Finding A Good Balance Of Wet/dry For 7 Mo Kitten

Count

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I looked at a lot of threads about this topic here and what I realized is a) wet food is really expensive here b) we don't have a great variety. I want to feed Count with the best possible food but I have to keep my cat food budget under control. With a all wet diet, depending on the brand, I need to feed about 4-5 cans/pouches a day. With kibble only I need to feed 120 g a day. So if I want to feed 2 cans, I only give 60 g kibble etc.

For kibble I only use Orijen Cat & Kitten which costs 175 TL for 1.8 kg (about 11.50 TL daily if I only feed kibble)

I have been feeding 60g kibble and 1 Hills 1 Brit pouch a day (~15 TL a day), but I'm not sure if that is the best combination in my case. I will not go all wet because I sometimes sleep really long (12-18 hrs), and I want to make sure Count has something to eat.

Below I included most of the wet food options that I can find here. I excluded the lowest quality ones (whiskas, felix, jungle, royal canin, pro plan). They are not cheaper than Brit, but worse quality. Includes all of the premium options that I can find. I only included the chicken variant on the brands that have more, but I will buy the others as well for variety. I want to keep well below 20 TL daily if possible. Given these options what would you feed your cat? (If you really want to do the math 6 TL is 1 USD, so my max budget is 100 USD per month for only 1 cat, I hear some people feed 3 cats, all wet with this kind of money but not possible here)

N&D Prime Kitten Chicken @ 8.30 TL (Only option is chicken)
Ingredients: Chicken, herring, eggs, sweet potato, herring oil, pomegranate, fructooligosaccharide, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, zinc methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, manganese methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, ferrous glycine complex, copper methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, DL-methionine, taurine
Analysis: Crude protein(min) 13.00%; crude fat (min) 5.00%; crude fiber (max) 0.40%; moisture(max) 77.00%; ash (max) 2.90%

Brit Premium Kitten Chicken Chunks @ 4.00 TL (Only option is chicken)
Ingredients: 80% meat and animal derivatives in chunks (8% chicken), fish and fish derivatives, derivatives of vegetable origin, minerals. No Colorants, No Preservatives
Analysis: crude protein 9.5%, fat content 5%, crude ash 2.5%, crude fibre 0.4%, moisture 81%

Gimcat Shinycat Chicken Kitten Jelly @ 5.80 TL (Chicken or Tuna)
Ingredients: meat and animal by-products (chicken 47,6 %), oils and fats, minerals, derivatives of vegetable origin
Analysis: Protein 13%, Fat 2%, Ash 2%, Fiber 1%, Moisture 85%

Vitakraft Chicken Kitten @ 5.40 TL (Chicken or Turkey)
Ingredients: Meat and animal by-products (55% including 10% chicken fillet, poultry and pork) Herbal by-products (tapioca starch and inulin) Minerals
Analysis: Moisture 81.0% Protein 10.5% Fat content 4.5% Crude fiber 0.3% Crude ash 2.0%

Schesir Kitten Chicken Aloe @ 7.50 TL (Chicken or Tuna)
Ingredients: Chicken fillets 61% Aloe 4.7% Sunflower oil 1.4% Rice 1% vit. A 1700 I.U. vit. E 180 mg. taurine 200mg. zinc sulphate heptahydrate 114 mg. ferrous sulphate monohydrate 31 mg. manganous sulphate monohydrate 11 mg. potassium iodide 9 mg. cupric sulphate pentahydrate 3 mg
Analysis: protein 11% crude oils and fats 1% crude fibres 0.1% crude ash 1% moisture 86%

Hill's Science Plan Kitten Healthy Development Chunks with Chicken @ 5.75 TL (Chicken, Turkey or Ocean Fish)
Ingredients: Chicken (32%), pork, pea protein, trace elements, tapioca starch, vitamins, salmon, wheat flour, dried whole egg, dried pork protein, maize starch, various sugars, fish oil, sunflower oil. Coloured with natural caramel.
Analysis: Protein 9.2% Fat 5.4% Fibre 0.65% Ash 1.7% Moisture 79% Calcium 0.27% Phosphorus 0.24% Sodium 0.1% Potassium 0.17% Magnesium 0.03%
 
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Count

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I would prefer those without byproducts and DEFINITELY without any pork products.
That's why I asked here. I can't really find a food that is affordable that doesn't have by-products etc. I am trying to find the best compromise. Or is it better if I don't feed wet at all? Only two that I can find are very expensive, one doesn't taste good, other contains aloe (toxic to cats) for some reason.
 

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I think wet is good to feed, you could call the company and discuss the aloe possibly?
 

