Dry Food Advice

[Winterune]

Hi there!
I've been browsing this website for a couple months now, but this is my first time posting!
So, earlier this year, my sister and I rescued a two feral kittens that we found in our yard. A brother and sister that we named Malo and Millie. I'll try to include a picture! These are the first cats we've had, so we're learning as we go. They're nearly 6 months old now! They were spayed and neutered last month, and are doing fantastic!
My question is about dry food. We've been feeding them wet food in the mornings and dry (Merrick Purrfect Bistro Healthy Kitten Recipe) in the evenings/night, which I add a couple spoonful's of homemade bone broth to, to add moisture. I know an all wet food diet is better, and hopefully we can do that in the future, but this is what we can afford at the moment. Anyway, Millie has decided over the last few days that she doesn't like the Merrick dry food anymore, so we're going to try switching. I've done a bunch of research and settled on Taste of the Wild dry food, but I'm still not sure about it. Is this a good dry food? Does anyone have experience with it and recommend it? Or anyone have any better recommendations within a similar price range? Thanks a lot!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! And welcome! Have you considered trying some of the ready-made broths/gravies to add to the dry she is losing interest in - at least until you find a suitable replacement? They might just be enough of a flavor enhancer to help.

 

[Winterune]

Hi! And welcome! Have you considered trying some of the ready-made broths/gravies to add to the dry she is losing interest in - at least until you find a suitable replacement? They might just be enough of a flavor enhancer to help.

Hi! She does still eat it with a bit of encouragement, but grudgingly. I do add bone broth, I'll check out the gravies! It's only been a few days of this, and she still loves her wet food in the mornings. Thanks for the advice!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Adding some wet food with the broth into the dry might be another option!

 

[Winterune]

Adding some wet food with the broth into the dry might be another option!

Thanks! I'll definitely do that if she starts to avoid eating the dry altogether, at least until I find a replacement. She can be very picky! Her brother is the opposite, he'll eat whatever we offer lol

 

[maggie101]

If you want them on an all wet diet in the future,try mixing the 2.
Beautiful kittens! I'm sure they are very happy to have a home

 

[Winterune]

If you want them on an all wet diet in the future,try mixing the 2.
Beautiful kittens! I'm sure they are very happy to have a home

I'll start doing that, thank you!

 

[iPappy]

Adding some wet food with the broth into the dry might be another option!

This is what I would try
I have, in the past, saved the empty can until the next meal and put hot water in it to get all the little leftover gravies stuck to the inside of the can to pour over dry food too.

 

[Winterune]

This is what I would try
I have, in the past, saved the empty can until the next meal and put hot water in it to get all the little leftover gravies stuck to the inside of the can to pour over dry food too.

I'm sure she'd love that, I'll give it a try! Thank you!

 

[iPappy]

I'm sure she'd love that, I'll give it a try! Thank you!

Let us know if it works!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I don't know about price range comparison, but Blue True Solutions Perfect Coat or Halo Sensitive Stomach Holistic Seafood Medley are good choices as well

 

[Winterune]

Hi!
I don't know about price range comparison, but Blue True Solutions Perfect Coat or Halo Sensitive Stomach Holistic Seafood Medley are good choices as well

Hello! Thanks so much for the recommendations! I'll check them out!

 

[Winterune]

Let us know if it works!

So, I've been mixing the wet and dry food as you guys suggested and she likes it. So far so good! She's been eating it all, which is a relief. Thank you to everyone here for the advice! I think I've made a couple changes for the better!

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[chelsmarie]

I too combo feed wet and dry. My cat likes Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Chicken and Egg. It’s high calorie so a little goes a long way despite being a tad pricier. It’s fairly low carb too.

 

[Winterune]

I too combo feed wet and dry. My cat likes Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Chicken and Egg. It’s high calorie so a little goes a long way despite being a tad pricier. It’s fairly low carb too.

I've actually been wanting to try Tiki Cat's wet food, but I haven't yet because it is a bit pricey. I'll definitely give it a try when I can! I've heard really good things about it. Thank you!

 

[whisperedthing]

I've actually been wanting to try Tiki Cat's wet food, but I haven't yet because it is a bit pricey. I'll definitely give it a try when I can! I've heard really good things about it. Thank you!

I really, really recommend it as well. My two kitties go CRAZY over Tiki's. I don't feed them a strict brand when it comes to wet food, they honestly will end up eating like 4-5 different brands a week, but Tiki and Nulo is their favorites! My recommendation, as it is more pricy, is to keep buying their usual wet food and just every now and then give them the Tiki!

