Can't afford premium cat food anymore. Help!

[catmom4]

Thank you I will check out those places and see if I have one near me. I am in MA but right near the RI border. Quick question though if my girls don't fully eat there morning meal would you lessen what I feed them? The have 1 can each split into morning and night and don't eat a full half in the morning.

 

[smitten4kittens]

Thank you I will check out those places and see if I have one near me. I am in MA but right near the RI border. Quick question though if my girls don't fully eat there morning meal would you lessen what I feed them? The have 1 can each split into morning and night and don't eat a full half in the morning.

If they are consistent about not finishing I think it's fine to put less on their plates.  If they act like they are hungry you can always add it back.

 

[catmom4]

Ok thank you. I will try that. I am using the guidelines of the food and was worried about under feeding them but they don't eat it all so it just goes to waste.

 

[smitten4kittens]

Mine eat less than the guidelines on the can too. If your cats are at healthy weights they are eating the right amount

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If they are eating most of the 5.5 oz can I'm sure they are fine.

 

[just mike]

Thank you so much I will look into the brands you mentioned. I was shocked to see fancy feast on the list. I have always been afraid to feed that to my cats.

Be sure to check the Fancy Feast Classics. They are nearly 1/2 the price of some of the premiums and the ingredient list is not bad at all. It's a good buy on a budget and if you watch the sales at the Petstores and search for coupons online or in the newspapers you can usually find an additional $1 off 24 cans. You can still find decent nutrition for your kitty on a budget :nod:

 

[just mike]

Ok thank you. I will try that. I am using the guidelines of the food and was worried about under feeding them but they don't eat it all so it just goes to waste.

The guidelines are meant to use as a starting point and it is really just a guideline. If the cat is leaving some of it after every meal, gradually reduce the amount you feed. If the cat is losing weight, add more with each feeding. The guidelines are meant to give the pet owner an idea of what to feed but the guidelines are not to be carved in stone that your pet *has* to have that amount.

 

[krysta]

I also like Sheba pates--named meats as first ingredients, no carrageenan, no grains.  And Target's brand, Boots and Barkley, isn't bad either (I chose the Turkey and Giblets flavor because it doesn't contain fish, which I don't feed, but I think all the flavors have named meats as their first ingredients). Only thing is both only come in 3 oz cans--  the Sheba is on sale here for $ .54, the Boots and Barkley is $ .47.  I've been finding a lot of coupons for the Sheba lately.

 

[smitten4kittens]

I just noticed the new line of Sheba the other day too. The chicken pate I looked at didn't have corn,wheat gluten,carrageenan,artificial color or nitrates. The first ingredient is meat. The protein is high. It has some by-products but for $.60 a can I can't expect filet mignon. It looks like a decent low cost option.

 

[minka]

This is what I buy that is cheaper than Wellness:
Merrick: both regular and Before Grain
Nature's Variety Instinct 13.2oz cans for dogs (cat and dogs formulas are the *same* in this brand)
Soulistic
Earthborn
I and Love and You
Solid Gold


(prices vary by state and what is on sale of course..)

 

[catmom4]

Ok have been doing my research into some different cat food options and i know that evo 95% was suggested but I was wondering what people thought about the carrageenan in it? I just learned about this yesterday and wanted some opinions on it. Thank you again everyone has been so helpful

 

[vball91]

When I learned about carrageenan, I started avoiding buying food with it, both in cat food and people food. It is very difficult to avoid it in cat food, and it's surprising how many foods have carrageenan in them, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

 

[lucylittlekitty]

I'm in the same boat as you, I am trying to feed my fur babies the best, and still afford rent. It can be hard at times and I feel guilty for having them when I am at a lower income level, but i had a more secure situation when I rescued them. Some people tell me I should give them up, I don't agree. Not to be a crazy cat lady, but they are my family, and you don't just get rid of your family when times are hard. I have found [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Soulistic to be a great brand as well as EVO and BG (before grain is a bit pricier). I feed them each half a 5.5 oz can in the morning, and 1/2 cup of a low carb grain free dry food in the evening (they don't finish it all). They both are about 9.5lbs and have stayed at the same weight for a while. While wet food is better, I personally would rather give them 70% good quality wet food and a bit of dry food as a snack in the evening. [/color]

 

[cloud4all]

So glad to see that suggestion to purchase Nutro food. Having 4 healthy cats raised on Nutro dry cat food, I am so appreciative that Pet Supplies Plus carries it. My vet asked if I brushed my cats' teeth because they are so clean. I do NOT but that's one benefit of DRY cat food....keeps their teeth super-clean! Also these cats are well-hydrated with fresh water next to the food dish.