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That's why I asked here. I can't really find a food that is affordable that doesn't have by-products etc. I am trying to find the best compromise. Or is it better if I don't feed wet at all? Only two that I can find are very expensive, one doesn't taste good, other contains aloe (toxic to cats) for some reason.
Many experts recommend wet only as a diet for cats. Of course each expert is a person and each person in the cat loving community has his/her own ideas as to what is the best diet. Personally, I feed high quality wet three times daily and have high quality dry available free-choice. I also feed a few treats daily. If at all possible, I would recommend choosing the best wet food affordable and making that the majority of the diet. I see that a lot of people in Turkey feed chicken to their cats. Not sure if all required nutrients are contained in chicken, but it might be a good way to augment the diet, if affordable. You could feed a mix of all three -- wet, chicken, and dry. I have financial considersations as well, and food for my three costs more than my own grocery bill each month. Do the very best you are able to do for your cat! and it will pay off in your cat's good health, less vet bills for illnesses, and of course, knowing your beloved cat is getting the best possible diet. ;):yess::blackcat2::redheartpump:
 
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Count

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tarasgirl06

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Zooplus does not ship to Turkey because they have a seperate shop for us. I use their Turkey website often (www.zooplus.com.tr). Unfortunately they don't have anything better. You can take a look on the ones they offer if you want (in Turkish): Konserve Kedi Maması | Avrupa'nın Lider Online Pet Shop'u - Yavru
Some of the Purina varieties here do not contain by-products and are generally thought to be high in quality. Whatever the equivalent of the US Fancy Feast (Purina) is in Turkey would be a good choice as far as I know. Royal Canin is a well-thought-of line, as well.
 
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Count

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Some of the Purina varieties here do not contain by-products and are generally thought to be high in quality. Whatever the equivalent of the US Fancy Feast (Purina) is in Turkey would be a good choice as far as I know. Royal Canin is a well-thought-of line, as well.
All Royal Canin and Purina varieties here are full of byproducts and grains. I checked every single variety. In terms of the quality of ingredients they are below Brit Premium which has byproducts but at least no grains, and is cheaper.
 

tarasgirl06

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All Royal Canin and Purina varieties here are full of byproducts and grains. I checked every single variety. In terms of the quality of ingredients they are below Brit Premium which has byproducts but at least no grains, and is cheaper.
Good for you for being so careful. I hope you can find something that is high quality AND affordable.
 

lisahe

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Personally, I'd say that byproducts are much more appropriate in a cat's diet than grains/cereals and other vegetable matter! We feed our cats a lot of different kinds of food, both because they like the variety and that means I feel okay feeding them a few cheaper foods (like Fancy Feast pates) that they really like but maybe aren't made of such high-quality ingredients as, say, their frozen raw food.

The Schesir would sound good if not for the aloe (4.7% sounds very high for eating aloe, that's a little weird!) and I would definitely avoid the Hills -- pea protein isn't really great for cats. I might try the other four and see what Count thinks: he'll be the final judge anyway! So often you want so much for them to like the really good food but then they refuse to eat it.

What Whiskas options do you have available, Count? I know some of their foods aren't very good but someone somewhere (I forget which country the person was in, maybe Canada?) was able to buy pretty decent Whiskas. Some companies' foods really vary a lot by country.
 

She's a witch

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is Animonda Carny an option? Instead of Orijen, you could try Purizon from Zooplus if they have it, it's similar but cheaper. It's a shame that Turkish zooplus doesn't have some great quality German cans like GranataPet, Grau, Power of Nature.
How is the raw meat in Turkey? I'd think it's a good quality. Have you considered raw feeding? It may be cheaper than canned.
 
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Count

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Personally, I'd say that byproducts are much more appropriate in a cat's diet than grains/cereals and other vegetable matter! We feed our cats a lot of different kinds of food, both because they like the variety and that means I feel okay feeding them a few cheaper foods (like Fancy Feast pates) that they really like but maybe aren't made of such high-quality ingredients as, say, their frozen raw food.

The Schesir would sound good if not for the aloe (4.7% sounds very high for eating aloe, that's a little weird!) and I would definitely avoid the Hills -- pea protein isn't really great for cats. I might try the other four and see what Count thinks: he'll be the final judge anyway! So often you want so much for them to like the really good food but then they refuse to eat it.

What Whiskas options do you have available, Count? I know some of their foods aren't very good but someone somewhere (I forget which country the person was in, maybe Canada?) was able to buy pretty decent Whiskas. Some companies' foods really vary a lot by country.
Whiskas here is using by products, has soy as a protein source and has carrageenan. I think the last one alone is enough reason to avoid it.

I tried N&D Prime. In fact it was the first batch of wet food I bought for him, and he used to like it, but nowadays he only eats a little of it if he is desperate.

Gimcat is not a complete food, and the food itself doesn't look that good to me. Plus it has grains (which is not listed on their website but it is on the can). Also I noticed the analysis doesn't add up (it is from their website). So this is a pass.

I haven't tried Vitakraft yet. That is on the list for my next order.

