The Best Dry Food Out There?

[DaysinMaine]

I eventually want to feed my cats a raw diet, but right now my time is slim as I'm a professor and also teach private lessons daily. The access to ingredients in my area is also an issue. No stores in my area even sell hearts. Local butcher shops have also let me down tremendously. I'm wondering what is the "best" dried food out there? I have my cats on the instinct chicken formula currently, but I would love to find a more affordable option with less vegetables that do not just substitute with peas or potatoes.

Also, how terrible is fancy feast wet food? I give it as an occasional treat to my cats and they adore it.

 

[RajaNMizu]

Fancy feast isn't terrible at all if you stick to their classic flavors. Unfortunately neither of my cats will eat it despite trying numerous times.

Have you considered any of the freeze dried raw foods? One of my cats eats it and is doing very well on it. It does not take any additional time really to rehydrate it (a minute or so) and a 14oz bag is about 30.00$ on Chewy.

 

[maggiedemi]

I switched to Fancy Feast and Friskies Pate and my cats are doing so much better on it than the gravy ones. Tractor Supply has some affordable dry foods that seem to be healthier.

 

[Kat0121]

I agree about the Fancy Feast classics. If your cat likes it a lot, go for it. Are you in the US? IMO (and my 2 exceptionally picky felines agree) Dr Elsey's Cleanprotein is the best dry food out there. No fruit. No vegetables.

Dr. Elsey's cleanprotein Chicken Formula Grain-Free Dry Cat Food

Nutritional Info
Ingredients

Chicken, Dried Egg Product, Pork Protein Isolate, Gelatin, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharide, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide), Potassium Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Taurine, Salt, Rosemary Extract.

Caloric Content
4,030 kcal/kg, 554 kcal/cup