Farmina

[sunflower7]

Does anyone feed this dry food?
I tried from my local pet store recommended by the owner. The guy is pretty knowledgable
( the other 2 pet store owners I spoke to really didn't know much about ingredients)
I researched them and they seem great! My cats liked the food. Seems very healthy. and it was "dry" but not like overly dry. low in carbs too( the chicken/pom)

I do only feed dry about 20% of their diet or when I go away they get it left out since someone only comes over once a day.

 

[duckpond]

I have, and do feed Farmina. My main dry food is Dr. Elseys chicken, less than 5% carbs. But i feed Farmina as a change now and again. My guys all like it, especially the pumpkin and venison flavor. My outside stray...neighborhood cats love it too!

 

[sunflower7]

Thanks!

 

[Neo_23]

Just wanted to give a warning about pet store workers - many are quite lovely but I have found in personal experience that they have no knowledge about feline nutrition. I'm not familiar with Farmina but I try to stay away from anything with too many veggies or fillers. I think a lot of pet store workers like brands that are good for dogs and recommend the same ones for cats, not realizing that cats really cannot digest the same amount of carbs that dogs can.

 

[sunflower7]

Just wanted to give a warning about pet store workers - many are quite lovely but I have found in personal experience that they have no knowledge about feline nutrition. I'm not familiar with Farmina but I try to stay away from anything with too many veggies or fillers. I think a lot of pet store workers like brands that are good for dogs and recommend the same ones for cats, not realizing that cats really cannot digest the same amount of carbs that dogs can.

yes, I know.
This man I spoke with has owned pet store 30+ years and IS knowledgable.
Another man has owned a pet store in the other direction also has owned 30+ years and is absolutely clueless. I know WAY more than him.about cats, about nutrition, about ingreds. It's sad that he only listens to the sales reps and doesn't research a thing on his own.

I spent about 50 hours online researching and from what I know, there is no "best" but there are "better" brands. I think Farmina is one of them and wanted to see who else likes it. :-) It's pretty low carb for a dry food too

 

[duckpond]

Just wanted to give a warning about pet store workers - many are quite lovely but I have found in personal experience that they have no knowledge about feline nutrition. I'm not familiar with Farmina but I try to stay away from anything with too many veggies or fillers. I think a lot of pet store workers like brands that are good for dogs and recommend the same ones for cats, not realizing that cats really cannot digest the same amount of carbs that dogs can.

Farmina is a pretty good dry for cats, imo. Not as good as my beloved dr. elseys with only 5% carbs, but still a good brand as far as dry goes. Most of Farminas foods run from 17 to 20 % carbs, they dont use a lot of different fillers, but more carbs from potato. The grain free varieties, and the new pumpkin flavors i like, if they didn't have a little spinach way down the list i would feed them a little more. But you know i have a thing against spinach

 

[Neo_23]

I can't name a single brand of canned food that I'm completely thrilled about. Maybe if we are including raw brands I would say that Radcat is pretty close to being fantastic, but that's about it. Every brand that I have looked into has some issue that makes me lose sleep over. So until I'm willing to start making my own food it is what it is.

 

[sunflower7]

I had never heard of Dr Elseys. Just looked it up. I think it would be ok in a rotation. however I have a thing about pork, lol. which is in their dry food. Cans look good,with agar agar though and "natural flavor" which so many cans have and basically can be anything ( they don't have to disclose, just like on human food) . also I like to buy pet food at my local shop ....not chewy. I do my best to support ALL local small business owners ( as I am a direct sales mom myself) so I don't buy on chewy really.... but seems like an excellent brand and I'd consider in my rotation for sure

 

[sunflower7]

I can't name a single brand of canned food that I'm completely thrilled about. Maybe if we are including raw brands I would say that Radcat is pretty close to being fantastic, but that's about it. Every brand that I have looked into has some issue that makes me lose sleep over. So until I'm willing to start making my own food it is what it is.

There's quite a few new articles online against feeding raw food. Have you seen them? I only skimmed since it's not something I am considering... but I hear you on not being thrilled
then again, like I said in another post, my nana fed her cats nine lives and friskies and they lived almost 20 years. my one cat lived almost 18 on friskies and 80% dry when I didn't know much.

 

[duckpond]

I had never heard of Dr Elseys. Just looked it up. I think it would be ok in a rotation. however I have a thing about pork, lol. which is in their dry food. Cans look good,with agar agar though and "natural flavor" which so many cans have and basically can be anything ( they don't have to disclose, just like on human food) . also I like to buy pet food at my local shop ....not chewy. I do my best to support ALL local small business owners ( as I am a direct sales mom myself) so I don't buy on chewy really.... but seems like an excellent brand and I'd consider in my rotation for sure

we all have our things i have several but pork isnt one of mine. I dont feed their wet foods, because of the agar, really bums me out that they added that.

I wish we had local shops to buy from, but its a 2 hour drive for us, unless you count walmart or petsense, but neither one of them carry anything i want to feed other than Nutro minced, or fancy feast. i do try to buy from them when i can.. So for those of us who do not have local options Chewy is awesome I really do wish we had a local mom and pop pet store, or even a larger chain store, but our town is too small.

 

[Neo_23]

There's quite a few new articles online against feeding raw food. Have you seen them? I only skimmed since it's not something I am considering... but I hear you on not being thrilled
then again, like I said in another post, my nana fed her cats nine lives and friskies and they lived almost 20 years. my one cat lived almost 18 on friskies and 80% dry when I didn't know much.

Yep, I’ve seen all the articles and warnings posted by the FDA. I’ve done lots of research into the matter and we discuss it all the time in the raw feeding sub forum if you’re interested.

 

[sunflower7]

we all have our things i have several but pork isnt one of mine. I dont feed their wet foods, because of the agar, really bums me out that they added that.

I wish we had local shops to buy from, but its a 2 hour drive for us, unless you count walmart or petsense, but neither one of them carry anything i want to feed other than Nutro minced, or fancy feast. i do try to buy from them when i can.. So for those of us who do not have local options Chewy is awesome I really do wish we had a local mom and pop pet store, or even a larger chain store, but our town is too small.

Yes, if it's not doable, then chewy is great! I'm lucky I have 2 great small locally owned pet stores within 4 miles here, and they are great :-) I enjoy shopping there and supporting them. I also have a petco in my town.

 

[sunflower7]

Yep, I’ve seen all the articles and warnings posted by the FDA. I’ve done lots of research into the matter and we discuss it all the time in the raw feeding sub forum if you’re interested.

Thanks! I'm not doing raw. but I'm sure there's good info there :-)

 

[duckpond]

Yes, if it's not doable, then chewy is great! I'm lucky I have 2 great small locally owned pet stores within 4 miles here, and they are great :-) I enjoy shopping there and supporting them. I also have a petco in my town.

Luck you, two pet stores locally, that's great! i wish we did. We had one at one time, older lady who shut down and retired, nothing since then. we have a petsense, but for cats they really are not much different than walmart. They seem to have a few better things for dogs, but isnt that the way it usually is.

 

[sunflower7]

Luck you, two pet stores locally, that's great! i wish we did. We had one at one time, older lady who shut down and retired, nothing since then. we have a petsense, but for cats they really are not much different than walmart. They seem to have a few better things for dogs, but isnt that the way it usually is.

wow, I didn't realize how lucky we are. Like I said Petco and a pretty big privately owned pet store within 2 miles of my house. then one small one about 4 miles east, one medium one 4 miles west and one medium one 6
8 miles south! Then again, it's crowded, traffic, expensive and all here! LOL