Need Food Recommendations For Both Cats

[oceanmist]

So I'm trying to figure out some different foods for both of my girls.

Cherry:
Since I've had her she's had stomach issues. When I first got her she had coccidia and horrible diarrhea. That was treated, but she's still always had soft stools and was really gassy (she could kill with those farts). I switched her to Freedom Grain Free a few years ago and she's done so much better on it, so I'm assuming she had a grain allergy. She mostly eats dry food, but I'd like her to eat more canned. She was eating the canned version as well, but she always left a lot in the bowl. Recently, she's been begging for Piper's canned food (Friskies). The other night, we accidentally had three cans of food open for Piper and I just decided to let Cherry have the other half of the can I had just opened. She licked the bowl almost completely clean. So it seems that she finds Friskies more appetizing than her canned food. I got her a few cans of hers the other day and she barely touched it.

So any recommendations for a canned grain free food I could feed her along with her dry food? I'd prefer something cheapish and she prefers wet foods that are soupy. She could also afford to lose some weight. She also doesn't always eat her food right away. She will still eat wet food that's been out for a few hours. Usually we'd give her some canned food around 6pm and while we're sleeping, she'll eat it.

Piper
We've had Piper on Friskies canned food since we've gotten her. I didn't want to switch her to a higher quality food yet because she was doing fine on Friskies and I didn't want to be buying the expensive food for two cats unless I had to. She loves any food. The only thing I couldn't get her to eat was a can of Blue Wilderness food (Cherry didn't want it either).

I want to switch her food because she's been scratching a lot (to the point of giving herself scabs) and pulling out clumps of fur (no balding except on one ear). I think it could be allergies/food quality. She's been checked out by the vet within the last month due to her lymph node issue (was just an infection, cleared up with antibiotics). I had mentioned the scratching and fur to the vet and she didn't seem concerned. I'm bringing Cherry in tomorrow for her check up, so I can ask the vet again when I'm there. I don't think she'll need a grain free food, just a better quality one. Again, the cheaper the better, but I will pay what I need to. And something that might keep her fuller longer would be great. She is constantly screaming for food.

So any recommendations? I would also prefer foods that have a few different flavors. We like to switch things up so they don't get sick of the flavors.

 

[krisrath11]

I know sams club online sells grain free food. It is like 20 a bag which is great for grain free. Wal-Mart sells a grain free I believe it is beyond which my mom used for a long time. The being full it was just suggested to me a science diet healthy maintenance I believe it was that they say fills them up and they don't gain weight. The kitties all love friskies bcz it is like eating junk food for a person. I am actually looking into the grain free as soon as the little ones are a year as everyone eats together here. As far as canned hopefully someone else will help since canned gives the diaper babies diareah we don't feed it much but as a treat rarely. Hope this helps.

 

[oceanmist]

I'll have to see what Wal-Mart carries. I usually buy my food off amazon in bulk.

And I definitely don't think I'll do Science Diet. I remember not hearing a lot of good things about them. :/

And I guess the Friskies = junk food makes sense for why Cherry loves it. She's such a junk food kitty. Piper will steal almost any kind of people food. Cherry only likes chips.

 

[krisrath11]

Yeah the science diet came as an odd reccomendation from a lady who also hates the brand but said it worked. I wouldn' use it unless there's a real obesity problem. Grain free should help with that some though.

Lol, I have 1 kitty who will sit in my plate if I let her. The others have manners usually lol. Junk food babies happen, my personal kitty I adopted was addicted to friskies hard food. When bob popped out and had all the problems that went out the window. We watch what we feed here as change is no good. I will say my brother uses chicken soup for the soul from menards and said it is comparable to blue buffalo >I assume it would be grain free. Little more costly but the better the food the less they eat, and the less it costs later in medical expense. I completely get cost though as there are 12 cats here right now that all have to eat until the extra 6 go to their homes. If u have the time, u could actually make your own as it is supposed to be cheaper and u know what is in it for sure. I haven't tried as I don't have the time nor space, but it is an idea.

 

[Neo_23]

Instead of looking for grain free I would look for low carbs and lots of meat-based proteins (meat as first 3 ingredients). A lot of grain free foods still have peas and potatoes which are just as bad as grains.

If you take all the values in the guaranteed analysis and subtract from 100, the remainder will give you a rough idea of the amount of carbs. Cats should have no more than 10% of their diet filled with carbs. Ideally much less.

 

[oceanmist]

Instead of looking for grain free I would look for low carbs and lots of meat-based proteins (meat as first 3 ingredients). A lot of grain free foods still have peas and potatoes which are just as bad as grains.

If you take all the values in the guaranteed analysis and subtract from 100, the remainder will give you a rough idea of the amount of carbs. Cats should have no more than 10% of their diet filled with carbs. Ideally much less.

Any specific brands you'd recommend looking into?

 

[Neo_23]

Any specific brands you'd recommend looking into?

Dry food is typically high in carbs no matter what. So in general I would stay away from it. But if you must feed dry some brands lower in carbs are Ziwipeak and Dr. Elsey's.

For wet food, I like Rawz, Koha, Nature's Variety, Hound and Gatos. These have the best ingredients in my opinion.