ANYONE WHO IS FEEDING DRY FOOD

[opus88]

I'll probably get some flack for this but I want to post it anyway.....since a cat of mine was dx'd with urinary crystals I've done alot of reading and found out alot of disturbing things about a dry food diet....ANY dry food even the high quality ones.
My cat has been on one of the best rated EVO which has NO grains therefore is low in carbs and high in protien....however it is STILL A DRY FOOD. the lack of moisture content is what leads to these urinary crystals and a host of other health problems.....also dry food is loaded with chemicals so it appeals to the pets, the fats become rancid with storage and mites grow on the kibbles...disgusting right!!
This (independent Vet)  has written that even the poorest quality can foods are still better than the highest quality dry foods......yes this does include anything the Vet clinics will sell you for prescription diets.
everyone please read.
www.catinfo.org

[Piparskeggr]

We've always fed our girls a mix of kibble and canned.

Definitely going with foods made from a higher percentage of animal based proteins has helped their health.

[evewisewoman]

Hi Opus88,

Although I would definitely prefer that our cat eat canned food, I tried giving him some canned cat food I bought from the vet and he wouldn't even touch it. This canned food I bought was the exact same food we're feeding him in dry food. Our vet even said not to make our cat's diet an all canned food diet. Perhaps there could be a mixed diet as in some of his food could remain dry food and some of it could be wet food.  Eve

[Puditat]

I have a lot of cats, all strays. One a very young pregnant feral female who had 5 kittens, born on my BD.  I kept them all. Mother Cat will only eat dry food, even when she was pregnant. They're all house kitties. Mom came because I abducted the kittens.  I've always fed Purina CC and Purina One and
Friskies wet food.  I've got several other cats, an old guy about 18 now whose owner died and the inheritor put him on the street.  Plus some others.  All have vet care regularly.  One old 'lady' has kidney disease.  Another old gentleman was catching mice under the rose hedge.  The latest was found eating some food left out for a feral stray. She weighed 10 lbs, and has ballooned to 15 and was always hungry,begging for more.
I'd never had a cat do that so I did give her more.  Now my vet has prescribed reducing food but she's not loosing.  I searched for a site to get more info.  Cats are obligate carnivores....they must have meat or other animal protein, like eggs, etc.  I'm going  to look in to some of the brands mentioned here.
Thank you!

[opus88]

good for you and for Charlie that you found a canned food that he likes and thats helping him....like I mentioned from what I've read, ANY can food is superior to the BEST dry foods on the market!...I don't know much about Pro Plan but if its working great and the added gravy will give him the fluids he needs.
I wish my Nemo would accept can foods however he won't and I've tried every brand available.
The ONLY food he will eat other than his dry EVO is chicken(ours not cat brands)...therefore for now I am cooking up chicken thighs. he loves his chicken and the broth with it. so I am getting him off his dry food at least and the broth gives him the extra fluids he requires.......he is stressed with all the attempts to get him on a new diet, so I will give it a few weeks than SLOWLY try adding some of the nutrients he will need too, I may need to do this by syringe because I have my doubts he will eat his chicken if I add anything to it(?)....most difficult cat I've ever had to feed.
but at least with the chicken we are getting somewhere.
Best of luck with Charlie.

[Kristin2010]

I have a kitty - Charlie that has constantly battles inflammation and crystals.  I normally never (ever) fed my kitties anything but dry (wet stunk too much!)  Since Charlie's issue - the Vet prescribed CD wet food which is very pricey.  Not only was it pricey - he's gained weight which is apparently a known side effect for some of these.  (They did not share this initially.)  So - I over-paid and still had to run to the vets every few months for a return of the problems. (CD was not effective.)

Problem solved:  Over the counter Pro Plain Urinary Health (found it in Pet Smart.)  Since switching, I have NOT made a trip to the Vet for his issues!  It works, was better for Charlie -and is way cheaper.  He does not drink a lot of water on his own so the wet's definitely better for this too.  The Pro plan has gravy and is not Nearly as nasty (smelling) to feed them as the regular wet foods.  

[aligator79]

What about wetting the dry food?  I wet down some of taz' dry food since he can't have any dry until his mouth heals.  I had just poured water on it and set it down- the nut drank the water and left the soft stuff- at least right then.  He is also a water drinker- and a brat with it.  :)