I don't plan on ordering from Darwin's again, but I'd like to use up what I already have. On catinfo.org, Dr. Pierson lists their turkey as being sourced from all necks, and therefore is very high in bone content. She lists the phosphorus level as 3.73 on dry matter basis (the highest on the list!) So I'm not so sure I really want to feed that one anymore, or it at least needs to be thinned out significantly with plain meat. However, she doesn't list their chicken formula at all. Does anyone know if it is also sourced from necks, or do they use muscle meat? It can't be as bad as the turkey, the phosphorous level Darwin's lists is much lower. I tried to figure out the phosphorus level on DMB with a formula I found but I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly, because when I tried it on the turkey I did not come up with the same number she did. Can someone help me out here? Here's the link to the chicken formula on Darwin's site: http://www.darwinspet.com/our-cat-food/nutritional-details-chicken-cat-food/. Also, here's the link the turkey if you want to see if you come up with the same number she did on that one: http://www.darwinspet.com/our-cat-food/nutritional-details-turkey-cat-food/. Thanks!
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Darwin's chicken-- bone content, phosphorus level on Dry Matter Basis?
- Thread starter krysta
- Start Date
First, yes the meat and bones component of their foods are from only necks. I called and asked them when I saw that on Dr. P's site.
As for the[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif] phosphorus, calculated using the 76% moisture as per the guaranteed analysis on that link I got 4.2% DM. BUT, that link says "no more than 76%". So the typical (as fed) moisture content could be lower which would make the DM phosphorus content lower. Dr. Pierson didn't use the guaranteed analysis values in her calculations. She called the manufacturers and got the typical or as fed values.[/font]
[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]My phosphorus calculation is for the turkey btw. I got 1.4% phosphorus DM for the chicken using the guaranteed analysis values of 0.4% phosphorus and 71% moisture.[/font]
As for the[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif] phosphorus, calculated using the 76% moisture as per the guaranteed analysis on that link I got 4.2% DM. BUT, that link says "no more than 76%". So the typical (as fed) moisture content could be lower which would make the DM phosphorus content lower. Dr. Pierson didn't use the guaranteed analysis values in her calculations. She called the manufacturers and got the typical or as fed values.[/font]
[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]My phosphorus calculation is for the turkey btw. I got 1.4% phosphorus DM for the chicken using the guaranteed analysis values of 0.4% phosphorus and 71% moisture.[/font]
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks, mschauer! Okay, that was what I got too, for the turkey. For the chicken, using the GA, I got 1.4%. That's not so bad. Do you still use the Darwin's?
No, I only used it when I started feeding my foster, Mickey, raw. I make homemade raw for my 4 cats and I was too lazy to make enough for 1 more. I thought I would make it easy on myself by using premade for just him for the relatively short time I have him. I liked the Darwin's until I saw that about them using only necks on Dr. P's site. Then I started looking for an alternative and found that the reasonably priced premades all have some very good reason why they are reasonably priced. Usually something like having high bone content, using heart meat instead of muscle meat, or being high in fat. So I got disgusted and just started making enough of my homemade for him also.
The only premades I've found that IMO are comparable to homemade are Feline's Pride and Rad Cat and given how expensive they are it would be ridiculous for me to pay for them when I can make my own so easily and cheaply.
The only premades I've found that IMO are comparable to homemade are Feline's Pride and Rad Cat and given how expensive they are it would be ridiculous for me to pay for them when I can make my own so easily and cheaply.
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I don't know if their guaranteed analysis for the chicken can be trusted. They say the calcium content is 1.1% and the phosphorus is 0.4% but that the Ca
is 1.3:1. 1.1% calcium and .4% phosphorus is a Ca of 2.75:1. I suspect the phosphorus is actually higher than 0.4%. If the Ca and calcium values are right the phosphorus is 0.8%.
is 1.3:1. 1.1% calcium and .4% phosphorus is a Ca of 2.75:1. I suspect the phosphorus is actually higher than 0.4%. If the Ca and calcium values are right the phosphorus is 0.8%.- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
I know, I like how the Darwin's is nice and red and juicy. It's a shame they kinda ruin it by using only necks. My guys don't need to be on a low phosphorous diet or anything, but I do try to pay attention to things like that, and when I saw that about the turkey, it just seemed really excessive. At least I got it super-cheap in their introductory offer. Just today, I was really happy to find that my local store had stocked Rad Cat for the first time. I bought a 24 oz tub of the chicken, so I'm really excited about that!
The Darwin's may not actually be all that bad. *If* the bone content is actually something reasonable they must be adding a lot of heart to dilute all the bone in the necks. Heart is very nutritious but it doesn't have the same nutrient profile as muscle meat. I would consider feeding Darwin's in rotation with other, higher quality, premades like Rad Cat.
Mickey loves the Darwin's and it does look very nice!
Mickey loves the Darwin's and it does look very nice!
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