Science Diet Opinion?

[sharky]

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I strongly disagree with you. I volunteer at a wonderful feline rescue agency where all of the adult cats are fed the adult formula of Science Diet. All of the cats in the cat room are in superior health (all fully vetted and spayed/neutered as well- the room is throughly cleaned 2x a day and the cats are all brushed regurally and recieve a plentiful amount of love and attention) and they have not had any complications from their diets. I have found the science diet company to be very plesant to deal with, and I have had nothing but good experiences with their products. Not to mention, if over 50 cats that i am around all week long eat it on a regular basis, and it agrees with their stomachs and they have healthy coats, teeth, and digestive tracts....then i find it completely impossible to dislike Hills Science Diet. I am saying this from personal experience, and I have faith in their product and their company.

Read the label and then compare to a "farm style or grocery" there will be little to no difference..Compare to any truly premium brand and you will see the difference ...Just food for thought ... There are many cats that will live on "junk food" their whole lives with little affect , I liken this to folks that eat fast food every day and are healthy as horses ... Most here have researched digestion and cat food ingrediants...The debate over the perfect cat food is still raging...

The science diet reps are very good folks , one of them expalianed to me about z/d which was great for the kid who needed to find out her allergies..

 

[hunny01]

hiya maveric kitten, i am from the uk and i have just adopted a persian kitten,,,,it came with 2 big bags of science diet so that is what i stuck with however i really am not happy feeding it because i dont feel it is the best...i think royal canin is great though and i am in the process of changing my cats food over to it. i am changing to the royal canin breed specific for persians but i know they do lots of other breeds...im not sure what breed of cats you have. i know royal canin do other food that isnt breed specific in the uk but im not sure what it is. you can buy it in the larger pet stores and also many veterinary practices can order in what you want. i strongly recommend royal canin

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I am saying this from personal experience, and I have faith in their product and their company.

My opinion is based on personal experience as well...as I've said, I think their prescription foods do wonders, but they charge a premium price for a product that does not use premium ingredients. Just check the label.

Glad it is working for the kitties you've seen..there are cats who eat the worst brand off the grocery store shelf who live into their late teens as well...go figure!

 

[3cathouse]

anyone have opinions on Fancy Feast? My guys are on SD r/d because they are all FAT! But since Logan is on meds for his heart condition I have been mixing his medicine w/ a little food.

Since we go through exactly 1 can/day of r/d (mixed w/ dry) I didn't want to throw off the portions. I had a few cans of Iams wet in the house, and we used those up so I had picked up a variety pack of Fancy Feast at BJ's -- WOW does he wolf that stuff down!! He is so anxious to get his paws on, rubbing against me and bumping me with his head, it I can hardly see to scoop any out into his dish. I am not super worried because he only gets the little bit with his medicine, but I am curious what other people think of the food.

 

[myfirstragdoll]

Umm Read the can... it's not very good.. but I use a can a day because Hershey wont eat his Wellness wet UNLESS it has Fancey Feast in it...

 

[maverick_kitten]

Originally Posted by hunny01

hiya maveric kitten, i am from the uk and i have just adopted a persian kitten,,,,it came with 2 big bags of science diet so that is what i stuck with however i really am not happy feeding it because i dont feel it is the best...i think royal canin is great though and i am in the process of changing my cats food over to it. i am changing to the royal canin breed specific for persians but i know they do lots of other breeds...im not sure what breed of cats you have. i know royal canin do other food that isnt breed specific in the uk but im not sure what it is. you can buy it in the larger pet stores and also many veterinary practices can order in what you want. i strongly recommend royal canin

i've got two moggies. do you think they do a special moggy mix?

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by 3CatHouse

anyone have opinions on Fancy Feast?

There is just something about Fancy Feast

If a cat won't eat, this is one line of such variety - both in texture, flavor combos, with and without gravy, that I recommend trying something from them.

There are actually some flavors that are quite decent - that don't use soy protein, or by-products - off the top of my head, the fish blends are some of the better ones. You'd think I'd remember, I've reviewed every single flavor lol3:

Anyhoo...just check the labels, and choose the better ingredients list, there are some in the Fancy Feast line.

 

[wellingtoncats]

We used to Feed Hills Science Diet and had no problems with it now we feed Royal Canin!

 

[adiasmum]

Adia's vet sells Hill's Prescription Diets but has never tried to push the regular stuff on me. I guess it's because right after I got Adia, i took her there to be spayed and asked if Nutro Natural Choice food was good, and he said that was an excellent food and it should make her coat very shiny and soft. 4 months later, she gets lots of compliments on her soft and shiny fur!! She also has had no health problems at all. Ohh.. and she also loves the Nutro N.C. pouch wet foods as well.

I agree with the others here about the special Rx diets that Hill's makes. If they help your baby feel better, then by all means - feed them the food!

 

[aussie_dog]

I've never tried SD, and I don't intend to (unless a vet tells us to, because maybe one of the cats has come up with a medical problem. But, of course, as soon as she eats it, either one [probably Willow] will go into convulsions and get seizures. That's the kind of thing that'd happen to me, lol). Right now I feed Royal Canin Indoor formula after feeding Natural Choice, and OMG, even Willow has improved. Both did fine on Nutro Natural Balance, but then they did a bit better on Natural Balance. Buffy's coat shone and she gained energy, though Willow sort of "stabalized". Now I moved them both to Royal Canin and Willow is zooming around the house. Okay, that's an exageration, but she's much more energetic and frisky than she's ever been. Plus she, and Buffy, have got even more shine to their coats. But if I can find Sensible Choice (Petsmart sells Sensible Choice for dogs, but not dogs. Figures.), I want to move them onto it. But I might have to wait until Petsmart gets the right idea into their heads, lol

 

[yangdemei]

I understand that science diet may not be the best feed available. However, I live in Asia and the only non-chinese food I can get here is Science Diet, Iams (with a bit of a trip) and Whiskas. Everything else is in chinese (can't read it well enough.) All these other great sounding brands are not available where I live.

