Does Anyone Feed Cheap Kibble And Spend More On Wet Food?

[xenathecrazy]

I know that kibble isn't the best diet for cats but I prefer to supplement a primarily wet food diet with some kibble. If kitty is getting wet food which is the better diet, does it really matter what brand of kibble he/she eats, if they are basically all unhealthy for a cat? I was considering using most of my cat food budget on wet and just use something like Purina kitten chow or Purina Naturals Cat Chow since it's all life stages or maybe even Purina One kitten for the kibble. Does anyone else feed cheaper kibble if it's not the primary diet?

 

[Azazel]

Cheap kibble is just empty carbs/calories. I would consider it a waste of money.

 

[sargon]

If you want a kibble/ wet mix, I'd actually suggest that you spend a bit more on the kibble to get it at least up to an "entry level" grain free like taste of the wild.

Dry foods improve a lot more from low to mid and high end than canned (partly because canned start a bit higher to begin with), and are cheaper per pound, so you're probably better off with a good kibble and a slightly cheaper canned than the other way around.

Also, try put ting the kibble in a "puzzle toy" or "food maze."

 

[KarenKat]

For me, most cheap kibbles contain ingredients that cats have issues processing and some are simply allergic to: corn, wheat, soy, potato, Pea etc. I try and avoid any of those in most of the foods I feed (especially potato and peas are hard to avoid but they aren’t as terrible as corn). I wouldn’t want to add anything to the diet that would be a harmful ingredient. I still look for meat in the first five kibble ingredients.

Also good for you for researching, and trying o find the best for your kitty within budget!

 

[xenathecrazy]

I guess I'm wondering what is the better of the 2 options. Most grain free foods are loaded with potatoes and peas. Grain inclusive foods can have rice, wheat, or corn. Everyone seems to suggest grain free dry food, but I have also read of so many cats having issues, primarily urinary issues or loose stools on the grain free foods. The grain inclusive foods have been around for quite a long time and it didn't seem that so many cats were having problems with them. When a cat ends up with a problem, they seem to be remedied and relieved by the pricey prescription foods which are grain laden. They include all the "bad" ingredients and somehow they work and the pet gets relief. It's almost like it seems that a combination of the two would be best. If meat acidifies and grains cause more alkalinity, the combination of the two should hopefully keep a good balance if the food is properly formulated.

I have experience with a dog more than a cat and I know they have completely different nutritional needs, but in my experience with my dog, all the more pricey, grain free foods were the worse offenders. She was either vomiting, itching, or throwing up. When I switched to regular Hills Science Diet or Purina, she did a lot better than the premium foods. Even homemade food was a nightmare for her. She did have many sensitivities though and ended up on Hills Z/D for food sensitivities and it worked real wonders for her. I tried transitioning off the Z/D per the vet recommendation to see how she'd do and it was a fail. For some reason, she did best on processed foods which would make no sense to most people if they hadn't witnessed everything I went through with her before trying the Z/D.

Because of my experience with my dog, I'm having a really hard time following the newest 'trends' in pet foods and that is why I'm asking so many questions and researching cat nutrition now. They just released news about cardiomyopathy possibly being caused by grain free foods in dogs too adding to my fears of following trendy feeding patterns.

Everyone is trying their best to keep their furbabies as healthy as possible, but it's so hard to choose the right thing because everyone has different experiences with their pets.

 

[Azazel]

This is the problem with all dry foods. They are high in carbs, whether that source be wheat or peas. They’re also dangerously low in moisture. I would say ditch the kibble entirely and feed wet food only that is low in carbs.

 

[xenathecrazy]

I would say ditch the kibble entirely and feed wet food only that is low in carbs.

I feed a kibble for supplementation because my kitten is only 4 months old and I leave some out to graze. He's currently eating Royal Canin kitten dry since that is what his breeder had him on but I find it pricey for what it is when compared to other grain inclusive foods. Also, in the event that he needs to stay home a day or two, he must be able to eat kibble since I can't leave wet food out.

 

[Azazel]

I feed a kibble for supplementation because my kitten is only 4 months old and I leave some out to graze. He's currently eating Royal Canin kitten dry since that is what his breeder had him on but I find it pricey for what it is when compared to other grain inclusive foods. Also, in the event that he needs to stay home a day or two, he must be able to eat kibble since I can't leave wet food out.

When I was raising kittens on all raw/canned I fed them as much as they wanted several times a day. Now that they’re grown I give them about 4 meals of wet food a day. I freeze wet food and put it in a timed feeder when I’m not home so they get a feeding at their regular meal time. When I’m away I get the sitter to do the same thing.

