Opinions On These Canned Brands- Which 3 Or 4 ??

[sunflower7]

I would really like to finally decide which brands to stick with ( after an almost 2 month going crazy research and lots of trying)

CANNED FOOD:
My cats like chicken, turkey, liver and maybe a little duck.
I want grain free, no carageenan.
I don't feed tuna or seafood daily, only if it's in another food( like nulo's chicken) and that would only be 3-4 times a week out of all meals.
The soy in Halo is something I am not sure about despite a lot of reading?
I lean toward"holistic" brands and I have to watch what I spend as a single mom of 3 kids( and 3 cats, maybe 4 soon)
They like pates, eat shredded chicken but with less enthusiasm and like chopped/small morsels.
They have eaten and pretty much liked the first 5 on the list, have not tried the last 3 yet.


If you had to choose only 3 or 4 from this list, please tell me which 4, thanks!!!

NULO
EARTHBORN HOLISTIC
FROMM
FUSSIE CAT
HEALTH EXTENSION
WERUVA
INSTINCT
HALO

 

[duckpond]

my cats like nulo minced, most of the others have Carageenan or spinach which i dont feed. They like Earthborn catalina catch and monterey medley, not the others. Fromm they wont eat. They do eat Fussie cat super premium, other fussie cats have carageenan. Health extension i didn't try for some reason, maybe carageenan? Weruva they normally like. Instinct i have tried several times, they wont eat it, same with Halo. Cats

Mine right now are enjoying the American journey minced poultry flavors from chewy. Tiki after dark beef and chicken. and they often like the Nutro minced chicken or sliced turkey. almo nature the one in the pack with chicken and apple. Then there is always the fall back of fancy feast classics, sometimes thats just what they want .

 

[sunflower7]

There is no carageenan in the NULO cans I have. Maybe they changed?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi - I'd avoid Earthborn, fussie cat and the Health Extension due to the menadione, --there's my two cents

 

[sunflower7]

Thanks
it's always something!
But if they only eat it a few times a week it's better than all the time, every meal.
halo has soy in some, carageenan in others.
You can't win!
I have 3 children, we try to eat healthy but of course we eat some junk. ( too much!) so I believe in doing the same for cats, at least do the best I can right?

 

[Furballsmom]

You're absolutely right.
unless a person is willing to do homemade raw, which I am not, it's a very real challenge.
Hang in there, I think you're a terrific cat person!

 

[Neo_23]

I think Fromm, Instinct, and Weruva are all decent. Weruva is made in Thailand which makes me a little nervous, but it's a very popular brand that's been around for a while so I guess that gives it some cred? (although they did have one bad recall in Australia last year )

 

[sunflower7]

You're absolutely right.
unless a person is willing to do homemade raw, which I am not, it's a very real challenge.
Hang in there, I think you're a terrific cat person!

aw, thank you! I have had cats my whole life and try to do my best. the food thing nowadays is scary. companies really put crap in the foods. and then the BIG names even buy the better smaller brands and slowly switch to junkier ingredients. it's all about the money. My Nana fed her cats friskies and what's that other brand back from long ago? cheap stuff? my memory alludes me right now..... anyway, they all lived to 15-20! but again, I bet the ingredients NOW are much worse than they were then. Like I told my dad(75), when you ate a potato it was a potato. now when I buy them, they are sprayed with countless chemicals!

 

[sunflower7]

I think Fromm, Instinct, and Weruva are all decent. Weruva is made in Thailand which makes me a little nervous, but it's a very popular brand that's been around for a while so I guess that gives it some cred? (although they did have one bad recall in Australia last year )

Yes, thanks.
I have mixed feelings about weruva. I think they may be over rated

 

[Neo_23]

Yes, thanks.
I have mixed feelings about weruva. I think they may be over rated

Well, I do like that they have simple ingredients, although they use gums (you kind have to use gums though with shredded foods to hold the juices together). And their protein-fat-carb ratios for many of their flavours are fantastic (much better than all of the other brands listed in this thread except for maybe Tiki). I feed the "cats in the kitchen" line and many of the varieties are 50%+ protein. But, the fact that their facility is located in Thailand means that they may not have the same controls and regulations as companies based in North America. Although, they claim on their site that their food is prepared in a human grade USFDA certified facility.

Fussie Cat and Tiki are also made in Thailand.

 

[duckpond]

There is no carageenan in the NULO cans I have. Maybe they changed?

I checked on chewy, looks like they are using Agar Agar now, in my opinion it is the same as carageenan. Their minced flavors do not, they use guar gum, which im not a fan, but very hard to get around and i find it the less of the evils . I dont think the shredded flavors do either, but they have spinach, and i dont want to feed spinach.

 

[Furballsmom]

My Nana fed her cats friskies and what's that other brand back from long ago? cheap stuff? my memory alludes me right now..... anyway, they all lived to 15-20! but again, I bet the ingredients NOW are much worse than they were then. Like I told my dad(75), when you ate a potato it was a potato. now when I buy them, they are sprayed with countless chemicals!

Absolutely - one of the brands that I just cry about is Purina, I know some folks never did like it but it used to be the best, now it's owned by Nestle and all they care about is the almighty dollar. It's just so incredibly sad when a trusted brand hits the ditch.
Anyway, all the best of luck to you and your furbuddies!!

 

[sunflower7]

Hi - I'd avoid Earthborn, fussie cat and the Health Extension due to the menadione, --there's my two cents

Just want to say I looked on my earthborn and fussie and there's no menadione... on the ones I have anyway. I do see it on some of the health extension cans( ch/pumpkin) and not others( chicken or turkey)

 

[Furballsmom]

oh, good eye, the health extension is the one I looked at, definitely. I saw something like that with some of Addictions recipes - there's menadione in a few but not others.
Weird

 

[LTS3]

You might find other grain free, gum free foods in these threads:

Canned food without Carrageenan or Guar Gum?
Grain- & carrageenan-free foods
What are your favorite carrageenan/grain-free wet foods to feed to your cats?

 

[1 bruce 1]

aw, thank you! I have had cats my whole life and try to do my best. the food thing nowadays is scary. companies really put crap in the foods. and then the BIG names even buy the better smaller brands and slowly switch to junkier ingredients. it's all about the money. My Nana fed her cats friskies and what's that other brand back from long ago? cheap stuff? my memory alludes me right now..... anyway, they all lived to 15-20! but again, I bet the ingredients NOW are much worse than they were then. Like I told my dad(75), when you ate a potato it was a potato. now when I buy them, they are sprayed with countless chemicals!

In the dog world, 10-15 years ago Merrick was "IT" because it was family owned and all that stuff, but when it was bought out people were worried and now they're liking Fromm for the same reason.
Even other "small" companies have been targeted for nasty recalls because they use co-packers for their products; the product is great until it's packed and then machinery breaks into the food or the handling is off, etc.
It's frustrating.

 

[ailish]

Fromm
Fussie Cat Super Premium
Weruva Cats In the Kitchen or Tru Lux
Instinct