 

[nansiludie]

 
So glad to see that suggestion to purchase Nutro food. Having 4 healthy cats raised on Nutro dry cat food, I am so appreciative that Pet Supplies Plus carries it. My vet asked if I brushed my cats' teeth because they are so clean. I do NOT but that's one benefit of DRY cat food....keeps their teeth super-clean! Also these cats are well-hydrated with fresh water next to the food dish.

How old are your kitties? I am asking because my kitties when I fed a previously, all dry diet ended up with several teeth pulled, dental cleanings at around 5 to 6 yrs of age. I ended up feeding a mostly wet food diet now due to urinary issues in my male kitties.

 

[jolie0216]

I agree with the others that an all-wet diet, even a cheap wet food, is better than feeding exclusively kibble.

My indoor pet cats all get a wide rotation of wet food, and every one gets a little handful of Orijen kibble at night as a treat (maybe like 10 pieces for each cat).  They really love it, and yes even though it's a kibble I feel it's the best possible brand to get.   Plus, a 5lb bag of it lasts FOREVER when doled out this way.   I used to free feed kibble a while back, but I have one piggy cat who was starting to get fat, so that's when I really started researching feline diets.

There's a couple outdoor strays that I feed every day, and they get the cheap 9 Lives cans.  Only the pate kind, not the shreds/chunks.  And I must say, even though they live outside and they eat nothing but the crappy 9 Lives cans, they look and feel amazing!  They are very healthy and their fur feels great, so this food has gotten them into very good shape (they were super raggedy looking when I first started feeding them).

Some people really don't like having "meat by-products" in their cat food - I honestly don't think it's a big deal.   I'd rather have meat by-products versus wheat gluten, corn, carrageenan, and soy in their food.   So I wouldn't feel bad at all about feeding my cats a diet exclusively of 9 Lives or Friskies pate varieties.  I've seen with my own eyes that cats will thrive on that diet.  Since they are outdoor cats, I always add extra water into their 9 Lives so that I know they are getting enough hydration.  

The only reason I don't feed my own cats those foods is because they hate pate food and will only eat chunks and gravy.  So I have to get them the better quality chunks & gravy food in order to avoid wheat gluten (and even then, a couple brands I feed in the rotation like Purina ProPlan still has wheat gluten, but other foods I feed like Nutro and Soulistic and Weruva do not).   This is all much much better than just an all-dry diet.  Esp if you have male cats as they are much more prone to urinary issues on an all-kibble diet.

 

[cloud4all]

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[cloud4all]

Sorry my reply to "how old are your cats?" didn't get posted...I think I didn't send it to the right address. Two cats are 6 yrs & two are 4 yrs. They remain super healthy & active with shiney coats of fur. I may also add they eat only Nutro Max Cat Indoor dry food & love their fresh water next to the food. I seldom give them treats since it gets pricey and I've read treats result in undo wgt gain from the ingredients. They & I are happy just to know their total nutrition needs are met. Thanks for all the info in the comments posted.
P.S. I love Arm & Hammer clumping kitty litter with baking soda but get the equivalent @ Target's brand: Boots & Barclay...less expensive. Anyone know where it's even LESS expensive?

 

[picklespepper]

If money is tight I refuse to feel guilty for buying food I can afford.  We actually just hit a financial crisis and I'm probably going to have to go cheap for awhile.  Fortunately, I just bought a new bag of grain-free kibble and a stock of grain-free canned that should last a little while.  I just figure that at least there are two more cats in the world being fed.  I do the same for my children.  Feed the best I can afford.  If that's no-name mac n'cheese and no-name frozen veggies, then so be it.  And if my kitties have to eat only WHISKAS then so be it. 

As for Friskies, I can't find a pate without rice in it.  I don't remember the pates having rice from when we had our old cat.  I still buy some to help lower food costs but I do tend to choose by-products over grains.  I completely avoid corn and wheat.  I don't see how I can avoid carraggean completely without breaking the bank.  Everything seems to have it. And honestly, I don't care THAT much.

 

[bonepicker]

I also rotate Merrick pates in and it has carrageenan, the other ones I feed do not, but it gets expensive to feed no carrageenan if you have multiple cats