For 20 years we’ve fed our cats Purina Friskies and Fancy Feast, Pedigree wet for the dog. Usually some form of P urina dry as well. Purina Brand primarily for cost, brand recognition, availability, and perceived quality for the money.
More to the point, we’ve recently lost 2 cats; one older one to renal failure and one a few years younger to a completely unexpected thrombosis/embolism. I guess the root of the question is would a higher quality food likely prevent some illnesses OR are Friskies, Fancy Feast, Pedigree and the like just fine. Maybe most illnesses are more genetics and simple fate rather than diet.
For the record, our pets are not visibly unhealthy and don’t visit the vet abnormally often. This question is not to tarnish any one brand of food or company as I’m certain these companies are responsible, produce quality food, and take their roles quite seriously. I’ve just been considering the real benefits if any to better quality food.
Is a “premium” quality cat/pet food essential to a healthy pet?
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I use the Friskies and Fancy Feast in the soft food but I dont feed my cats soft food everyday usually 2-3 times a week at most…but I do swear by the better quality of Purina One instead of the regular, less expensive Purina dry food and you can see the quality difference in the dry food itself also I have noticed since I have my cats on Purina One dry their eyes, coats and teeth seem extremely beautiful and healthy looking and their poo is not as smelly as when using the less expensive dry foods
yes it makes a difference.. although not all differences are visable..
think of it this way – if a food contains lots of filler (corn and by-products) it is harder for them to digest (also more poop).. now you may not get other problems but that is bad enough..
further more some foods preserve with cheaper chemical preservative which can be linked to health problems..
http://www.gomestic.com/Pets/What-is-in-Your-Cats-Food.75821
this link is great for easliy explaining what are good ingredients what are bad.. and why .. check it out – you will be glad you did
incidentally cancer is a leading killer of pets (besides accidents) and MANY cancers can be linked to ingredients in cheap cat foods.
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they MUST eat meat. They also do not have a high thirst drive, so they need to get as much water as possible with their food. I personally believe that dry cat food contributes to a lot of health problems. I feed my cats grain free canned only. Here is a good website for more information about nutrition: http://www.catinfo.org
I don’t like dry cat food because I think it contributes to diabetes, renal failure, etc., but if you feel you must use one Innova EVO and Wellness Core are low carb ones.
Also, when you feed a better quality cat food, there is less poop and smell because it is digested better.
Dogs are omnivores, they eat anything. That is why dry is ok for a dog, but we also give our dog canned Pedigree.
Sometimes it does come down to fate or genetics, just like with people I guess.
I see benefit in my cats with higher quality food – that is, food without wheat or corn gluten or animal byproducts. I see the difference in their coat, weight, and energy level, and I also feel better knowing they’re not getting a lot of “filler” that they can’t even digest. I’ve noticed that their “dandruff” and dry skin is gone, so I’m guessing they may have had some allergies to the grain and fillers in other food.
For canned food, I am also feeding brands with no grain and no animal byproducts. Cats really do need the moisture of canned food in their diets to protect kidney function, especially as they age. There are some Fancy Feast brands and others that have no gluten, but they will all contain byproducts.
I have just gone through a big health scare with one of my cats, and so now their food and health is a priority to me. I do see benefits for my cats with it.
Just like with people, a high quality diet will lead to better health. But as you say, genetics plays a big role as well (along with fate). There are marathon runners on macrobiotic diets with diabetes and high cholesterol who keel over at 40 from a bad heart. And there are 300 lb desk-bound couch potatoes who have pastries for breakfast, fast food at lunch, frozen food at dinner, and drink coke all day long who have no significant health problems and enjoy long lives.
Obviously one of these two approaches gives you better odds. Most people live in the middle, and most people muddle through.
Cats will be the same. You can improve their chances with a great diet, but you can’t guarantee a perfect outcome. You can give them a horrible diet of your own leftovers, and they’ll probably get by ok. Most cats live in the middle, and most cats muddle through.
For both cats and people, portion control is probably ultimately more important than what the portions are. Have lunch every day at McDonalds? A happy meal will give you enough calories and won’t cause too many problems. But most adults aren’t getting the happy meal. Which is a shame, because it comes with a cool toy
Because nutrition is one of the most important keys to your cat’s health and longevity, one of your most important responsibilities as a cat owner is to provide your cat with the necessary nutrients required for its growth and maintenance. To do this, it is first necessary to understand what cats need in their diet.
So, Whatever healthy pet you have, you must keep him on feeding nutritional foods that might available commercially world-wide.
Commercial cat foods are formulated as dry, semi moist, and canned. These products differ in water content, protein level, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility. The differences are primarily attributable to the processing methods used by pet food manufacturers.
I know one of the best cat-food that i used to feed my cat >> http://www.agritura.com/index.php/cat/c381_Cat-Food.html