In this instance, would you consider science diet ok?

I'm worried as a new mommy and I want my already spoiled kitty to be healthy!

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog

I've never tried SD, and I don't intend to (unless a vet tells us to, because maybe one of the cats has come up with a medical problem. But, of course, as soon as she eats it, either one [probably Willow] will go into convulsions and get seizures. That's the kind of thing that'd happen to me, lol). Right now I feed Royal Canin Indoor formula after feeding Natural Choice, and OMG, even Willow has improved. Both did fine on Nutro Natural Balance, but then they did a bit better on Natural Balance. Buffy's coat shone and she gained energy, though Willow sort of "stabalized". Now I moved them both to Royal Canin and Willow is zooming around the house. Okay, that's an exageration, but she's much more energetic and frisky than she's ever been. Plus she, and Buffy, have got even more shine to their coats. But if I can find Sensible Choice (Petsmart sells Sensible Choice for dogs, but not dogs. Figures.), I want to move them onto it. But I might have to wait until Petsmart gets the right idea into their heads, lol

If they do well on the regular Royal leave them there ... check the % of fat and protien ... Regular is higher than choice... Ingrediants wise I like choice better.....Oooops , now I read there on the indoor formula.. those % are closer...imho

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by yangdemei

I understand that science diet may not be the best feed available. However, I live in Asia and the only non-chinese food I can get here is Science Diet, Iams (with a bit of a trip) and Whiskas. Everything else is in chinese (can't read it well enough.) All these other great sounding brands are not available where I live.

In this instance, would you consider science diet ok?

I'm worried as a new mommy and I want my already spoiled kitty to be healthy!

If that is all the choice you have, you just use the one of the three that you like the ingredients the best.

 

[littleraven7726]

Originally Posted by GotPersian

Any other opinions on this?

i have used Hill's Prescription Diets when needed. Hill's s/d cleared up struvite crystals at different times for all 3 of my cats. i fed Hill's c/d when my vet recommended it & my cats needed it (then we discovered raven has the feline version of interstitial cystitis).

my current vet advised that we don't need Hill's c/d anymore and recommended Sensible Choice by Royal Canin (one of my cats has a sensitivity to herring and soy) for dry food. and the cats eat mostly canned food (different brands because petco doesn't stock Sensible Choice canned, just the dry).

i will add that they don't like any Hill's canned foods, but they did eat the dry with no problems.

Hill's Prescription diets are fantastic if your cat needs them.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by yangdemei

I understand that science diet may not be the best feed available. However, I live in Asia and the only non-chinese food I can get here is Science Diet, Iams (with a bit of a trip) and Whiskas. Everything else is in chinese (can't read it well enough.) All these other great sounding brands are not available where I live.

In this instance, would you consider science diet ok?

I'm worried as a new mommy and I want my already spoiled kitty to be healthy!

I agree with Pat & Alix, just a silly ?/ any friends read chienese ?? or a shop keeper to help( pictures)...

 

[yangdemei]

Thanks Sharky, but although friends can read chinese and vet can speak english, imagine trying to figure all this out at once! People at TCS are saying that their vets are pro S/D and (i am assuming) you are speaking your native language with a vet that is speaking fluent English!

Mostly, I just want to know if S/D is good enough if you can't find all the other ones. Like, is it really going to be worse than REALLY cheap chinese branded stuff? (from my experience, I don't need to be able to read the brand here, if it is way cheaper, the quality is also less)

And my kitty seems to love it!

Is that enough?

 

[pat]

Originally Posted by yangdemei

And my kitty seems to love it!

Is that enough?

Bottom line? If your cat's coat is shiny and soft, no hot spots or dander, poo isn't nasty or more than you'd expect, energy level good, no upchuck issues, then I'd say that's all you need to know. I don't like the ingredients, just don't, but if your cat is thriving on it, that's cool

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by yangdemei

Thanks Sharky, but although friends can read chinese and vet can speak english, imagine trying to figure all this out at once! People at TCS are saying that their vets are pro S/D and (i am assuming) you are speaking your native language with a vet that is speaking fluent English!

Mostly, I just want to know if S/D is good enough if you can't find all the other ones. Like, is it really going to be worse than REALLY cheap chinese branded stuff? (from my experience, I don't need to be able to read the brand here, if it is way cheaper, the quality is also less)

And my kitty seems to love it!

Is that enough?

Ditto what Pat said... I am not sure about s/d in chinese vets schools... It is an approved food to maintain a cat so if you are unsure with other brands it is okay( I wont feed it except for rx)

 

[leto86]

My kiddies eat Science Diet C/D which you can only get from the vets.. all of my cats are males and since I have started feeidng this, they have not gotten bladder infections like they did when they were on Techni-Cal. My cats coats are sleek and soft, and they are active and alert. I think it all really depends on the cat.. my cats can only eat a certsain type of treat or else they throw it up. Sometimes a kitties tummy is sensitive to some foods.

I have heard nasty stories about SD and I do want to change foods to something similar that will prevent urinary tract infections but as of yet I ahve had no luck.

 

[sharky]

Do your kids get crystals if so what type... the type matters if any commercially avail food can work..