Cheap catfood dilemma

hardpressed

When I got my rescue cat I was told he'd been fed whatever had been donated. I was advised to mix together several varieties of dry food so that he didn't get used to one sort and get fussy. So he gets a mixture of different supermarket brands I just empty different packets into one big tin and shake them up. He always eats it all.

pebblesmax

savvy wrote: »

My cat is generally fed on Hill's Science Plan , but has tuna in springwater as well. The tuna is about 80p a can and lasts about 2-3 days, and he eats the lot, whereas before he was wasting so much of the tinned cat food, and only licking the gravy off the pouch foods :rolleyes:

That is what my four cats eat most of the time. when I go away, I cut out the tuna for them because the pet sitter (usually my dad) can't spend as much time making sure the greedy one doesn't eat the others' share. If they hear the electric can opener, they all line up in the kitchen. It's really sweet to see.

duchy

Aldi's tinned (37p) gets wolfed down by my three (and next door's cat too who is a bit unsure WHERE he lives)

PrincessK_2

Hi guys,

Thank you so much for the replies - I was terribly worried that I was being a bit cruel!

I think I will go down the quality dry food route - thanks Lowis :T - as my cat has previously had Hills food and adored it every time, and it would allow for better portion control and quality food for him etc.

Thanks again guys for your help - you're fab :A

Kerriebaby

Just be aware that with a lot of the cheaper cat foods and supermarket brands ( Supermarkets own, Felix etc ) they are not all that great for your pets. They are not made with real meat, its meat and animal derivatives ( feet guts, heads claws etc ) and not always the same animal...say you buy a chicken tin, its minimum 4% chicken, so what is the rest of the "meat"? it can be anything! Also there are a lot of chemicals, additives, preservatives ( which they have to put in, otherwise the cats simply wont eat it ) The wet foods also have a lot of sugars and salts ( hidden in the Jelly or Gravy ) which is why the cats often lick the g/j and walk away. Well would you want to eat what is in there?!

Feeding a good quality dry good ( james Wellbeloved, Wainwrights, Royal Canin ) and then topping up with some fresh meat, tinned fish etc usually works out much cheaper for the owner and in the long run much healthier for the cats

Buttonmoons

I was warned against feeding a cat exclusively on dry food as if they don't drink enough water it can give them kidney failure? Not 100% on that though! I think my cat would kick up a fuss if I stopped giving her wet food, she already hollers about it all day, as I only give her 1 1/2 pouches a day, she won't eat cooked meats either like chicken or beef, but she DOES try and steal raw chicken. Is it ok to give them raw chicken? I know they eat wild mice and things but I wouldn't want to give her anything thats going to result in me cleaning up vomit/diarrhea.

MrsTinks

Chicken is questionable because of the risk of salmonella on the raw meat... Not often the field mice have slamonella I guess
I feed dry Arden Grange for both the dog and 2 cats - definitely works out cheaper because you need less. The cats then get the occasional pouch as a "treat". Yes you can get kidney problems if the cats don't drink enough but it's not as common as you'd think - just make sure there is always fresh water available...

PrincessK_2

Hmmm - the dry food/kidney problem link is one that I hadn't thought about. I always put out a fresh bowl of water for my cat but I swear I have never, ever seen him drink out of it in the 2.5 years I've had him - worrying (though I have spotted him drinking out of dirty puddles - why?!) :mad:

lostinrates

I went to raw feeding through a different route than the Chronic renal failure (my cat has mild allergies), but there are times when raw is difficult. I love it, thy are blooming with helth, but doing it proprly is not IMO cheap or easy. When in a rush, or when other people are taking care of them they have pouches. I was buying vry high quality cat food for these occasions, but whn they tucked into the canof less good dog food I'd had to buy for th dog I realised it was b who was fussy not them. Buy choice I don't feed cheap cat food, but I do now let them have the odd pouch of it, which I call 'MacDonalds for cats'. Thy love it (all th cheap sugary jelly) and it is a convenient RARE standby. My very spoilt cats like the cheapest of pouches

Personally I would feed the cheapest wt food available before good quality dired food (ashame because it is easier) but thats a personal prference.

arthur_dent_2

I have 2 cats 1 of which is also called milo. Both mine are rescue cats and they were really fussy, however over the years I have weaned them off whiskas and now they will eat anything. Though their favourite is the premium one from lidl. It is 36p a can.