 

[KarenKat]

I think your questions are awesome! We can only make informed decisions with information.

I know a lot of people choose grain free, and I agree it’s totally the hot new thing for Pet food marketing. Some of the members here are not concerned with grain, but they want high protein, medium fat and low carb. If you can get that mix from a food containing grains, and your Pet does well then it’s good.

I personally will never feed anything with corn again. We were feeding our two boys Purina Indoor Cat Chow (mostly corn) and they seemed like they were fine. Gohan eats anything and maintains his perfect beach body. Trin binge eats whenever anything is imperfect and he was very overweight. We switched them to Natural Balance Green Pea and Chicken - a food with lots of peas and almost the exact same protein/fat/carb ratio according to CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat but was grain free. Trin immediately became more active, stopped binge eating (but he still liked the food) and became more playful. Over the next 3 years he came down to close to his ideal weight by losing 3 lbs. the increased energy really made me realize that what I had been feeding was hurting him. Thus my strict no corn rule. Some corn may be ok if it’s lower in the ingredients, but again the most important thing is meat no matter the food.

 

[Azazel]

I think the point is that there is a trade off between health and cost/convenience.

Cheap kibble is cheap and convenient but it’s unhealthy.

There are 2 brands of kibble that are low in carb (Dr. Elsey and Ziwipeak) but they are expensive (and still low in moisture so not the healthiest).

Ditching dry and feeding all wet is healthy but it may be more costly. It’s also a bit more work to feed (but manageable with things like timed feeders).

So you just have to decide what you’re willing to compromise on.

 

[mazie]

I feed kibble for supplementation because I work full time, and can only give Katy her wet food twice daily. I do not buy what is considered the top of the line for her kibble or wet food, but on the other hand I do not feed her any "generic" wet or dry either. She is a picky eater, so I have found what she likes and I stick with it, Sheba and Fancy Feast for wet and Iams kibble (in the pink bag).
I do want to add that I also feed a feral cat, he gets Friskies dried and Friskies wet, twice daily. I do not spend as much on the feral, but ferals are soooo appreciative of someone taking the time to feed them that they appreciate any brand of food we put before them. I am glad that friskies come in the larger sized cans though, because he has that wet chowed down in less than 5 minutes. LOL My feral is NOT a picky eater, to say the least, like someone else I know and love is.

 

[KarenKat]

I feed a kibble for supplementation because my kitten is only 4 months old and I leave some out to graze. He's currently eating Royal Canin kitten dry since that is what his breeder had him on but I find it pricey for what it is when compared to other grain inclusive foods. Also, in the event that he needs to stay home a day or two, he must be able to eat kibble since I can't leave wet food out.

I think many people feed kibble for this reason as well. And with a kitten, who should eat has much as he wants to grow, kibble can be a vital part of their diet. I personally feed kibble to our two boys as their main food because they have a hard time switching to wet. We are trying though.

To answer your original question, I prefer having quality dry food since it has so many fillers and additives and the cheap food was so hard on our cats system. I would focus on the protein/fat/carb ratio and make sure the protein comes from a meat source. Grain free is less important than that in my opinion.

 

[Furballsmom]

Does anyone else feed cheaper kibble if it's not the primary diet?

I personally would do what you need to, particularly since your whole intent is to be able to feed wet food.
I'm feeding the Big Guy the wet food he will eat, and kibble that's as inexpensive as I could find in Walmart and a local grocery store.
There is no such thing as a kibble that's awesomely fantastic so I simply found a couple brands of dry food that have less stuff that I don't want.

 

[Azazel]

Kibble is not necessary for raising kittens. It’s just more convenient because you can leave it out all day rather than pulling out a can of food several times a day.

 

[xcourtney3]

I was looking for cheap kibble that my teenage cousin could afford to feed her cats and it seems the best options are Purina Pro Plan followed by Cat Chow Naturals

 

[duckpond]

There is so much controversy about cat food, both wet and dry. I try to feed the best food i can, and that my cats will eat. The cats taste and our budget, and our lifestyle do all come into play. These issues must be taken into consideration. Find the highest protein, moderate fat, and lowest carb foods you can, in what ever brand you decide to feed. Wet and or dry. And dont worry so much. There are no "magic ingredients" or "magic numbers" We may want there to be, life would be easier if you could just say feed this food only and your cat will be healthy.

There are a lot of other things that matter, not just food. Exercise, love, attention and play. Clean home, clean fresh water, safety, yearly ...or as needed vet visits, clean and roomy litter boxes. Stress free life. All of these things matter too.

