What is good?

[GranolaLouise]

Well after going through a hell of a time with my beloved renal cat and finding food that she would eat and being focused on prescrip$ion foods for over a year, I am about to get a bonded pair of healthy younger cats. The house seems so empty after her passing.
But...what to feed them?
I have been suggested Purina Pro and Fancy Feast, but they seem to be controversial.
Especially after watching an older video today called Pet FOOleD.
So, what to feed my cats?
I definitely do not want to go raw with all the bacteria recalls.
What foods do YOUR cats eat that are not considered 'dangerous" in 2024?
Any help out there,guys?

 

[Lennybells]

I feed my kitten “Open Farm Kitten Food”. They also have adult cat feed. My cat LOVES this food, and it is easy to get off of Amazon. I just have to shake the bag and he comes running. Hope this helps!

 

[GranolaLouise]

Thanks Lennybells.
I am looking into Smalls. Anyone here try this? Will your cat eat it?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I am looking into Smalls. Anyone here try this? Will your cat eat it?

I'm surprised you are looking into Smalls, as my understanding is that it is "lightly cooked". If you are concerned with feeding raw because of bacteria, why aren't you concerned with "lightly cooked"? Bacteria doesn't go away with light cooking, as far as I know. That's why we humans are given correct temperatures to cook specific meats to. Of course, cats are different, and that's why they can eat raw meat typically without harm.

Anyway, I ran a search query on Smalls Cat Food for you and here is the result" Search Results for Query: Smalls cat food

 

[GranolaLouise]

Yes I was considering that mrsgreenjeans. Thank you! I am also investigating a sample of the Honest Kitchen varieties.
What do you feed your cats, Mrsgreenjeans?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Yes I was considering that mrsgreenjeans. Thank you! I am also investigating a sample of the Honest Kitchen varieties.
What do you feed your cats, Mrsgreenjeans?

Well, until recently one of my boys ate Stella and Chewy, Nulo, Feline Naturals and Fresh is Best, all freeze dried raw. Slowly he decided he didn't like any of it anymore, so I tried finding canned food he would eat. We are still looking for things he likes. Naturally I started with the "good" foods, like Feline Naturals canned, Rawz canned, high protein, low carb canned food. He wanted nothing to do with any of them, and I was paying a pretty penny just to toss them down the garbage disposal because my other cat was already a known quantity of disliking anything good for him (although I always offered them to him anyway). I finally got him to eat some of my other cat's Sheba Trout Cuts but now neither of them will touch that food, so I think they must have had a formula change, even though they swear that is not the case. But I have now ordered 8 different cases of it and they will not touch any of the packages out of any of those cases. One other food that they both ate on occasion was Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials, and right now that is the ONLY food I am feeding while continuing on my search for more foods. They don't like Tiki, don't like Weruva, don't like Soulistic, don't like Nutro, don't like Blue Buffalo,, etc, etc, etc. And I have tried pretty much every style and flavor. So now in order to even get enough calories in them I have resorted to offering dry food as well, which I swore I would never, ever, ever, ever do again . But sometimes when you are between a rock and a hard place you've just got to punt. And they aren't really thrilled with dry food because they stopped eating it 14 years ago, but at least they do nibble on it once in awhile and are not losing weight, so I'm happy about that. And since they are considered elderly (15 years old this month), they get blood drawn every six month so we can monitor if things start to go haywire.

Sorry you asked?

 

[GranolaLouise]

Well, until recently one of my boys ate Stella and Chewy, Nulo, Feline Naturals and Fresh is Best, all freeze dried raw. Slowly he decided he didn't like any of it anymore, so I tried finding canned food he would eat. We are still looking for things he likes. Naturally I started with the "good" foods, like Feline Naturals canned, Rawz canned, high protein, low carb canned food. He wanted nothing to do with any of them, and I was paying a pretty penny just to toss them down the garbage disposal because my other cat was already a known quantity of disliking anything good for him (although I always offered them to him anyway). I finally got him to eat some of my other cat's Sheba Trout Cuts but now neither of them will touch that food, so I think they must have had a formula change, even though they swear that is not the case. But I have now ordered 8 different cases of it and they will not touch any of the packages out of any of those cases. One other food that they both ate on occasion was Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials, and right now that is the ONLY food I am feeding while continuing on my search for more foods. They don't like Tiki, don't like Weruva, don't like Soulistic, don't like Nutro, don't like Blue Buffalo,, etc, etc, etc. And I have tried pretty much every style and flavor. So now in order to even get enough calories in them I have resorted to offering dry food as well, which I swore I would never, ever, ever, ever do again . But sometimes when you are between a rock and a hard place you've just got to punt. And they aren't really thrilled with dry food because they stopped eating it 14 years ago, but at least they do nibble on it once in awhile and are not losing weight, so I'm happy about that. And since they are considered elderly (15 years old this month), they get blood drawn every six month so we can monitor if things start to go haywire.

Sorry you asked?

On the contrary! I am glad for the length of the post! I am totally shocked to find that it is not just special diet cats that are hard to please and cause their parents to spend and toss out. I have had 2 vets highly suggest Purina Pro Plan, BUT their labels state mysterious stuff like chicken by products(what parts) and liver (from what animal).
I did go ahead and order some samples of the Honest Kitchen wet foods because they are 50% off for trying them.
The cats are presently eating Fancy Feast tastey junk at their foster home, so the healthy stuff will most likely be refused.
I just am too tired(and poor) to go through all that trial and error again. I do appreciate your input.

 

[Alldara]

So sorry for your loss but congratulations on the new family members.

I think a variety of foods is good so you don't get stuck with your cats not eating if there's a shortage or recipe change is the best way to move forward.

My boys each have their own preferences but have the same "main" diet of Purina Pro Plan urinary chicken. Ghost and Cal will eat Fancy Feast turkey now and Ghost like Applepaws and a treat. Calcifer's favourite is Iams Perfect Portions. They've enjoyed Honest Kitchen packs as a treat and Wureva Lamb. My vet office is very supportive of mixed food diets which they believe can prevent issues in cats. Mine didn't like some of the other ones I would be happy for them to eat as they have more limited ingredients.

I would just suggest picking anything that does NOT contain peas or legumes.

At first you should feed only what the rescue provides you with while they settle. That's what they are used to and then you can slow introduce other foods and transition the dry food as you'd like.

What's in My Cat's Food?: Designer Diets, Grain Free Diets | VCA | VCA Canada Animal Hospitals

 

[alysker]

My cat eats iams chicken dry food. The only brand available in stores here that doesn't have grains as the main ingredient