[Cazzer]

I love my vet my cats have been seen by him for over 20 years. He hasn't lectured me in past when I fed raw. However I got told off tonight by him when I said kittens were being fed mainly same as adults [Grau, Macs, Bozita, Petnatur, Catz etc] with a little whiskas/RC kitten mixed in. I should be feeding all kitten food, especially since they are a big breed [NFC]. I felt quite upset to be honest.

What do other people think???????

 

[chillminx]

I can't see why there would be a problem feeding your kittens what you are giving them. As I understand the main (only?) difference with designated
Kitten Food is that it is high in protein. The good quality foods you are feeding are high in protein anyway, so that should meet their needs as far as I can see. Years ago there was no such thing as special Kitten Food anyway, and kitties did fine.

Perhaps some Kitten Foods have certain supplements added? Such as possibly Omega 3 and 6 -- I don't know...but you could always add such a supplement yourself if need be.

 

[hobbs2004]

My reply would have been very similar to Chillminx'. Do you think your vet knows the nutritional makeu-up of the foods you feed? I.e. that they are higher in protein, for example, than your average fare that vets know about that are available in the UK. Much hunch would be that he doesn't really know how these are conceptualised (incidentally, the likes of Macs, Petnatur and CFF are all life-stages food, so can be eaten by kittens as well as adults) and is tarnishing all "adult" foods with the same brush.

 

[Cazzer]

thank you both yes he is not familiar with any of the foods so is probably basing what he says on the likes of whiskas etc and when I tried to explain that it was meant to be eaten by all age it did seem an alien concept! I was quite surprised by his reaction to be honest and was doubting myself! I still came out thinking I wouldn't feed RC etc dry [and intend to stop the RC/whiskas wet whe it runs out].

 

[PetloverJo]

Don't listen to them when it comes to nutrition, just smile sweetly and carry on what you are doing.

 

[we love bsh's]

Don't listen to them when it comes to nutrition,

just smile sweetly and carry on what you are doing.

Correct or breeding for that matter.

 

[catcoonz]

feral kittens eat a raw diet and they are fine, nobody opens a sachet of kitten whiskas for them.

 

[havoc]

I'm increasingly surprised at how vets seem to think they can speak to their clients. Business must be very good. If I consult a private doctor, an architect or solicitor they are polite to me and use their expertise as I direct. Nobody on here would allow any other profession to behave so badly. Why allow it from a vet?

 

[hobbs2004]

I'm increasingly surprised at how vets seem to think they can speak to their clients. Business must be very good. If I consult a private doctor, an architect or solicitor they are polite to me and use their expertise as I direct. Nobody on here would allow any other profession to behave so badly. Why allow it from a vet?

I would agree. However, I wonder whether at the heart of this sits a lack of confidence and that is why people so easily defer to people in "white coats". That is why I have become increasingly aware that people ought not just be bombarded with brand names because they are "good" but that they ought to understand why they are better than others. So that when conversations re the food that they feed comes up they can talk why they made those choices (not because people on a forum told them that they were good brands and that is as far as the knowledge goes).

BTW, that is not directed at you Cazzer but just a general observation because I have noticed that of late it has become a bit of a fashion on here to just reel off brand names but to leave it at that.

 

[havoc]

I have noticed this trend from vets when I see a new, young one at my practice. I know they're now taught upselling and I squash it - fast. It's become the norm for them to ask 'what do you feed?'. I have learned to look puzzled and answer with a question - 'do they appear malnourished?' When they say no (and look a bit flustered) I can come back with 'why did you ask then?'. As they have no answer, at least not one they can admit to me, they learn to stop playing silly games and do what I pay them to do.

 

[Cazzer]

I'm increasingly surprised at how vets seem to think they can speak to their clients. Business must be very good. If I consult a private doctor, an architect or solicitor they are polite to me and use their expertise as I direct. Nobody on here would allow any other profession to behave so badly. Why allow it from a vet?

it wasn't a real 'telling off' he was as polite as always! He certainly wasn't behaving badly. i just came out feeling like I'd lost a discussion [that I was surprised we were having as he is so amenable to raw]. I wasn't expecting him to say life stages food was better than I what feed. My confidence in what I feed was lessened as have got a lot of respect for him built up over 25 years.

 

[havoc]

My confidence in what I feed was lessened as have got a lot of respect for him built up over 25 years.

