Cat food brand

NymeriaPri

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Hi all,
I am trying to figure out diet for my cat. Our vet has recommended a combination of wet and dry food. She was supposed to give us a list of brand but I couldn't find it in her folder, I'm gonna ask her again but in the meantime can you guys suggest which brand is better for both wet and dry. This is my first cat and when I adopted her I bought Whiskas which I know isn't the best out there but I had to feed her untill we got an appointment and I figured out what's best for her. So please give me your recommendation. She is 8 pounds and domestic short hair, with regular energy level. I dont think I can afford those really fancy expensive brand but I can afford things with reasonable budget. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
 
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NymeriaPri

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Thank you for the link
I am in canada (Ontario) and I dont have a budget set yet, but I am ready to spend within reasons. I was hoping to get an idea re budget after a month or so and then I will stick to it.
 

Beholder

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Thank you for the link
I am in canada (Ontario) and I dont have a budget set yet, but I am ready to spend within reasons. I was hoping to get an idea re budget after a month or so and then I will stick to it.
Okay! Well the link has a ton of Canadian brands as well and I know many brands from the US can be purchased in Canada.

Without a budget, I'm not sure what to recommend. I am a big fan of Tiki Cat personally, but it's very expensive and probably only in the states. If I fed dry I would probably choose Instinct or Orijen for the dry food...also expensive. Hopefully someone from Canada will comment below and be able to offer you a bit more help. Sorry.
 

maggie101

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Hi all,
I am trying to figure out diet for my cat. Our vet has recommended a combination of wet and dry food. She was supposed to give us a list of brand but I couldn't find it in her folder, I'm gonna ask her again but in the meantime can you guys suggest which brand is better for both wet and dry. This is my first cat and when I adopted her I bought Whiskas which I know isn't the best out there but I had to feed her untill we got an appointment and I figured out what's best for her. So please give me your recommendation. She is 8 pounds and domestic short hair, with regular energy level. I dont think I can afford those really fancy expensive brand but I can afford things with reasonable budget. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
I also give my cats fancy feast classics turkey and giblets and sheba perfect portions roasted chicken or turkey. I find it cheaper online
Also check periodically the cat food deals forum
 

TardisDance

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I’m in the US, so YMMV in Canada -

For dry food, I am using Instinct Ultimate Protein. There is a regular version that has animal meal and peas. I wanted to get Dr. Elsey’s but the pricing has become ridiculous online. I wanted to get something high in protein and lower in carbs since my cat has refused wet food so far (I keep trying though and making some progress). I emailed Instinct about trying their food and they sent a bunch of $3 coupons which at least saves on some sales tax when I buy in store.

Some of the brands of wet I’ve tried are Fancy Feast (Gourmet Naturals, classic pate, creamy delights), Wellness Complete/Core, Sheba, Weruva/BFF. Weruva is on the expensive side, but so far it’s only brand that is successful in my latest trial of foods. Weruva sent me a box of 6 samples after I emailed and she likes their stew line so far. My cat was from a hoarding situation and almost certain she was raised on dry food only. She is really picky with wet food. Tiki cat is similar but even pricier.

I know Petcurian Go! is super popular in Canada and I almost bought the dry food. The only reason I haven’t tried it is because it’s only available on Chewy.com and I prefer to buy a small bag locally before ordering online. The wet foods look solid too.
 

Katdog

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I’m trying to get a hold of Canada fresh - apparently a cat food brand made in Canada by pet kind. We haven’t tried it yet but I wanna start incorporating it since it’s half the cost of my current wet food choices. And it seems to have good ingredients and DM percentage. Idk if they have a kibble option. I can’t seem to find it in the USA on the shelf, everyone seems to just want to sell it by the case and I’m not sure I wanna take that risk. I guess I could always give it to the shelter if Korra turns her nose to it...

Maybe you’ll be of interest in it.
 

malaigao

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I'm also from Ontario and have used CatfoodDB to help me decide on foods, many of the brands on there are available either at Petsmart, Pet Valu, Global Pet Foods and other smaller independent stores where I am. Not sure what your sense of reasonable budget is but I personally feed a combo of Orijen for dry snacks, and Weruva pouches and Farmina canned wet foods. I've also fed Wellness before which is around the same price as Weruva.

For an idea of pricing: Orijen is ~$33.99 for a 1.8kg bag. A bag can last more than a month depending on how you mix your dry and wet feeding. Weruva is usually ~$2/3oz and Farmina is higher end at ~$2.99/3oz. The only thing is that Weruva foods are lower in calorie so you technically have to feed more which evens out to around the same price.

If you are close to a Global Pet Foods, they have programs where you buy X amount of bags of food and get a free bag. Orijen is 12 bags but I think it varies depending on which brand you buy (could be wrong). Petsmart and Pet Valu both have reward programs too which can help save some money.

To be honest though sometimes your cat might dictate what food you get. I don't mind spending on my cat so I got him to try some Ziwipeak, which is quite pricey and he did not like it at all. 😂And my cat is a kitten, so right now he's eating more but I anticipate he will start needing to eat less when he grows into an adult cat.
 

daftcat75

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I would look for a recipe that is as close to, preferably in this order: meat, moisture, organs, and supplements. Because we are not feeding whole fresh prey, supplements are necessary. Organs may appear on the label as either named organs like "heart" or "liver". Or they appear as unnamed organs as "meat byproducts" or "poultry byproducts." Byproducts isn't a bad word.

I would try to avoid grains, starches, and most fruits and vegetables. Pumpkin is an exception used for digestive issues.

Not all gums or thickeners are bad. But I would certainly avoid carrageenan and agar agar. Guar gum is a benign gum that may actually be beneficial as a pre-biotic (encourages the growth of good intestinal bacteria.) Xanthan gum is used in smooth foods to make them smooth. Some cats are more sensitive to xanthan gum than others. (Some people too. I can tell the difference the next day between a cream cheese that uses xanthan gum vs one that doesn't. 🤦‍♂️) For those that are sensitive to it, it makes their poops smooth. Mousse in, mousse out. 🤦‍♂️ If your kitty is having soft or runny poops, check if there is xanthan gum in the food. Of course, that isn't the only thing that makes soft poops. But it's one of those sneaky causes that many don't know about.

And lastly, I would try to avoid fish and fish ingredients. Fish can be addictive and it isn't an ideal protein for cats. But it is very popular with cats. For that reason, I would reserve fish as an emergency food in case she stops eating or you need to mix medicine into her food. If they only get fish in exceptional circumstances, it remains extremely appealing. If you give them fish all the time, you lose this "nuclear option."

Cats have no nutritional need for dry food and it can do more harm than good in the long run. The only valid argument I have heard for dry food is convenience. Even that can be overcome with timed feeders. If your cat isn't letting you sleep the night, you can put a wet food meal in a timed feeder that opens in the middle of the night or the very early morning depending on your cat's internal hunger clock.
 
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