litter, I am going to use the same raw (Blue Ridge Beef Kitten mix, Merrick dry for kittens and a high quality canned..not sure which one yet).

As a mommy, Zuri and Cinny eat some canned, but mainly raw whole carcass rabbit from Hare-Today and a few chicks a day as a snack...Zuri gets quail from rodentpro when she is not nursing...Zuri LOVES Wysong Archetype - I add it to her canned or raw...it is a high quality freeze-dried raw...for a while it was Stella and Chewy's,. but something changed in the formula and it now makes ALL my cats vomit.

Everyone has their own comfort level. This has been an awesome thread - thanks so much Jarnco5.