Quote:
Originally Posted by lauren001
A complete food has everything in it
Like a balanced meal, it has the right amount of fat, carbohydrate and protein and vitamins and minerals for health. It doesn't matter if it is a tin of complete food or a pouch or a portion of dried food the meal is essentially the same and nutritionally balanced.
So if you feed complete, complete, complete, then that is fine, but if you start adding complimentary foods eg chicken then you have raised the protein portion of the diet and so therefore the food is then unbalanced. The chicken although not bad for them doesn't contain the same amount of vitamins and minerals that the equivalent weight of the complete food has.
The feeding of treats and bits of chicken, prawns and the tin of Applaws will alter the balance of the food.
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Sorry but what utter tosh! A complete food in the eyes of a food manufacturer is based on limited research. I can go to a processor today and order a food that has all bits and bobs in it call it complete and have it on the shelves in 10 days. There is no legistlation that would stop me from doing this in the uk. Lets take Taurine as an example there is no research in the world that clearly details the level of taurine needed in a cats diet. They do know that too little causes heart issues. If you read a cat food label and it actually lists the taurine level it will be high. However, what is not said is that 80% of this level is destroyed by the cooking process.
Your diet plan was quite balanced and I would not worry about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by trigger
I feel a bit uneasy about being too perfectionist about feeding cats
many people can only afford to buy at the cheaper end of the market, and I feel a good quality dry food is preferrable to cheap wet food
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If you were to fully compare the costs of feeding a quality wet against a quality dry there is little between them on a per cat per day basis.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tabbytails
understand your point hun. Im just confused about when its ok to give complimentary food, as if it alters the balance of the diet then is it ever ok to give? it must be ok at some time or everyone here wouldnt be feeding it? is bit of a minefield as I just want to make the right decisions for them, wether its the top, middle or bottom end of the food market if you see what I mean.
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Don't get too hung up on when to give complimentary as opposed to "complete" like all of us everything in moderation. if your diet is 80% complete and 20% complementary (inc treats) then there is nothing to worry about as nutrients are absorbed overtime. I feed mostly raw, some days my cats will get meat with bone, others without bone and others without offal. Meal, bone and offal are fundimental to a raw diet but they don't need each element at every meal. When I'm at a cat show my show cats get appalws. Two whole days on applaws to hear some people they would be at deaths door not winning in every ring!