How much of the wet i/d are you feeding yours as if I go by the guidelines on the side of the pack mine should only be having 1 pouch a day but it's no where near enough and they are constantly pestering for food so they are getting 1 and 1/2 pouches but still seem hungry but I was told it was concentrated but the guidelines are for grown cats not kittens and surely kittens need more than adults

My cat loves Hills natures best dry and Gourmet wet food with the shrimp content. However my kitten prefers chicken and cooked mince plus the occasional pouches of gourmet and is not keen on biscuit as she is teething and i think they catch her gums

I thought that an exclusively dry diet for cats wasn't good as they should naturally get moisture from their food and wouldn't naturally drink much water; apparently on a dry diet they are effectively dehydrated?

And as someone very politely said - Most vets aren't nutritionists. It might seem a little harsh to say but if a large percentage of your business' income came from selling burgers and chips, would you tell all your customers that fruit and veg is better for them?

It's possible that the person that told you that dry was better had been feeding Whiskas or Felix or similar and had changed to a superior dry food and found their cats' health improved. However I do think it's important for them to have some wet and/or raw meat in their diet. Not mixed with the biscuits mind (they'll thank you for the variety by barfing it up all over your house) but at separate meals.

I also find that their poos are often more solid the higher the ratio of (quality) wet/dry I feed. It seems a bit back to front I know...

I think feeding exclusively dry is the equivalent of feeding your kids just on crackers and fishpaste. Ok comparatively it's not the worst thing in the world and they'll probably live, but better to substitute for a wholesome meat or fish broth, right?

It's also definitely true that the price is not necessarily a reflection of the quality.

I'm really surprised that people aren't being more vocal on this - possibly as some of the more outspoken members have managed to get themselves banned ... I've asked about the quality of other dry foods on here before and been told in no uncertain terms and been given countless educated arguments that cats' don't need carbohydrates and that it's pretty much all bad stuff!

I feed about half and half where possible for separate meals. It's convenient for us to get dry and our kits LOVE the Burns esp the ocean fish, and seem to do very well on it, but I also give them tins or pouches of Hi-Life or Feline Fayre and if I've run out or as an alternative they'll have perhaps raw bones, cooked fish, raw mince, seafood, depending on what I've got in. Always at separate meals.

Also I don't think cows milk is a good idea for cats, usually gives them the runs! I've heard sheeps milk or goats milk is better, and I did give my kits a little kitten milk (basically goats milk with taurine, marketed at a slightly extortionate price considering) when they first arrived as they were used to it but I haven't bought it since, they seem to be coping without!

I think we get a bit bored typing the same stuff over and over - and I've never been the controvertial type - more the hope to educate type. No I don't 'do' dry any more - don't like it, seen too many of my friends 'exclusivley fed dry' cats die of kidney failure, but see that other people do like it, that's thier choice after being given the facts (as I see them).

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i just gave you our experiences with foods and the effects the different brands have had on our 2

i am glad they are loving the new food

fingers crossed it will suit their tummies, don't go bla,ing me if it doesn't though lol

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Lady Rouge

We feed our kittens proper Kitten Milk in the little cartons as I know they are not allowed norma cats milk!

I will have a look around on the internet and see reviews of all!

Thanks

Liz

Well good luck in your search. Just consider the following things when sourcing your cat food.
Best to look for the higher real meat /fish content (not just protein content),
Best to avoid products with wheat in.
IMO best to avoid soya altogether particularly GM (I have seen cats ignoring certain chunks when eating certain cheaper brands of wet food and always assumed those could be lumps of soya protein :/)
Intorduce the new dry food slowly if possible, adding a little to what they are used to and gradually decreasing the ratio of old food to new - over a week or ten days is recommended but at the very least try and do it for 3-4 days to get them used to it.
And do consider giving them wet food (or raw, but that's another thread) for at least one meal a day (separately from biscuits) have you tried the little hi life tins or feline fayre? I'd like to see a cat turn that down - little bits of calamari in tuna and real chunks of fish in jelly - and not a soya bean in sight

xxx

Hey GreyHare - we were giving them 1 pouch a day as well and it wasnt enough so they now have 1 1/2 pouches each a day plus a handful of dry food a snacks. They're growing so quickly at the mo that they cant seem to eat enough! Am putting them onto Bozita at the mo, which i hope works for them as Hills ID is very expensive in comparison to Bozita. Hills ID works out at around £2.50 a day for 3 pouches (am feeding two kittens) and Bozita is £1.05 a carton but does two days worth of food for them... AND its better quality...

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Thankyou it's just so confusing glad you upped the amount too as its just so hard to ignore them when they are so hungry, thankfully the receptionist at the vets gave me several money off vouchers so I have saved a far bit of money so far

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