Blue Buffalo Dry Food?

[jess1970]

I have four cats and they have been eating Blue Buffalo dry food and wet food. They seem to like and and they are healthy. But after reading some reviews I am wondering if its the best for them and if there is something better for them. I am wondering if I should change brands?

 

[duckpond]

So hard to say. I personally am not a fan of Blue. May be in part because of all the bad things you hear online about the dry, and that may, or may not be fair, i don't know. The wet has Carrageenan, and that is an ingredient that i personally choose not to feed. Many feed Blue and have healthy cats

What i like to feed
Dr Elsey's dry chicken. Or for occasional change of pace some Farmina Or the Taste of the wild, their new Prey formula, they have a turkey, or a beef that the cats all like. But Elsey's is my main dry food.

wet foods i feed a lot of Tiki cat after dark, some weruva, some of the fussie cat super premium foods, Nulo minced flavors only, nutro minced chicken and sliced turkey. the new favorite right now is the minced flavors from American journey, chewy's new brand. Some fancy feast, Merrick backcountry the rabbit and the beef, and some Earthborn holistic Monterrey medley for their fish fix I try to rotate different brands and proteins. Keeping as much as i can to the High protein, moderate fat, and low carb.

Two of the pages i use for comparing foods.
http://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf
CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat

 

[maggiedemi]

Do you have a link to the Taste of the Wild Prey? I couldn't find it on the Tractor Supply website.

 

[KarenKat]

I have also used catfooddb.com and it helps me compare and find good High protein, medium fat, low carb foods. I also have been looking at Dr. Jane Hofve's book "What Cats Should Eat: How to Feed Your Cat for Optimal Health." Dr. Hofve seems very knowledgeable, but also very strict with what she considers acceptable food. Her "approved brands" list are mid-high in cost. She also doesn't include "Dave's Pet Food" but I found one without carrageenan and it seems to conform to her other requirements.

Based on reading way too much online articles on cat food, these are my guidelines for what I look for on the label:

• First couple of ingredients are animal protein
• no animal by-products
• No fish as main ingredient
• grain-free
• no carrageenan
• High protein, medium fat, low carb (catfooddb.com is great for this)
• No artificial colors (I don't care what it looks like, and neither do the kitties)

I'm in the process of switching to wet food, but right now I feed our guys Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Green Pea and Chicken dry food ( I know there are lots of better ones out there myself, but switching to wet food is a lot of work and I don't want to make too many changes at once). I like that it is grain free, and they seem good on it. For wet I've been feeding them Dave's Pet Food Shredded Chicken in Gravy, Life's Abundance and First Mate. I am going to try Hound and Gatos, Bravo Feline Café, and Tender & True soon. The favorite from the kitty end is definitely the Life's Abundance.

Hope that helps. I'm no cat food diet expert, but that's how I've been evaluating the cat food.

 

[duckpond]

Do you have a link to the Taste of the Wild Prey? I couldn't find it on the Tractor Supply website.

here you go. i do buy it at Tractor supply. we have a local petsense, they carry it too. i haven't seen it on chewy yet.

» Formula Results

 

[maggiedemi]

Thanks. It says my Tractor Supply has it, but it's not on their website for some reason.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, and welcome!!
Here's a database as another point of reference (the last update was Nov 2017). Pet Food Guide
and also;
Cat Food & Feline Nutrition With Pet Nutritionist Dr. Martha Cline
Raw Feeding Cats: Types Of Raw Diets & Feeding Options
How To Choose The Best Dry Cat Food?
Grain-free Cat Food – What Does It Mean?
Choosing The Right Food For Your Cat - Part 2

 

[sweetblackpaws]

My boy was on a combination of Fancy Feast wet and Blue Buffalo dry and he got crystals. I will never know if it was from the BB, but I would not give it to a male cat because of my experience. My girls did well on it.

 

[FakeGourmet]

I have no issue with Blue Buffalo Weight Control. My cats adore it. However, two have an allergy to some ingredient (they are allergy prone) and scratch, scratch, scratch, so I no longer buy it. Tried it two years later; same thing.