Feed the best foods you can afford, both wet and dry IMO, and take care of all other issues too as best you can. Sometimes i honestly think we get way to bogged down in the food issues.

 

[MeganLLB]

I guess I'm wondering what is the better of the 2 options. Most grain free foods are loaded with potatoes and peas. Grain inclusive foods can have rice, wheat, or corn. Everyone seems to suggest grain free dry food, but I have also read of so many cats having issues, primarily urinary issues or loose stools on the grain free foods. The grain inclusive foods have been around for quite a long time and it didn't seem that so many cats were having problems with them. When a cat ends up with a problem, they seem to be remedied and relieved by the pricey prescription foods which are grain laden. They include all the "bad" ingredients and somehow they work and the pet gets relief. It's almost like it seems that a combination of the two would be best. If meat acidifies and grains cause more alkalinity, the combination of the two should hopefully keep a good balance if the food is properly formulated.

I have experience with a dog more than a cat and I know they have completely different nutritional needs, but in my experience with my dog, all the more pricey, grain free foods were the worse offenders. She was either vomiting, itching, or throwing up. When I switched to regular Hills Science Diet or Purina, she did a lot better than the premium foods. Even homemade food was a nightmare for her. She did have many sensitivities though and ended up on Hills Z/D for food sensitivities and it worked real wonders for her. I tried transitioning off the Z/D per the vet recommendation to see how she'd do and it was a fail. For some reason, she did best on processed foods which would make no sense to most people if they hadn't witnessed everything I went through with her before trying the Z/D.

Because of my experience with my dog, I'm having a really hard time following the newest 'trends' in pet foods and that is why I'm asking so many questions and researching cat nutrition now. They just released news about cardiomyopathy possibly being caused by grain free foods in dogs too adding to my fears of following trendy feeding patterns.

Everyone is trying their best to keep their furbabies as healthy as possible, but it's so hard to choose the right thing because everyone has different experiences with their pets.

I understand about the dog and that can sometimes be true. Not all dogs can tolerate a grain free diet. Sometimes it can be too rich for them. And the article about grain free foods causing heart problems was about plant-based grain free food not meat-based. Plant based food where the majority of protein comes from peas and potatoes is the problem not grain free foods where the majority of protein comes from meat. Dogs are able to digest carbs and usually have no problem eating higher quality grains like brown rice and oatmeal.

But not cats. Cat are not small dogs. Cats are obligate carnivores and can't digest carbs in the same way a dog can. It's not so much about "grain free" foods but its about finding a "meat based" food with as few fillers as possible which preferably are not corn, wheat or soy.

Dogs should still eat foods that are meat based not plant based. But those meat based foods could still contain healthy grains or healthy fillers like sweet potatoes (not white potatoes) brown rice, oatmeal, barley. They still shouldnt be eating a food that is mostly corn.

Cats have to have meat. I prefer to still keep kibble around for them too. The cheapest I can find that is somewhat decent is American Journey on Chewy. I considered Purina One True Instinct but it contains soy. Anything cheaper than that I wouldn't feed.

 

[Willowy]

After trying almost all the mid-grade kibbles, I've settled on Purina One and Purina Beyond. I've had the best results with those, even if they aren't "the best".

All things considered, I think Beyond's ingredients are pretty decent. They have a grain-free version if you prefer. The weird thing is that it's a lot cheaper online than from the store, even Walmart. I'm not sure what's up with that.

 

[himawari]

Right now my cat is on a mostly wet diet with a bit of kibble due to budget issues and he was sick for a bit. If the kibble is only supplementation then I don't really see the problem of buying cheap kibble. Just add water on his canned food.

But my only thing with kibble is I don't buy any that has rice or corn or soy because I had a personal experience with my dog eating those ingredients, and it was bad. So I try to avoid those with my cat.

The oldest cat, Creme Puff, who was 38 years old, had what could be considered as a bad diet but she was the oldest cat in the world. Because there are other factors at play when it comes to caring for a cat -- genetics would be the biggest. I think it's best to look at it as a bigger picture instead of focusing on the details.

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

i feed okay wet food (petcurean go, sometimes fancy feast classic pate) and sorta shitty cheap but at least grain free dry food (fussie market)

i agree with himawari. so many cats live to 20+ with crap food. im not saying we should all go ahead and feed our cats the feline equivalent of mcdonald's upsized meal everyday. but at least dont completely kill your budget trying to feed premium stuff 7 days of the week