No worries, things can get lost in text. Sorry for misunderstanding.Originally Posted by NutroMike
Oh gosh, I didn't mean to imply there aren't risks. I think there can be risk with just about any diet one may undertake for their kittys. Nor did I mean to sound dismissive. *sigh* the written communications can sometimes get confusedThere are probably risk factors on cats with an all kibble diet, cats with a wet diet or cats on a raw diet. What I find unsettling is that some people tend to believe their way is the only way to feed a cat and become rather aggressive trying to get their point across. Personally I feel that if it's working, the cat is healthy, don't change it.
I do agree that the diet that keeps an individual cat healthy is the best diet for that cat. I guess like you, I'm also just going by my experience. I'm so passionate about the types of food I feed (grain-free and raw) because they're the only foods Athena has been healthy on.
Certainly, and this is why I'm sure even vets who support raw get very wary about advocating homemade raw diets. Not everyone is going to do it properly and that can be dangerous. Although there's also commercial premade raw which helps with that issue. I feed mostly that because I fret about balancing a homemade diet properly (and can't find enough organ variety). While this too does still require more careful handling than most commercial food, it's definitely a lot easier than homemade. Obviously of course with commercial raw you have the same potential concerns as with any commercial food (trusting the manufacturer to do things properly) and there are certainly some brands I much prefer and trust over others. For example, I know Nature's Variety has had at least one recall. I also don't like that NV uses the same formula for both dogs and cats as this doesn't acknowledge that they have slightly different nutritional requirements. On the other hand I've been pretty pleased with, say, Primal so far, because it has a lower carb content and formulas made specifically for cats. But they're not perfect either (I once got a batch that was accidentally too high in veggies and the cats wouldn't touch it).Originally Posted by Ducman69
There are also risks for raw, as it is up to the individual preparer to prepare the food properly and with sufficient variety for a complete and balanced diet, and there are sanitation concerns for the pet and the preparer. This is why that although it can be a very healthy diet, some veterinarians are very much opposed to it, as they have likely encountered some that come in, don't know what they are doing (feed cooked bones, or no organs, or grind the meat up, or just use rabbit etc), and have one very sick kitty.
So you're right, there are pros and cons to everything. I guess ultimately it's up to the individual owner to decide which pros they feel outweigh which cons/risks.
Well, it was mostly the moisture issue that I was referring to. I know that alone is enough to sway a lot of people away from it, and it was one of the original factors in making me wonder if I should stop feeding it.My issue with this statement is still that it just states "kibble". As if ALL kibble is 100% exactly the same, which I've clearly demonstrated is not true.
The only thing that all kibble has in common is that its around 9-11% moisture. There are no other universal similarities.
Most digestive upset issues do not deal with moisture content, but ingredients like chicken, soy, wheat, corn, etc. and that varies brand to brand.
But as for digestive sensitivities, I disagree. While not all kibble contains the same ingredients, all kibble does have a high carb content and a high level of processing, by the very nature of the process used to make it. Those two factors specifically are what seem to cause digestive upset in Athena. Since I've tried her on grain-free kibble. Even kibble without corn, soy, or wheat cause her problems. Her system just does not seem to react well to highly processed foods.
True, but as you say, just because it is what most feed does not really have any bearing on its quality as a food. Most US citizens eat diets fairly low in fresh vegetables. Does this mean a diet low in veggies is healthier? Of course not: it's simply reflective of the fact that most people are not hyper-concerned about nutrition. Most just eat what is easy, cost effective, and tastes good. And that extends to pet food, as you say, most families don't go on cat forums and research their cats' food in great detail. They buy what's on sale at the grocery store and assume that because it is labelled "cat food" it should be fine.And if we were to compare overall use regarding what "so many feed", kibble is by far the dominant food choice for kitties, although I believe that to be far more a cost (as was seen, even the most expensive kibble is fractions of the cost of the poorest quality wet) and convenience factor than anything else.
The convenience factor is obviously a big one too. Honestly if Athena could still eat kibble, I may have kept some around for overnight trips, so I understand that. It was only her severe reaction to it that really convinced me it needed to go. Apollo does just fine on it, but having one cat react so poorly to it has made me uneasy about feeding it to either.