Opinion On Dry Food Please

Many moons ago we decided to try feeding chicken free food because Nightfury was frequently vomiting and maybe it was chicken related. He also immediately vomits with any shellfish and I feed only grain free foods. So after much research (darn that sneaky chicken meal) I finally settled on Only Natural Pet Fish and Fowl. Despite the name it was turkey for the fowl not chicken. Just to point out, we dry free feed all day and a wet food dinner. It is what works for our schedule and our cats. Not to mention they are picky buggers when it comes to wet food so the wet food they will eat would cost double the dry to do just wet. Everyone is a healthy weight and dehydration is not an issue in our family of thirsty kitties.

Life was good for 4-5 months. Fury only had a few hairballs and the partially digested food vomit had become nearly non-existent.

Now Link has become my vomiting cat (insert dramatic sigh). He has no other signs of any illness. Energetic, shiny coat, active, no swelling/bloating, not sensitive in the stomach region, everything else good and normal. So I decided that given the time it is more likely that he is sensitive to something in the new food. First guess is the turkey and second guess the fish meal. Neither the turkey or fish meal were in the old food that he had no problems with. So the hunt was on again for a non-poultry, non-fish, grain free dry food with over 30% protein.

I have narrowed it down to two options that I can get and are within my price range. Looking for any thoughts/opinions about these two:

Addiction Viva-La-Venison

Venison Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Sodium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Dried Cranberries, Dried Apples, Dried Spinach, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus Faecium, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum, Dried Bifidobacterium Thermophilum, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement , Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Taurine, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min.) 30%
Crude Fat (min.) 15%
Crude Ash (max.) 11%
Crude Fibre (max.) 3.5%
Moisture (max.) 10%

Natures Variety LID Rabbit

Rabbit Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Rabbit, Natural Flavor, Coconut Oil, Montmorillonite Clay, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin), DL-Methionine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide), Freeze Dried Rabbit, Salt, Pumpkinseeds, Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min)35 %
Crude Fat (min)19 %
Crude Fiber (max)5.5 %
Moisture (max)9 %

I am leaning more towards the rabbit personally. But that is mostly because it has less random items.... but part of me like all the vitamins in the venison being from actually food items instead of additives.

I'd go with the rabbit. I've had good experience feeding the Nature's Variety Instinct brand before, it has higher protein and fat contents, less fruit/vegetables, and only one animal protein source.

Yes, I'm a little concerned with both Peas AND Potatoes in the Venison, plus it has CHICKEN fat (that might be a problem), although I do like that it has probiotics in it. I know many cats don't like Venison though, so even if you go that route, it might not work.

I think I'd start with the Rabbit and go from there.

Thank you!

I have ordered the rabbit and am crossing all my fingers and toes that it works out.

mrsgreenjeens said:

Yes, I'm a little concerned with both Peas AND Potatoes in the Venison, plus it has CHICKEN fat (that might be a problem)

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Chicken fat doesn't cause a reaction for cats with chicken allergies. Most of the time food allergies are to the protein specifically. The fat in an animal doesn't have any protein in it. So in most cases, if an animal or human is allergic to a specific type of animal meat they are only allergic to the meat (or eggs or milk) of that animal but not the fat. Fun little trivia.

I am starting to think it is something in my house causing poultry allergies. My dad is allergic to poultry and now two of the three cats appear to have a poultry problem. If anyone else develops a poultry problem I am moving.

Kieka Hey! I'm wondering what you thought of Nature's Variety rabbit as dry food?

I recently found Taste of the wild prey. its very limited ingredient, which i like. i bought the turkey, and all 4 inside cats, and the stray cats outside like it quite a bit. No upset tummies or anything with the inside guys. They have a Turkey flavor, and a Beef flavor, so it might be something you can try at some point. I got the Turkey as it is a bit higher in protein.
» Formula Results

So chicken fat in the kibble is bad? Most kibble food has chicken fat, rice, eggs, milk, oatmeal, watermelons, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, cranberries, pineapple, pumpkin, mellons, apricots, cherries, potatoes, salt, garlic, sugar cane etc... I guess people have forgotten that cats are carnivores. Then the bags of food have a slapped on bold font title GRAIN FREE. There appears to be no regulation in cat food making nowadays.

Yanaka said:

Kieka Hey! I'm wondering what you thought of Nature's Variety rabbit as dry food?

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I've been feeding that one to my guys for a while. They enjoy it. I have my eyes open for something a little higher in protein because formulas are always changing and I'd like some rotation. But overall it's fairly decent.

TroyRag said:

So chicken fat in the kibble is bad? Most kibble food has chicken fat, rice, eggs, milk, oatmeal, watermelons, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, cranberries, pineapple, pumpkin, mellons, apricots, cherries, potatoes, salt, garlic, sugar cane etc... I guess people have forgotten that cats are carnivores. Then the bags of food have a slapped on bold font title GRAIN FREE. There appears to be no regulation in cat food making nowadays.

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Chicken fat is fine. It's a common fat used in petfood and is refined so it won't trigger allergies. I do agree on all the unneeded extras. I am aware though that some manufactures add them for the vitamin and minerals content instead of artifical or synthetic versions. But it is extremely questionable how well cats can handle it. Pet food as an industry is relatively young, the idea that cats and dogs are fundamentally different biologically is even younger. I tend to do limited Ingredient branded foods simply because they have less random ingredients.

I do wish there was a little more regulation but look at human vitamin industry, supplements, so called natural or trend labelling. You'll see the same kind of wording and maneuvering. Ideally, I'd like to start with just percentages on the labels to know how much there is or more nutritional labeling (carbs labeled would be huge but also something like phosporus).

I just started my kitties on Nature's Variety Instinct Original kibble. It stays it's part raw meat. My cats like it. I am mixing it up with Primal.