I tried a tuna Schesir variety with tuna not listed here, back when I wasn't aware of risks of carrageenan, he loves it, but again, carrageenan. I have 2-3 more of it which I will feed but after that I won't buy any more. The Schesir I listed above doesn't have carrageenan, but I'm worried about aloe.

Count really likes the Brit Premium, and it is cheap, and looks like no grains either. But the problem is the ingredients list is very short, feels like they didn't put everything in there. And I would like to know what "derivatives of vegetable origin" is exactly.

Count likes Hill's a lot too. Not too surprising considering they look exactly the same, pouches feel like the same, and they are made in the same country. I wouldn't be surprised if they are from the same factory. But the ingredients aren't great. And considering the similarity with Brit, it makes me suspicious about Brit too.
 
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Count

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is Animonda Carny an option? Instead of Orijen, you could try Purizon from Zooplus if they have it, it's similar but cheaper. It's a shame that Turkish zooplus doesn't have some great quality German cans like GranataPet, Grau, Power of Nature.
How is the raw meat in Turkey? I'd think it's a good quality. Have you considered raw feeding? It may be cheaper than canned.
Purizon is not avalible here. Only other kibble option that I could consider here is N&D.

Animonda Carny is available here, but the ingredient list on Zooplus seemed incomplete, and I couldn't find their website so I didn't list it. Is it any good?

This is the only available Carny: (there are also two types of vom feinsten available)
Animonda Carny Kitten Poultry Coctail Yaş Kedi Maması | Avrupa'nın Lider Online Pet Shop'u
 

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Just putting this out there for what it's worth. In the wild, cats' preferred and main prey is small rodents. Cats eat the whole of the prey, just about, including the alimentary tract. Rodents' main diet is grains. As far as by-products go, I've read opinions that by-products are not bad at all, as long as the source is fresh. Again, cats in the wild eat almost every bit of the prey, not just the "prime cuts" that some humans would draw the line at. *A lot of people eat almost everything of their meat animals, too. That's the traditional way, where as little as possible goes to waste.*
 
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Count

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Just putting this out there for what it's worth. In the wild, cats' preferred and main prey is small rodents. Cats eat the whole of the prey, just about, including the alimentary tract. Rodents' main diet is grains. As far as by-products go, I've read opinions that by-products are not bad at all, as long as the source is fresh. Again, cats in the wild eat almost every bit of the prey, not just the "prime cuts" that some humans would draw the line at. *A lot of people eat almost everything of their meat animals, too. That's the traditional way, where as little as possible goes to waste.*
I am fine with by products as long as they fill every nutritional needs, and are healthy overall (no sick animals etc). I am fine with low amounts of grains too, but not as much as commercial cat foods include. It is a problem when half of the food is grains.
 
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Count

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Have you considered raw feeding? It may be cheaper than canned.
I just noticed this question. I am not comfortable with raw feeding. It may feel more natural but I think it is risky. I am comfortable about homemade, but I don't have the time required for that.
 

tarasgirl06

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"Downer" animals (those sick and/or injured who are not ambulatory prior to having their lives taken) are most definitely used in commercial cat foods in the US. IDK how it is in Turkey but I would guess it is similar. I think the only way to avoid those is to patronize a halal source but making positively sure the animals whose lives are taken are treated humanely. IDK how anyone could do this in reality. I agree with you on raw foods. Homemade would be good but not practical for many. Plus, one would have to be certain that all nutrient needs are met, which would not be easy although it's not impossible as there are guidelines online. I know many would disagree with me, but I believe that commercial foods designed specifically for cats and meeting the AAFCO guidelines or equivalent, are probably the best.
 

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Purizon is not avalible here. Only other kibble option that I could consider here is N&D.

Animonda Carny is available here, but the ingredient list on Zooplus seemed incomplete, and I couldn't find their website so I didn't list it. Is it any good?

This is the only available Carny: (there are also two types of vom feinsten available)
Animonda Carny Kitten Poultry Coctail Yaş Kedi Maması | Avrupa'nın Lider Online Pet Shop'u
Animonda Carny has generally good opinion in Europe in the medium range, although it's too rich in organ meat imo. I checked the ingredients from the UK zooplus site, this is Poultry can for kittens:
Poultry Cocktail: Beef (39%, lung, meat, heart, kidney, udder), chicken liver (14%), turkey hearts (6%), duck hearts (6%), calcium carbonate.
Nutritional additives /kg:
Vitamin D3 (200 IU), iodine (0.2 mg), manganese (1.5mg), zinc (10mg).
protein 11.0 %
fat 6.0 %
fibre 0.3 %
ash 1.7 %
moisture 80.0 %
taurine 0.8 %

Out of all the option Turkish zooplus has, I'd try this. Hopefully they will add some more high quality food, they have lots of affordable options in other countries.
Animonda Fenstein contains unnamed by-products thought, so I'd say Carny is a better choice.
 
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