Cat diets

cally6008

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/pets-at-home-adult-complete-cat-food-with-chicken-pouches-85gm-12-pack-14773

Main Flavour: Chicken (49%).

Typical Analysis:

Moisture 82.5%, Protein 12%, Oils and Fats 2.5%, Fibre 5%, Ash 2.5%, Calcium 1%, Phosphorus 1.3%, Vitamin A 2200iu/kg, Vitamin D3250iu/kg, Vitamin E (a-Tocopherol) 50iu/kg, Copper (Cupric Sulphate) 1mg/kg. No added colourants, flavourings or preservatives.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/pets-at-home-adult-complete-cat-food-with-tuna-pouches-85gm-12-pack-14775

Main Flavour: Fish (49%).

Typical Analysis:

Moisture 83%, Protein 12.5%, Oils and Fats 2.5%, Fibre 5%, Ash 2.5%, Calcium 1%, Phosphorus 1.3%, Vitamin A 2200iu/kg, Vitamin D3250iu/kg, Vitamin E (a-Tocopherol) 50iu/kg, Copper (Cupric Sulphate) 1mg/kg. No added colourants, flavourings or preservatives.

£4-00 for box of 12

I'm thinking not bad value, low fat, high meat, high fibre

Am I on to a winner ... (providing the cats will eat it ?)

cally6008

from here - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=29052335&postcount=44

"The average cat should eat 4-6 ounces of canned food per day split between 2-3 meals but this is just a general guideline."

I'm assuming the recommendation above is for a 3.5kg average cat. Fatty is a big cat and my vet suggested she should be between 5 and 5.5kg (12.1lbs), therefore she needs more. Probably 6-8oz.

"If your cat weighs 18 pounds but really should weigh 12 pounds, please make sure that he is consuming at least ~180 calories per day. (12 pounds lean body mass X 15 calories/pound/day = ~180 calories/day)

If you have a small female cat that should only weigh 9 pounds, please make sure that she is consuming at least 135 calories per day.

Canned foods never list the calorie content on the can but many dry foods do list this information on the bag. A rough guideline for the calorie content of most canned foods that are 78% moisture is ~30 calories/ounce but can range from 20 to 40 calories/ounce as shown by the chart located at binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html."

I'm aiming for fatty to come down from 6.8kg (15lbs) to 5.5kg (12lb), so she needs to lose 1.3kg which is 3lbs. Slotting the figures into the calculation above:

12 pounds lean body mass X 15 calories/pound/day = ~180 calories/day

I've started her at 240 calories/day, which is less than she eats normally. Using the average figure if 30 calories per ounce of wet food, this equates to 8 ounces (200g) of wet food a day and I'm doing four small meals to soften the blow.

Have I worked this out right? I'm assuming the calories per ounce of wet food don't differ that much between America and the UK...

Times are approx

7-8am - half pouch of wet food
12pm - 10g weighed dry food (go cat indoor, wont change brand)
4-6pm - half pouch wet food
9pm - 5g dry food (only if whingy or remains of earlier tea put back down)
11pm - half pouch wet food
12-1am - 10g dry food

One male fatty who just had bout of citistis, one female oldie with renal failure n over active thyroid

Am I feeding too much ?

Neither cat can stomach more than half pouch wet food at a time as both have lovely tendancy to throw up after consuming more than their own amount

HappyMJ

I think your vet is best placed to answer this question. I'd suggest a vet prescription diet instead of go-cat and pouches with the illnesses you have mentioned and especially the fact they can't even finish a half pouch before throwing up. That's not good....

925dancer

I`t doesn't look like the quantities are to much but Go Cat is dreadful junk food for cats, high calorie, high carb. Cats are obligate carnivores, the best diet for them is actually raw but this isn't practical for everyone. The cheaper the dry food the higher the cereal and carb content, cats don't need it and it's very easy for them to pile on the weight if eating it.

I do feed dry but it's a high quality, high meat content to reduce potential problems arising from a poor diet.

I'm no expert though, there are some incredibly knowledgeable feline nutrition members on https://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk. I have learned a lot from there!

cally6008

Vet prescription diet = too expensive (eg Hills)

They can finish half a pouch quite happily.

Any more than this and old cat definitely throws up and young cat bolts it down that quick that on the odd time that my OH has given him too much, then he does throw up.

Go Cat Indoor biscuits = only dry cat food that old cat will eat and has drastically reduced number of hairballs and throwing up that she used to do. She gets very fussy if just fed wet food and then starts not eating.

What about the wet food links I posted above .. do they look good quality ?

HappyMJ

Purina the makes of Go-Cat don't even recommend Go-Cat for overweight cats. Try http://www.purinavets.eu/home/pvd/feline/om.htm also from Purina or just give them (Purina Petcare) a call on 0800 212 161 weekdays for some advice.

925dancer

HappyMJ wrote: »

I think your vet is best placed to answer this question. I'd suggest a vet prescription diet instead of go-cat and pouches with the illnesses you have mentioned and especially the fact they can't even finish a half pouch before throwing up. That's not good....

Vets actually know very little about feline nutrition, if you go to your Dr with a nutrition and diet question they're likely to refer to another professional who has studied the subject aren't they? Same for vets and animals.

Vets recommend the food in their surgery as they make money from selling it, it isn't always the best diet, calling it prescription doesn't make it good.

Rev

925dancer wrote: »

Vets actually know very little about feline nutrition, if you go to your Dr with a nutrition and diet question they're likely to refer to another professional who has studied the subject aren't they? Same for vets and animals.

Vets recommend the food in their surgery as they make money from selling it, it isn't always the best diet, calling it prescription doesn't make it good.

This basically.

Also agree about go cat being very low on actual 'food' for cats. You can get really good wet food for a few pence more, but thats far from the worst wet cat food I've seen. If you live by a b&m or home bargains they sell feline fayre and hilife pouches for about 19p, which works out at £2.28 for 12, so almost a 50% saving.

My youngest cat can't eat more than half a pouch without throwing it back up. The vet has done tests, he's fine, he just likes his food, eats too much, get bloated then throws up. So we feed him half a pouch at a time. And make sure there's a good few hours in between. As for furballs, get a furminator, reduced my youngest cats from god knows how many to me not remembering the last time he brought one up.

925dancer

The links look reasonably ok but as I said, I'm no expert and certainly haven't mastered the art of reading cat food labelling! It does however, look infinitely better than Whiskas and Felix etc.

Have you tried PAH dry? In the silver bags, I know a lot of people who feed this, me included and for the price it's very good quality. A 2kg bag is £9.99 I think but they do offers all the time, usually 2 for 1.

925dancer

A nother Feline Fayre and HiLife fan here! I'm on a budget as I have returned to being a student, shock to the budget I can tell you!

Bear in mind that with Feline Fayre, the blue packaged foods are not complete and if feeding Go-Cat I don't see where you would make the needed nutrition up. Feline Fayre in black packaging however is complete.

rita-rabbit

Burns is excellent dry food & cheap
Bozita & Aniconda Carni is excellent wet food & cheap - I use Zooplus

I second recommendation for Furminator for reduction of furballs though. Also not free-feeding.