I wanted to pass along some more anecdotal evidence that even the BEST dry food is not as healthy for our cats as wet food.
About a year ago I told you that we switched T– and B– from the Science Diet dry food to wet food (Friskies Savory Shreds) and T–‘s diabetes went completely into remission.
We’ve continued to feed both cats the Friskies Savory Shreds wet food, but have been giving them a midday ‘snack’ of high-quality dry food. A few weeks ago we changed the midday snack to wet food (either the Friskies Savory Shreds or 9 Lives Whitefish) We noticed a HUGE difference in our other cat B–. More energy. More playful. Much happier disposition. Her bouts of constipation have completely disappeared. She grooms herself much better.
I tell anyone who will listen that the cheapest wet food is better for our cats than the most expensive dry food.
Dear Readers,
That’s my bold, because that is an excellent point.
Which is why I suggest switching to canned as much as possible when cats have all kinds of health, and behavior, difficulties. If this is not something we are doing yet, it should definitely be something we should consider.
In any case:
Avoid grains in dog and cat food.
As this article about grains in dog food explains, it is not simply that dogs and cats do not have grain eating as a natural part of their diet. In addition, the kinds of grains which tend to wind up in pet food are low quality, often infested with contaminants like insects, mites, and molds. Aflatoxins make the headlines when it is found in peanut butter, but they are just as dangerous to our pets.
This reader went on to say:
A local “cat behavior expert” posted this on Facebook:
“Another myth, still promoted even by ‘experts’: ‘Cats self-regulate eating.’ Nooo–if they did, we wouldn’t have fattus cattus as practically a separate breed.”
I know the facts on the topic thanks to your blog but perhaps the facts bear repeating.
This reader is grateful that my advice has worked so well for his rescue Siamese, since the logistics of handling the cat’s diabetes was distressing for both of them. It is so much better for the cat to not have diabetes; something that is completely possible (for type II diabetes) with proper feeding.
what cats eat
All canned is the goal: if possible. In our home, we have Reverend Jim, who won’t touch dry food unless it is in the form of one brand of treat, and we have Olwyn, who can be persuaded to eat certain kinds of canned, but must have a bowl of (grain-free) dry available at all times, or she will drive someone insane with pestering.
It’s all about feeding as close to Catkins as possible: as few carbohydrates as possible, whether it comes from grains or sweet potato. Cats don’t have the enzymes to digest this particular macronutrient. Too much of it puts stress on their pancreas, which expects some wild grass or whatever naturally occurs in their prey, and then becomes overwhelmed with the cat equivalent of cake with frosting.
Such strategies also avoids overweight cats, a condition that leads to illness. Vets are rightly concerned when it appears, but their approach, to restrict food, leads to unhappy cats and people driven to distraction by their cat’s hunger and constant requests for food. My post, Why our cat is still fat, explains all the ways I’ve discovered to keep everyone, including the veterinarian, happy.
extra support
In addition, a major reason our cat might have their “hungry switch” stuck in the ON position is a lack of nutrients. In the natural world, this would encourage a cat to eat more. In our modern world, eating more of a food which lacks that nutrient will just lead to the cat becoming more fat, not more nourished.
I have compiled a list of supplements in my post, Hyper-Nutrition can’t hurt and will help. These simple and inexpensive additions are very helpful to our cat’s health and happiness. We also poach people-grade chicken and fish for our cats. Organ meats are another excellent addition. (Sell these things as treats. We do.)
What about raw food? Sure! In my own home we have certain challenges about doing this, such as our actual kitchen being the size of a Barbie kitchen, limited freezer space, and chronic illness undermining available human energy. Here is an excellent article from Conscious Cat, Feeding Raw: A Veterinarian’s View that I found inspiring and helpful.
Since cats like a gradual approach to any change in this most important topic, eliminating grains and upping our canned offerings are a great step towards improved health (and fewer vet bills) for our cats.
“That mountain lion’s got into the wheat field again!” Said no farmer ever.
Score the cat food we feed now with my Cat Food Calculator. We can also feed to help with urinary issues.
Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to care for our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on CAT CARE.
The post Dear Pammy, It’s true about wet food appeared first on Cats n Things.
from
http://catsnthings.com/dear-pammy-its-true-about-wet-food
No comments:
Post a Comment