Well he's done a great job hasn't he. You go in with healthy, well fed kittens and he wrecks your confidence. Not quite sure where that fits in the job description.

 

[Treaclesmum]

He probably doesn\t know what ingredients are actually in the food you feed! I know someone said a few weeks ago that her vet advised her to stop the Zooplus diet, and that was because some cats at her practice had got ill from eating a complementary food all the time (Almo Nature). Vets probably don't know those foods as they are from abroad, and so they should be told that those foods you've listed are complete foods and better than alot of supermarket foods!!

 

[havoc]

Vets should be told that those foods you've listed are complete foods and better than alot of supermarket foods!!

Or maybe they should stop commenting on things they know nothing about. They should at least be made to make it clear to clients when they are giving veterinary advice based on veterinary training and when they are just repeating marketing spiel from a sales rep. Most clients have no way of knowing the difference and it should be regulated. Your doctor isn't allowed to do it so why are vets?

 

[spotty cats]

Vets don't appear to receive a great deal of training in nutrition. I would have been a bit upset too, especially as a long term client.

Perhaps I'm just lucky over here but I've never had a vet try to sell me whatever food is in the waiting room, and all have recommended raw feeding.

 

[havoc]

I wasn't expecting him to say life stages food was better than I what feed

Perhaps we should get a list of questions together for vets when they make these sweeping comments. For example, if I ask a vet for the symptoms and treatment of a given condition they can reel off the answers straight away because they've been properly trained in that subject. So, if a vet says a particular food is best you'd expect them to be able to give a detailed reasoning based on the nutritional content - wouldn't you? Maybe we should start asking 'why is that food better, what components exactly are added or reduced to make it the food you recommend at this moment?' If they can't answer then you'd have to wonder.

 

[happysaz133]

I would feed adult food too, I'm not a fan of kitten or puppy foods.

 

[Sussexplumber]

I can't see why there would be a problem feeding your kittens what you are giving them. As I understand the main (only?) difference with designated
Kitten Food is that it is high in protein. The good quality foods you are feeding are high in protein anyway, so that should meet their needs as far as I can see. Years ago there was no such thing as special Kitten Food anyway, and kitties did fine.

Perhaps some Kitten Foods have certain supplements added? Such as possibly Omega 3 and 6 -- I don't know...but you could always add such a supplement yourself if need be.

I suspect most of this labelling is about marketing, such as "indoor cat/outdoor cat, kitten food, senior cat food" etc. Look at a kitten in the wild, what does it eat? It eats the same as mum just smaller amounts, gradually reducing dependency on her milk. They also have to make do with whatever mum catches-or starve. Its been this way for millenia.

 

[Sussexplumber]

I'm increasingly surprised at how vets seem to think they can speak to their clients. Business must be very good. If I consult a private doctor, an architect or solicitor they are polite to me and use their expertise as I direct. Nobody on here would allow any other profession to behave so badly. Why allow it from a vet?

Some of us don`t! lol I told my vet I didn`t mind paying for something my cat needed but I was not going to pay for them to tell me she is fine, which I already know!

 

[hobbs2004]

I suspect most of this labelling is about marketing, such as "indoor cat/outdoor cat, kitten food, senior cat food" etc. Look at a kitten in the wild, what does it eat? It eats the same as mum just smaller amounts, gradually reducing dependency on her milk.

Actually, that is only partly true. While a kitten "in the wild" supposedly would eat the same as an adult cat (depending on hunting skills) and would eat more than adults to satisfy their nutritional needs while they are growing, there are separate guidelines when it comes to commercial foods as to what "kitten" food - or food for growth - should contain and what "adult" - or food for maintenance - should contain. As a matter of fact, in the US these are more than just guidelines. So, "kitten" foods from manufacturers aren't necessarily a marketing ploy but if they choose to make life-stage-specific food than the nutrients that food ought to include will differ from adult food.

However, not all manufacturers go for the idea of life-stage-specific food but rather make food suitable for all life-stages. However, in order to cater for kitten as well as adult needs they tend to be formulated erring towards the kitten nutritional than the adult spectrum.

That is why imo it makes a difference whether a kitten fed standard supermarket fare is fed "kitten" or "adult" food IF the manufacturer follows an age-specific-food credo.

Incidentally, food for growth and food for maintenance are the only 2 life-stages that have any sort of guidelines attached (both in Europe and the US). Food for seniors, indoor food etc is completely unregulated in that respect.