I also won't buy Tiki wet food in the flavors they get from Fancy Feast Gourmet Kitten or Purina Pro Plan Kitten (their main staples), which is chicken and turkey - I'll usually get some of the more out there flavors in the Tiki and Nulo. Their favorite Tiki flavors are venison and rabbit and their favorite Nulo flavors are beef & lamb - I find it really helps price-wise because why would I buy the chicken flavor from Tiki at nearly $2 a can when they love their Fancy Feast turkey at 0.86 cents lol?

And I totally understand how feeding kittens only wet food is a very expensive process. My kittens go through 21 cans a week combined (they eat three meals a day) - I highly recommend rotating brands to keep costs down. Sometimes Nulo's on sale one week so they get more of that, some weeks it's financially harder for me to buy their Purina Pro Plan, so they get a little more Fancy Feast Gourmet (I only give them the gourmet and naturals because it seems like better quality) and some weeks they get spoiled rotten and get more Tiki and Purina Pro than other.

Just make sure you switch the dry food over slowly as it can mess with their tummies! I feed my kittens the Purina One Kitten dry food like every few days because sometimes my husband and I will be out during their normal meal time and we don't want to make them wait, or we accidentally didn't buy enough cans, or whatnot - I try to just give them 1/4 a cup, as most dry foods are calorie dense.

 

[whisperedthing]

Oh! Also I recommend checking this site and reading what they say about the food or different brands (you'd be surprised - some 'fancier' brands or ones that claim to be healthier aren't any better, or are sometimes worse than like, Fancy Feast or Purina), as well as maybe asking your vet at the next appointment what they think of the food and/or how healthy your kitties are looking (weight & fur wise)

All About Cats

 

[Winterune]

I really, really recommend it as well. My two kitties go CRAZY over Tiki's. I don't feed them a strict brand when it comes to wet food, they honestly will end up eating like 4-5 different brands a week, but Tiki and Nulo is their favorites! My recommendation, as it is more pricy, is to keep buying their usual wet food and just every now and then give them the Tiki!

I also won't buy Tiki wet food in the flavors they get from Fancy Feast Gourmet Kitten or Purina Pro Plan Kitten (their main staples), which is chicken and turkey - I'll usually get some of the more out there flavors in the Tiki and Nulo. Their favorite Tiki flavors are venison and rabbit and their favorite Nulo flavors are beef & lamb - I find it really helps price-wise because why would I buy the chicken flavor from Tiki at nearly $2 a can when they love their Fancy Feast turkey at 0.86 cents lol?

And I totally understand how feeding kittens only wet food is a very expensive process. My kittens go through 21 cans a week combined (they eat three meals a day) - I highly recommend rotating brands to keep costs down. Sometimes Nulo's on sale one week so they get more of that, some weeks it's financially harder for me to buy their Purina Pro Plan, so they get a little more Fancy Feast Gourmet (I only give them the gourmet and naturals because it seems like better quality) and some weeks they get spoiled rotten and get more Tiki and Purina Pro than other.

Just make sure you switch the dry food over slowly as it can mess with their tummies! I feed my kittens the Purina One Kitten dry food like every few days because sometimes my husband and I will be out during their normal meal time and we don't want to make them wait, or we accidentally didn't buy enough cans, or whatnot - I try to just give them 1/4 a cup, as most dry foods are calorie dense.

This is very helpful, thank you! Our kitties also eat three meals a day! We've been using a variety of wet food brands, seeing what they like best, but mainly we've been switching between Merrick's wet food and Sheba. I'll give Tiki and Nulo a try next time! They don't seem picky when it comes to wet food, luckily. I did decide to switch them to the Taste of the Wild's dry fodd and see how they do with it. We just started slowly transitioning them to it yesterday and they're doing great so far. We're also mixing wet food with it, so they may not even notice the change in flavor. I think the Merrick's dry food was making them very gassy, so hopefully this one will be better. Thanks for the advice! This makes me feel better about trying different wet foods.

 

[Winterune]

Oh! Also I recommend checking this site and reading what they say about the food or different brands (you'd be surprised - some 'fancier' brands or ones that claim to be healthier aren't any better, or are sometimes worse than like, Fancy Feast or Purina), as well as maybe asking your vet at the next appointment what they think of the food and/or how healthy your kitties are looking (weight & fur wise)

All About Cats

Yes, they do have to see their vet soon for their last vaccines, so I'll check with her too. Funny you mention All About Cats! I just found it a few days ago and I've been using it a lot! It's very helpful. Thanks!